PALOS PARK, IL — Tom Post had a casual kindness. He was beloved by the neighborhood dogs, cats, squirrels, birds and other wildlife. Following his retirement, Post dedicated his life to the Palos Lions Club where he spent countless hours helping his neighbors. So when he died in November 2023 at age 78, his passing not only left a hole in the community, it left a hole in the hearts of his grandchildren.
To honor and remember their “Papa,” Mia Narciso, 16, along with her siblings Bella, Chance and Indy, started a community-based Leo Club, a youth-driven community-based service organization under the auspices of Lions Club International.
“There was nobody who crossed his path no matter their station in life that Papa couldn’t relate to or strike up a conversation with,” said Mia, an incoming junior at Marist High School. “His kindness truly made him so unique and someone to look up to.”
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Post grew up in the St. Barnabas Parish in Beverly, attending the parish grammar school. He was a three-sport athlete at Mt. Carmel High School, playing football, basketball and baseball. After high school, Post was drafted into the Army where he served two tours in Vietnam achieving the rank of sergeant as a decorated combat veteran. He started his going on to a successful career at Eastern Airlines, before partnering with his brother in the real estate business. He married the love of his life, Kathleen, moving to Palos Park where they raised their family.
As a revered member of the Palos Lions Club, Lion Tom Post was known for his unwavering commitment to helping those in need. Throughout his life, he dedicated countless hours to the Lions Club, organized community events, and was always the first to lend a hand to those less fortunate. He collected eyeglasses and worked the Palos Lions’ famous Christmas tree lot. In 2019, he received one of the Lions’ highest awards, the Melvin Jones Award for his exemplary service to the club and community.
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“When he passed, I think the community felt a hole where he used to be because he was so helpful,” his granddaughter said. “The Lions gave him a channel to show his humanity;
Earlier this month, the Leo Club of Palos kicked off their mission of Leadership, Experience, Opportunity with an induction ceremony on August 8 at the Palos Park Recreation Center. With local dignitaries and Palos Lions Club members in attendance.
In addition to Mia and her siblings, a total of 14 teens were inducted as charter members into the new Leo Club: Aaron Aldrich, Delilah Capuano, Ethan Froylan, Eddie Garvey, James Gira, Brendan Kelly, Will Polacek, Charlie Garvey, Patrick Ready, Luke Snell, Tommy Garvey and Emily Ready.
“We’re excited to bring the community together in celebration of our grandfather’s life and to support the causes he cared deeply about,” Post’s grandson, Chance Narciso, 14, said. “We invite anyone ages 12-18 to join the Leo Club of Palos and learn the importance of serving others and making our community a better place.”
The community-based Leo Club is open to youth ages 12 to 18 from any local school. Since many of the new inductees are returning or about to return to school (Marist goes back Aug. 26), Mia, the club president, says the Leo Club will set its meeting in September.
“We’ll be meeting at different places,” Mia said. “We plan to meet at libraries and other community spaces.”
With the guidance and support of the Palos Lions Club, the youth civic club will support local shelters, organize food drives and improve the needs of the Palos community.
“We have a couple of ideas,” Mia said. “This club is truly student driven. We wanted to open it to actual members to see what they want to do.”
If you have a community venue where the club can meet, a project idea for the teens, or want to join the Leo Palos Club, reach out to Mia Narciso at mianarciso8@gmail.com, or her mom, Gina Narciso, member of the Palos Lions and the club advisor, at postgina@hotmail.com.
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“I know my Papa is proud of everything we’re doing,” Mia said. “We’re doing it for him.”
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