Laurels to Tim Hoffner, Richard Taylor and all the students at West Rowan High School who helped create a unique Memorial Day tribute to service members who died for their country. Hoffner, who owns Father and Son Produce on Sherrills Ford Road with wife Linda, came up with the idea — with God’s help, he says — to place crosses on the lawn in front of the business. Not only that, local people whose loved ones died in the line of duty can have their names placed on the crosses. Taylor, who teaches shop at West Rowan, got his students involved and they produced 200 of the crosses, which, in keeping with the spiritual theme, are also adorned by necklaces featuring small crosses made of nails. Bonnie Myers, whose late husband Joe served in the Air Force, created those necklaces. The look is a smaller version of what might be seen in a place like Normandy, France, where U.S. service members who died in Europe during World War II were laid to rest. But this is for local residents, and their lost loved ones. “They need to be recognized,” Hoffner said.

Laurels to the folks at Niagara Bottling Co.’s Mooresville bottling plant for donating clean drinking water to people who live near Duke Energy’s Buck Steam Station. More than 30 households in the Dukeville community have been told by the state not to drink water from their private wells due to contamination, which could’ve been caused by coal-ash dumps at the power plant. As of late this week, Duke had not provided water to some of those households, so the Mooresville company stepped up and offered to provide its product. Derek Zeedyk, maintenance manager for Niagara’s Mooresville plant, said the company frequently donates its product, and as a Salisbury resident, he “saw that there was a need.” Seeing a need and helping out? Now, that’s being a good neighbor, and a good corporate citizen.

Laurels to the children from First United Methodist Church’s child development center who got the Memorial Day weekend started on a patriotic — and adorable — note Friday afternoon. Four of them stood alongside Fisher Street by the church, one waving a flag and the others holding signs saying, “God Bless America” and “Honk for USA.”  You can’t help but have a great weekend if it began with that sight.