Ordinary People, Extraordinary Stories - By Bill Mitchell - Poynter Online
"Published daily in the paper's special section, "A Nation Challenged," the profiles typically focus on a single aspect of the subject's character or an especially endearing talent or trait. They often include a little life lesson -- the extrovert who learned to seek out unhappy people at parties, the creator of family surprises, the friend who never lost touch -- that Times reporters have managed to reveal and celebrate in a couple of dozen words."