Some folks are dedicated to improving their golf games. Others put their time and energies into careers or families. For one woman who passed through Suffolk early this week, however, the idea of commitment goes much deeper.

Seven years ago, Kim Denmark began a walk in Dayton, Ohio, that would take her through 15 states gathering hundreds of stories about people who so often live at the fringes of our society.

Giving up her career and the comforts of home, Denmark has walked more than 4,000 miles to serve as a representative of and voice for the poor, the homeless, the jobless and those living in poverty.

With her American flag and a placard calling for welfare reform, she is on a trek to Washington, D.C., where she hopes to get an audience with President Barack Obama and a chance to share with him and his advisors some of the stories of pain she has encountered during her trip. The level of commitment she has to her cause is unquestionable, and the caring spirit she exemplifies is laudable.

Denmark is an example of the American spirit at its most selfless. Her cause is an important one, and it is one that is sure to resonate with many Americans during these troubled economic times. It’s comforting to know there are people in our nation so dedicated to helping others.