The Borderland is blessed with those who give, give, give

In January 2002, I started as the editor of the International Falls (Minn.) Daily Journal and its sister weekly newspaper The Region of Baudette, Minn. There was a staff of about eight journalists altogether, and while some days were tight, we still managed to put out a five-day-per-week paper in International Falls, and a quality weekly newspaper in Baudette. I wrote the majority of the paper's editorials, and pitched in on news, features and sports stories when necessary. It truly was a labor of love! And I greatly miss that period of my journalism career!

March 31, 2004

NOTE: This was the column that introduced a 24-page special section about volunteerism in our community that our staff produced.

Welcome to The Daily Journal's special section devoted entirely to those selfless volunteers in the Borderland who make this a special place to live. We called the section "Everyday Heroes" because those recognized in this section don't seek public recognition and are only interested in benefiting their families, neighbors and friends. But yet their acts are what make this a good place to live ... everyday.

It was our goal to find people in this community who donate countless hours to everything from visiting lonely seniors to making a difference in the outdoors to making the Borderland a better place to live for our children. And find everyday heroes we did.

Thanks to your nominations, we found a cross-section of people who for various reasons jump in on projects they care about. They're leaders, people who prefer to stay out of the limelight and some who just make it happen through financial donations, but their common bond is that they give and give and give. Their acts of self-sacrifice are truly remarkable, and you can tell that their desire to volunteer comes from a love of their community.

We found people who make quilts for the needy, donate time to the food shelf to help feed those who are hungry, lead Boy and Girl Scout groups, teach health and safety classes to the community and put their lives on the line answering emergency fire and ambulance calls throughout our community. We found people who donate time in every facet of our community.

In addition, we received information from dozens of volunteer groups from around the community. Groups that are dedicated to the arts, to the outdoors and just to the idea of public service. Just by looking at the numbers of people who belong to these groups, it's easy to see that the Borderland has hundreds of caring people who give of their own time to help others.

We also found that these groups can always use more help. Each has a mission to make the Borderland the best place to live and their success is only limited by the number of volunteers available. So, if you have a desire to get involved, this section should help you find at least one group of like-minded people to which you could become a member. We urge you to contact that group and start making a difference.

We said when we started this project that volunteers are what binds a community together. They perform those essential services that fall outside the parameters of government and that aren't provided for by the private sector. And volunteers do what they do because they care, bringing us all closer together. They're the ones organizing activities for youngsters, helping out seniors with chores they can no longer do and generally just making their community a better a place to live.

But what we've found is that our volunteers do so much more than that. They literally give up thousands of hours a year to organize the fun events we attend and to serve those needs of the neediest in our community. We found that they more than bind our community together; they are the heart and soul of the Borderland.

So from us to those who give of themselves, we say thank you on behalf of a grateful community. You don't receive the recognition that you deserve, but we are a better community because of you.

To our readers, we thank you for your valuable input into this section. We received many names worth mentioning in "Everyday Heroes." And we received a lot of submissions from those involved in area service groups. We couldn't have compiled this section without your help. We hope that you find this special section an enjoyable read, and that it inspires you to want to give more of yourself. Volunteerism breeds volunteerism, and we think the more you find yourself getting involved, the more you will enjoy it.

We hope that you enjoy "Everyday Heroes."

Devlyn Brooks is the editor of The Daily Journal.