Highlighting the unique elements of our community is always something I believe is not only necessary but part of the fun of working at a small-town newspaper.

One story in particular caught my eye earlier this month regarding Alice Alexander, a sort of walking history book for Cove.

The former city recorder for the community, Alexander retired more than 26 years ago but she has remained a vital part of her community through her work as the creator and director of the History Room at the Cove Public Library.

Alexander will be honored Saturday, May 20, during an open house from 1-3 p.m. at the library. The open house will recognize the hard and noble work she has completed with the history room at the library.

The room is a vast assortment of items that reflect Cove’s past, including documents notebooks, newspaper clippings and Cove High School yearbooks dating back to the 1930s.

During the open house, Alexander will also be available to talk with visitors and I hope those who can attend do so.

I think Americans, by nature, refrain from reflecting on the past. Let’s face it, we are and have been a nation that consistently looks to the future. We stake our legacy on the horizon, on what we will do soon, not what we did in the past.

Yet that is exactly why Alexander and her work is so valuable. Our valley has a rich history and one that provides us with clues about our heritage and, in a way, allows us to find a path into the future.

History is important for us all. By reviewing our past, we can consider our success, our failures and, hopefully, our future triumphs.

Alice Alexander’s work was and is crucial. Her devotion to our collective history means memories, events and the people who are woven into the fabric of our valley are not forgotten. That’s important, for us all.