Patrons of Alameda’s famed tiki bar, Forbidden Island, have a tradition of pinning dollar bills to the establishment’s ceiling. According to bar owner Michael Thanos, the first customer to leave a bill behind told the story of why.

What does it mean to be a part of a community? While I’m sure that there are many answers to this question, to me it means looking out for everyone in our community and taking an active role in trying to improve people’s lives. This is especially important over the holidays.