Congratulations to Community Hero Mickey DePalo!
Burbank, California (April 27, 2021) — After 65 years as an exemplary member of the Burbank community, Mickey DePalo is starting a new adventure in Illinois. He has truly left a lasting legacy here in Burbank after a lifelong career in public service and as a dedicated community volunteer.
Mickey describes himself as a “Hard Core Park Rat”, spending much of his childhood playing in the parks and participating in Parks and Recreation programs. His love of baseball inspired him to volunteer. In college, he started coaching the Hap Minor Baseball league and continued to coach various teams over the years. At 19 years old, he started part-time in the Burbank Parks and Recreation Department and continued a career in public service for 42 years. Upon his retirement, Mickey has continued to stay active as a member of the Parks and Recreation Board, currently in his third-term.
He proudly served in the United States Army during the Vietnam War. As a strong advocate for Veterans, Mickey, along with fellow Veteran and good friend Marc Cutter, founded the Burbank Veterans Commemorative Committee (BVCC) as a way to honor all Burbank military Veterans. With Mickey as the chairperson since its inception in 1988, the BVCC has coordinated Memorial Day and Veterans Day ceremonies at the McCambridge Park War Memorial with Mickey as the emcee for all 33 years. One of Mickey’s proudest accomplishments was securing the City of Burbank as a site host for the Vietnam Memorial “The Moving Wall” in 1988, a half-sized replica of the Washington D.C. Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Mickey was also an integral part of the McCambridge Park War Memorial renovation, which was recently rededicated on November 11, 2019.
Mickey knows that time is often more valuable than money, and he is always willing to give his time to help various organizations and causes, including many local Veterans organizations, the YMCA, and the Magnolia Park Optimist Club. He has been recognized for his tireless dedication— among some of his honors include: “Burbank Athletics Walk of Fame Inductee” in 2007, 43rd District’s “Veteran of the Year” by California State Assemblymember Paul Krekorian in 2009, and again by Assemblymember Laura Friedman in 2017, the Burbank Association of Realtors “Citizen of the Year” in 2011, and the Burbank recipient of the “Older Americans Volunteer Service Award” from Los Angeles County in 2017.
“I’ll never be able to give back what Burbank has given me,” he remarks, ”But I’m making an effort.”
Thank you, Mickey, for your dedication and contributions to the Burbank community!
Please join us in honoring him at the following virtual events:
Parks and Recreation Board Meeting on Thursday, May 13 at 6:00 PM
www.burbankca.gov/meetings
Burbank City Council Meeting on Tuesday, May 18 at 6:00 PM
www.burbankca.gov/meetings
Memorial Day Ceremony on Monday, May 31 at 11:00 AM
www.youtube.com/theburbankchannel/live
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