Anna’s Day at SLP, Week 3!

While participating in the LEDC SLP, Anna knew she wanted to get more in touch with volunteering in the community, especially working with Furr, Wegman & Banks who prides themselves on giving back and rooting themselves in the Lakeland community. Week 3 was the Philanthropy Day, in which Anna and her peers listened to speakers who work in not-for-profit companies that strive to make the Lakeland and Polk County community better. In the late morning, the SLP group traveled to Parker Street Ministries, a church in Lakeland which aims to give children in this area better opportunities and to generally improve the neighborhood’s lives. Tim Mitchell is the Executive Director of Parker Street Ministries and he detailed to participants his journey to enhance this area and the years of laying the foundation to building his new neighbor’s trust. After this, the group got to put on a carnival for the children in the Summer Camp at Parker Street. This included face painting, ring toss, and an awesome bounce house. Anna helped at the Coloring Book station, excited to help the children draw and color, which is her favorite pastime. Anna reported back the next day at work talking about how rewarding it was to interact with the little kids, and how it was an interesting challenge to navigate hanging out with all different age groups of children.

The end of the day brought a panel of speakers from philanthropists and representatives from VISTE, EMERGE Lakeland, One More Child, United Way of Central Florida. Hearing these local leaders talk about their jobs and the impact they have seen their organizations achieve in Polk County further strengthened Anna’s understanding of just how giving the City of Lakeland is. She is excited to use that energy she gained from this experience and find new ways to volunteer within the community.

Now being halfway done with the program, Anna doesn’t want the fun to end! She looks forward to the next two weeks to further network and connect to the SLP participants and speakers.