It is too frequent we hear about the negative aspects of our communities and the people who live there.
We hear stories about arrests, problems, issues, concerns.
These are all valid stories to be reported on, to inform the community about those negative aspects, if for nothing else, to keep us in the know, aware of what is happening around us, perhaps so we can protect ourselves from some of these problems.
But also happening around us, and not as often reported on, are the positive things happening in our communities.
Take our front page story this week, for instance.
Here is a man in our community of Placentia who has saved at least five people's lives over the years.
It's an extraordinary story that would not have been known to the general population without the strong desire of one of the people Mr. Follett saved to recognize him for his selfless actions.
It is a story that may well be known within Mr. Follett's own family, and in the families of those he saved, but it is a story the whole community should know about, and indeed, the province.
Mr. Follett probably doesn't think he did anything more than someone else would have done in the same circumstances. But, many of us have a sneaking suspicion that is not the case and what he did for those people is indeed and extraordinary thing.
The unnamed heroes in our communities need to be recognized for their contributions to the community, not for glory, but to set an example for the rest of us, as something to emulate.
Elizabeth MacDonald, Editor, The Charter
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