The Christmas season may be over but the needs of our community do not just go away.

One of the many aspects that make this time of year special is the outpouring of support for charitable organizations and those in need. Lawrence County and its citizens have always shown their compassionate spirits and generous hearts around the holidays each year.

The list of community projects is far too long to highlight here without leaving someone out, but the work spans all areas of our society.

From food drives to coat collections to donations for charities to helping families have a brighter Christmas, so many positive things have gone on here in the Tri-State.

This is crucially important but the need is not relegated to just a month or two out of the year. So many church groups, school organizations, civic clubs and just concerned citizens have lent their support this year.

We hope that continues for the rest of December and into 2012.

If our community can capture even a fraction of that momentum and carry it through the New Year we will be old to make the lives of countless citizens better and make our community stronger.

It won’t be easy, but most tasks worth doing never are.