Helping hand

Thumbs-up to the police officers who collected money and gift cards for a family found living under a bridge west of Seymour earlier this month. The money allowed the couple and their kids to spend two nights in a hotel and provided them with a hot meal and several hygiene items along with diapers and formula and a couple of toys.PatienceThumbs-up to the officer with the Indiana State Police Motor Carrier Enforcement Division that extended the time limit for towing a vehicle that a family had to leave on Interstate 65 because of an issue with a tire. The family was not from the area and did not have the tools to take care of the problem, so the officer saw to it that they had the right tools to do the job and get back on their way.

Salute

Thumbs-up to Boy Scout Tim Molinari of Seymour for creating a memorial plaza at the Seymour Municipal Airport in the hope more people will take time to learn about and pay tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen. Molinari came up with the project as a way to earn his Eagle Scout rank. The Tuskegee Airman where a group of black World War II airmen who trained at what was then known as Freeman Field and where involved in an incident in 1945 in which they were denied access to a white-only officers club. The incident known as the Freeman Field Mutiny eventually led to the desegregation of the U.S Armed Forces.

Sweep

Thumbs-up to the Seymour High School girls cross-country team for taking the top six spots in the Seymour Invitational on Aug. 20. Sophomore Emma Brock led the way for the Owls with a time of 19:58.9, and the sweep allowed the squad to finish with a perfect 15 points in the eight-team field.

Committed

Thumbs-up to the four Jackson County families that were among the 67 Hoosier families recognized during the Indiana State Fair with Hoosier Homestead Awards for their commitment to agriculture. To be named a Hoosier Homestead, farms must be owned by the same family for at least 100 consecutive years and consist of more than 20 acres or produce more than $1,000 of agricultural products per year. The award distinctions recognized are centennial, sesquicentennial and bicentennial. The Hackman family (1862) was recognized with a sesquicentennial award while the Leroy Miller family (1891), the Mark Miller family (1910) and the Lahrman family (1905) were honored with centennial awards.No littering

Thumbs-down to people who dump trash on properties in rural parts of the county and those who litter streets and roads in communities throughout the county.