Our nation marked the anniversary of one of our greatest tragedies this week, and the Miss-Lou remembered right along with it.

School children honored the memory of 9-11 with a special ceremony, and others quietly paid respects throughout the day.

But the true celebration of our great nation wasn’t in the special 9-11 moments this week; it was in all the other great things in our community. For it’s with our freedom, service and good old-fashioned fun that we truly send a worldwide message of America’s greatness.

Let’s review a few of the good things that happened in our community last week.

4 Local artists gathered Saturday to sell their art and raise money for the Natchez Art Association. The Y’Art Sale gave those of us without such creative skills a chance to take home a piece of our community and support a good cause.

4 The annual Natchez Antiques Forum brought great speakers and lovers of history together for several sessions. The forum is one of Natchez’s finest specialty events and we thank the many volunteers who make it happen.

4 Vidalia’s board of aldermen celebrated the fact that city property taxes are the lowest in the state. It’s great to see a local government do so much without further burdening the residents.

4 Vidalia High School senior Cari Ainsworth is a hard worker and she plans to keep it that way. The teen hopes to own and operate a business after college, and is working now to make that dream a reality.

It’s each and every citizen of our country and each tidbit of good news that makes America strong. And we are happy to be a part of it all.