Want to make the new year a better one? Volunteer

Flipping the calendar page to a new year often makes us think about change. What should we do differently with our next year, how can we improve and move forward?

Those reflections are often personal, but this year, as you consider how to make 2022 better, you might look outward.

Have you thought about volunteering your time with one of the many local groups that work daily to improve our communities?

There are many more than we can name, but just a few places that could use more helping hands include domestic violence shelter Haven House, Mo-ark Regional Railroad Museum, Court Appointed Special Advocates, mentoring programs with Poplar Bluff schools, the Retired Senior Volunteers Program, FosterAdopt Connect of Southeast Missouri, Poplar Bluff Municipal Library, Margaret-Harwell Art Museum and the Poplar Bluff History Museum.

If you don’t see something you like there, consider getting more involved in school, city and county decisions by staying informed about the activities of our local governing bodies and upcoming elections and sharing your opinions with leaders.

If you’ve ever seen something in your community and thought, someone should do something about that, maybe you are that someone.

We all want the best for our friends and neighbors, and in the places where we live and work.

But the best only happens when many people come together and create change when it’s needed, or help lift up those who are already tackling the problems we face.

Our decisions — whether to help, to stay silent and still, or to offer criticism without assistance — make all the difference in creating the world we want to live in.

As we look at the many possibilities to come in 2022, we hope that you will be a positive voice in our community.