Holy cow, what a month of change! In January, I made 81 or I hope so as I am about to board a plane for Salt Lake City for a week of cold, fun and sun. 

Valentine’s Day in the month of February—I remember someone saying that love is an action word. When I look around at all the devastation coming down on communities in our nation, whether from fires, hurricanes, volcanoes, tornadoes, floods...well, it’s all heartbreaking. Yet, in the path of destruction lies the opportunity to show love in action. Helping others through prayer, donations, water, money, clothing, shoes. Thousands of volunteers cooking meals, clearing debris, helping build temporary shelters, tending wounds, rescuing people and pets. The list goes on and on. Some lost a little, some lost it all and properly need just about everything. Regardless of the level of loss, everyone needs kindness and hope. Love supplies that.

My hope for this year is that we continue to pull together and help each other; to pick people up and show our spirit of love and community. Lifting people up to do good, to care more, to do more, to support more—that is our charter.

As I reflect over my lifetime, I can state that I do not remember a time that needed so much love in action from us all. At this time, North Carolinians are still picking up the pieces of their lives, and the fires in California are still raging. Many other cities and towns have been impacted by disaster, yet their stories don’t make the national news.

In 2025, my goal is to work on loving more, judging less and giving back the love I have been given.  May we all share in that goal.

With peace, love and laughter,

Joe and Asta Dunne, Publishers