To Surry County Sheriff Graham Atkinson, Blackwater United Methodist Church, and other volunteers who helped deliver Christmas Eve lunch to inmates at the Surry County Jail. Despite their reasons for being incarcerated, these are people and this simple act of kindness no doubt went a long way toward making the day a little less lonely for those receiving the meals.

*****

To Renfro Corporation, which recently donated 3,000 pairs of socks to U.S. Marine and Army units through the Socks for Heroes program. This is not the first time Renfro has done this, and the company does this in a low-key manner, not to attract attention to itself but simply to help out troops serving the nation overseas.

*****

To Mallalieu-Jones United Methodist Church, which will be putting on the annual Kwanzaa celebration today. While Kwanzaa doesn’t have the historical place in our heritage which other holidays enjoy, it nevertheless has as its spirit allowing folks to touch their roots and learn philosophies of living that we would all do well to follow.