As we approach the final days of 2012, you’ll be seeing, hearing and reading plenty of lists recapping the best, worst and most significant moments of our year.

Among the news events, milestones and celebrity faux pas that make the year in review lists will be a number of special people. CNN has already named its 2012 Hero of the Year and Time Magazine its Person of the Year.

Pushpa Basnet — a Nepalese woman who supports children who would otherwise have to live behind bars with incarcerated parents — and President Obama received the national media titles, but every community has heroes — big and small.

For decades The Natchez Democrat has served as the facilitator for the Miss-Lou community to honor its many heroes, especially those who don’t otherwise seek attention or accolades.

We begin accepting nominations of our Unsung Heroes around this time each year and will publish a special section honoring them in late February.

An Unsung Hero in our community may be the volunteer who works tirelessly for a local non-profit, the lady who picks up trash on her morning walks or a close friend who goes out of his way to care for those in need all around.

Our community has quite a few people that fit in those categories, we see that not only when tragedy strikes or a friend is in need but every day. The Miss-Lou’s generosity is well recognized, but it’s the work of individuals that combines to make our community great.

Anyone can submit a nomination and any local resident can be nominated.

To nominate someone as an Unsung Hero, simply send me an e-mail or letter, drop off a note or give me a phone call. Please include in your note or phone call a description of why the person is an Unsung Hero, what groups with which you know them to be involved and any other details you think are pertinent.

If you have contact information for the nominee, please include that as well.

The deadline to submit all nominations is Feb. 4.

After the nomination period closes, our staff will review the nominations and narrow the list to eight heroes.

We’ll share the stories of each hero — along with the 2013 Citizen of the Year — in the special publication on Feb. 24.

Send your nominations to me at: unsungheroes@natchezdemocrat.com or Unsung Heroes, The Natchez Democrat, P.O. Box 1447, Natchez, MS, 39121.

You can also drop a written nomination by at our 503 N. Canal St., office or call 601-445-3551.

If you’d like for your identity to remain unknown to the person you nominate, just say so, but I would like you to include your name and phone number in case I have a question for you.

Wonderful people are doing wonderful things in Nepal, Newtown, Conn., Washington, D.C., and around the globe daily. But the most important heroes in our lives are the ones we see every day, the ones right here at home.

Help us honor them.

 

Julie Cooper is the managing editor of The Natchez Democrat. She can be reached at 601-445-3551 or julie.cooper@natchezdemocrat.com.