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It’s an exciting day for us at the Suffolk News-Herald as we unveil the winners of our eighth annual Locals Choice Awards. In today’s newspaper, you will find a 28-page special section that puts a spotlight on all of the winners.

Editions like this one are more than a fun opportunity to hand out some awards. It represents the culmination of weeks of voting and, most importantly, the celebration of the people, places, businesses and institutions that make Suffolk special.

To say we have been blown away by the participation in this year’s iteration of our “readers choice” contest would be an extreme understatement. A record 3,000-plus people cast nearly 68,000 votes in some 200 categories spread across divisions such as Arts & Entertainment, Eating & Drinking, Health & Wellness, and Shopping.

We hope that in addition to public recognition and a year of bragging rights, this project shines a larger spotlight on those whose efforts make our local economy go and make our lives better. Simply by thumbing through this edition, you will be able to find some suggestions for where to eat or take your car, but also get a good snapshot of why Suffolk is a wonderful place to live, work and play.

We’d be remiss if we didn’t acknowledge the important revenue the contest generates for your hometown newspaper in challenging economic times. While businesses and other organizations don’t have to pay a dime in order to be eligible for recognition, many use the opportunity to purchase advertising space to solicit the community’s support and to celebrate the recognition they receive. We appreciate them deeply.

The Locals Choice Awards are also another chance for us to engage more closely with our readers, find out what you like and celebrate what you love. Look for many more of those opportunities in the future.

In the meantime, enjoy our Locals Choice winners edition inserted in today’s edition. Congratulations to all of the winners and finalists. We encourage our readers to support local businesses not just during the upcoming holiday shopping season but year-round.