Across America, the fourth Sunday of September is set aside for National Good Neighbor Day - a day to make a difference in your community.

Think about neighbors this Sunday

But "community" can mean anyone from the neighbors next door to the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Credit goes to Becky Mattson of Lakeside for coming up the idea for a National Good Neighbor Day back in 1971, and for having the persistence the last 35 years to promote a good idea with the power to foster neighborliness and build communities.

In honor of Good Neighbor Day on Sunday you could take a plate of cookies or some of your garden's bounty across the street or dig into your pockets for Gulf Coast relief efforts.

Even the humble act of recycling is an act of neighborliness. Today is the Kalispell Street Tree Commission's semi-annual recycling drive. If your garage, shed or closet has a corner of old newspapers and magazines, aluminum cans or cardboard, load up the pickup and bring it over to the Flathead County Fairgrounds from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. where you'll help to turn that paper back into trees for the city.

A few weeks ago, Gretchen Brown was up to her elbows in backpacks and school supplies. Brown, a community social worker for the Department of Public Health and Human Services-Child and Family Services Division, was busy organizing the donations from the Head Start Board the Bus promotion held at the Kalispell Center Mall before school started.

"I'm always surprised at the generosity," she said. "There's not a community event in this town for families in need that ever falls short."

Brown, who works with Family Services' intervention unit, was able to help the children, most of them 7 to 9 years old, as they came to the office with their school supply lists to "shop" with their foster parents and a few who were recently reunited with their birth parents.

"I wish the families and individuals who donated could see the smiles on the children's faces when they saw the huge pile of backpacks - not flimsy ones, but cool backpacks," she said. "Thank you Flathead Valley citizens, from the bottom of my heart, for helping to make the start of a new school year brighter for our kids."

Chief Thomas J. Maloney of the Polson Fire Department reports that thanks to the Polson community and many out-of-town travelers, the department raised $5,900 recently during its annual Boot Drive.

Proceeds will go toward the Rescue Truck Fund for much-needed firefighting equipment.

Today the fire department is teaming up with members of Polson High School's student government for a second boot drive. Volunteers will be at the Polson Wal-Mart entrance at the intersection of Montana 35 and Heritage Lane from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

If you happen to see them out, toss some bills or change in the boot for the Gulf Coast emergency responders who lost everything during Hurricane Katrina.