Fall festival season is now in full swing. We&8217;ve wrapped up Art & Soul and the Jim Bowie Festival and started Fall Pilgrimage. Now is a good time to start counting down to balloon races, and to remember the good news of last week.

4 The ministerial alliance is just about ready to open the Food Bank of the Miss-Lou, a project that began after Hurricane Katrina showed how much a centralized food bank was needed.

A grand opening is scheduled for Oct. 24, but they&8217;ll need food first. Local churches and residents are being asked to contribute to the facility located on North Shields Lane.

The United Way, the City of Natchez, the Mississippi Legislature and the Mississippi Department of Transportation worked with the ministerial alliance to make the food bank a reality.

It&8217;s great to see cooperation from local and state agencies on a project such as this. They&8217;ve paved the way, now we must fill the shelves.

4 The Sunshine Shelter has expanded its job description so much that a name change was in order. Formerly a temporary home for abused children, the new Sunshine Children&8217;s Center is now offering respite care for children and a variety of programs to help families with special-needs children.

4 Hundreds of area children and parents are gathering on Sunday afternoons this fall to play (and watch) youth soccer and get a little exercise.

The leagues not only teach the game, but stress teamwork, give a strong cardiovascular workout and demand sportsmanship, coaches and league organizers said.

Whether soccer is your sport or not, fall in the Miss-Lou provides plenty of chances to get out and experience life. We hope you&8217;ll join in.