All we can ever ask is for someone to do his best. If that were the commitment of an entire community, just imagine the accomplishments.

Throughout the Christmas season, we have well documented the tremendous spirit of organizations, businesses and individuals in supporting local charities such as Toys For Tots, the Salvation Army, the American Red Cross, the Cheer Fund and many more.

But what we have also seen is the tremendous outpouring of support from organizations without regional, state or world-wide appeal. We have seen local churches hold their own toy drives and local businesses adopt local families.

Their efforts have not been part of some large, orchestrated event, but rather the spontaneous feeling of wanting to do something nice for a neighbor or a stranger.

It is this charity, this spirit, which truly symbolizes the strength of our community. It is not the condition of our highways or the amount of new retail space that shows our city’s health, but rather how we support and care for those among us who need it the most. That is our strength.

This weekend, one local church – just one of many – held a toy drive to help families in its community. The New Beginning Missionary Circle, an organization at Little Bethel Baptist Church, organized an event that was intended to help nearly 40 children around the Chuckatuck area.

The organization members, with smiles on their faces, truly represented the adage, “It is better to give than to receive.” It was not just their giving that made it so special, but the atmosphere and the infectious spirit that consumed each of those in attendance.

And that giving spirit has spread throughout Suffolk this season. We’ve seen the Red Cross send more than 2,000 Christmas cards to troops serving overseas and food drives to help fill the pantries of area families this season.

But, while this giving has been nothing less than spectacular, it is our hope we see similar efforts throughout the year. Just because the calendar may move to another month, doesn’t mean the need has ended.

Suffolk is a tremendously strong community, and it has once again proven its strength in the generosity of its giving.