Time magazine has chosen Albert Einstein as its Person of the Century, citing the scientist’s intellect as the cornerstone of 20th century technology.

Tuesday, December 28, 1999

Time magazine has chosen Albert Einstein as its Person of the Century, citing the scientist’s intellect as the cornerstone of 20th century technology.

We reap the benefit’s of Einstein’s brilliance as we sit in front of our television and computer screens each day. Yet, limiting the honor to one individual from 100 years of humanity’s servants excludes those who are the foundation of our local communities.

These local heroes are our volunteers.

They are school committee members who give knowledge and service back to their districts.

They are foster parents, senior citizens center workers, food pantry clerks and nursing home visitors.

They are pastors and clergymen who visit dozens of hospital rooms each day.

They are the Masons, VFW, Eastern Star, Eagles, Moose, Elks, Rotary, Lions and Kiwanis club members.

They are volunteer firefighters who receive little or no pay for risking their lives on a daily basis.

They are the concerned citizens in every community, whether organized into groups or not, like literacy tutors, Humane Society members and Little League coaches.

They are the members of dozens of boards and committees.

It is a virtually unending list – but you get the picture.

We would be truly lost without these "People of the Century," these souls who go the extra mile, make our day brighter and our world a better place.

The next century will be better because of the sacrifices they made in this one. And, they deserve more than awards and honorable mentions. They deserve our thanks, our praise and our help. So, as the millennium dawns, think of them. And, if they’re your neighbor, thank them, too.