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This past week has been a good one, and I hope this finds you had a good week as well.

Once I put last week’s newspaper to bed, meaning finishing it up and sending it off to be printed, I began to think about the rest of my week ahead.

Last Wednesday was a light day filled with some work duties, an email meeting and some planning for our annual Progress edition that’s coming out in February.

We’re excited to be working on this edition, which features the best of our community. This year’s theme is the Taste of Atmore.

We’ll be featuring the dishes that are well-known from the delicious Brussels sprouts from The Gather to the party burger at David’s Catfish House.

Be sure to pick up your copy of our annual edition when it is inserted in the last Wednesday of February.

Moving on in the week, I spent all day on Thursday in Montgomery for a meeting. The meeting went well, but was long.

On Friday morning, we were called by a sweet lady from Rachel Patterson Elementary School, letting us know that the Toys for Tots and canned food, which the students helped put together, were ready for pick up.

Empowerment Tabernacle Church of Atmore has partnered with the Toys for Tots program, and the food portion is an ongoing ministry of the church. In fact, RPES serves food to 75 kids every week.

Speaking of food, I asked someone at the school how the annual Shop with a Cop event went on Thursday. The event is held by the Atmore Police Department, and gives an opportunity for needy kids to shop for what they need.

I was told that some kids bought food instead of toys, which warmed my heart.

I’m thankful these events are held because it, to me, serves as a good reminder that there are many who are suffering. There are many who don’t know where their next meal is coming from.

If your heart tells you to, donate some food items to your local food bank.

The weekend went well, and it was filled with rest, food and fun. I didn’t do too much, just lolly-gagged around my apartment, watching this and that.

But, I saw something funny Saturday night as I was coming home from running an errand.

I didn’t know what it was at first, but all I saw were floating lights.

Pretty soon, I figured out what it was – carolers.

As I unlocked my door, I could hear the faintest sound of a popular Christmas carol.

“Away in a manger…”