Sitting as we do on the path to the Gulf Coast, we often have many people from many different places traveling our roads. We see tags from Michigan, New York, Missouri, and other states driving by. How nice it is to see some of those tags standing still, as their drivers and passengers stop for a visit in our city. How nice it is to get to meet you, and to share with you the things our town has to offer.

For almost three decades now, you have traveled Andalusia for a weekend of fun, games, and more fun. You have stayed in our motels - in fact, you may well have prompted the addition of some of our motels - and you have eaten in our restaurants. You bring your dominos, your competitive spirits, your families and your free time, and we appreciate your presence.

One of the joys of gatherings like the Andalusia Rotary Club's World Championship Domino is exposure. Not just the exposure of Andalusia to the nation and the world, but the exposure of the world to Andalusia. Through the tournament, many players have established friends across the map, long before the Internet inspired a flood of such long-term friendships. Through the tournament, old-fashioned fun and ideals have been renewed and areinforced. For this, we thank you.

If there were no tournament, we have no doubt that the domino playing in this city would continue. All one has to do is visit the Adult Activity Center to find the domino club in full force. At restaurants, in homes, the players would play - but without a constant infusion of new blood, the charming past time could become just that - passed in time. The tournament brings on that new blood, and inspires new generations.

So we welcome you to Andalusia, both our old, familiar friends, and our new, soon-to-be-friends. Enjoy your stay here. We know we will.