Downtown Butler should be striving to display a sparkling face during the holiday season. The unseasonably warm weather Western Pennsylvania has just experienced should have been a signal to pick up litter and other debris from sidewalks, curbs and streets.

Unfortunately, in too many instances, that opportunity was ignored.

From "losing" lottery tickets and cigarette packs to candy wrappers and soiled diapers, the downtown landscape is hardly inviting on many fronts.

Merchants who regard the Christmas shopping season as the make-or-break time for their businesses should assign someone to perform basic cleanup in front of their establishments. Likewise, people who rent apartments should have provisions in place for ensuring that their properties do not detract from neighboring properties, business or residential.

Meanwhile, people who come to the downtown for any reason should show respect for the city by not littering or causing other damage.

The bad winter weather that lies ahead will undue some of the cleanup work performed. However, an ongoing commitment to cleanliness will make for an easier cleanup task in the spring.

Everyone doing a little will result in something big being accomplished. Unfortunately, that hasn't been the thinking of enough merchants and residents in recent weeks.

At this time of the year, much generosity prevails, and it's virtually impossible to keep track of all of the good that encompasses Butler County.But projects that benefit the lives of many people deserve notice by county residents; they can serve as an incentive for others to find ways to help — in these or other endeavors.One notable effort that comes to mind is Butler Memorial Hospital's annual coat drive, which for the past four years has been organized by Anita Bongartz, an operating room nurse at the hospital.About 100 people were given winter coats at a free community dinner last month at the First English Lutheran Church. Additional coats were to be donated to the Butler County office of Catholic Charities for that agency to distribute.The coat drive was started 10 years ago at the hospital by Kim Watson, also an operating room nurse."The big thing for me is the generosity of Butler Hospital," Bongartz said. "People give up their time. It's amazing."She added that "a whole range of people" join in the coat drive in an effort to make it successful.For many people, the Christmas season is not complete unless they do something special for someone less fortunate, or participate in an organized effort such as the coat drive, which is aimed at helping many needy people.The warmth that coat drive participants will provide to recipients this winter is something those participants can feel good about all year.

With Katie's Kitchen's move back to its original location at St. Mark's Lutheran Church, it's an appropriate time to acknowledge the cooperation of Joseph T. Black Post 249, Veterans of Foreign Wars, in ensuring that free community meals would continue while Katie's cooking and dining facilities at the church were being renovated.Nancy Nicklas, manager of Katie's Kitchen, was right in describing the VFW as "very gracious" in allowing the church to use its facilities.Katie's Kitchen serves between 80 and 170 people each Thursday. In addition to St. Mark's, the free dinners for the needy are sponsored by Trinity Lutheran Church.Katie's Kitchen has been serving meals at St. Mark's for 13 years and deserves praise for its commitment to those experiencing less-than-prosperous times.As for its facilities renovation, the updating project included new flooring and carpeting, painting, and installation of air conditioning and new storage areas. A convection oven and steamer were added.Money for the renovation project came from the King's Daughters Sunday School class at St. Mark's.The temporary move to the VFW, which took place on Aug. 3, demonstrated cooperation and a sense of mission about which the community can feel a substantial measure of pride.