People who need People are the “luckiest people in the world,” a Barbra Streisand song tells us.

As I was riding around Daphne and Spanish Fort this week I reflected back on all the people who helped me raise my child—and those who have touched the lives of the students I have taught. A woman at the Spanish Fort Post Office reaches out to our youngest of citizens with a vanilla wafer after checking in with us moms. Our local banks put a lollipop in the return container—or even a doggie biscuit if a pet is seen! For our mayors to take time out of their busy days to conduct a mock city council meeting shows that this community cares for its very youngest and their families. Our police departments as well as fire departments go the extra mile in making sure our young children understand safety and how to follow the rules in protecting their lives. Our city and church leagues of soccer, baseball and basketball teach our young children hometown sportsmanship. One of the best field trips I have taken my young students on was down to Robertsdale to see how our local Gulf Coast Newspapers publications (including the Daphne Bulletin and Spanish Fort Sun) were printed off. Even in the midst of meeting deadlines, etc., the GCN staff took the time to teach and share what it takes to print twice-weekly and weekly newspapers.

As we families face this recession together, life is better and easier when we become a part of a community network of friends and family—a neighborhood that truly cares. Look at how our community came together after Hurricanes Ivan and Katrina hit us and our neighbors. We raised our sleeves and reached out to each other in order to get over these major natural disaster bumps in the road. What a lesson our children witnessed as a community of folks whose hearts showed actions of love and concern.

Look what emerged: community block parties, and the Prodisee Pantry still serves the food needs of our community when folks are going through hard times.

Community, like outreach and charity, begins in the home. It is so easy in Daphne and Spanish Fort to start building a good neighborhood because the sense of community care is already set in place.  

Beth Pinyerd lives in Daphne and serves as director of younger children at Faith Family Fellowship in Spanish Fort.

Her column appears every other week in the Daphne Bulletin and Spanish Fort Sun.