Local Spotlight: Help us celebrate Merced’s everyday heroes
There are the heroes we see around us who help make the world a safer place. They might be first responders, doctors, or soldiers, among others who work to protect us.
Then there are the heroes next door. You might know one - a pastor, coach, teacher, librarian, or some other special person who has made a positive impact. They quietly work hard for others without seeking recognition or benefit. They don’t have to be asked to put in the extra effort or to do the right thing; it just comes naturally.
The Sun-Star wants to shine a light on some of your unsung neighbors who help make the Merced community a richer, kinder place. We’ll be highlighting their achievements and ingenuity serving others in a feature we call Local Spotlight.
I was recently hired as the new senior editor of the Sun-Star. One of my goals is to create stronger community connections, to help us feel even prouder of all the ways we help each other.
Some of our profiles will be light and plucky, others will take on more serious topics. What these unsung heroes have in common is a strong sense of community welfare.
Today, you can read our first installment about a longtime school employee who has been like a second mom for thousands of students over the years, well into retirement. She shows up to support athletes and take game photos. And she’s been doing it for decades and decades, chronicling the district’s evolution and the ups and downs of its sports teams.
Next, you can read about a group of volunteers who have banded together to keep one of the area’s natural resources clean. And there will be many more coming your way in our Local Spotlight series, found at mercedsunstar.com and in your print edition of The Sun-Star.
If you have someone in mind who deserves the Local Spotlight, please send an email with your contact information to reporters Shawn Jansen at sjansen@mercedsunstar.com or Andrew Kuhn at akuhn@mercedsunstar.com and someone will contact you.
We really appreciate the help and hope you enjoy the feature.
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