Thumbs up to Emily Hill, an Arundel 12-year-old who will be leading a Relay for Life team during the annual event June 16-17, and to all others who are participating in relay. Almost everyone has been touched by cancer in some way, whether it’s first-person or through a friend or relative who has fought the disease.

Helplessness can be overwhelming when dealing with such a formidable foe for which we have so few weapons, and events such as the relay help to give survivors and supporters hope and support, as well as the knowledge that the funds they raise will help scientists’ work to find a cure. Hill herself was affected by cancer when her grandmother died from the disease, and it’s encouraging to see someone so young inspired to take action and fight back.

Thumbs up to the negotiation process in which the Goose Rocks Beach property owners and neighbors are participating with the Town of Kennebunkport. The dispute over whether the beach should be open to the public or not has been going on for years and is due to be in court this August. With meetings planned next month for the parties to discuss their differences, however, we hope the courts can be left out of this. Already the settlement that has been suggested has the support of 74 percent of oceanfront property owners. It proposes to keep the beach open to the public and also affirm individual ownership rights, which sounds like a win-win.

Thumbs up to students Hattie Simon, MaryKate Slattery, Sarah Jenkins and Sabryna Deschaies in Old Orchard Beach, whose perseverance helped lead the town to encourage people not to use tobacco products on the beach. Second-hand smoke and the litter that accompanies it ”“ both of which are hazards to living creatures and make the beach less pleasant ”“ are now discouraged, with signs posted at beach entrances. We hope beach-goers will adhere to this new town resolution, and that it may someday be upgraded to an ordinance that is enforceable.

Thumbs up to the bean supper event this past Saturday, at which Biddeford High School students and former textile mill workers had a chance to interact. The high school appears to be doing a great job of educating local youth about the history of those giant, looming buildings that make up Biddeford’s downtown, from events such as this to the mill tours the students have been giving. It’s great that they’re also taking the opportunity to learn about the mill experience first-hand, from those who worked there and like to reminisce. With the mills all closed down now, those workers are truly “living history” and can help bring the stories alive for the next generation.

Thumbs up to the Old Orchard Beach library trustees and the town for reaching an agreement to keep the library open. Residents were worried that a stalemate on handing over the library’s financial records would cause it to close earlier this month, but cooperation between the two entities averted that unfortunate possibility. Oversight of the quasi-municipal library is more complicated than that of municipal entities like the fire department, as it is operated by a board of directors, but we’re confident now that the two parties can work it out and move forward in the best interests of all townspeople.

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Thumbnails is a Monday feature of the Journal Tribune’s opinion pages. If you would like to respond, please write the Reader’s Forum via email at jtcommunity@journaltribune.com or by dropping your letter off at our Biddeford or Sanford offices.