Frankie Bly hard at work, clearing snow off his neighbor’s sidewalk.

This is our annual Good News edition of the Faribault County Register. We hope you enjoy reading the many Good News stories we have this week.

Not all of this edition is good news. After all, not all of the sports teams won their games. We had to report on some economic news for our local cities that does not sound good.

However, we more than compensated for the bad news by bringing you some heartwarming and interesting good news stories.

There are articles about giving, and not just monetarily. The stories mainly have to do with giving of one’s time, talents and concern.

There is a story about a lady who makes crafts for her fellow residents at St. Luke’s Care Center. Another story features a woman from Winnebago determined to make a difference in the lives of kids suffering from hunger.

We feature a local pastor who did mission work in Africa for three months. Another story tells how running a cafe in Elmore is making a difference in some troubled youths’ lives.

There is a story about a kindergarten teacher giving special gifts to her students.

There seems to be a lot of that ‘giving thing’ going on around here.

For instance, in last week’s Register we had a story about the Campout making $18,000 for the food shelf.

In past weeks we have shown how the food shelf has stepped up their giving. How high school students are helping ring the Salvation Army kettle bells. How people give to the hospice program, donating to Light Up A Life project.

Many other stories of giving have not found their way to the newspaper, and maybe never will. They are small acts of kindness or neighborly help which only a few people know about.

It is the food taken to the home of a family suffering the loss of a loved one. It is one farmer helping out another to get the corn in before the snow covers it.

It is giving someone a ride when their car won’t start. It is taking a box of goodies to a neighbor, just because they are your neighbor.

It is also shoveling off the sidewalk of a neighbor who maybe can’t do it themselves.

Someone has mysteriously cleared some of the snow on my sidewalk, just to be neighborly.

And as the photo on this page shows, Frankie Bly decided he had enough energy to clear off the sidewalk at the house next door – after he had already completed snow removal at his own home.

When I asked him why he was doing it, he answered, because it needed to be done.

I guess it is the Minnesota way. We seem to always be ready to help out someone in need. Especially if it is a neighbor or a friend – but we tend to help out perfect strangers as well.

Giving of one’s time and energy is sometimes better than buying a gift to give. None of us probably needs more stuff, but all of us could use a helping hand, or a good visit with family and friends.

This time of year, we hope everyone gets what they want for Christmas. But we hope you give something of yourself to your friends, family and neighbors.

Merry Christmas.