Now that the weather has started to warm up, and the days are getting longer, it comes as no surprise that more and more events are starting to take place out of doors in our community.

Chances are you know somebody who was involved in one of Saturday’s outdoor projects. Members of the First United Methodist Church participated in a day of service, completing various odd jobs for people in need. Rotary Club members were hard at work building a new playground for children at the Atmore Area YMCA. And, last but not least, several dozen locals worked in Flomaton on the Habitat for Humanity house for the Rebecca Mollenbrink family.

It is truly a testament to the heart of our community that so many able-bodied adults gave up their precious free time on the weekend to give back to those in need. They say that actions speak louder than words, and if that is the case, then the noise coming from Atmore this weekend was absolutely deafening.

I encourage our readers to continue giving their time and talents to these community projects whenever they can. Giving back to your fellow citizens makes you feel good, and also helps make your community a better place to live.

• Like many people, I was quite surprised by the two teams that made it to the national championship game in NCAA men’s college basketball. I am not ashamed to admit that I filled out a bracket at the start of March Madness, and I had both Kentucky and Connecticut losing in the first round.

It really goes to show that the NCAA tournament is still the most entertaining and unpredictable way to determine a national champion. I know there are some who would argue that it makes the regular season meaningless, but the fact remains that a team still has to qualify for the tournament in the first place. Yes, it’s true that the best team doesn’t always win the NCAA tournament, but if you can win six straight games against top-level competition then you’re deserving of all the accolades you can get.

I am excited that college football has at least attempted to institute a similar way of determining its national champion. I would like to have seen the playoffs include at least eight teams, but maybe that’s coming in the future. At the very least, the four-team playoffs that will begin in 2014 is a good start.

Speaking of college football, it’s hard to believe that spring games will be starting before we know it. It really is a never-ending season, but as a sports fan, I wouldn’t have it any other way.