One of the great things about publishing a community newspaper is being able to report on all the good things that happen in our community. Among those in the past week on which the News-Herald was privileged to report:

?An estimated 150 people who turned out on Monday to honor the nation’s and Suffolk’s war dead on Memorial Day. It was the largest crowd at any such local event in recent memory.

?Nansemond-Suffolk Academy’s Peggy Hotchkiss was selected to receive a National Honor Society Scholarship, based on her exemplary achievement in her academic work and service to her school and community.

?Twelve graduates of the practical nursing school co-sponsored by Obici Hospital and Suffolk Public Schools – Gretchen Morris, Tracy Manning, June Newschwander, Sonial Winborne-Britt, Shelia Bryant, Wanda McBride, Jaunessia Porter, Cawn Chappell, Monica Davis-Cannon, Barbara Kay-Hiesel, Tina Natoli and Mary Cocco – finished their one-year program in February and received notices recently that they all passed the state boards on their first attempt.

?Barbara Ridenhour, vice president of patient services at Obici Hospital, for wining the first-ever leadership award from Epsilon Chi, a national nursing honor society.

?Young Zachary Sykes was presented with a Lifesaving Award by Woodmen of the World. On April 13, Zachary alerted his family to the fire that destroyed their Desert Road home.

?Twenty-one public high school graduates earned scholarship from the Suffolk Education Foundation: Terry Daughtrey, Philips Saunders Jr., Gregory Sexton, Mercedes Holland, Ashley Steward, Ashley Philips, Laura Harris, Shawanda Darden, Ericka Dobbins, Rachel Bradshaw, Christina Harris, Victoria Monds, Shanti Reid, Benjamin Stancill, Laura Decker, Elgin Copeland III, Alfred Gamble Jr., Paul Henderson, Jennifer Jiggetts, Andrea Skeeter and John Seeley.

?Courtland resident Helen Nixon, 85, who won a bronze medal in horseshoes at the 2003 Senior Games.