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St. Petersburg Times | tampabay.com | Know it now.
Tom Cooney has interviewed baseball legends Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle and chatted with four presidents.
Make that five.
President George W. Bush honored Cooney, of Dunedin, with the President's Call to Service Award on Tuesday. He presented the award to Cooney personally, after disembarking from Air Force One in Sarasota.
Since March 2002, Bush has honored more than 500 people throughout the country with the award, which recognizes exemplary volunteer service.
Cooney has been deaf since an infection he had as an infant and has dedicated the past 20 years of his life to making the hearing community aware of what it means to be hearing impaired.
Through writing for publications such as the Silent News and speaking on behalf of the deaf in courtrooms, he has grown into a public relations wizard. His walls at home are covered with photos of him with presidents and other celebrities. He also works in local classrooms, spreading the word about how the deaf community is an asset to society.
The Call to Service Award is Cooney's second major honor in three months. In August, Gov. Jeb Bush presented Cooney with the Governor's Points of Light Award, given weekly to a Florida resident dedicated to public service.
"The deaf don't need help; they need recognition," said Cooney, wagging his finger forcefully. "They need immersion in culture."
Cooney's tenacious personality has helped him gain mainstream recognition, especially in his passion - sports. He has successfully solicited the signatures of countless presidents on one especially beloved baseball. He also signed the national anthem at the 2001 Super Bowl in Tampa.
When Cooney approached Maris years ago, the baseball player looked around helplessly after finding out Cooney was deaf.
"He didn't know what to do with me," Cooney said. But he had written all his questions out on a piece of paper in advance so the two could still communicate.
Cooney brings photos of the sports superstars, such as Michael Jordan, whom he has mingled with so students in Pinellas County classrooms will take him seriously.
"If I never go to these classes, the deaf are losing some people who can be interpreters for their community," he said. "Some of these kids I meet are very good at signing."
Now, Cooney's focus is on Lily the Love Frog, a nonprofit that he founded with Camie Gallo in 2003. Gallo met Cooney while she was logging contact hours for an interpreting course at St. Petersburg College.
Lily the Love Frog focuses on bridging the gap between hearing and deaf communities.
It organizes a wide range of activities, such as musical events at which hearing students interpret using sign language, and bus trips for hearing students during which they can only communicate with their hands.
"When they come back, their eyes are very tired from looking at people all day long," he said.
"They learn that being deaf means you have to use your eyes."
In spite of his desire to unite communities, Cooney, who has a booming voice and a shock of white hair, said he considers himself unique. "I march to the beat of a different drummer," he said.
When President Bush presented him with the award Tuesday, Cooney asked for something else, too - a pair of presidential cuff links. With a nod to one of his associates, Bush granted the request.
"Now I have to get a French shirt to wear with them," he said, looking proudly at the glinting metal.
Tom Cooney has interviewed baseball legends Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle and chatted with four presidents.
Make that five.
President George W. Bush honored Cooney, of Dunedin, with the President's Call to Service Award on Tuesday. He presented the award to Cooney personally, after disembarking from Air Force One in Sarasota.
Since March 2002, Bush has honored more than 500 people throughout the country with the award, which recognizes exemplary volunteer service.
Cooney has been deaf since an infection he had as an infant and has dedicated the past 20 years of his life to making the hearing community aware of what it means to be hearing impaired.
Through writing for publications such as the Silent News and speaking on behalf of the deaf in courtrooms, he has grown into a public relations wizard. His walls at home are covered with photos of him with presidents and other celebrities. He also works in local classrooms, spreading the word about how the deaf community is an asset to society.
The Call to Service Award is Cooney's second major honor in three months. In August, Gov. Jeb Bush presented Cooney with the Governor's Points of Light Award, given weekly to a Florida resident dedicated to public service.
"The deaf don't need help; they need recognition," said Cooney, wagging his finger forcefully. "They need immersion in culture."
Cooney's tenacious personality has helped him gain mainstream recognition, especially in his passion - sports. He has successfully solicited the signatures of countless presidents on one especially beloved baseball. He also signed the national anthem at the 2001 Super Bowl in Tampa.
When Cooney approached Maris years ago, the baseball player looked around helplessly after finding out Cooney was deaf.
"He didn't know what to do with me," Cooney said. But he had written all his questions out on a piece of paper in advance so the two could still communicate.
Cooney brings photos of the sports superstars, such as Michael Jordan, whom he has mingled with so students in Pinellas County classrooms will take him seriously.
"If I never go to these classes, the deaf are losing some people who can be interpreters for their community," he said. "Some of these kids I meet are very good at signing."
Now, Cooney's focus is on Lily the Love Frog, a nonprofit that he founded with Camie Gallo in 2003. Gallo met Cooney while she was logging contact hours for an interpreting course at St. Petersburg College.
Lily the Love Frog focuses on bridging the gap between hearing and deaf communities.
It organizes a wide range of activities, such as musical events at which hearing students interpret using sign language, and bus trips for hearing students during which they can only communicate with their hands.
"When they come back, their eyes are very tired from looking at people all day long," he said.
"They learn that being deaf means you have to use your eyes."
In spite of his desire to unite communities, Cooney, who has a booming voice and a shock of white hair, said he considers himself unique. "I march to the beat of a different drummer," he said.
When President Bush presented him with the award Tuesday, Cooney asked for something else, too - a pair of presidential cuff links. With a nod to one of his associates, Bush granted the request.
"Now I have to get a French shirt to wear with them," he said, looking proudly at the glinting metal.