In early December we put out a call asking for local residents who would be interested in being community columnists for The Marysville Globe and The Arlington Times.

The response we’ve received has been great, with a number of people expressing their interest in writing on a variety of local topics.

Our first community columnist, Angie Gooding, will debut this week on our Better Living in the New Year page (page A11). Her column on healthy living will appear weekly through January. After that her column will appear every four to six week.

Other columnists we expect to debut in January include Cindy Grayson who will be writing about local money saving tips; Bob Reis who will be writing about all things food with a local twist; and Scott Whippo who will be offering his unique perspective on a variety of local issues.

There are also several other local community members who have expressed an interest with whom we’re working and hope to feature them in the very near future.

And we’re still looking for more. If you’re interested in writing about a local issue or topic and would like to become a community columnist, let me know.

In February, we’ll be doing a number of profiles on local Great Kids.

Great Kids are not only defined by what they’ve accomplished, but also by what they’ve over come.

If you know of a Great Kid in Arlington, Lakewood or Marysville send me an e-mail to sfrank@marysvilleglobe.com and tell me why you think they are one of our communities’ Great Kids. We just may profile them in our upcoming features.

To contact a member of The Marysville Globe/Arlington Times editorial board — Stuart Chernis or Scott Frank — e-mail forum@marysvilleglobe.com.