Latest news with #Pinckney
Travel Weekly
18-06-2025
- Travel Weekly
Laurence Pinckney's message
Arnie Weissmann Not many acceptance speeches begin with a thank you to a cardiologist, but when Laurence Pinckney was being inducted into KHM Travel's Hall of Fame this past March, that's where he began. His voice breaking with emotion, he recounted how, the previous week, his doctor had told him he needed a catheter put into his heart. Her initial scheduling would have required that he miss his induction ceremony, but when she realized how important it was for him to attend, she rearranged a few things to make sure he could have the intervention completed soon enough to be able to fly to Orlando for the festivities. This was not the first time, incidentally, that she had moved a procedure up for him; earlier, she gave him priority so that he could attend the Carnival Mardi Gras inaugural sailing (though she first had to get through her incredulity that he was willing to put off an important health concern for ..."A cruise?") In his speech, Pinckney drew an indirect parallel between how his doctor understood the value of the evening to him and how travel advisors understand that every trip is significant to every client. "What we do is important," he said. "And it's going to be more and more important for us to be in front of people's dreams and hopes to be able to travel safely anywhere in the world. Whether you have $100,000 in sales or a million dollars in sales, the client you help will never, ever forget you." Advisors play an important role not only in helping clients better understand the world, he said, but in promoting understanding between people. "We have so much division in the world right now, with people telling us who we should like," Pinckney said. "But when [clients] interact with that family in Africa or that family in Germany ... that's why we do this." And importantly, he focused on the need for travel advisors to support one another. He recounted a time when he took a group on a transatlantic sailing and one of the group, a friend of his, died en route. Fortunately, another KHM advisor was onboard, "and she stood with me, took care of me while I tried to manage losing a friend and moving the group forward," Pinckney said. Looking out at the assembled KHM advisors, he closed by saying, "When you walk into this room and when you walk out of this room, you will meet someone that you will come to love." This honor was not the first for Pinckney. He had been recognized as Agent of the Year for Carnival Cruise Line and thrice was agent of the year for Norwegian Cruise Line. And a prerequisite for being inducted into the host agency's Hall of Fame is that the candidate "show willingness to invest their time, their talent and resources" to "provide guidance that benefits KHM Travel Group and the travel agent community as a whole." Indeed, when KHM CEO Rick Zimmerman introduced Pinckney, he feted him as "an amazing man" and noted how much he had given back to the organization, serving as a regional director, as a member on the host agency's advisory board and on the diversity, equity and inclusion committee. "Beyond his achievements in selling travel, Laurence has made an impact in the industry through his dedication to moving the travel agent community forward through his leadership and passion for helping others," Zimmerman said. Travel Weekly writes often about the exceptional lengths that advisors go to help clients as well as how far suppliers go to help advisors. But what struck me most about Pinckney's message was his focus on what advisors do for advisors. And while he could have dwelled on the contributions he's made for others, he focused instead on how even a veteran advisor like him sometimes needs a shoulder to lean on. I've seen what he was talking about in action -- leisure travel advisors helping leisure advisors -- at conferences, on fams, over social media. In other industries, and even among corporate travel agencies, this type of peer-to-peer support among competitors is not common. I've seen industries where salespeople eye peers as one might view competing participants in an endless game of musical chairs, never wanting to give an advantage to someone who might get a seat while they're being shut out. Perhaps part of why travel advisors are so collegial is that the need for travel advising is so great that there's simply enough business for everyone. And the evolution away from strip mall agencies that competed locally for business has also helped lower competitive heat. But I think that's only part of it. I think leisure travel sales attract people who are naturally service-oriented and relate easily to others, even erstwhile competitors. Laurence Pinckney's message was delivered to KHM advisors. Happily, we're in an industry where it has the universal ring of truth.
