Inspiring videos from students at Stetson: "I came to law school to help people"

What an amazing community we live in! We have some fine institutions of higher learning turning out graduates who are certain to become citizens dedicated to serving others. We couldn't help but be moved by two recent videos posted by Stetson University College of Law. The words of the students really  tell the story. “I first came to law school because I wanted to give back to the community, and I chose Stetson in particular because I grew up in the area and I knew this was a place where I could really sink in my roots and grow," says Stetson Law student Haley Coet. “I think it’s important to be a voice for the people who are voiceless and who don’t have opportunity to be heard by our legal system.”  Here's more from Stetson Law student Carolina Suazo. “I came to law school to help people. I’m one of those quintessential people who really want to use my own life in a way of service.” Watch the videos and tell us what you think.

If you have really old copies of The Weekly Challenger, USF St. Petersburg needs them

If you've been in the community for a long time and you're accumulated stacks and stacks of old newspapers, there's a chance you could help preserve a bit of the community's history. The man in the picture is Cleveland Johnson, who bought The Weekly Challenger in 1967. Today, his daughter, Lyn Johnson, runs the paper. The Nelson Poynter Memorial Library at USF St. Petersburg has launched a project to help digitize the newspaper that has served St. Petersburg's black community for nearly 50 years. So, if you have old copies of The Weekly Challenger, the library would like to copy them digitally and give them back to you. Here's a story all about it from the Tampa Bay Times that was recently published in TWC. Copies of the paper before 2000 are what is needed. Newer ones are already available. This will become a great resource for anyone interested in the history of the black community in St. Petersburg.

This is just darling. You've got to watch it!

In case you missed it, a few days before Thanksgiving there was this amazing community event the Tampa Bay Rays parking lot on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street across from the Trop. It was the 4th annual Fall Festival Turkey Giveaway, and more 3,000 people turned out. Some 1,500 people got free turkeys, just in time for Thanksgiving. The catalysts for this noble endeavor are attorney James Flynn, who is known as "your Southside lawyer" and community activist Jeff Copeland. The Weekly Challenger had a big story on it, along with lots of pictures. Take a look.

Now, about the video at the top of this item. Pony rides! Yes, that's right! There was as petting zoo and there were pony rides! So, in the video, James Flynn takes his daughter over so she can ride on a pony. She's adorable. You've got to watch.

There are five other videos accompanying this story in The Weekly Challenger, including interviews with James Flynn and Mayor Rick Kriseman, whose staff helped make the event happen. It's a grand example of public and private partnership. Working together for common mutual benefit of the community. Bravo to all involved.