At this time of year, we want to pause and thank all the folks who give of themselves and take time from their families to spread cheer and offer help to members of our community.

We like to give a special shout out to some of our civic groups that have long traditions in service to the Newton County community.

The Lions provide the labor and expertise in order for us to have a real hometown Christmas parade, throughout the year the Lions also work with the community in many other ways.

The Covington Rotary this weekend left many of the children of our community with smiling faces as they delivered Christmas stockings filled with Christmas cheer to a thousand plus of our young people.

The Covington Kiwanis, through their big train raffle, provided Christmas food and cheer to families in need.
The Rotary and Kiwanis team up to present the annual legislative prayer breakfast every January.

The Pilot Club works with people who have disabilities and brain disorders all year long.

Our community would have no heart without the volunteers who serve in these great organizations.

Each one of them needs an influx of energetic young people who are willing to give of their time and have a desire to help someone else.

Over the last three presidential administrations there have been efforts to create brand new volunteer organizations; we always have thought that was a dumb idea. We have some of the best civic groups in the world already - give them the money that has been wasted on those volunteer groups. We could tell you for sure, each dollar given would multiply many times over.

We are proud of our civic groups; many of us at the newspaper are involved in one or more of them.

Because of their efforts and many others in spite of the wretched economy we are living under, there still is a smile on people's faces in Newton County because of the efforts of our volunteer groups.

Merry Christmas to each of our community's volunteers and their families this year and may they have many more.