That being the case, we were pleased to see the way the community of Bladenboro and indeed Bladen County turned out to help the folks at The Meadows several days back when subfreezing temperatures sparked an emergency.

Their behavior and response was not merely civilized, it was exemplary.

A pipe in the assisted living home's sprinkler system froze and burst, causing the home's fire alarm to sound. While officials at The Meadows quickly made sure there was no blaze, the residents of that facility still were in a very cold mess.

You may take note that we referred to the community of Bladenboro, not just the town of Bladenboro.

Folks there have proven yet again that while they have a fine town, they truly have a community.

While firefighters made sure there was no actual fire danger, clients at a beauty shop in the building moved their cars close to the front doors so residents wouldn't have to stand in the cold. The more seriously ill were bundled inside, safe from the arctic chill.

The Hardee's restaurant of Bladenboro-part of a chain known for its support of senior citizens-made a hot meal available for the folks affected.

The staff and management of The Meadows immediately began repairs and cleanup of the freezing mess.

Bladenboro Police chief Danny Russ opened up the National Guard Armory, activating the heating system in case people needed shelter from the 20-degree temperatures.

Firefighters, law enforcement, rescue, and even animal control personnel turned out to help in any way they could. Town and county workers checked back by to make sure everything was okay, even after the problems were fixed and the temperatures rose.

We are sure that in our coverage of the incident, and in this editorial, some folks were left out who also went the extra mile for the residents of The Meadows. If so, we apologize, because your efforts were as valuable as those we have mentioned.

Carla Hudson, an employee at the facility and a fairly recent arrival in Bladen County, said she was pleasantly surprised at the community's response to the crisis.

"Everyone went so far out of their way to be helpful," she said.

Ms. Hudson, don't be surprised-that's the way things are done around here.

To everyone that helped out at The Meadows that cold day, you exemplify the good things people say about our county.

Well done, and thank you.

While we're mentioning good deeds, we can't forget Crystal Dyer of White Lake.

This young lady (she's a recent graduate of East Bladen High School) was one of the first people on the scene when a family wrecked near White Lake last month.

The mother told police the steering failed on her van, causing it to veer off the road into a patch of trees.

Miss Dyer was passing by when she spotted the accident. She contacted emergency personnel, comforted the family, and helped interpret for emergency workers while they treated the family for a variety of minor and serious injuries.

She was, according to those at the scene, level-headed and in control at all times. Emergency workers said her help was invaluable.

With all the bad news published and broadcast about "today's young people," Miss Dyer's actions are a shining example of what is good about so many of our next generation. We appreciate her efforts, and we hope her parents realize what a good job they've apparently done in raising not just a good daughter, but a good citizen.

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