Opportunity Wasted - Opportunity Seized!

Breaking News: November 12, 2009 - KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) -

Two UT football players are now facing charges of armed robbery. A member of the UT Sports Information Department confirmed to us that Nu'Keese Richardson and Janzen Jackson were arrested about 2:00 o'clock Thursday morning. The incident happened at the Pilot convenience store on Cumberland Avenue. Police say the men were armed with a small semi automatic handgun and robbed a person in the parking lot. Police arrested them a few minutes later. Again, UT football players Nu'Keese Richardson and Janzen Jackson are under arrest in connection with an early morning armed robbery.

What has happened to our world? When two freshman football phenoms are given a full ride at an NCAA Division 1 premier football program and academic institution, how could they possibly ever come to the conclusion that going to prison for robbing someone at gunpoint is better?! Heck, the person they robbed was probably as broke as they were!

Sometimes it's enough to make me wonder if there's anything that can be done to salvage this youngest generation.

And then, I remember where I'm going today. I'm meeting with the Chief Programs Officer of Appalachia Service Project, a faith-based, non-profit housing ministry, which provides home repairs across five states in the most severely impoverished areas of Central Appalachia. Each year they hire 125 COLLEGE STUDENTS to run the Summer Program, which welcomes over 13,000 YOUTH VOLUNTEERS from across the country, who donate their summer vacation time to serve others less fortunate than themselves.

Who do you know that's seizing an opportunity to do good in the world today? Please share your stories! I think we all could use the encouragement of success stories today!!