Too often in the past few months we’ve been the ones in need, at least some form of it, from outside power companies called to our part of Alabama to help get us back on line.

It’s a Herculean task, trying to get a power system back up and running after an Ivan or a Dennis.

But when a storm like Katrina hits, the devastation must seem overwhelming.

It’s nice to know that Selma and Dallas County will be doing their part to help.

Pioneer Electric is already sending workers into Mississippi, soon Alabama Power will follow suit. These men and women work unimaginable shifts in heat, rain and nearly any combination of both to get power back on.

They will represent our area well and will be performing some of the most needed tasks in the clean up of Hurricane Katrina.

Without power, saving lives and then returning those lives back to normal is nearly impossible. But our involvement shouldn’t stop there.

In the coming days and weeks, there will be charities and organizations trying to rebuild all that was lost.

They will turn to communities like ours for help.

Whether it’s giving blood, money or supplies we should all be willing to do everything we can to help.

You can rest assured that other communities would do the same for us.

Often we get caught up in the rat race. We disagree about religion, politics or business and we see each other for our differences.

But in the aftermath of a disaster like this, we get to set aside those issues and show our collective worth.

The people in Louisiana and Mississippi and South Alabama are going to need our help.

Some of us are already on the way.

The rest of us should be ready to fill whatever void we can.