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Serving our local service organizations

Service and charitable organizations exist because people who wanted to do more for their communities found a way to organize other like-minded folks for the common good.

They work hard, they do not receive much thanks … and sometimes they are the victims of … other service organizations.

In fact, Marietta’s Noon Lions Club and Rotary clubs are practically at war — but it turns out that also is for the common good.

“It was brought to our attention that the Noon Rotary club got our bell,” outgoing Lions president Brandon Burnworth said last week. “It’s not uncommon for us to steal each other’s stuff and hold it for ransom.”

This time around, the petty theft was for the benefit of Gospel Mission food pantry, which is being helped along by its volunteers after founder and manager Candy Waite and her husband Jeff were in a car accident in May.

“They’re doing a great job, we’re really proud of them,” Jeff Waite said. “I can’t thank them enough. The whole community has come together with prayers and support, and we’re grateful.”

So are we. But it should be no surprise. That’s what we do here in Marietta — when the people who do so much for us need a little help, we rally for them, too.

Summer is not always the easiest time for charitable organizations, anyway. Without the energy of people like Candy Waite, they could falter. Not here, though. Not now.

“I was thinking about what good we could do, with Candy and Jeff in the forefront of our minds,” Burnworth said. “Around Thanksgiving and Christmas, a lot of people donate to food pantries, but I think they struggle sometimes during the rest of the year.”

Even if it did mean a few low crimes and misdemeanors, thank goodness these groups decided to do something about that.

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