To Gentry Williamson, a local 11-year-old. Gentry had a birthday recently and he asked everyone to give him money rather than presents. Gentry promptly turned all of that money — nearly $700 — over to Habitat for Humanity in honor of his late grandmother, a long-time Habitat volunteer.

This is one family who understands what it means to give to others, and young Gentry is well on his way to making a special mark for himself in the world.

*****

To the Armfield Foundation, not only for its continuing good work in providing scholarship money to needy Surry County high school graduates to help them pursue a college education, but for this year expanding to include scholarship money to Surry Community College students ready to move on to a four-year school.

Many of these people might not make it to college without the scholarships from the Armfield Foundation, and others would but only on a part-time basis, extending their college time by years.

*****

To the Salvation Army and its volunteers. On Wednesday evening the organization held its annual appreciation dinner to honor those who have helped the Army during the past year. We won’t recount all that was shared that night, but more than 11,000 people received direct aide from the Army from October 2007 until September 2008, receiving lodging, clothing and food.

This organization, and its corps of volunteers, does so much for those in the community truly in need.