CHEERS: to the folks at Lake Forest Senior Living Community, led by its very creative executive director, Carmen Carpentier, who've uncovered a way to get their members to walk more. What's unique is that the more than 15 walkers pick a geographic place on the map to walk to. This spring they "walked" to Times Square and then decided to head to the West Coast. The group even logged enough miles for Elsa Sorley, a fellow resident, who threw the hoofers a party for reaching a distance equal to her native Akron, Ohio. The walkers stroll the halls of Lake Forest, the oval in front of the facility and the bike path created on what was formerly the Old Base. The walkers are heading for Chicago these days, their goal being Beverly Hills, Calif., for a shopping trip on Rodeo Drive. Senior citizens from throughout the North Country should be encouraged by their contemporaries to find innovative ways to exercise more.

JEERS: to those scoundrels who continue to burn their garbage in backyard burn barrels. Some communities have passed local laws to put a stop to the practice, but laws or not, some homeowners continue to burn at will, much to the chagrin of their neighbors. Who knows what they're burning? Plastics and other synthetics are oftentimes tossed in with the paper, cardboard and other combustible items, sending plumes of toxic smoke into the air and sometimes into their neighbors' living rooms. And these backyard burners often get upset when quizzed by a passerby or the homeowner down the road, insensitive to the harm they may be causing to at-risk neighbors or the disruption of a backyard barbecue. Even local farmers fertilizing their fields are responsive to the local community. Usually, they'll put off the smelly practice for a day when their neighbors inform them of a special event planned in the neighborhood. We wish we could say the same for the burn-barrel users. The bottom line is that burning garbage in your backyard "" or grass and other matter "" is unhealthy and an annoying practice.

JEERS: to recreation-park litterers who must think their respective town's athletic fields are an extension of the county landfill. It's not just kids, either, although we know most volunteer coaches strongly encourage their charges to pick up and throw away their water and sports-drink bottles as well as snack wrappers and sunflower-seed packages. It doesn't seem to matter what the season, the problem persists, even around playground areas where parents take their toddlers while their older kids play competitive sports. The adults are the problem, too. They need to set an example for the community's youth. And while we're at it, as much of a pain in the neck it might be, we'd encourage municipalities to set up separate containers for empty plastic water and juice bottles. That would certainly get kids into the recycling habit and at the same time educate their parents.