V is for the volunteers who help Wiscasset’s government on committees like those discussed on page 4 and online this week.

A is for Al, as in Big Al’s, gone as the Super Values mecca on Route 1, but still selling fireworks and with a local business owner who is another of those longtime town committee volunteers, besides other help he has long given the community.

L is for the lovely features, natural and manmade, from the common to the downtown and Sortwell Forest, Sunken Garden, Castle Tucker, Nickels-Sortwell House, and wherever you would like to add to the list.

E is for every student Wiscasset has in its public and other schools, whose families and schools are raising the next generation of, hopefully, Wiscasset residents.

N is for new, money-saving lights selectmen went with.

T is for traditions, including Garden Club of Wiscasset’s plant sale, First Congregational Church’s Summerfest, St. Philip’s Strawberry Festival, Schoonerfest and Nightmare on Federal Street.

I is for the infusion of effort and enthusiasm Wiscasset Area Chamber of Commerce, Wiscasset Creative Alliance, Partners in Education, Feed Our Scholars and other local entities and groups provide.

N is for this newspaper that covers the town and shines a light on these and the many other special aspects of Wiscasset.

And E is for every cherished sunrise on the waterfront, for another Wiscasset morning.

Week’s positive parting thought: Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction for six more weeks of winter felt on the mark with last week’s dangerously cold temperatures and wind chills. But we received word this week, Summerfest is on for July 22. That promise of both the warmth of the tradition, and the at least relatively warmer temperatures it should have, helped soften the blow.