Today marks the day when The Tidewater News proudly embarks on its annual adventure known as Progress 2009.

For those of you who are not familiar with it, the Progress edition — or editions, since there are two each week — is our opportunity to put the spotlight on the fine people and institutions that make this community a terrific place to live and work.

Sections include Health, Education, Commerce, Government, Sports and Leisure, Remember When and more. Look for them each Sunday in March.

This week, we take a look at the progress that has been made here in health and education circles.

For instance, we give you information about places that are growing, such as Southside Physical Therapy, and we feature personalities you want to know more about, like Nancy Brewbaker at the Village at Woods Edge.

We hope you enjoy the stories and photos in these sections as much as we enjoyed working on them.

Happy reading.