Our second Hometown Hero courtesy of Robert’s Heating and Cooling is Tom Greening!
Derek was nominated by his wife, Lisa. Her nominating letter is below:
Tom served in the Army in the 101st Airborne as an infantry soldier during the Cold War. He was a mortar man, squad leader, sergeant, platoon sergeant and later joined the National Guard. He was always a leader that led by example and at one time trained West Point cadets. He went to Air Assault School, Rappel Master School, Jungle Warfare School and was honor graduate in most of them he attended. One of the highlights of his career was being able to serve with his dad who was a helicopter pilot.
Tom is very involved and continues his life of service within his community. He is a member of the American Legion, the Legion Riders and the Legion Honor Guard. Tom recruits members for these organizations and participates in Honor Guard training. Within the Honor Guard he stands in flag lines and performs final rifle salutes for veteran’s funerals.
Once Tom is aware of a need he reaches out and assists anyone, whether it’s veterans, neighbors, or church members. In his community he was a youth baseball coach and taught hunting and gun safety to women and youth groups for many years. He willingly transports people to medical appointments, blades driveways when it snows, and performs repairs on homes, equipment, and vehicles, all at his own expense. Tom is a friend to troubled people, helping the homeless with food, money, clothing or a bus ticket to wherever they need to go. He always stops to help a driver broken down on the side of the road. He also serves on the security team at his church.
When Tom was a UPS driver he saved a man from heat stroke, rescued an elderly woman stuck in her car in the ditch. One day he saw a handicapped child that had tipped over his wheelchair while going to the mailbox on a very hot day. He picked him up and took him inside, called his parents, and stayed with him, cooling him down until his parents arrived.
Tom is always on the lookout for animals in distress. He’s found homes for stray or abused dogs, has untangled an owl from a barbed wire fence, and once picked up a weak and dehydrated calf he found on the road, putting it into his UPS truck and driving it to the vet.
Tom researches any concerns that are shared with him and will literally do anything within his power to assist his fellowman. He is a friend to all and a Hometown Hero.
For being this week’s Hometown Hero, Tom receives 4 tickets to an upcoming K-State football game, as well as a $100 maintenance gift card from Kia of Manhattan and a $50 gift card to RC McGraw’s.
His name is also entered in our grand prize drawing, a complete Furnace/AC replacement from Robert’s Heating and Cooling! We’ll draw that winner on Nov. 10!
Nominate a veteran you know who deserves recognition for being an outstanding soldier and member of the community here!
