Spotlight on Thomas Cleere Melville Managing Attorney and Proud Veteran
May is National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. As a parent, you probably know exercise is important for your children’s physical development. It helps build healthy bones, muscles, and joints and reduces the risk of developing diabetes and other diseases later in life. But did you know that physical activity also has many mental and behavioral health benefits? It’s been shown to improve children’s cognitive skills and concentration, boost their self-esteem, and reduce symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression. One of the best ways to encourage healthy behaviors in your children is by modeling them yourself. Studies have found that more than 80% of adolescents and adults are not getting enough aerobic activity, showing that children often follow in their parents’ footsteps and that exercising together can benefit everyone. You may be thinking it’s hard enough just to get yourself to the gym, but Stephen Virgilio, author of “Active Start for Healthy Kids,” encourages parents not to limit themselves to traditional forms of exercise. Instead, think of exercise more broadly as “leading an active lifestyle.” And remember that exercise can be fun and a great way to get in more family time. GET FIT WITH YOUR FAMILY 5 Easy Ways to Get Everyone Moving
Thomas Cleere, better known as Tom, is the managing attorney for Cellino Law’s Melville office. He’s also a father of two, a former prosecutor, a proud Iraq veteran, and a fan of unwinding with some outdoor yardwork. After getting his law degree, in 2001 Tom put in an application for a direct commission with the Army as an officer. “I hadn’t heard anything for a very long time,” Tom recalls. And then 9/11 happened. “About a
week later, I got my acceptance letter and chose to accept the commission.” Tom served as an Army captain, and when his unit was activated in 2004, he served for a year in Iraq. Serving his country is a family tradition, and Tom wanted to continue the legacy and give back. After his military service ended in 2006, he jumped back into practicing law full time. He’s been a licensed attorney for 21 years now and has been working with Ross Cellino for the last five years. He heard about the opening for his current position through an adversary-turned-friend from the courtroom. The rest, as they say, is history. Speaking of history, when Tom was a high school student, he pondered becoming a history teacher and football coach. But once he began taking law classes in college, he knew that was the right career path for him. “I got involved in law to help people who have been injured as victims in accidents,” Tom says, adding that his job allows him to help people put the pieces of their life back together after they are shattered by an accident. His results speak for themselves and are backed up by five- star reviews like this one from Paul N.: “My attorney, Tom, and his paralegal, Dena, were very knowledgeable, diligent, and professional. They always took the time to answer any questions that I had and kept me updated throughout the process. I highly recommend them.” When Tom is not working hard to get justice for his clients, he likes to spend time with his wife and two daughters. He also keeps himself busy by doing yardwork, joking that he’d like to call it a garden, “but it’s more like trimming, mowing, and clipping and pruning trees.” Tom says he values the instant gratification of that work and the time he gets to spend outdoors in the fresh air.
Here are five easy ways to incorporate more movement into your family’s day.
1. Create a walking ritual. Start walking around the neighborhood before or after dinner each night. Aim for a 20-minute stroll. 2. Have a dance party . Clear some space in the living room, make a playlist with everyone’s favorite tunes, and boogie down for as long as you have the energy. 3. Turn chores into games. Dirt has invaded from outer space and must be eliminated. Set the scene with your kids, grab your tools, and get to work removing the enemy while having fun. 4. Incorporate simple exercises into screen time. Start by making up fun names for exercises like situps or jumping jacks. Then, challenge each other to see who can do the most during your favorite show’s commercial breaks. 5. Get fit in the great outdoors. Cleaning up the yard, planting and maintaining a garden, or just running around outside are all great ways to get in more movement.
2 CELLINOLAW.COM
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