A little over a year ago, The Walton Center Arts Society was formed and committed itself to bringing some great entertainment to our community while supporting arts education in our schools.

First was the lineup of the Coasters, Drifters and Platters, and this concert was met with great response from the community. More than 1,300 people attended the show in the 1,500-seat facility.

In April, 1964 - The Tribute, the Beatles show, was another great success with more than 1,000 people enjoying the 1960s entertainment.

In July, Sammy Kershaw, a country star, put on an awesome show and interacted with the audience with great style and great personality.

Then, in September, we had the Van Dells on the weekend prior to the James Dean festivities, and that went well, too. The attendance was much smaller for the Kershaw show and the Van Dells, but audiences all expressed their appreciation for what we are attempting to do in our community.

So, we are moving forward.

At 7 p.m. Dec. 9, Lee Greenwood will share an inspiring Christmas concert with many of his old hits wound throughout the evening. He will sing his familiar tribute to our country, God Bless the U.S.A., and honor veterans and current servicemen and -women for their dedication to our country.

United States Marines will be there to help us sell candles to support their Toys for Tots project.

It will be a great evening of entertainment. The Sweet Adelines will sing in the lobby before the show, so there will lots of variety for the holidays.

Tickets are $27 in advance and $32 the day of the show, and they may be purchased by calling the Marion High School bookstore at 664-3739 or at the school between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. weekdays. Student rates are available as well.

Even though plenty of effort is put forth by this small committee, these shows cannot always be done effectively on the ticket sales alone. Many businesses and individuals have the opportunity to purchase ads in the program or sponsor the event.

If anyone is interested, Lee Greenwood has agreed to have dinner with major contributors for this show. For more information, call Dave Rees at 664-5298.

What a great opportunity for supporting the Walton Center Arts Society: Sponsor the show, eat dinner with the artist, get your photo with the artist and come to the show with tickets included.

We appreciate this community for its support. The assistance and support given by organizations such as our sponsors - the Chronicle Tribune and Mid-America Radio - has meant so much to our success. Many individuals and businesses in the community have made a contribution or purchased an ad in the program, and that has been a great benefit as well.

Several people have helped make this a great success. Board members include Mark Draves, Mark Fauser, Heidi Folley, Karen Herrera, Delaine Highley, Betty Jump, Bill Munn, Conni Newby, Andy Nixon, Bobby Owensby, Jason Prater, Lowanda Prosser, Tammy Pearson, Pamela Schlechty, Stu Secttor, Mayor Wayne Seybold, Debi Shepler and Jeff Thorne.

More information about the organization can be found on the Web site at www.waltoncenter.org.

More great artists are headed for Marion. For example, in April, there are plans to have New York stage original Tap Kids. This group features one of Marion's very own, Kylie Williams.

To see our own kids succeeding in these great professional groups is something we can all be proud of.

The Walton Center Arts Society is doing something great for us all. These efforts are supported by all of our arts organizations such as Community School of the Arts, Marion Civic Theatre and the Marion Philharmonic Orchestra.

We have a well-rounded opportunity for great arts education and entertainment in Marion. Please support us, and come see what is going on.