Page 13 - Florida Sentinel 8-10-18

FLORIDA SENTINEL
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FRIDAY, AUGUST 10, 2018
Robinson High School Graduate To Receive GTE Financial Scholarship
Damamli Dorsey, a Robinson High School graduate, is the recipient of a $2,500 scholarship from GTE Financial. She plans to attend Florida State University where she will major in Pre-Med.
Dorsey states that, “This scholarship gave me the ability to attend my dream school: Florida
State University. Not only will this scholarship help me attend school in the fall, but it will help me study abroad in Italy.”
GTE Financial selected 36 high school and under- graduate GTE member- students to be awarded a $2,500 scholarship. Every year, the credit union sup- ports education and re-
DAMAMLI DORSEY ...Received $2,500 Scholarship
wards young adults who are dedicated to academic pursuits and community involvement.
“We were more than happy to be introduced to all the students we believe will be tomorrow’s lead- ers,” said Brian Best, C.E.O., and President of GTE Financial.
GTE Financial is a not-
for-profit financial coop- erative with 23 Commu- nity Financial Centers located throughout West Central, Florida.
Chartered in 1935, GTE Financial is locally owned and operated in the Tampa Bay area and serves more than 260,000 individuals and busi- nesses.
‘Sidewalk Store May Appear In Your Neighborhood Any Day’
BY GWEN HAYES Sentinel Editor
That’s what Ms. Phyllis Skannal says.
The Sidewalk Store is a “free store” where the homeless and those in need can ‘shop’ without having to spend money.
Ms. Skannal founded the Sidewalk Store with several others: Marysol Crespo, Natisha Skannal, Clauduis Wilson and Harvey Lawson. That was in 2016.
There is a catch to getting to the free store. Those involved do not divulge the next distribu- tion site or the distribution date. They show up in a neighborhood where there seems to be a need and begin to set up clothing racks, shoe racks and food tables along the sidewalk.
The Sidewalk Store provides clothing, food, baby supplies and some household items – all for free.
“After hearing about all the hatred in the country, unarmed Black men being shot, unfair treatment of people of all walks of life, we decided to put a little love into the universe,” Ms. Skan-
Ms. Phyllis Skannal sets up display at one of the Sidewalk Store events.
nal explained. “It was near Martin Luther King’s birthday when I had a vision from God.” The first Sidewalk Store was set up on Febru-
ary 7, 2016, on Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. and Nebraska Ave.
Ms. Skannal says she grew up in a giving family. Her mother even allowed her to bring homeless people in for a warm bath and a hot meal. Some of those they currently serve also want ‘just a warm blanket’ while they wait for a bed at one of the homeless shelters in the area.
“We’re aiming to assist with the shortage of the homeless shelters by opening a 75-bed facility that will allow them to take a warm relaxing bath and have a full course meal,” Ms. Skannal stated.
In order to do that, they’ve opened the Side- walk Store Closet (SWSC), the retail clothing and household items stores. The Sidewalk Store Closet operates to fund the Sidewalk Store and its many projects, and it plans to employ youth.
The SWS Closet stocks new clothing, gently used items and brands for men, women and chil- dren.
Ms. Phyllis Skannal and other founders and vol- unteers of the Sidewalk Store are: Mareila Vazquez, Marisol Diaz; daughters of Mareila is Nalyannie Homs and Mariemilia Turner; boys Elijah Powell, A. J. (Authur Clark, Jr.) and Claudius Wilson, Jr. (C. J.)
The yellow and green tee-shirts emblazoned with – ‘Sidewalk Store – Shop For Free’ are sure to catch the eye.
This Sidewalk Store was set up along the sidewalk on a street in the neighborhood.
Those who are passing by stop and take advantage of the free items offered by the Sidewalk Store.