Last week, 292 forgotten people were remembered.
The people, long deceased, were residents of the Wake County Home for the old, sick and poor.
The home operated from 1915 to 1979. When no one else could afford to bury them, they were buried in an unmarked cemetery off Whitaker Mill Road near Raleigh's Five Points.
The News & Observer's Thomas Goldsmith first wrote about the unmarked cemetery two years ago.
His stories prompted readers to volunteer to help Wake County librarians. Together, they sorted through 90,000 death certificates to identify the 292 people who had been buried in the cemetery.
"I was surprised that people were willing to sit for hours and hours - and sometimes weeks - and look for these names," Goldsmith said. "People really get moved by certain kinds of stories."
Wake commissioners last week dedicated a memorial to the former residents.
Goldsmith's stories provided a public service to the deceased, their families and the larger community. That is our highest mission. We are a public-service journalism company.
We are proud of our investigations that shine a light into dark corners, such as our recent series on the SBI.
But we're also proud of other stories that alert you to a need in our community or to a person or family who is hurting.
When we write these stories, you respond.
The N&O's Leah Friedman reported in April that the Women's Center of Wake County, which serves homeless and low-income women and children, was down to one day's supply of food.
In the week after the article was published, the center received 50,000 pounds of food and more than $6,000 in cash donations. Some readers offered to host food drives.
"From the moment the article appeared ...we had a constant stream of folks coming in with [everything from] two bags to pickup truckloads of food," executive director Jean Williams said at the time. "I'm just buried in food."
A few weeks later, Joey Shelton and his brother, Freddie, were driving in Chapel Hill when they saw a man dragging a jogger to a car.
Our Mark Schultz reported that Joey Shelton used his 1999 Cadillac to block the man's car. The Shelton brothers got out. The man let the woman go, got back into his car and veered around the Cadillac.
Joey Shelton spun onto the hood of the moving car, suffering fractured and compressed discs.
Shelton, who is a part-time barber and chauffeur, did not have medical insurance.
UNC Hospitals worked to help him with his bills. A fund was set up at a bank, and it received contributions from across North Carolina, including a homeless shelter in Chapel Hill.
This month, Sarah Ovaska reported on 6-year-old Day'Quon Davis and his new bedroom, decorated with characters from the "Cars" movie. Day'Quon's wish was granted by the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which works to fulfill the dreams of children with terminal illness.
Ovaska reported that Day'Quon has another wish: A trip to the beach. More than a dozen readers have said they will help. Some have offered their beach homes.
I could go on about how our readers have reached out. North Carolinians are generous. We are privileged to be a small part of your decision to give of your time, talent or treasure.
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