The community is full of good Samaritans — you simply have to open up your eyes and see.

We have witnessed these acts often in Albert Lea, and on a regular basis we get letters from people who have also been the recipients of kind deeds from strangers in the community.

On Thursday, a few of our own staff members witnessed two good Samaritans — both young adults — go out of their way to help a Tribune employee rescue a dog that was loose in a busy part of town. The dog was initially spotted in a parking lot off Bridge Avenue between Eaton Sport & Spine and the former Sterling Drug building and was ultimately rescued off of East Main Street near Collins Auto Repair.

These teenage boys took time to help corral this dog that had wandered away from its home on one of the hottest days of the year, and, thankfully, the dog was later reconnected with its owner.

But this is only one example.

Though we often hear stories about troubled youth or youth who are making unwise choices by breaking into cars, vandalizing property or participating in underage drinking, this is only a fraction of the youth in the community.

Don’t forget about all the good taking place, too, through programs like 4-H, FFA, National Honor Society and Key Club, to name a few. In fact, the Key Club, a service club similar to Kiwanis for high schoolers, is growing at Albert Lea High School.

Children and teenagers often live up — or down — to reasonable expectations that are made of them. We encourage you to set high expectations of the youth in your life, whether it be children, grandchildren, family members or friends. You’ll be surprised how much they learn from our examples as adults.

And if you see someone in need of a hand, don’t be afraid to be the one to lift that person up. One day, you might be the one who needs the help.