Volunteers are the backbone of our local communities The week of April 22-28 is National Volunteer Week, aimed at calling attention to the work of volunteers and saluting them for their efforts. Local efforts are going beyond that. The Portage County Project of the International Year of Volunteers is distributing 15,000 packets of sunflower seeds for volunteers to grow as a tribute to volunteerism in the county. The project wants the seeds to blossom into a spectacular display of sunflower throughout the county. Two benefactors have provided funds for volunteers to attend a breakfast at the Holiday Inn & Convention Center during a visit by two astronauts on Tuesday. The astronauts are making the visit to participate in a community outreach program sponsored by a group rich in volunteering, the Wisconsin Retired Educators' Association (WREA). For volunteers to attend the breakfast, they need to make reservations through the United Way of Portage County by Friday, April 20, by calling 341-6740. There are certainly plenty of volunteers in the county, many of whom don't want, but certainly deserve, the recognition. They're everywhere. Volunteers assist in a variety of ways at St. Michael's Hospital. Operation Bootstrap, which provides assistance to those in need, is staffed entirely by volunteers. Churches and other organizations depend heavily upon the work of volunteers. If volunteers follow through on the county project, yards will be a colorful sight with the bright yellow of blooming sunflowers. And their effort will be another sign of their assistance to the community. The seeds of the flowers will provide food for the wildlife that populate the county. Yes, volunteers are the backbone of the community and deserve recognition for their efforts. They make Portage County a better place to live. - Gene Kemmeter