The evening of May 12, 2021, was an exciting evening for two members of our Loma Linda community Paul Damazo and his wife Jay. Recognizing their tremendous contribution of service and leadership to our nation and community, and knowing that Paul’s 95th Birthday was on May 12, several of their friends decided to honor them with a Birthday, Thank-You Drive-By. Because of Covid 19 the friends organized the Drive By preceded by remarks from several dignitaries.
Dr. Richard Hart, President of Loma Linda University Health was the first speaker and spoke, among other things, of Paul’s initiatives and his positive impact on contributing to the achievement of the mission of the organization, “To Make Man Whole” by adding to many offices and waiting rooms health and other uplifting and. encouraging reading material. Both patients and employees could and do select from this reading material. Nearly. 200,000 pieces were taken during 2019.
Phill Dupper, Mayor of the city of Loma Linda spoke of reasons why it was appropriate to thank Paul and his wife Jay for their lives of service. Dupper talked about the fact that Paul served our country in the military during WW II and at one time serving as Acting Captain on a ship returning from Japan, established the first dietetic degree program at La Sierra University, conducted finance seminars for fund raising for multiple church projects resulting in millions of dollars raised, created many industries to employ thousands of students to help cover their tuition costs, established Food Services across the country, established the system of religious literature distribution we now practice in most of our buildings in Loma Linda University Health, currently serves on the Loma Linda University Church Literature Ministry Committee as Vice-president for Special Projects, created a system of Bible studies for students attending Loma Linda University with a plan that will eventually extend to all SDA college campuses across the country.
Dupper concluded his remarks by thanking Paul Damazo for his contribution of influence and leadership to better serve the people of Loma Linda.
Interspersed between speeches, the Loma Linda University Church Advent Hope Sabbath School Singers, accompanied on the keyboard by Alicia Dellen presented beautiful vocal numbers.
Since Pastor Randy Roberts, Senior Pastor of the Loma Linda University Church was out of town, it was most appropriate for his wife, Mrs Anita Roberts to share some remarks representing her husband and the pastoral team and their thanks for Paul’s vision, motivation and action in connection with his church and the larger community.
Marilynn Carpenter, Co Chair of the Loma Linda University Church Literature Ministry Committee read a congratulatory letter from N.C. Wilson, President of the 22,000,000 member Seventh-day Adventist Church articulating the value of Paul’s commitment and contribution to the world church. It was a letter of heart felt thanks for a good man and his good work.
As speeches ended, a big red Loma Linda’s Fire Truck began leading cars by the Damazo home in the “Birthday Thank You Paul Drive-By.” The fire truck stopped in front of Paul’s garage as the full crew waved to Paul and his wife Jay.
Paul moved through the crowd of friends, colleagues and neighbors to greet everyone who attended.
Many attendees stayed after the speeches and Drive-By were over just to visit with Paul and his wife and each other. Neighbors who were present said it was so beautiful that they thought they might do it for other neighbors, too.
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