Who are your heroes?

This is your look at the ordinary heroes, big and small, famous and not so famous who make a difference in our Okanagan. Keep your eyes out for someone you recognize.

Heroes at Home?

It’s a great time of year for reflection and we encourage you to take a moment to appreciate everything that you have. This holiday season think about who in your family has been a great contributor to community in 2017.

Sometimes, we look far and wide to find heroes, or we idolize those on TV or in the media, but the reality is, right here at home or on our street are friends, neighbours and colleagues making a difference.

For 2018, let's celebrate those un-sung heroes, the difference makers who seek no glory and just do what they do to help out and make our communities a better place.

Well done! you know who you are. Let's all raise a glass.

Light it up!

Who has taken a drive around their neighbourhood and checked out the festive lights? Don’t tell me that you haven’t piled the kids in the car after dark for some freewheeling fun. 

We think that those residents that make the extra effort to hang lights, blow up giant characters and even light up the sides of their houses in a sparkling light show deserve huge credit!

Now it would be easy to make fun and insert a joke about Chevy Chase and Christmas Vacation here but that isn’t the point.

On a recent Tuesday night after taking the wrong turn in our own neighbourhood, my son pointed out how awesome the locals were and how we must have the best street in the city for Christmas lights.

My son might be right, but I will bet that every neighbourhood in our awesome city has a street just like ours. Kudos to those that make the extra effort to brighten our streets this time of year.

Light it up!

Just do it

Who out there in Castanet land feels a bit guilty this time of year? Come on, the office parties, the chips and dip, the never ending stream of presents?

We just aren’t cut out to receive this much in such a short period of time are we?

Well, we have the perfect solution, taking a famous slogan from the NO. 1 shoe company on Earth, Nike, Just Do It!

That’s right, get out there and make a difference this holiday season:

• shovel a driveway
• pay it forward with a coffee for the person behind you in line
• send a thank-you card to someone who made a diffidence in 2017
• drop into your favourite charity with a donation or something that stretches your limits.

The season is all about reflection, but it can also be about action and making a difference before time expires on yet another year.

Just do it and you will feel fantastic about it. Here’s to an incredible 2018.

To share your Ordinary Hero story please contact: [email protected].

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.