Many of our favorite stories of heroism harken back to the early days of our nation and include the wonderful stories, even if glamorized, of the Minutemen who were ready in a minute to fight the British, or Paul Revere and his steed storming across New England heralding “The British are Coming; The British are Coming.”

Betsy Ross got busy and made a flag, and Francis Scott Key sang boldly into the night about that flag.

All these people served the country and community well as volunteers. Butler County honors two special volunteers each year since the 1950s as Distinguished Service honorees.

This award is the most prestigious award given each year and part of what makes it so special is the only people that can vote on the nominees are the previous winners of the award.

This year the DSA recognition is in danger of not being held. The coronavirus that has so badly changed our lives may claim it as a victim but as the Bible says where death is thy sting?

While the virus truly is claiming victims not only through human deaths but also in ruining opportunities to celebrate so many one-time or annual deaths but it hasn’t caused the death of volunteerism in our community.

Looking at the Butler Health System Foundation website today you will find golden opportunities to honor, acknowledge and thank the men and women on the front lines fighting this disaster in health care.

Volunteers, individuals and groups are stepping up to aid where they can. Restaurants, small businesses, medical offices and thankful patients are volunteering to provide supplies, food, bottled water and other items.

One local resident was moved by the care he recently received and the care his wife has received near the end of her life that he sought out a special way to thank the people who took care of them and he did something they probably wouldn’t do for themselves. He went to a local chocolate shop and bought a massive amount of special Butler-made chocolate to provide the staff.

The Evans City Rotary and their Rotary foundation coordinator, Lee Dyer, provided meals for 60 employees at the hospital emergency hospital on Monday. Rotary is a volunteer organization which has a 100 percent turnover in leadership every year and does a great deal to further develop volunteer leaders through student programs including RYLA for rising high school seniors.

Another Rotary volunteer is Dr. Stu Surkosky who annually leads an event he names Kids Day America and uses volunteers to raise tens of thousands of dollars every year.

This week he is busy working as a volunteer to create protective masks to be worn by medical professionals in this health crisis. And yes, this is being done by others as volunteers.

Yes volunteers still carry the day and lead the charge to overcome tyranny whether it be the threat of foreign forces or the threat to our resources and our basic freedoms.

This virus has succeeded in altering our daily lives but it has a long way to go before it tarnishes the fiber of the American soul.

God Bless America, and God Bless our volunteers.

— RV