The perfect opportunity arose for Salem residents Sidney Connolly and her son, 12-year-old Austin Macklin, to serve the community. They had been looking for ways to give back and do their part by volunteering. When an opportunity to design and maintain a landscape bed in front of the Burchfield Wall mural on East State Street came along, Sidney and Austin, who will be a seventh-grader at Salem Junior High, jumped at the chance. Being avid gardeners, the mother-son team worked throughout spring and summer putting together a beautiful collection of annuals, perennials, shrubs, landscape rocks and mulch. After the hard work of weeding, digging and planting was complete, they now plan to maintain this new garden spot in the historic downtown year-round. They hope that others will be inspired to serve their communities, too. (Submitted photo)