The new year is hear, and for those of us at The Daily Leader,that means its time for us to get focused–literally.

For most, the events of Friday, April 27, are probably a verydistant thought, if given any thought at all right now.

Here at The Daily Leader, there’s a big red circle around thatdate on the calendar. That’s when we release “Focus 2001.”

For those not familiar with Focus, it is a special project we doevery year to spotlight the good things in Brookhaven, LincolnCounty and Southwest Mississippi. Focus is our largest publicationof the year, and putting it together involves lots of extra work byour staff.

We are still in the planning stages for stories and photographs,but our first deadline is rapidly approaching. Ideas for some ofthe best articles we’ve printed in past Focus editions weresubmitted by our readers, and I am asking for your help again thisyear.

Here are the five sections of Focus and what we try to do ineach:

A. Leadership: Profile some of the area’sofficials who serve in city, county, regional, state and nationaloffices. These are the men and women who will lead our communityinto the future or who have helped us reach the progress we enjoytoday.

B. Neighbors: Take a look at some of theinteresting people, places and things in Southwest Mississippi.

C. People: Introduce some of the interestingand unique folks of our community. This could be somebody with anunusual hobby, a distinctive talent, or a special story to tell. Inpast years we’ve featured everything from baseball umpires tolibrarians to square dancers to men and boys who love trains toshoe shiners.

D. Community: Feature special volunteers andpublic servants as well as the civic, service, support and churchgroups that do so many good things in the area.

E. Commerce: Review past business and Industryaccomplishments, look at goals for the future and recognize some ofour distinctive businesses, industries and their employees.

Please call me at 833-6961, ext. 24, if you have a storysuggestion for Focus 2001.

Focus always comes wrapped in a very special cover. That iswhere we announce our Citizen of the Year and the community’sUnsung Heroes, as chosen by our readers.

I invite and encourage you to nominate an Unsung Hero forconsideration this year.

The qualifications are simple — an Unsung Hero is someone whomakes unselfish contributions to others and to the communitywithout regard for publicity or personal gain. An Unsung Hero iswilling to look past the racial, or the age, or the social, or thepolitical or the religious boundaries others will sometimes put upin the community.

Nomination forms for Unsung Hero will start running regularly inThe DAILY LEADER soon, so please look for them. You don’t have touse one of our forms though. A letter will do just fine, but besure to include your name and telephone number in case we havequestions.

Focus also offers a perfect opportunity for churches, civic andservice clubs, and businesses and industries to let the public knowtheir accomplishments of the past year.

Forms for this information will also be printed in The DAILYLEADER, and they include what we need to write a short article. Thebest news is that it’s free! You can be a part of Focus 2001 and itwon’t cost you anything but a few minutes of your time.

This is our tenth Focus edition, and the previous nine have allbeen great successes due to the help and support we receive fromour readers and the business community.

Thank you.

Write to Nanette Laster at P.O. Box 551, Brookhaven, Miss.39602, or e-mail her at nlaster@telepak.net. She’d love to hearfrom you.