Fall bursting with colors and volunteers

• Reprints

Updated: December 13, 2011 8:24AM

The leaves are falling fast. This year, the fall foliage throughout Northwest Indiana has been so vibrant.

Still this week, a few bright red and yellow leaves are hanging on to maintain some color before we are covered in pure white.

What a great group of young people visited our neighborhood Saturday, armed with rakes, so the leaves covering the ground were put where they belong, and green grass was visible again — until the next winds blew.

Thank you very much, Valpraiso Builders Club and Key Club members, for spending a beautiful Saturday morning helping others instead of sleeping in. Could you please come back this Saturday?

As the last leaves fall, we know winter soon will follow, and it will be time for those warm coats, mittens and hats. To help make sure that all families in Porter County are dressed for the cold, Culver’s in Valparaiso is sponsoring its first winter clothing drive.

Coats, jackets, gloves, hats, scarves and boots are requested. The donations will be taken to Hilltop Neighborhood House for our neighbors in need.

Check your closets and see what’s in them.

Sunday was one of my favorite Special Olympics days of the year.

It was our awards day in the Franklin Middle School auditorium. Each athlete was recognized for his or her efforts, and the special feeling the first time he or she put on a letter jacket is the top of the world.

The afternoon was filled with smiles. A special moment occurred when Jose, an athlete who has very limited speech and some physical disability, came to the stage to get his award, turned to the audience with a wide smile and jumped up and down in pure joy.

That’s what Special Olympics is about!

Congratulations to all the super athletes who make the work worthwhile, and thanks to all the coaches, volunteers and parents who continually make Porter County Special Olympics outstanding.

I hope everyone remembers that Friday is Veterans Day, and know why we celebrate it: To honor the military men and women who have, and still are, keeping America “one nation under God.”

Remember the veterans who have lost limbs, suffered mental stress, lived through war atrocities we can’t imagine, and keep them in your prayers.

Above all, say thanks to anyone you see in uniform.

Each year, the Valparaiso Kiwanis and Rotary clubs honor veterans from every war with a special program. As each veteran stands to be applauded, many of us who have enjoyed our freedom have tears in our eyes just thinking about how blessed we are.

Thanks to every veteran for keeping me safe, and know that you always are pet persons to many of us.

Now, I hope you have a great day because you deserve it.

Thanks for reading.

Fly your flag.