Roses to the mayor and other organizers of Mayor Robert Smith”s Unity Picnic, held last weekend at the Columbus Riverwalk. The event drew crowds to the Riverwalk for music, food and fun.
Those who attended also deserve a rose for supporting such events. Community get-togethers are for us by us, and we should all support them when we can. They build community and foster understanding.
Many such events, like the picnic, provide opportunities for good, wholesome family fun.
Roses to organizers and participants in this Year”s Relay for Life at the Magnolia Bowl in Columbus. While the inclement weather didn”t dampen their spirits or drive to participate, it ended events early.
Still, Relay for Life teams are off to a great start, finding creative ways to raise money leading up to the event. And efforts will continue despite the rainout.
Relay for Life funds benefit the American Cancer Society. This year, as with many years, the cause was near and dear to many of the team members” hearts, and their efforts have shown this.
The 2010 Relay for Life had more teams participating than in any of the years past. Many teams braved the weather to set up their booths and participate any way, but had to leave when the weather got too bad.
Roses to volunteers who serve their local hospitals. Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle recently honored its more than 90 volunteers with a week of events, as part of National Healthcare Volunteer Week.
There are so many volunteer opportunities in hospitals. From keeping patients company, offering a newspaper and running the gift shop, volunteers are an important part of a hospital”s daily operations.
Roses to fifth-grader Sarah Caldwell, third-grader Reagan Hall and kindergartner Anastasia Winters, New Hope Elementary students who won Lowndes County”s healthy lifestyles poster contest. The contest was held as part of County Government Month activities, the theme of which is healthy living.
A rose also goes to the campus as a whole for its Earth Day events, along with Annunciation Catholic School, Mississippi State University and others who took part in Earth Day events.
New Hope celebrated Earth Day Thursday with a campuswide trash pickup, separating recyclables from trash and handing out trees.
Annunciation had a trash-free lunch, where students tried to reduce the amount of trash from their lunches.
At MSU, students learned from Tennessee Valley Authority about thermal energy and energy efficiency. And Mississippi State students on Wednesday planted about 1,000 trees on the north side of campus as part of a reforestation effort.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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