When I first moved into the area, I think a combination between feeling the disorientation of discovering a new place and some of my own lack of awareness caused me to lock my keys in my car, more than once.

The situations were definitely a bummer, but the number of kind people who stopped by to ask if I needed anything, and the towing company that responded let me pay him after I retrieved my purse from the locked car, made the situations much less of a bummer.

It was heartening to hear that similarly kind people are going to offer their time and elbow grease to help their neighbors.

Lunenburg’s Neighbors Helping Neighbors event will take place Friday and Saturday. During the two-day period, volunteers will take on construction or goodwill projects for people who live close by, and may not be financially or physically able to do the task on their own.

Capping the event will be a breakfast held at Kenbridge United Methodist Church and Antioch United Methodist Church offering drinks and snacks throughout the day.

In past years, members of the community have helped their neighbors with everything from painting the outside of a house to installing a wheelchair ramp near a front door. Some of the volunteers may actually be helping their physical neighbors. We commend them, as their actions absolutely speak for themselves.

It’s wonderful to see people who are also reaching out and requesting the volunteers’ aid. Asking for help is difficult. But the neighbors are giving the volunteers an opportunity to work for a cause that is outside of themselves and to better know their community.

Emily Hollingsworth is a staff reporter for The Kenbridge-Victoria Dispatch and Farmville Newsmedia LLC. Her email address is Emily.Hollingsworth@ KVDispatch.com.