The latest batch of inductees into the Lower Verde Valley Hall of Fame have been announced, so congratulations are in order for Gail Appeldorn, Gerry Colbert, Deborah Fisher, Phyliss Kern, Tony Pistilli, Mary Derby and the late Mike Harrison. The Legacy Award honoree is still yet to be named, but that’s already an extremely strong roster for the hall’s 16th year.

Talk to just about anyone who has lived in town long enough and they will tell you that community services is second to none in the area. If the names listed above are familiar to you, that’s likely due to the fact that these folks are constantly chipping in around the community, volunteering their time and expertise to help out in the daily activities, as well as innumerable local events. They have been community leaders, event organizers, authors, educators and so much more.

The support of the community is what makes Fountain Hills, the Verdes and Fort McDowell tick, and this year’s honorees have contributed greatly to that process.

Congratulations to all of this year’s winners. We encourage everyone to check out our coverage of the new inductees starting on page 1A. They’ve all lived interesting lives and it’s nice to learn more about them beyond how much they’ve given to their communities.