Good news, bad news.

There’s a lot of bad news these days throughout the world. We won’t list the headlines. You know them already.

But here in our own backyard, there is a lot of good news.

There are people from Brinnon to Port Townsend and all points in between caring for one another, feeding each other, taking loved ones to medical appointments, collecting toys for Christmas for those in need, and even reaching beyond the borders of Jefferson County to help people on the other side of the world, as Quilcene’s Kit Kittridge and friends are doing.

There are individuals like Sharon McClain, who makes cookies to give away because she knows it makes others happy. And there’s John Dwyer of Port Townsend, who helps supervise elections around the world and whose story is featured in a new “Chicken Soup for the Soul” book.

And there are groups like the young people associated with Interact Clubs in schools throughout Jefferson County taking time out to reach out to senior citizens and work with the East Jefferson Rotary to fund shelter boxes that are being deployed to Syria.

We are a worldly community. We seem to care about people everywhere.

Good news lifts our spirits. It makes us remember what it is to be happy, what it feels like to make a difference, how we can, in fact, change the world around us simply by the decisions we make and how we use our time.

So look for the aforementioned stories in the newspaper you are holding. Starting on page A12, The Leader features its annual Good Works section. Close to half the newspaper is devoted to good news this week.

The Good Works section has been a beloved holiday tradition that we’re keeping and hopefully expanding next year.

So between games and good food this Thanksgiving, please savor some delicious stories about your neighbors this week.

And feel free to send us ideas.

It truly is the season for the good to shine through the dark days of negativity.

Where’s the good in Jefferson County?

Everywhere. Just look. And read.

– Allison Arthur