If your Thanksgiving table is like ours, it's probably crowded with family, good friends, lots of great food and good cheer. There's so much to be thankful for on this day. Despite the political rancor that dominated the news this year, lots of less-celebrated (and far-less controversial) newsmakers have had an enormous, positive impact on other people's lives. With them in mind, we raise a glass in praise of good works and offer Thanksgiving toasts ...

To two gutsy police officers from St. Louis County municipalities who are rebuilding their lives a few doors apart at a rehab center in Englewood, Colo. Michael Flamion, 33, was ambushed by gunfire in Ballwin on July 8, and Craig Tudor, 37, was injured in a car crash responding to a call in Hazelwood six weeks later. They are now neighbors at Craig Hospital in suburban Denver. Both suffered severe spinal cord injuries and are learning to cope with the harsh realities of paralysis.

To the family of St. Louis County police Officer Blake Snyder, who was shot and killed on patrol in Green Park on Oct. 6. To the city police sergeant, still unnamed at press time Tuesday, wounded Sunday night. For that matter, thanks to all the men and women in blue (and brown) who do a hard job with too little thanks, and to their families.

To St. Louisan Patricia Wolff and the staff at Meds & Food for Kids, who quietly have worked since 2003 in Haiti to reduce malnutrition and invigorate local farming by distributing a peanut butter paste called Plump'yNut. Dr. Wolff gave up her private practice in 2011 to devote herself full time to her work in Haiti.

To historian Ron Chernow for writing Alexander Hamilton's biography, and playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda for adapting it for the stage in "Hamilton: An American Musical." The first musical to use hip-hop music and rap lyrics to tell the life story of one of our nation's Founding Fathers kick-started a live theater renaissance and renewed interest in exploring America's history. Who woulda thought?

To the hard-working fundraisers and volunteers of local service clubs - Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions, Knights of Columbus and so many more. Their various projects underwrite important work, and they get involved personally. In an era when experts say community life is lagging, these men and women have found that working together, for others, makes them and their communities prosper.

To the line crews and support teams at Ameren. You know it's coming - a cold and icy night, or a night of severe wind and storms, when power lines go down. Everyone wants to know when the Ameren line crews are going to show up. It takes some kind of courage and stamina to get out of a warm bed and climb an icy pole in high winds to tame a hot wire. More power to you for restoring power to us. Be safe out there.

To the poll workers who staffed precincts all over St. Louis. The election is over, and the lead-up was about as divisive as American politics can get. But we marvel at the patience and stamina of volunteers and the few who were paid a pittance to hand out ballots and keep the voting process running smoothly amid heavy turnout. You did it for your country. And hats off to the election authorities throughout the metro area. Democracy is not a spectator sport, and you made it work.

To the Midwest Innocence Project, a Kansas City-based nonprofit group that investigates and goes to court to argue on behalf of wrongfully convicted prisoners, many of whom spend decades behind bars for crimes that they did not commit. An estimated 2,000 to 7,000 such prisoners - moms, dads, sons and daughters - are serving time across the Midwest for someone else's crimes. It takes time, patience and perseverance to seek justice in such cases - work that rarely gets acknowledged.

To Rex Sinquefield. There are many reasons why we give the local billionaire a hard time. But that doesn't stop us from raising a glass specifically for his efforts to put St. Louis on the world chess map and turn our city into a magnet for top chess masters.

To the International Institute of St. Louis for extending a welcoming hand to refugees from around the world and producing the annual Festival of Nations in Tower Grove Park. The institute helps newly arrived refugees find a home, integrate and adjust to the radically different environment they face after escaping wartime upheaval and unspeakable dangers in their native countries. St. Louis is richer for it.

To our very own Dan Martin, artist extraordinaire, who next month marks his 30th year drawing the Weatherbird cartoon that has adorned the front page of the Post-Dispatch every day since 1901. Dan is one of only six artists who have carried forth the Weatherbird tradition, making it the oldest continuously running daily cartoon in American journalism.

To Mary Lou Green, who has been helping make St. Louis greener, cleaner and brighter since 1990 as executive director of Brightside St. Louis. Every year, the nonprofit's small crew and thousands of volunteers plant acres of daffodil bulbs, maintain gardens and scrub graffiti off surfaces across the city.

To Tom Townsend and Patricia Eastman, co-founders of Pianos for People on Cherokee Street, for refurbishing neglected pianos and putting them into the hands of people who otherwise could not afford them. The nonprofit honors Townsend's son, Alex, who died in a car crash at age 21. Eastman was his piano teacher.

To our colleagues at the Riverfront Times, Gateway Journalism Review and St. Louis American. They hold our feet to the fire and call us out when we need to answer for our editorial and news-gathering decisions. At a time when journalism is under increasing scrutiny, they constantly remind us of the importance of accuracy, fairness and consistency. We share the same journalistic boat. May we all start rowing together in the coming year.

REPRINTED FROM THE ST LOUIS POST DISPATCH