Over the weekend, Selma University hosted a fundraising event on its campus featuring the sounds of the Selma High Band, the jovial choreography of the R.B. Hudson cheerleading squad and dynamic support for local businesses, organizations and people.

Selma University is indeed facing a difficult situation – the school has to repay more than $785,000 to the U.S. Department of Education to be requalified for the Federal Student Financial Aid Program and is aiming to raise $2 million in order to establish an endowment fund and provide needed upgrades to the school’s campus and buildings – and it turned in its time of need to the one force capable of lifting up the university: this community and these people.

Selma, for all of its faults and shortcomings, is fortunate enough to be wealthy in good people and good organizations, both of which are always willing to lend a hand to ensure that this city grows and thrives.

Whether it’s a downtown cleanup effort or a cemetery work day, the people of Selma have always been willing to lend a hand to a neighbor in need, whether that neighbor be a person, an organization, a business or the community itself.

The fact that the Selma City Council and Randall Miller Funeral Home were willing to step up and make significant financial contributions is indicative of the kind of unity of purpose that this city’s political and business leaders have in seeing this city survive.

Likewise, the fact that local middle and high school students were on hand to provide music and run down donations shows that the younger generation is just as invested in this city as those tasked with leading it.

As this week goes forward, we should all consider ways that we can give to the city, whether that’s a monetary donation to ensure that Selma University is able to continue educating students or an investment of time and energy to ensure that roadways and sidewalks, public parks and cemeteries are free of trash.

While one can argue that these tasks shouldn’t fall on the shoulders of the citizenry, it is indeed the responsibilty of each member of this community to try – in efforts both big and small – to make Selma’s tomorrow a little bit brighter than its today.

That happened on Saturday at Selma University – let us strive to ensure that every day garners the same support and strengthens the same sense of unity that continues to make Selma so unique and special to those who live here and those who come to visit.