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As we learned and reported last week, the Southampton County Sheriff’s Office has a call-in service for seniors 65 and older who live alone. They call the department at a pre-arranged time to let someone know they are doing OK. If there’s no word soon thereafter, a deputy or other officer is dispatched to check.

Such was the case for a Newsoms resident a couple of weeks ago. When the woman didn’t phone, a department member went looking. Thank goodness that person was signed up and that the deputy found her. She had fallen the evening before and — unable to call for help — was on the ground all night until discovered the next morning. Fortunately, local medical treatment restored her well enough to return home soon thereafter.

Also noted in the story is the department’s work in volunteering to cut down the overgrown grass, weeds, vines, shrubbery and trees, which had overwhelmed the property. In fact, nature seemed to have conspired in hiding the place from easy identification.

Of course we commend the sheriff’s office and all involved with the woman’s rescue and yard work. All who participated earned gold foil stars for the day. Perhaps more qualified seniors who read that story will register for the department’s free program (lawn care not included).

We urge civic and social groups and churches throughout Western Tidewater to form similar call-in services in their respective territories and congregations. They might well consider periodic yard work for the most urgent of cases. Not only would that be in keeping with the community service to which they’re dedicated, it could also take the burden off law enforcement to be the chief look-out service.

We only have each other, so it’s up to us to look out for one another.

Isn’t that what makes a community?