Three week-long recognitions of public servants are celebrated this month — National Police Week concludes Sunday, while National Public Works Week and National Emergency Medical Services Week begin the same day.

National Police Week recognizes the sacrifices made by law enforcement officers. In 1982, an annual Memorial Service gathering in Senate Park began and later became known as Police Week. Survivors and supporters honoring those fallen peace officers grew into a series of events that now includes candlelight vigils, pipe band competitions, conferences and the National Peace Officers Memorial Service.

National Public Works Week recognizes the planning, building and management of local communities that keep our cities running smoothly day in and day out. According to the American Public Works Association, “This year National Public Works Week celebrates the vital role public works plays in connecting us all together. As the cornerstone of civilization, public works provides, maintains, and improves the structures and services that assure a higher quality of life for our communities. Its streets, roads, bridges, and public transportation keep us linked together from coast to coast, and its clean water and sanitation services keep us healthy and allow our communities to grow and prosper.”

National Emergency Medical Services Week honors the contributions and significant service provided by emergency medical responders. On any given day, EMS practitioners help save lives by responding to medical emergencies ranging from heart attacks, strokes or drug overdoses to large-scale emergencies like wrecks or fires. With care and compassion these individuals dedicate their lives works to saving lives, and there’s nothing more admirable or worth of praise than that.

Each of these respective groups play their own significant roles, with the overall goal of keeping Winchester safe, clean and healthy.

Some are celebrated and recognized more often than others, but our community couldn’t function as well and certainly couldn’t thrive without the hard work and dedication of these groups.

From maintaining our infrastructure, keeping our community safe and providing life-saving medical care, all are integral to the quality of life in Winchester and Clark County.

We thank them for their selfless service and hope this week and always they know how much their dedication to their work means to the community’s success.