Anna’s Day at LEDC SLP, Week 2!

On July 19th, Anna arrived at Bonnet Spring Park for her second week at the Summer Leadership Program. Today, the participants heard from our very own Vickie Jerkins’ brother, Bill Tinsley, present the history of how Bonnet Springs Park was planned and transformed from an abandoned rail yard into a booming privately funded public park. Then, an in-depth tram tour was given to the SLP, giving opportunities to get out and explore this park and interact with the elevated walking trail and go to the boat dock. After the tour they heard the Lakeland Economic Development Council’s Katie Decker talk about the plans to incorporate Lakeland’s Downtown West into the core of the city.

A ‘Local Favorites’ panel with the founders of the Joinery, Jon Bucklew, Black and Brew (Anna’s favorite coffee shop in Lakeland!), Chris McArthur. With Julie Townsend of the Lakeland Downtown Development Authority, the trio talked about entrepreneurship, realizing that If you wish your community had an amenity, then you can be the person who makes it happen. A common denominator with this panel is they all ended up in a career they didn’t initially envision for themselves, but they eventually found themselves where they were meant to be and making positive change in their community, after finding their “why?”. The afternoon was full with speaker Sam Davidson giving the group different activities and imparting ideas of the idea of building community from the ground up incorporating your talent, passion, and a societal need.

Anna is looking forward to next week’s excursion, volunteering at Parker Street Ministries!