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Daughter of Charleston church shooting victim reflects on her father's death
Ten years ago in Charleston, South Carolina, a white supremacist gunned down nine people at a Bible study inside Mother Emanuel AME Church, the oldest Black church in the South. The church's pastor, Clementa Pinckney, was one of the people killed in the massacre. His daughter, Eliana Pinckney, graduated from Philadelphia's Temple University in May. "It gets a little easy to forget sometimes that I'm 21 and that my dad died when I was 11," she told CBS News. Then-President Barack Obama delivered Pinckney's father's eulogy. "I can distinctly remember at 11, knowing the magnitude President Obama held," she said. Two days later, at the shooter, Dylan Roof's, bond hearing, some family members of his victims publicly expressed forgiveness. Felicia Sanders survived the shooting by playing dead, shielding her granddaughter underneath her. But her son, Tywanza Sanders, was gunned down. "By the time I hollered for everybody to get down, the first couple people had already been shot," Sanders told CBS News. "…I saw my son got hit. My son died on one side of me and…my aunt died on the other side. He took the bullets that we ultimately was supposed to have." "May God have mercy on you," Sanders told Roof in court back in 2015. "I raised up, knowing that Jesus forgave us," Sanders told CBS News of her decision to say that in court. "Forgiveness wasn't for him. It was for me." Myra Thompson, who led the Bible study, was among those killed. Her husband, Rev. Anthony Thompson, told CBS News he did not initially intend to speak at that court hearing. "I forgive you and my family forgives you," Thompson said in the courtroom in 2015. "What I want people to understand is this was a divine intervention," Thompson told CBS News. "OK, God called me to forgive this guy. That's when I began to heal. And then, within a few minutes, I'm light as a feather. He gave me a peace, and that's what that forgiveness did." Said Pinckney: "I think forgiveness is a really hard thing and a hard concept. Instead of having a sense of hatred or animosity towards him, I honestly wish for growth for him and anyone surrounded by him. I think that hatred is such a powerful disease that unfortunately, seems to dictate the way our country is run." Four years ago, Pinckney told CBS News as she was graduating from high school that she wanted to put more good into the world. Today, she's a professional actress. At Philadelphia's Arden Theatre, she's part of the ensemble in its production of "Rent." "I'm really passionate about doing art that means things to people," she said. "That isn't the reason they came to the theater, but it's the thing they leave the theater thinking about." With her social justice mindset, Pinckney hears her father's voice. She's giving life lessons in resilience and forgiveness, both on and off the stage. "The fact that I still have a family that I can call and check in on ... is such a blessing," she said. Teen questioned after family's quadruple murder Pentagon sends more U.S. forces to Middle East amid Israel-Iran conflict Charleston church marks 10 years since deadly shooting
CBS News
10-06-2025
- CBS News
Thieves steal scrap metal intended for Michigan wrestling club's annual fundraiser
Thousands of dollars worth of scrap metal, copper wires and old AC units were intended to be broken down and sold to support the Pinckney Wrestling Booster Club in Pinckney, Michigan. However, much of that is now gone. The coaches' family is storing what the thieves left behind—just one trailer of miscellaneous scrap. "Someone stole from the kids," said Stephanie Lamb, vice president of the wrestling club. The boosters' annual fundraiser typically raises over $10,000 from metal, wire, and old appliances brought by local businesses and Pinckney residents. The team's wrestlers are involved in the fundraiser every step of the way, gathering, hauling, and helping to organize what they get. "They'll get something and they'll look at it (and) say, 'Oh, I bet this is worth a singlet. You know, so they know it's applicable," Lamb said. That funding pays for much more than just uniforms. It's used for wrestling camps, new mats and even scholarships. "That's what we're here for is to raise the funds to give our kids more opportunity," said Lamb. Lamb said the thieves took more than materials. "It wasn't metal. It was hope, it was the community that they took away that feeling of security and community from us," she said. Hamburg Township police confirmed detectives are investigating the theft. Chief Richard Duffany said they are looking at a couple of leads but couldn't comment further. In the meantime, Lamb says the loss of funds means fewer kids can go to camp and work on new wrestling skills. But Pinckney Wrestling said it plans to hold the fundraiser next year and hopes for a better outcome. "The more support the better, so if we can't recover this year, we're on to the next best thing, and that's going to be next year," she said.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Enterprise Vet says saving elderly neighbor from house fire was instinct: ‘I'm not a hero'
DOTHAN, Ala (WDHN) — After receiving a key to the city of Enterprise three years ago, more awards have come in for an Army veteran, who received a Carnegie Medal for saving his neighbor in a burning house in 2022. 'I'd never expected to receive anything remotely close to a national award. I just thought it was the right thing to do, I never expected it to reach this point,' said Marvin Pinckney Pinckney sprang into action to save his elderly neighbor, Mary Griffin, and her caretaker, Angie Byrd. After returning from a motorcycle ride, Pinckney noticed smoke coming from the Griffins' home on Bellwood Road, so he instructed his wife to call 911. While waiting, he decided to go to his neighbor's house to inform them that the house is on fire and that they need to get out. Enterprise vet honored with national award for saving neighbor from burning home 'When I entered the house, they were like What's going on? Where? In the garage, and what made them think it was on fire, the lights went out, and the alarm started blaring, and my only thoughts were to get us out of that situation,' said Pinckney That's when Pinckney was able to lift Griffin, who was strapped into a wheelchair, to push her through a window along with her caretaker with the help of Pinckney's wife and other neighbors before fire and rescue showed up to fight the blaze. While Pinckney did put his own life at risk, he says it was a no-brainer to leap into action, especially after serving in the military for 30 years. 'We are expected to put our lives on the line for our fellow man, and just being a decent person, knowing they were elderly. I wouldn't be able to live with myself knowing they perished,' said Pinckney. Pinckney says Griffin was beyond thankful for saving her life and always showed her appreciation. He often went to visit her after the fire, took her some oatmeal cookies because that's what she liked, and every time they sat with her, it was a big kiss and a thank you. He says he wants to thank the city of Enterprise and the Carnegie Foundation for this honor. 'I'm not a hero, just someone who wanted to help the fellow man,' said Pinckney. The Carnegie Medal, awarded by the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission, is given to citizens who demonstrate bravery while saving another. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
WATCH: Pueblo County's Lily Nibert earns gold in CHSAA girls Class 4A Triple Jump
Hear from Pinckney after first girls track and field regional title since 1999 Hear from coach Daniel Patrick and two individual champions after Pinckney won its first girls track and field regional title since 1999. 3:18 Now Playing Paused Ad Playing
