Two local civic clubs are proof that a little vision and hard work can go a long way.

The Coal Grove Betterment Club and the Concerned Citizens of Burlington are each gearing up for annual events that were created to make their communities better places to live and pay respect to those who make this possible.

The betterment club is already hard at work on the Family Fun Days to be held in Paul Porter Park on July 1-3. The event includes musical entertainment, a variety of lighthearted auctions and a fireworks display as the grand finale.

All the proceeds go toward maintaining the village’s park and community center, as well as sponsoring a scholarship for a local student each year.

The Burlington-Veterans Memorial Tournament features a 4-on-4 basketball competition as well as a Cornhole tournament both slated for July 10 at the Burlington Commons Park. Proceeds will go toward enhancing the veterans’ memorial that was erected in the community last year to honor local soldiers killed in the line of duty.

Both these projects are perfect examples of the positive impact that a handful of volunteers can have on an entire region. The men and women in these organizations didn’t just sit back and wait for someone else to step up.

They saw a need and addressed it.

Efforts like these show true leadership, something from which many of our elected officials and politicians could learn.