It Is The People Who Improve Quality-of-Life

There is great debate nowadays here in Hall County about what we need to do to improve our quality-of-life. Quality-of-life is a big buzzword, and to listen to most of the debates one would think the only way to save our quality-of-life here in Hall County is to get the government involved. Let me suggest that some things are going on here right now that will have an immense impact, all of it for the better, on our quality-of-life and absolute none of it has to do with government at any level. It is being done by private individuals and non-profit cultural organizations.

Take a look at the ground being broken for the new Quinlan Visual Arts Center expansion. Here is one of the finest small-city arts centers in the South, and it is being expanded so its programs can be enlarged ... so it can provide a better quality-of-life for all Northeast Georgians. When you get to the area in which you see the Brenau University campus, look for the new construction which will become the Northeast Georgia History Center. Here is a new 25,000 square foot building which will become home for our area's history. It is a major addition to the culture and education of all our people, a major addition to this area's quality-of-life. And across the street from the History Center is the Burd Performing Arts Center, a magnificent new building housing magnificent new community programs as well as college activities.

And have you seen the totally new campus at Riverside Military Academy? Or the expansions at Lakeview Academy? And if we are truly talking about quality-of-life, shouldn't we mention all the construction taking place at a whole host of churches throughout Hall County? It strikes me if we want to find heroes in this quality-of-life battle, we should thank the people who have given of their own money to these private projects.

This is Gordon Sawyer, and may the wind always be at your back.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2003/4/179901