The economy is as flat as a pancake, the weather has been truly weird, what's going on in Albany is beyond disgraceful; but in our communities, people — American people — continue to show their best colors.

Pine Bush just ran its Fifth Annual Relay for Life extravaganza. And yes, it ended up as a complete mudbath. If things were any wetter around here, we'd be talking about the monsoon. But that didn't stop the Pine Bush Relay for Life gathering at least $165,000 and counting. When all is said and done, they may even get close to the record tally they reached last year. That's saying something about the fundraising power of one not-so-big community working on an important cause, even in the midst of the worst economy we've experienced since 1982.

In Ellenville, community spirit has also been alive and well, as can be seen at the newly constructed Ellenville Community Playground at Berme Road Park. Where there was once only uninterrupted grass, now stands a testament to the abilities of the Ellenville Playground Committee, whose tireless efforts over the past few years have resulted in a beautiful new playground for our area's youth. Like in Pine Bush, the volunteers who made their way to the park over the last week, both from within the community and without, had to wrestle with weather that was more intent on soaking everyone and everything possible. It almost seemed as though the rain caused the playground to literally grow out of the ground, it was built so quickly! But despite the frequent downpours, the playground is nearly completed, with the last finishing touches to be added by community members over the next few days.

What does this all say about our communities?

It highlights some interesting contrasts. Every community has its collection of whiners, sitting sullenly in the dark somewhere complaining and never actually rising to their feet to try and get something done. And every community has its contingent of the oblivious, so wrapped up in their own personal lives that they don't know that the economy's crashed until they lose their own job, can't sell their house, or discover to their horror that gas prices just jumped another dollar.

But the flip side of that, and it's very apparent in these two stories, is that there remains in our communities a wellspring of the good-hearted and the active. These are people who will come out, who will get behind a cause, who will bring tools, generators, trucks, tents, or whatever else you need, and who will get the job done.

And there's a message there for everyone.

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