Kentucky college relay to pass through Gainesville

BEREA, Ky. - Gainesville and other parts of northeast Georgia are on the 1,855-mile, six-state route for a Kentucky college relay, marking the culmination of the school's susquicentennial.

Berea College's "Great Commitments Relay" begins at the school Friday and is expected to end on campus May 12.

Along the route, the relay team will visit communities in Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, and North Carolina.

In northeast Georgia, plans call for a Suwanee-Gainesville-Baldwin leg (50 miles) Sunday, April 23; Baldwin-Clayton leg (34 miles) Monday, April 24; and, Clayton-Mountain City-Sylva, N.C. (43 miles) Tuesday, April 25.

Berea College is the South's first interracial and coeducational college and was founded 150 years ago by "ardent abolitionists and radical reformers." It's motto is "God has made of one blood all peoples of the earth." The college charges no tuition, admitting only "academically promising students," primarily from Appalachia, who have limited economic resources. All students must work ten hours a week, earning money for books, room, and board.

The complete route for the relay:

KENTUCKY/OHIO

March 31, 2006 - Berea to Richmond to Lexington
April 1 - Lexington to Paris to Cynthiana
April 2 - Cynthiana to Brooksville
April 3 - Brooksville to Newport to Cincinnati to Florence
April 4 - Florence to Glencoe
April 5 - Glencoe to Owenton to Frankfort
April 6 - Frankfort to Shelbyville to Simpsonville to Louisville
April 7 - Louisville to Fern Creek to Bardstown to Hodgenville
April 8 - Hodgenville to Hardyville to Glasgow to Scottsville
April 9 - Scottsville, KY to Gallatin to Nashville, TN

TENNESSEE

April 10 - Nashville to Franklin
April 11 - Franklin to Columbia to Pulaski
April 12 - Pulaski, TN to Decatur, AL

ALABAMA

April 13 - Decatur, AL to Cullman to Blountsville
April 14 - Blountsville to Birmingham
April 15 - Birmingham to Clanton
April 16 - REST DAY
April 17 - Clanton to Prattville to Montgomery
April 18 - Montgomery to Wetumpka to Equality to Alexander City
April 19 - Alexander City to Roanoke
April 20 - Roanoke to Franklin to Newnan
April 21 - Newnan to Atlanta, GA

GEORGIA

April 22 - Atlanta to Suwanee
April 23 - Suwanee to Gainesville to Baldwin
April 24 - Baldwin to Clayton
April 25 - Clayton to Mountain City to Sylva, NC

NORTH CAROLINA

April 26 - Sylva to Waynesville to Asheville
April 27 - Asheville to Swannanoa to Asheville
April 28 - Asheville to Trust
April 29 - Hot Springs to Trust to Newport, TN

TENNESSEE

April 30 - Newport to Sevierville to Knoxville
May 1 - Knoxville to Oak Ridge
May 2 - Oak Ridge to Oliver Springs to Wartburg to Huntsville
May 3 - Huntsville to Jellico to Williamburg, KY

KENTUCKY

May 4 - Williamsburg to Pineville
May 5 - Pineville to Harlan
May 6 - Harlan to Cumberland to Whitesburg
May 7 - Whitesburg to Robinson Creek
May 8 - Robinson Creek to Pikeville to Prestonsburg
May 9 - Prestonsburg to Martin to Pippa Passes
May 10 - Pippa Passes, Hindman, to Hazard
May 11 - Hazard to Booneville to McKee
May 12 - Booneville to McKee to Berea