In late June, when it was announced that QuEST would discontinue its food service to seniors in Yuba and Sutter counties, a group of motivated citizens and organizations stepped forward to ensure there would be no gap in the lunchtime meals served in the Yuba City, Marysville, Wheatland and Brownsville senior centers.

The first step was the Yuba and Sutter super-visors making a no-interest loan to keep the program going through Sept. 5. The second step was bringing together the Marysville and Yuba City school districts, Fremont-Rideout Health Group and others to provide nutritious, tasty meals to the seniors. There are many thumbs up to go around, but we can't possibly name all the names of those deserving. You know who you are and that the area's seniors who depend on these meals are very grateful.

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Thumbs up to the Marysville Exchange Club and its efforts to prevent child abuse. Members of the club last week presented 600 bibs imprinted with the message "Never shake a baby" to Fremont Medical Center. The bibs and informational brochures on the dangers of shaking a baby were the first of the 2,500 bibs the club plans to give to the Yuba City hospital, which in turn will give them to each new mother as she is discharged from the hospital. An average of 200 babies are born each month at the hospital. Even if just one parent is influenced by the words on the bib, the effort will have been worth the work.

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Thumbs down to the thief or thieves responsible for stealing cash from the mail being sent to postal patrons in the Yuba City, Marysville and Linda areas. We reported last Friday on the disappointment experienced by 9-year-old Jenna Ponder, who had birthday money stolen out of a card sent to her. That theft and others prompted an investigation by the U.S. Postal Service. In the wake of the story, more residents are reporting similar incidents. Yes, we realize sending a check or money order is safer, but when you're a kid, you like holding "cash money" in your hands. It makes the gift more real.

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Thumbs up to the Rotary Club of Yuba City for its generous contribution to the Shady Creek Outdoor School (formally Woodleaf). On Sept. 6 and 7, more than 60 Rotarians and their families built a new outdoor classroom next to the camp's soon-to-be-built Raptor Center. Students who participate in the weeklong outdoor school will now be able to study all of the school's raptors from the hillside benches installed under newly planted shade trees.

Children of the Rotarians assisted in the overnight community service project by planting flowers, clearing brush and setting rock features at the base of trees. Project organizers Gene Larrigan and Kathleen Hansen began the planning process two months ago, but it was the entire team of Rotary Club members who endured 100-degree temperatures and brought the project to completion. The Rotary Club of Yuba City is grateful for the many donations that made the project possible. More than 5,000 children will enjoy the new outdoor classroom this year.

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Thumbs up and a salute to the Tri Counties Blue Star Moms for organizing Thursday's Freedom Walk at Geweke Field in memory of the 9/11 terrorist victims, and to honor troops past and present. The Freedom Walk was started in 2005 by employees at the Pentagon, which was struck by one of the planes in the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. Ten Freedom Walks were scheduled to take place in the state, but the Yuba City event — the first organized here — was the only one held north of Sacramento.

Got an idea for a thumbs up or thumbs down? E-mail editor Len La Barth at llabarth@appeal-democrat.com