Whether it’s lending a helping hand to a member of the community who’s typically tasked with acting as one of its protectors or being stewards for a spot that provides community recreation, Butler County residents consistently show that their weekends aren’t just spent relaxing.

This past weekend saw a sizable amount of giving back from community residents, from a spaghetti dinner to raise money for a Middlesex Township firefighter who survived a brutal struggle with COVID-19 to some volunteers sprucing up Jennings Environmental Education Center by planting blazing stars and other native plants in spots where people with disabilities can more easily see them.

Both stories made us proud of the county residents who donated their time to better their communities and help their neighbors.

In the case of firefighter Greg Vickinovac — who spent two weeks on a ventilator because of COVID-19, but has since returned home and is on the road to recovery — the fundraiser was held at the Middlesex Township fire station on Sunday.

About 40 baskets were donated for a raffle, and an anonymous business owner from the community paid for the expenses of the dinner. Money raised during the event will help the family with costs associated with Vickinovac’s hospital stay.

“It’s overwhelming, the support from the fire company, the community and the other fire companies,” Vickinovac said. “When one of us is down, everybody picks up and gives you a helping hand.”

As a firefighter, Vickinovac puts his life on the line to serve his community, so it’s wonderful to see the community stepping up to assist his family. We hope for his full recovery soon.

And over at Jennings, the volunteers spent Saturday morning planting native species in eight gardens around the center’s gateway because it’s difficult for persons who use a wheelchair or walker to get to the site’s prairie to view the plants in their natural environment.

Former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill once said, “We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.”

This holds true here in Butler County, where we’re constantly encouraged by the giving natures of those who take part in events to better their communities or lend a helping hand to those who struggle.

— NCD