Staying positive amid negativity

It’s been a rough year punctuated by frustrating politicking, job loss, debt stress and household struggles. In short, optimism has been scarce.

But in recent weeks, it’s clear that despite all the negativity, our sense of community remains stronger than ever. Thousands of people have been helped by local organizations — police, firefighters, nonprofits, service clubs, the outpouring of support for those less fortunate has shown that time and again.

Of course, the public support of toy drives and donations has played an important role, but with the impact of the economic recession still weighing heavily on most households, organizers this year have had to do more with less. Often that has meant digging deeper into their own pockets to make Christmas happen for the needy, many of whom have been pushed into helplessness for the first time in their lives.

It’s a measure of community how its members take care of their own, especially when everyone is feeling the pinch. In this city, we’d say that measurement has been a strong endorsement.