While Farmville is a rural town with per capita income to match, this community is blessed with a giving spirit second to none.

When a need arises, our community not only takes note; something is done to address it. Many community-initiated agencies, in fact, have permanent addresses around town.

The Heart of Virginia Free Clinic, proposed by a group of concerned healthcare professionals and community leaders in 2009, recently moved into Dr. Gordon’s Main Street office after he retired. The clinic continues to provide free medical care and medication for the uninsured or underinsured in Prince Edward and surrounding counties.

The Farmville Area Community Emergency Services (FACES) Food Pantry was founded in 1981 by a handful of local citizens with the intent of distributing donated food to local families in need. Distributions were made from a cramped second-floor storage room above a shoe repair shop on West Third Street. Now located on South Street, FACES distributes food weekly to an average of 770 households representing 1,260 individuals.

The Hope for Tomorrow Counseling Center, in the former library building on West Third Street, helps local families “walk from brokenness to healing.” An outreach of the Patrick Henry Boys and Girls Home Family Services, the goal is to help families in crisis situations.

Madeline’s House, started by a local businessman after his daughter Madeline died as the result of domestic violence, provides shelter and a new start for other victims of similar abuse.

Meals on Wheels, operating from the SCOPE Building on Griffin Boulevard, currently has a volunteer force of about 60. Since 2001, MOW has delivered 220,000 meals to disabled or homebound adults in the community.

The list of good deeds on the local scene would fill more space than this page allows.

The scope of local good works recently expanded to a community halfway around the world with Farmville physician Dr. Kwabena Donkor’s  “Road to Africa” project.

When the doctor explained the human misery experienced by the people of Ghana in villages that have no health care, Farmville took note — and acted. The first “Road to Africa” fundraiser, held at Longwood University, netted $10,000.

Local support continues to provide funds and supplies. A recent example was the donation of eight computers. While electricity is sporadic in Ghana, the clinic has several generators.

Kinex Telecom in Farmville agreed to provide manpower and materials to refurbish the computers donated anonymously by a Farmville businessman.

“Kinex likes to give back,” General Manager Lorraine Carter said. “We like to support the community that supports us.”

That community-minded support is what makes Farmville and the surrounding area a great place to live.

Ours is a community not afraid to throw a pebble into the pond of human need. True, throwing one pebble may seem insignificant, but to those in need, both at home and abroad, the ripples are clearly evident.