Volunteers come through, again

What would a community be without volunteers?

Last weekend, more than 100 youngsters were on hand at the New Prague Central Education Campus for the annual Kid’s Fishing Clinic, sponsored by the New Prague Sportsman’s Club. Reading the news story on the event, much credit was given to the many people who volunteer at the clinic each year, making it possible to accomodate the large crowd.

Monday evening, the high school auditorium was filled with about 100 parents and community members who were on hand to hear a speaker talk about suicide awareness and prevention. The speaker was made possible by a group of volunteers - New Prague High School graduates - who wanted to honor the memory of a classmate lost to suicide by sponsoring an annual event for local students. (See news story in next week’s edition of The Times.)

Every week, there are events throughout the community that are made possible due to the efforts of volunteers. Some are small - see the story this week of an upcoming fundraiser for autism awareness - and others, such as the New Prague Half Marathon and Dozinky, require many hours from dozens of volunteers to make things happen.

It’s important to recognize the efforts of all of these people. Volunteers are the bedrock of a strong community, strengthening it by making it a welcoming, supportive place to live.