Good sports: PAL Center will get new gym, thanks to Lorusso Foundation

By Craig Salters
FALMOUTH BULLETIN
Tue Mar 11, 2008

Falmouth – It may be located on Brick Kiln Road in Falmouth but all Cape Cod children ages 7 to 17 are welcome to join the Police Athletic League of Cape Cod. The fee is $10.

Not per week. Not per month. Not per year. Forever.

It’s that type of “kids first” philosophy that has allowed the PAL Center to make a name for itself since its founding in 2000 by Falmouth Police Detective Kent “K.C.” Clarkson and Patrolman Paul Robidoux.

It’s also one reason why the Lorusso Foundation has decided to continue its support of the center, this time to the tune of $500,000.

“It provides a great spot for the children,” said East Falmouth’s Sam Lorusso. “It’s the right thing to do.”

The Lyndon Lorusso Foundation honors the memory of Lyndon Lorusso, who died in 1971 at age 17. It was founded by Lyndon’s parents, Paul and Lila Lorusso, and has provided millions of dollars to help the youth of Cape Cod.

“All the giving is in his [Lyndon’s] memory,” said Sam Lorusso, a cousin of Lyndon’s.

The $500,000 donation will be used to construct a new gym on the property, said Clarkson, now the president of PAL’s board of directors. Among other uses, the gym will allow the center’s boxing program to move from its current location at Otis Air National Guard Base.

While plans are preliminary and there is no construction timetable, a building committee is in place and is hard at work, said Clarkson.

For Clarkson, the donation is not only a financial help but also another indication that the community is taking to the center’s mission. He also noted that this is not the first donation of the Lorusso Foundation but only the most recent.

“We’re very fortunate,” he said. “We consider them part of the PAL family.”

And that family includes Janet Munro, the center’s program director. On a typical day, she oversees between 20 to 50 kids but those numbers can double or even triple during special events like dances or movie nights.

“They’re the coolest kids,” said Munro.

On a recent tour of the current building, Munro showed off such highlights as the Sam Lorusso Theater, the air hockey and pool tables, and the game room where weekly video game challenges are held.

But she also showed off the row of orange vinyl booths — which in a former life held patrons of Jake’s Tap — where the children must finish their homework before doing any of the fun stuff.

“It’s really important to have that studious mentality,” said Munro, who is known as “Miss J” at the center.

Another location for the students to do their work is the Ideal Floor Covering Learning Center, which boasts a bank of 10 computers.

Munro is quick to point out that the kids at the center treat each other with an attitude of tolerance and respect. She also noted that the kids are especially grateful to Clarkson, so much so that they developed a dance called The Clarkson Slide to honor him on his birthday.

“They planned the whole thing themselves,” said Munro.