The holiday season is right around the corner! Soon there will be feelings of festivity and the desire to volunteer time and participate in food and toy drives will peak once more and shine bright like the star on top of a Christmas tree.

But ‘soon’ doesn’t mean you have to wait to exhibit the qualities that come out during the “most wonderful time of the year.” 

Already, there are a number of food drives for families in need this Thanksgiving. Thoughts of little ones in need of gifts this season are also beginning to brew in the minds of community-minded caregivers throughout the county. 

The old saying goes, “it takes a village to raise a child,” and that sentiment remains strong within our communities. We are blessed here in Sullivan County to have a large population of givers. We have seen on more than one occasion where, even outside of the holiday season, the push to provide necessities that others find themselves in lack of is alive and strong.

We are all in this together. Your neighbors’ children and your own ride the same school bus. Your coworkers see the same issues you do. When the price of gas goes up for one of us, it goes up for all of us. Despite our individual differences, views and ideas, we all live here together, and we can all give here together.

So please, keep kindness in your heart just a few weeks earlier this season and remain vigilant for any way to show holiday spirit. Ask your local church, food pantry, businesses, restaurants and anyone if they plan on setting up a drive.

Approaching the new year, especially with a new County Legislature on its way, we can all step into the fresh snow and leave footprints that show us walking together, towards peace and kindness year-round.