| By Tony Russell
It was a real treat Saturday night to listen to the Appalachian Children's Chorus and the Arnoldsburg Children's Choir, and
watch Heartwood in the Hills join them with a group of young dancers. One of the major goals of Lights On! is to make new
kinds of cultural programs available to the community, and Saturday night was a great example. Other examples have been
the Wheeling Symphony performances, Poetry Alive!, the photography exhibit mounted by Jeff Fetty and his students, the
Follies, and a Mozart opera, as well as a host of others.
Dan Cosgrove, our Site Coordinator at Arnoldsburg, acted as MC for Saturday night's show. He was careful to thank all
the people who helped in various ways to make the evening possible. I'd like to thank Dan. Dan and his vision of the
evening were the driving forces behind the entire event. He and Norma Randall-Myers have a plan to keep the Arnoldsburg
Children's Choir going long after Lights On! has ended. We in the community need to get behind that dream, and help make
it a reality.
Speaking of Saturdays, my son Richton and I went to the "Spring Fling" at the Career Center the previous Saturday, and
enjoyed it immensely. If you missed the performance by "Mountain Women," former national storytelling champions, you
missed many a good laugh. This event, too, may become an annual activity; proceeds went to the Earl "Tex" Gainer
Memorial Scholarship Fund. "Tex" would have been proud.
Congratulations to Cheryl McCallister, Site Coordinator at the Career Center, who was the prime architect of the "Spring
Fling." Cheryl has been busy helping her daughters through some difficult pregnancies, but the payoff is two wonderful new
grandchildren!
Our office has been besieged by people wanting us to continue the Water Aerobics class. This is a loyal, committed group
of students. Thanks to Kim Batten, who leads that activity, and does an outstanding job.
Another class from which I've been hearing great things is the Woodworking class taught at the Career Center by Ada
Overbaugh. One of her students, Greg Cartwright, has shown me more proud pictures of his woodworking projects than
most people carry around of their grandkids. Another loyal group of students!
And while I'm handing out congratulations, I'd like to wish Amos and Lisa Walker a long and happy married life together.
Lisa (formerly Siegrist) has used her energy, drive, and intelligence to transform our tutoring program at the Middle/High
School into something special.
Those are our Lights On! Highlights for this week. We'll shine our flashlights in a few new places next time. | 
