As we head toward Spring Pilgrimage and the height of tourist season in the Miss-Lou let us take a few moments to look at some of the good things happening in our community:

• Four future members of the Natchez Junior Auxiliary have improved the lives of area dementia and Alzheimer’s patients with simple pieces of cloth. The members of this year’s provisional class sewed together 14 fidget blankets for local nursing homes and the Merit Health Natchez Behavioral Health Unit. While not a cure, the blankets provide cognitive therapy for patients who may be easily bored and agitated. While the blankets can be purchased commercially, the prospective JA members solicited donations and made the blankets themselves. Thanks to those who saw a need and took the time to provide this simple, necessary tool.
• For the Cathedral School high school and middle school Science Olympiad teams, science is more than a class period. The 30 students that recently competed in the district competition at the Natchez campus of Copiah-Lincoln Community College took first place in both age groups.  The teams will compete in the state Science Olympiad at the University of Southern Mississippi later this month. Congratulations and good luck in Hattiesburg.
• Southwest Mississippi hosted more than 100 canine competitors during a national qualifier for the Super Retriever Series dog competition. The Miss-Lou Retriever Club welcomed dogs and professional and amateur dog handlers from as far away as Florida and Texas to locations in the Kingston and Doloroso communities. Thanks to the organizers who helped bring this event to Southwest Mississippi.

As we head into the first full week of March, let us remember to thank all who work hard to make our community great.