Community improvement is patriotic

I have always admired patriotic people who care enough about our country to make some kind of a contribution - some selfless activity to demonstrate their appreciation. We have soldiers on the battlefront in dangerous situations, but courageous enough to do their duty. We have the privilege of voting for people of our choice in government. There are numerous freedoms we just take for granted. But whatever our situation in life, agewise or financially, there are simple things we can do that indicate how much we value our country and community.

The point I'm getting to is appreciation of the community in which we live. There are so many ways we can be a strong community, just by caring about our neighborhood, being a good neighbor, taking proper care of your property, etc. Our neighborhood, Goshen Plantation, has a "Keep Goshen Clean" roster of residents who pick up the trash along our main street every week. There is quite a bit of traffic on the road since we have a busy, beautiful golf course in our midst. I was optimistic in the beginning that, when drivers saw us on the street with our flag flying, they would get the message and take their trash home with them. But I guess some habits are hard to break. But we feel we have done some good for our community when we get the litter all picked up. It makes us feel better. ...

That's the American way - to be united and supportive. This is a plea to my community and to the other subdivisions we have in the Augusta area. We are the people our soldiers are fighting for; do we measure up to their standards? Don't be a slacker! Be a contributor!

Eleanor Farrell, Augusta