It seems the holiday season starts a bit earlier each year. With Christmas decorations up in stores at Halloween and holiday events starting before Thanksgiving, it’s difficult not to find yourself whistling a Christmas tune early.

And with those tunes come plenty of community events to attend. The busy season has already begun, but before we sit on Santa’s lap, let’s think back on the good things our community accomplished last week.

4 Parents at Trinity Episcopal School launched a new fundraiser — the Turkey Trot 5K run and run for kids. The race drew a good crowd and raised $2,000 Saturday morning.

4 Dr. Kim Hoover certainly knows how to make us proud. The Vidalia native has been a successful nurse and educator for years, including time at Natchez Regional Medical Center and Alcorn State University. But recently she earned a new title — dean of the University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Nursing.

Hoover’s work will now directly impact many new nurses around the state.

4 Alcorn State University is nearing the end of its search for a new president. The new president should be in town by the end of the month for a visit.

4 Vidalia High School, with the help of the Trace City Kiwanis Club and a few other high school Key Clubs, is preparing to launch a Key Club of its own. The service organization will encourage students to give back to the community around them.

As visions of wonderful Nutcracker dancers carry us into this wonderful week of thanks, we hope everyone will realize just how much Miss-Lou residents have to be thankful.