This morning we publish our most special edition of The Democrat all year.

Today’s print edition includes our biggest special section, Profile 2012.

We’ll post the section online in a few days to allow our best print customers a chance to read it first. If you can’t wait, please buy a copy of today’s print edition.

Months in the making, Profile is a chance to take a look at our community from a slightly different perspective each year.

This year’s theme — Generation Us — examines how residents are alike and different based on the generation in which they were born.

We hope you enjoy the section and as you read it, we hope you learn something you didn’t know about either your own generation or other generations.

Today we also publish our favorite section of the year — Our Heroes. The section includes The Natchez Democrat’s 2012 Citizen of the Year and Unsung Heroes.

Our 2012 Citizen of the Year is someone who has dedicated years and years of service to his community — outgoing Concordia Parish Sheriff Randy Maxwell.

The sheriff’s contributions are widely known, and have touched law enforcement, the parish’s economy and the lives of thousands of staff members and inmates through the years.

Most recently, the sheriff served as a wise, calm voice during last year’s historic flooding. His steadfast demeanor was invaluable as parish residents feared the worst.

We congratulate him on the honor, thank him for his years of service and wish him the best of luck in the future.

In addition to Maxwell, our Unsung Heroes are eight of our community’s best citizens — the ones who do good work year after year without prompting.

Thanks to each of them for contributing to our community.

All nine of the individuals honored are great examples of the kinds of people who live in our community. We’re thankful for each one.