Two organizations that do quite a lot for the community got together last weekend to do something good for a group of people who have themselves done quite a bit for their nation.

The Suffolk Elks Club and the Suffolk Ruritan Club teamed up on Saturday to put on a cookout for a group of wounded warriors and their families from the Portsmouth Naval Hospital. Food, entertainment and good times were the order of the day as the organizations and the men and women they were honoring came together at the Suffolk Elks Lodge for the afternoon.

Jimmy Franks, who is a member of both Suffolk community organizations, co-chaired the event, along with E.C. Harris, a member of the Suffolk Ruritans. Franks said the whole idea was to “show them a good time and show them our appreciation for what they do for our country.”

That’s just the sort of thing these and other community groups are known for doing here in Suffolk, and it’s an appropriate and admirable thing to have done for men and women healing from life-changing injuries and illnesses suffered in the act of serving their country.

Each wounded warrior went home with a gift bag containing gift cards and other things, and four barbers were on hand giving free haircuts. There was even a masseuse on hand to give free massages.

Sometimes the small acts of kindness are the ones that mean the most. It would be hard to repay the nation’s wounded warriors for all they have sacrificed, but honoring them the way the Elks and Ruritans did this weekend was still a significant way to show them that the nation stands with them in their recovery and appreciates their courage and honor.