Count blessings of volunteerism

ISSUE: Thanksgiving Day
OUR VIEW: Grateful for community volunteers

Today represents the date on the calendar on which we collectively recount and reflect upon the blessings of life.

Around our family tables and within circles of friends today, expressions of thanks will be voiced for the things held dear. Most will be for those things that are deeply personal and significant to us as individuals. Familiar blessings like family, friends and health will be included within the words spoken, publicly or privately, in gratitude and appreciation.

In addition to these recognizable and important blessings, this year we wish to diverge a bit to acknowledge and express our thanks to those who volunteer to serve in meeting the needs of others across Hardin County.

Today and during the coming weeks, a small army of volunteers will deploy and work hard to ensure those among us less fortunate have a holiday season that is brighter than it would otherwise be. While others enjoy time with family and friends, these men, women, boys and girls set aside their personal interests to selflessly serve others.

In structured church groups and in loose-knit associations of friends and co-workers; through formal organizations with chartered mission statements and as neighbors caring and providing for neighbors; an others-focused wave of actionable compassion again will wash across our community.

These individuals – energetically and considerately supporting such charitable endeavors as Warm Blessings, Helping Hand of Hope, the Salvation Army, the American Red Cross, Toys for Tots, Feeding America, Kentucky’s Heartland, Shop with a Cop, Shop with a Trooper and on and on – do not serve these causes for recognition, praise or public expressions of gratitude. Their motivation is purer, richer and more firmly rooted in the foundation of what it means to serve their neighbor.

Yet, they are so deserving of our thanks and appreciation.

The impact they make is a large and important part of what makes Hardin County a special place we call home. And for those they serve yesterday, today, tomorrow and the weeks and months that lay ahead, life lived within Hardin County just became a little bit easier.

On this Thanksgiving Day, we express our thankfulness for these fine people and the organizations they make possible.

This editorial represents a consensus of The News-Enterprise's editorial board.