A rose to everyone on this New Year’s Day! We hope 2023 finds you healthy, happy and safe and that the year will continue on that trajectory. We know, of course, that the measuring of time is a human construct and that our fortunes ebb and flow with no regard for the calendar. For some, 2023 may indeed turn out to be a happy year. For others, it may be a year of disappointment and perhaps, loss. For most of us, it is likely to be a mixed bag. But the turning of the calendar to a “new” year provides us a chance to start anew, to face the uncertainty of the next 365 days with a sense of hope and optimism. Since so much of unpredictable life relies on being a good sport, we hope your successes are many and are accompanied by humility and gratitude and your losses are few and tempered with grace and resilience.

A rose to Tom Velek, who was appointed as interim director of Lowndes County Recreation by the board of supervisors on Friday. Velek will serve in the role for the rest of the fiscal year, filling the void in leadership after the passing of Roger Short in October. Velek’s appointment will allow the county plenty of time to identify a permanent leader for the recreation department. Velek has been heavily involved in local recreation, especially soccer, for years, including working with the Columbus-Lowndes Recreation Authority and Short. As the county proceeds with construction on its $12-million sportsplex, having someone at the helm with knowledge of the community and recreation is important. We wish Velek success in his new role.

A rose to United Way of Lowndes and Noxubee Counties for its wonderful work during 2022, particularly in their efforts to make Christmas special for families throughout the area. During the holiday season, its Adopt-A-Family campaign attracted 3,330 volunteers and donors and helped make Christmas special for 131 families, including 345 children in Lowndes, Noxubee, Oktibbeha and Webster counties. More than $92,000 in gifts were donated. We applaud the work of Quan Walker-Turner, director of Golden Triangle Regional Hub for Volunteers and Nonprofits and Renee Sanders, Executive Director of United Way of Lowndes and Noxubee Countries for their tireless work and leadership and to all of those volunteers and donors who made 2022’s efforts a rousing success.

The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.