Acts of heroism, big and small, lift the community

Any newspaper that is doing its job has plenty of bad news in it.
That is part of its role — to shed light on problems in hopes solutions will be sought.
However, in amongst those problems are usually plenty of glimmers — and sometimes, shining beacons — of hope and caring. There are acts of heroism large and small.
We’d like to take stock of a few of those acts in recent Roane County News editions.
Take, for instance, the accident involving a van ramming through a busy Kingston hair salon Tuesday.
The response from officials was quick and obvious. Less obvious to many were the efforts of one of the workers in the shop.
Tiffany Coy had first-aid training and quickly reacted to the injuries and needs of her colleagues and clients. Her cool head in the chaos provided comfort and may have helped save lives.
Then there’s Bruce and Diana Knobloch, who, with little hesitation, altered their vacation plans to accommodate a pair of strangers.
The strangers were Hurricane Katrina refugees who had been living in Rockwood public housing for the better part of five years.
The Knoblochs, instead of flying, drove to New Orleans, where the refugees — one of them a 94-year-old woman — had public housing waiting in the city they hold dear.
The Knoblochs also pulled a trailer with the refugees’ belongings and helped them move in and set up.
And, finally, there are the folks from Second Chance pet rescue and Rockwood First Pentecostal Church who are helping people in these tough times keep their beloved pets.
They have started a pet food bank and will distribute food to those who find themselves making a choice between feeding their cats and dogs or feeding their families.
All of these stories have elements of the bad in them — horrific accidents, terrible natural disasters and the consequences of a struggling economy — and yet the good shines through.
To those involved involved in these examples of selflessness, we salute you.