Editor:

Being a Mayor Kant or Mike Ford admirer is not one of my strong suits, however, I must give praise to the two of them for giving Eddie Boyett and the Recreation Board their support in giving our city one of the finest recreation facilities I have seen in my many years in sports and recreation. I will also add that the selection of Liz Chandler as the Recreation Center Director just puts icing on the cake.

Serving in the military for 21 years and being involved as player, coach and later as an official in both basketball and volleyball provided our family an opportunity to sit in many a gym in the United States, England and Germany. On my retirement and going to work in the Civil Service sector of sports and recreation, I served as an athletic director in England with the U.S. Air Force and then later as the Chief of Family Support and Recreation for the U.S. Army in Germany. Both of these communities had fine facilities and were in communities larger than ours. In fact, the one in Germany had the largest field house in the military sector for all services.

So I feel I could be classified as a subject matter expert in recreation centers. Though the paint is still drying so to speak, and there are still items on order, without any hesitation, on a score of one to 10, and above all that I have managed, play and officiated in, Fairhope rates in my view 9.9. For all of those who have made it happen, my wife of 53 years, who sat on many a bench, thank you for a job well done.

r

Fairhope