The horrors of Newtown, Conn., last week have given our national mood a somber tone as we enter the peak of the holiday season.

We would be remiss, however, to allow the murder of children at Sandy Hook Elementary School to blind us to all the good happening at Christmas right here in our community on behalf of children and families. Here are some recent examples:

• The Santa Wheels program last week donated more than 150 bicycles to local needy children.

Despite initial disappointment, disabled veterans in Columbia County were delighted earlier this year when they learned many of them would be getting tax refunds.

The rebates were expected to average more than $1,000 – with checks coming, they thought, just in time for Black Friday sales. It was money they hadn’t expected, but now rightly anticipated.

Alas, it seems Columbia County tax officials bit off more than they could chew. Most of the affected veterans will be lucky to get a check before Christmas.

Columbia County has made history in recent weeks, with plenty more to come.

• Much has been made lately of the revamped Convention and Visitors Bureau, which has a new board and the tag-team of Director Randy DuTeau and Assistant Director Shelly Blackburn.

Until a few years ago, Columbia County subordinated most of its external marketing to Augusta’s CVB. At one time, that made sense; our county’s venues weren’t as developed, and Augusta had a giant annual money-maker in the Masters Golf Tournament that gave it considerable inertia.

Columbia County’s Blanchard Woods Park long ago made a name for itself in the sporting world with a super-competitive cross-country course. Now its championship soccer fields, already well-known in the Peach Belt Conference, are about to get a maximum exposure upgrade.

As noted in today’s guest column by Columbia County’s new Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Randy DuTeau, the Evans park will play host to the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Division II Soccer Nationals Championships this weekend.