Birdie: By Bart Clark, of Southern Pines, for hearing what he characterizes as a message from God and acting upon it.

Clark, a military veteran, was recuperating from injuries suffered in a motorcycle accident when he started looking for a charity in which he could get involved. He decided that he would like his family to act as a host under the Solace for the Children program. But then, after learning that there was no chapter near enough, he took the bold step of deciding to start a local chapter himself.

Solace for the Children is a humanitarian organization dedicated to helping children in war-ravaged countries. It currently focuses on Afghanistan. Under its auspices, the goal is to bring five Afghan children to Moore County and let them spend six weeks here this summer. They will be accompanied by a translator.

Clark has lined up doctors to provide assistance, but he needs to identify host families — as well as financial donors — by an April deadline.

Anyone wishing to follow Clark’s splendid example and become involved in this worthy cause should call him at (910) 315-0365.

Birdie: By Mary Beth Jackson, a student at Union Pines High School, for winning a statewide sportsmanship award during the USTA North Carolina’s Tennis Weekend at Pinehurst Resort.

Though only a freshman, Mary Beth is the No. 1 singles player and reigning league singles champion on the Lady Vikings team. Team coach John Frye describes her as “a joy” to work with and “part of a great and wonderful Union Pines tennis family.”

What with all the recent scandals involving athletes at the national and international level, good sportsmanship sometimes seems a dying ideal. It’s great to know that Union Pines is one of the many places where it is still alive and well.

Way to ace it, Mary Beth!

Eagle: By juniors Elaine Kearney and Alex Snyder, who brought great glory to Pinecrest High School earlier this week by placing first in the nation at the Harvard University National Debate Tournament in Cambridge.

Coach Libby Adams Carter, familiar with this pair’s abilities, said she was “not incredibly surprised” at this most impressive accomplishment. Still, knowing all the hard work they put into preparing for the tournament, she still gets all emotional talking about it.

And no wonder. High school debate honors surely don’t get any better than this one, which Elaine and Alex so impressively plucked from among 289 teams representing schools from all across the nation.

Heartiest congratulations to them.

Bogey: By whoever it was at the state Department of Health and Human Services who recently sent an insulting memo to field workers telling them to “dress up” for work and gratuitously reminding them that “daily grooming and bathing are required.”

Moore County employees said they were “floored” by the memo, which one of them called “downright ridiculous.”

The memo, which was said to have been sent without approval from department officials, was quickly rescinded.

And so it should have been. If there were individual problems in that regard, surely they could have been handled privately. But such a blanket affront seems altogether tasteless and uncalled for.