Page 2 - Florida Sentinel 12-13-16 Online Edition

Features
Allen Temple AME Church Ventures Into Community
BY GWEN HAYES Sentinel Editor
Although he has only been in the Tampa community a few weeks, the new pastor at Allen Temple African Methodist Church, 2101 N. Lowe St., is taking his congregation into the community.
Just recently, Rev. Dr. Glenn B. Dames, Jr. blan- keted the community with let- ters requesting donations of finances, time and items to bless 300 children in the Rob- les Park public housing devel- opment.
Many may recall, a few weeks ago, a toddler was shot in the Robles Park Apartments Community during a night of unfortunate violence. Thank- fully, the child is expected to make a full recovery. “...It is our desire to make some posi- tive changes to the community she came home to. Our efforts can’t take effect unless we have the support of everyone in our community,” Rev. Dr. Dames said.
His vision is to offer the community more. “We plan to provide gifts and other re- sources to 300 children, how- ever this will not conclude our engagement. Long-term, we plan to offer educational op- portunities and social service resources to children and fam-
REV. DR. GLENN B. DAMES, JR.
ilies living in Robles.”
In his letter to the commu-
nity, Rev. Dr. Dames said, “Would you consider donating, to help us further our reach in this community? You will be able to assist us with enriching the lives of many special peo- ple.”
On Saturday, December 17th, Allen Temple AME Church will “Celebrate Christ- mas In Robles Park Apart- ments,” beginning at 10 a. m. Pastor Dames invites the community to join in celebrat- ing 300 children in the Robles Park complex with unwrapped gifts and monetary donations.
For additional information, call the church office – (813) 229-1438. (See advertisement in this issue.)
Longtime Sentinel Columnist, Political Activist Dies After Lengthy Illness
BY GWEN HAYES Sentinel Editor
A longtime columnist with the Florida Sentinel died Sunday afternoon after a lengthy illness. Randolph Kinsey, Jr., was 78 years old.
Kinsey was initially stricken with a stroke in 2012, and transferred to rehabilita- tion. He had been in hospice care since last Monday and died of natural causes, his widow, Mrs. Betty Kinsey, said.
Kinsey graduated from Gibbs High School and contin- ued his education at Florida A&M University. After college, he taught Math and coached football at Howard W. Blake High School under James “Big Jim” Williams, and also coached basketball.
After his career in the pub- lic schools of Hillsborough County, Kinsey became an Adjuster with Travelers Insur- ance as the first African Amer- ican to be hired. He eventually went on to open his own insur- ance and investigative agency.
During the ‘70s, Kinsey put his writing skills to print when he became a twice- weekly columnist of Another View and Sportside With Randy. “He was an Editorial Board member, who always brought a different perspective and wisdom,” Sentinel Pub- lisher, Kay Andrews said.
His final Another View col- umn in the Sentinel was printed May 20, 2016, “Black Life In Chicago Does Not Mat- ter.”
Because of his interaction
RANDOLPH KINSEY ...Longtime Sentinel Columnist
with the community, Kinsey soon emerged as a well-re- spected political activist. He served as a campaign manager for many candidates in Hills- borough County for various of- fices – Rubin Padgett, Perry Harvey, Jr., Les Miller, Gwen Miller and Betty Reed.
County Commissioner Les Miller said Kinsey was his campaign manager for a special city election in 1988. “We lost, but Kinsey said ‘we’ve got to do this again.’ We did in 1991. That was to fill Perry Harvey’s seat. That lasted 56 days because Mr. Harvey was returned to his seat. Again, Kinsey said, ‘we’ve got to try again.’ This time it was for the State Legis- lature and we won.... After much persuasion, he came to Tallahassee with me, but told me it would only be for 1 year – he stayed 13 years as my Ex- ecutive Aide in the House and Senate.
“In 1995, he persuaded
Gwen (Miller, his wife) to run for office and she won.
“Kinsey was one of the smartest men I know. He knew campaigning, the strat- egy of campaigning. Lots of the legislation that I got passed was Randy’s ideas. He’d come to me when he saw something in the community that needed to be done. Some of the things we didn’t get passed then, have been passed since we left. It was because of him that I was able to get so many bills passed.
“He was well respected in Tallahassee by the other legis- lators. I was not only his em- ployer, we were friends,” he said.
Kinsey served on many boards: HARTline Board, board of the School for Deaf and Blind, St. Augustine, one of the founders of the former Mt. Pleasant Standard Based Middle School (a charter school), worked with commit- tees in re-establishing Middle- ton and Blake High Schools. He is the author of 2 books, the most recent being, “Another View: The World Through the Eyes of Randolph Kinsey.”
Kinsey was the son of the late Randolph (Champ) Kinsey, Sr., and the late Mrs. Rebecca Kinsey. He was the oldest of 6. He is sur- vived by his wife, Betty, 2 sons and several grandchil- dren and great-grands and 5 siblings and their families.
Funeral arrangements are incomplete at this time how- ever, Ray Williams Funeral Home is assisting the family.
PAGE 2 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY TUESDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2016