The Demopolis Times published two stories this week about young people making donations to help others.

On Saturday, the story of Amelia Mackey’s fourth-grade class making donations to the Demopolis Animal Shelter was moving. Shelter director Lucille Carpenter also informed us that first-graders at Westside Elementary School also made a sizeable donation to help treat local strays and find themgood homes.

On today’s front page is a story of a 7-year-old who donated her long hair to Locks of Love. Her donation will help make a wig for a child who has lost her hair to illness. Ginger Mitchell at Guys and Dolls said that several people had also made similar donations in the last few weeks alone.

When people in our community do something to help others, it makes us proud. To see children do something in the same vein, that is something special.

Not only are they doing something to help others, but our youth have limited resources. They don’t have a lot to make donations with, but they make a special effort and come up with ways to use what they have to help others. That demonstrates not only thoughtfulness but also ingenuity.

When children grow up understanding others’ needs, that makes them grow into special people. If they are charitable in their youth, they are very likely to be charitable adults.

They also grow up understanding that actions speak much louder than words. Carpenter said that the size of the donation doesn’t matter, that each donation helps its cause. That helps to emphasize the message that it is the act of giving and wanting to help that far outweighs the size of the donation.

We want to thank everyone who gives to those in need. We are especially proud of our youth who see at an early age how fun it is to help others and how fulfilling it is to help make a difference. Please continue to set a good example for us.