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Lombardos celebrate 50 golden years

By TIMES STAFF
Published August 15, 2007

Tony and Shirley Lombardo of Clearwater were married May 18, 1957, in Camden, N.J., and recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary by renewing their vows with family and friends at Landry's Restaurant on the Courtney Campbell Parkway in Tampa.

The couple have three children, Sharon Murphy of Crystal Beach, Deneen Ward of Safety Harbor, and Joseph Lombardo of Clearwater, as well as three grandsons.

The couple moved here in 1978 from Cherry Hill, N.J.

Mr. Lombardo is a Navy veteran. He worked as a salesman and was also skilled as a barber.

Mrs. Lombardo did office work and was in retail sales.

Mr. Lombardo was a member of the Knights of Columbus, and both belong to Light of Christ Church in Clearwater.

Larsens mark 60 years with Valentine's dance

Robert and Arlene Larsen of Clearwater were married August 9, 1947 in a garden wedding and reception at Mrs. Larsen's mother's home in Elgin, Ill.

"Robert had just gotten out of the Air Force and was managing the local roller skating rink," said Mrs. Larsen. "We met in December 1946, were engaged by February 1947 and married seven months later."

Their 60th anniversary event was celebrated at La Plaza mobile home park clubhouse with a Valentine's dance Feb. 10, and was held early because many friends make an annual exodus to the north. A second party was held Aug. 9 at the same location featuring a casual dinner and wedding cake for dessert.

Mr. Larsen was a firefighter for 20 years in Elgin and Mrs. Larsen worked 23 years as a freelance artist for D.C. Cook Publishing, Elgin.

The couple moved here in 1977, four days after Mr. Larsen's retirement from the Elgin Fire Department.

Both were active in their mobile home park when they were younger and were former park board members.

Mr. Larsen was a favorite handyman and helped many people with their repairs.

Mrs. Larsen makes activity posters for the park's bulletin board, and also participates in the Slim 'n Trim class. For 25 years, the couple had put on an annual holiday show.

The Larsens were members of St. Paul's Evangelical Church in Elgin.

They have a son, Dale R. Larsen, of California, raised a daughter, the late Janet Jo Hebner, and have four grandchildren.

Special boy earns his place in Scout history

Since 1912, the Boy Scouts of America have recognized about 1.9-million Eagle Scouts. During this time there have been only a handful of boys who have reached the rank of Eagle Scout before the age of 13. Kevin John Ronayne of Troop 416, Palm Harbor, is part of that rare and special group of scouts, having recently earned Eagle Scout ranking 41 days before his 13th birthday, in a Court of Honor Ceremony held at Toscana's Restaurant in Palm Harbor.

Kevin earned 41 merit badges, almost twice the number required and performed 200 hours of community service, far exceeding the mandatory 16 hours. The Palm Harbor Community Center was the beneficiary of his Eagle Service Project, where he created a picnic area for all to enjoy.

As a member of Troop 416, Kevin has served as patrol leader, librarian, Order of the Arrow representative, quartermaster, den chief, and was also elected into the Order of the Arrow, where he established himself as a brotherhood member and earned the First Year Arrowman Award. The seventh-grader has also been selected to attend the National Junior Leaders Training Camp.

Kevin is the son of Jim and Theresa Ronayne of Palm Harbor.

He is a student at Palm Harbor Middle School.

'Pigs and Papa' earns teen writing honor

Honor Bailey, 15, won first place in the Stanley Shalit Short Story Writing Competition in the high school division. Hosted by the Largo Public Library, the contest is countywide and first prize is a plaque and $500.

Honor's story, Pigs Y Papa, is set in Spain and is about an aging matador and his young family.

She is the daughter of Keith and Lucy Bailey of Largo, and is a freshman at St. Petersburg High School.

Graduate immersed herself in government

Eighteen-year-old Rebekah Hammond, a 2007 graduate of Clearwater High School, was selected to serve this past spring as one of two student delegates to represent the state of Florida in Washington, D.C., for a week, as a part of the United States Youth Program, sponsored by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation.

While a high school senior, she served as governor for the Florida Assembly of Youth in Government, and as executive director for the Pinellas County Student Governments Association's Countywide Service Project, "The March For Miracles" Walkathon to benefit pediatric AIDS and cancer patients at All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg. She was also recognized by the United Way of Tampa Bay as its 2007 Volunteer of the Year in the Youth Division.

For the past two years, Rebekah has served as the sole student representative on the board of directors for the YMCA of the Suncoast.

She was president of the Student Government Association and student body at Clearwater High School and chaired the Principal's Leadership Council.

With a GPA of 4.76, Rebekah ranked third out of 404 students at Clearwater High School and, as a member of the girls varsity tennis team, was district champion and most valuable player.

Rebekah will attend Florida State University this fall and double major in political science and public relations.

She is the daughter of Jim and Polly Hammond of Clearwater.

To submit an item , write to Nova Beall, 710 Court St., Clearwater, FL 33756. Fax to 727 445-4119 or e-mail sbeall@sptimes.com Good For You includes news of 50th wedding anniversaries, people celebrating their 100th birthday (or more) and young people's noteworthy achievements academically, in the arts or community service. For information or an anniversary form, call (727) 445-4221.

[Last modified August 14, 2007, 21:49:20]