TAMPA, Fla. — At every home game, The Tampa Bay Lightning honor a local person or nonprofit working to make an impact in our community.
On February 25, the Lightning honored Retired Major Mack Macsam as the Lightning Community Hero.
He founded the nonprofit Veteran Arts Center of Tampa Bay. It provides mental health support, healing, and suicide prevention through art.
It has helped more than 3,000 veterans, first responders, and their families find purpose and a renewed sense of belonging.
The Lightning Foundation gave Major Mack a $50,000 grant which he’s donating to the center to ensure it continues its mission of helping local veterans in need.

Bradenton community responds after 20-year-old volleyball star dies from disease that affects 2 in a million
The 20-year-old IMG Academy volleyball star and Under Armour All-American died Sept. 16 after a three-month battle with the rare blood disorder — even though doctors had found her a 100% bone marrow match, her mother, Tanya Mack tells Tampa Bay 28 reporter Haley Zarcone.