Last Christmas season, a friend of mine called to chat about a project she was working on and in passing, as if it was no big deal at all, told me she had been working to reconstruct a home so a family in need had a place to live.

She had purchased the house and enlisted the help of unemployed people in the neighborhood to help make it livable for a family that had fallen on hard times.

She was literally providing the roof to put over a family’s head.

I was completely blown away by her generosity and told her so, but she brushed off my compliments and acted as if this was something people do every day.

We all know one of these humble folks who go above and beyond to help others, not because they want recognition, but because they love to give.

Each year in our annual Horizons publication, we recognize people like my friend through the eyes of other residents in the community.

This year is no exception, as once again we are asking for nominations for southwest Michigan’s unsung heroes. Nomination forms and photographs of the winners will be published in Horizons — our biggest publication of the year — this February.

I ask that you all take a moment to think about the people like my friend who would give the shirt off their back to help someone in need.

Unsung Heroes don’t necessarily have to give monetary donations. Many of these people are heroic because they give their time, or simply because they make people feel good about themselves.

Unsung Heroes come in all shapes and sizes.

They could be foster parents helping children through difficult times, or volunteers at the local animal shelter.

It could be the lady who works the front desk at the local senior center who helps make sure everyone’s needs are met, or the nurse at your doctor’s office who goes above and beyond to take care of her patients.

Unsung Heroes may be volunteers, paid employees, philanthropists — the list goes on and on.

To help narrow the search, think of the following questions:

Who is the last person who did something that impressed you?

Who is the person who comes to mind when you think of the word “giver?”

Who would you turn to if you fell on hard times?

Ponder those questions and jot your answers down. Email your nominations to news@leaderpub.com, or send handwritten entries to our office, located at 217 N. Fourth St. in Niles.

I truly believe that our communities would not be what they are without these amazing individuals, which is why we recognize them each year.

This is our way of saying thank you for the hard work and generosity and showing these special people that their hard work is appreciated.

Ambrosia Neldon is the general manager at Leader Publications. She can be reached by phone at (269) 687-7713, or by email at ambrosia.neldon@leaderpub.com