• Anita Virgil. Tucked away in Forest, she has forged an international reputation as a haiku poet - an accomplishment that hasn’t left her rich or famous, but fulfilled. Who else could fashion a haiku from the Civil War battle of Lynchburg and have it published in a Japanese magazine?

• Frank Applin. It took guts to write a book debunking the divinity of Jesus here in the buckle of the Bible Belt, but faith can’t be real unless it’s challenged. And Applin did that here with sensitivity and humility.

• Eric Mitchell. Although, as I wrote, he’ll never be confused with Lance Armstrong, this Randolph-Macon Woman’s College professor joined a group of cyclists traveling from San Diego to St. Augustine and survived mountain passes, bad weather, menacing truckers and fragrant roadkill, firing e-mails back to Lynchburg all the way.

• Sue Leister, Corie Saunders and Caroline Adams. First, Leister took a trip to Gimbe, Ethiopia, to spend time with a nephew. The next year, her young neighbor, Caroline Adams, accompanied her. This summer, Caroline’s friend Corie joined in. Listening to their enthusiasm upon their return, and their genuine love for the people they served as volunteers in a rural hospital, made me want to buy a plane ticket to Addis Ababa myself.

• Dibinga Said. A native of the Congo and Harvard graduate, he came to Lynchburg in May to propose an international conference on the plight of the African pygmy. Why Lynchburg? Because of the sad and fascinating story of Ota Benga, the pygmy who died here in 1916.

• Christina Burgess. In the hottest part of the summer, she went door to door trying to raise money for her sister’s cancer treatment. The fact that her sister lived in North Carolina didn’t make that any easier, but she never gave up.

• Mike Winfree. Unfortunately, my only connection with him came after he had died. But before he was paralyzed in a body surfing accident, Winfree had become almost legendary for his skill and compassion as a nurse in the Lynchburg General Emergency Room.

• Brian Greene. A world-famous physicist, he spoke at Sweet Briar College about “string theory” and packed the place, even though it’s doubtful that many in the audience really understood what in the Einstein he was talking about.

• Betsy Grunwell. The daughter and granddaughter of Marine Corps Band leaders, she eagerly shared their lives and music with me.

• Ahmed Ahmed and Bob Alper. Billed as “One Arab, One Jew, One Stage,” they left their Lynchburg College audience laughing - and, perhaps, a little wiser.

• Ariel Uniss Parker. A young woman of many talents, she represents a new force of creative energy taking up residence in Lynchburg.

• Dylan Baker. The star attraction at Riverviews’ first film festival, this accomplished character actor seemed so much like a regular person that he couldn’t have been acting.

• Frank Landrey. During 12 years as the golf coach at Liberty University, he turned it into a ministry and an adventure. He also had a harrowing tale to tell about college basketball, gamblers and misplaced punishment.