For all the hard work and emotion they put into helping enhance the grounds of My Warrior’s Place, a one-of-a-kind retreat for veterans and their families, TECO team members might think of it as Their Warrior’s Place.
The company’s South Hillsborough Operations team descended on the retreat, an idyllic village of cottages on the banks of the Alafia River in Ruskin, Fla., on Oct. 30. With their technical expertise, heavy equipment – and most of all, their commitment to both the community and Safety First – the group of about two dozen installed new area lights and gave surrounding trees a much-needed trim.
“If this doesn’t make you feel good, nothing will,” said George Fears, line supervisor with South Hillsborough Operations, as TECO team members put the finishing touches on a new light from the raised bucket of a truck. “When I joined South Hillsborough Ops many years ago, the guys who were there – some of them, like now, were veterans and some have since passed – instilled in us how we had to give back to the community. Today is a perfect example of that.”
Kelly Kowall founded My Warrior’s Place in memory of her son, Army Spc. Corey Kowall, who lost his life in Afghanistan. She praised TECO for the help to enhance the retreat – and she said she knows her son would too.
“With TECO coming out here, it’s been a godsend,” she said. “Especially with all the tree limbs and storms, we were worried that a fallen tree would take out a trailer that we’ve built. Corey and all the vets in heaven smile down on this place and the volunteers.”
As the day’s activities wound down at My Warrior’s Place – an effort coordinated by Sr. Admin Specialist Sharon Beck – team members gathered for solemn words of remembrance for those who gave their lives for their county. On Nov. 7, some of the same team members, joined by others, were honoring veterans again at the Town ‘n’ Country Veterans Parade.
And on Nov. 10, dozens of company team members gathered for a Veterans Day Remembrance ceremony at Joe Chillura Courthouse Square Park in Tampa for another event honoring those who have served and those who continue to do so.
“Between TECO’s operations in Florida and New Mexico Gas Company, we have hundreds of veterans serving as company team members – and many more who have been part of the TECO family and have since retired,” said Bruce Napier, senior administrator of Training & Organizational Development, who also spent 25 years in the Air Force. “Showing the community we care about veterans is showing that we care about the community itself, since they’re such a vital part of who we are as a nation. Honoring them is the least we can do.”
Engaging TECO team members and company retirees in Veterans Day
Capping off the Veterans Day activities for TECO team members at noon on Nov. 11 in TECO Hall at TECO Plaza, the company will celebrate the service of all military veterans with a Lunch ‘n Learn presentation from the company’s Values committee.
Bruce Napier and Jeff Rogers, administrator of Learning Systems with TECO’s Training and Development team – as well as a veteran – will lead this event with a history of Veterans Day. Also featured will be TECO veterans sharing their stories of service and memorabilia.
Attending this Lunch ‘n Learn is one small way we can celebrate and honor all of our veterans who gave up so much for us to live free lives.
And on Nov. 12 at the Retiree Rendezvous, an annual gathering of former TECO team members, the company will honor about 260 veterans in a special ceremony. Earlier in the year, Phil Barringer – senior vice president of Corporate Services and chief human resources officer – accepted the responsibilities as TECO Energy’s chairperson with the Vietnam War Commemoration organization.
Bob’s story
Bob Tomczak retired from Tampa Electric in 1995 as the vice president of the department that would come to be called Energy Supply. At the city of Tampa’s Veterans Day event at Joe Chillura Park, he shared an experience from his days as a U.S. Marine after World War II, an account we reprint for you here.
Seven of us had just graduated from high school. We did not care to take chances on the draft into the military so we joined the Marines. We chose the Marines since they only required three years of service. All others required four years.
In the Marines, I spent time at Parris Island, Camp Lejuene and Quantico in Virginia. While at Quantico and Treasure Island, I decided to go to college. I was all set. Then my colonel said to me you can’t go because you are going to Korea!
So I went to San Francisco and waited for a flight that would take me to Hawaii, then Japan and then to Korea. I boarded a MATS [military air transportation service] cargo/passenger plane in Frisco. The plane had civilians, men, women babies, etc. Very few Marines. After some flight time to Hawaii, we hit a very bad storm. It was dark except for the lightning flashes. I could tell we were just above the surface of the Pacific Ocean.
Then we were ordered to throw anything and everything overboard to lose weight. My rifle, sea bag, plus baby buggies, etc. went out the cargo door. I guess the plane was short on fuel. There were no lights in the plane except the small red lights over the cargo doors. All the passengers were praying out loud. So was I.
We crashed in the ocean and short of the runway. The tail section broke up and those in back were seriously injured and possibly lost their lives; the military never gave us an update. We formed a human chain (water was up to my chest) and made it to shore. All I had was my wet clothes and we were given bunks in a Quonset hut. On the third day a general came by and told me my trip was over. I would stay in Hawaii.
I spent 22 months in Hawaii and had a ball surfing the big waves on the beach and fishing.
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