The official opening of the new Russell County Auditorium/Natatorium Sunday  was a grand event and the beginning of a new era in Russell County.

While the building is beautiful, the real beauty of the new center is to realize just how important it  will be to the future of our county. It is a facility that most often is not found in the smaller, rural counties like Russell. But it made us so proud to hear Superintendent Scott Pierce state that he, the School Board members and others felt that our children here in Russell County deserved just as much as students in Louisville, Lexington or other larger areas.

How true, and how refreshing to see a group of men and women willing to fight and go after what is best for our children and our community.

The new auditorium will very likely introduce various area of the arts that many of our students and also other residents would have never had the opportunity to witness or enjoy.

We can expect various concerts from classical to bluegrass and we can expect art exhibits from the professional to the hobbyist.

In addition our area swim teams will have the a first class olympic size facility which we are certain will be a major attraction for this region.

High school students will now have an accommodating facility to study additional college level classes and will afford these students as well as adults a place to obtain many college level classes.

The community will also have a facility to host exhibits and various size conventions and exhibitions.

Our school board and all those who played a part in the obtaining and constructing this facility again need to be commended.

It is also most fitting that the first open community gathering to be held at the facility is this Thursday, May 7th, when many local churches combine to recognize and participate in the World Day of Prayer.

Additional information on this meeting is available on front page.