They're making our community better and better one homeless family after another

It's always amazing and gratifying to see the work people do in our community to help others have a better life. We were particularly drawn to Allen Buchanan's article in The Weekly Challenger about the work of an organization called Florida Dream Center. This particular article centered on homeless families who are being able to move into home. Have a save and secure shelter for your family is so very important, especially when there are children involved. Florida Dream Center brought together various organizations and businesses in throughout Pinellas County to make some amazing thing happen. Read the article. Helping homeless people isn't the only thing Florida Dream Center does. They're feeding the hungry, rehabilitating the afflicted, ministering to those in prisons and jails, aiding human trafficking survivors, and more. Follow the link to the website.

Duck graduation is all it's quacked up to be!

We had to chuckle at Debbie Wolfe’s delightful story in The Gabber about the pet graduation at Eckerd College, and seniors Jordan Brooks and Sam Fisher with their pet ducks, Nora and Murphy. Apparently Eckerd is the first college in the country to accept dorm room pets, and, presumably, the first to have a pet graduation ceremony paralleling the human one. There’s quite menagerie at Eckerd. Standing behind the duck owners in the picture was Matthew Hardy, whose pet python and pet mouth makes for an interesting combination. Take time to read the story. It’s great!

Shirley Proctor Puller Foundation mission to end all illiteracy in South St. Petersburg

Shirley Proctor Puller spent 35 years teaching at Northeast High School. After she died, her husband, CPA Bill Puller, established the Shirley Proctor Puller Foundation to help end illiteracy in South St. Petersburg. The foundation gives away free age-appropriate books to youngsters and teens, conducts a summer program to help students retain what they learned during the school year, and offers tutoring (in partnership with Eckerd College and other programs) to help students learn. The foundation wants to add a reading program as well. If you’d like to help the foundation with any of its activities, get in touch. Here’s a great story about the foundation in The Weekly Challenger. Here’s a link to the foundation as well.

Business Watch Meeting tonight at 6 p.m.

In the footsteps of Naomi and the women of Titus 2, these ladies are making a difference

Did you see the article by Raven Joy Shonel in The Weekly Challenger about the event honoring 15 women in our town for their selfless devotion to their families and the community? We were proud to see them recognized by our friends at NT3CA — the Naomi and Titus 2 Covenant Alliance. The event celebrates these women who come from different walks in life but share the common trait of making a difference in the lives of the people around them. Terry Hodge founded the organization a decade ago, and it has grown into such a positive force in the community as it recognizes women who embody the legacy of women in the Bible — Naomi, who stayed true to her family, and the women in Titus 2, who teach what is good. Terry is a retired teacher who just keeps on teaching. That is how strong communities are built.

One man's trash is, indeed, another man's treasure! Just look at this success story!

The adage “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure” couldn’t be more clearly illustrated than with the Junk in the Trunk Flip fundraiser event in Gulfport. After all, nothing builds community better than people coming together to swap their “stuff.”  We spotted Debbie Wolfe’s article in The Gabber recently and read with fascination about Christine Gallagher’s entry in which she transformed a tattered mustard yellow 1970s chair into a work of art with connections to a 15th century Jan van Eyck oil painting. That’s Christine Gallagher’s husband Tony Spinney in the picture. He represented her at the event because she was out of town. You can read the article in The Gabber here. Can’t wait for the next JITT in October and the next Flip in November.

Where in the world are St. Petersburg College students? They're studying abroad

A few years ago, there was a children’s video game called Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego? about a globetrotting villain who always managed to elude the authorities who were chasing her. Our  friends at St. Petersburg College are hardly villains but they certainly are getting around these days. A group of theater students recently returned from England and posted the accompanying videos. We hope you enjoy them.

There are numerous benefits to studying abroad, among them, the appreciation of other cultures, which enriches the student personally and professionally. Getting a global education gives one a tangible sense of how other people work and live. Learning a foreign language is easier when you’re immersed in an environment where the language is spoken predominately. Students who study abroad enhance their employment opportunities. Expanding ones horizons, meeting interesting people, trying exotic foods, and enjoying new places to visit. All great reasons to go.

SPC students are on trips right now or leaving shortly for Australia, China, Costa Rica, Greece, and India. Later in the year, they’ll be going back to Costa Rica, as well as to Dominican Republic, Spain, and Israel. Coming up next year are trips to England, Italy, South Africa, and Thailand.

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness,” said Mark Twain. Indeed.

Skyway Marina Movie Night on Friday: Behold! The Princess Bride reigns again

There are a lot of memories associated with The Princess Bride, the 1987 film that has been called one of the best movie love stories of all time. Remember Fred Savage? He was Kevin Arnold, the baby-faced star of The Wonder Years Remember Peter Falk? He was Columbo, the rumpled homicide detective with a knack for shrewdly gathering evidence until the murderer has no escape.

Well, before Fred Savage became famous in The Wonder Years, he appeared as Peter Falk's grandson in The Princess Bride. Fred's character is ill and his grandfather is reading a story to him. That's the framing story for this beautiful movie. The good news is that the movie is going to be shown on Friday for The Skyway Marina Movie Night. And it's free!

It'll be a great night of family entertainment. Festivities begin at 6:30 p.m., at St. Petersburg City Theatre at 4025 31st St. South. Heavy D's BBQ food truck will be available for dinner. And they'll be popcorn. Before the movie at 8 p.m. you can participate in the Tweasure Raffle to win Princess Bride games. Here's a link for all the details.

The big draw, of course, is the movie. We've included a trailer the movie above in case you have forgotten what a great movie it is. It's a classic fairy tale but has plenty of action and great characters. Among the stars are Cary Elwes, Robin Wright (the princess), Mandy Patinkin, Billy Crystal, and Andre the Giant. Yes, it'll be a night to remember.