Kiwanis Community Center manager and club member Neal Dansby said yesterday he’s notified everyone who had scheduled events there in May that the facility won’t be available.

Strong winds – likely from an F1 tornado – damaged the facility in the wee hours of the morning on Sat., April 16. Dansby said Wednesday that the total cost of the damage is not yet known.

“We have another adjuster here today,” he said. “The damage is structural, so it’s not safe for people to be in here. They’re telling us it will take five to eight weeks to fix it.”

Basically, he said, the two bays on the front of the building will have to be replaced.

“About to the exit toward the midway,” he said. “That’s how far it goes. We’re not sure about the south end wall right now, but it may be compromised.”

Tuesday, the Covington County Chapter of the American Red Cross announced that its annual Taste of Covington County, set for Mon., May 2, has been moved to Southside Baptist Church.

Several other changes of venue were announced yesterday:

• LBW has moved its May 13 graduation ceremony to Andalusia High School’s auditorium. The event begins at 7 p.m., and more than 180 students are expected to graduate.

“We are extremely grateful to Dr. Daniel Shakespeare (AHS principal) for the gracious offer to use the high school auditorium in Andalusia,” said Dr. Herbert H.J. Riedel, LBWCC president.

A reception for graduates and family members will be held outside the auditorium beginning at 5:30 p.m.  Covington County District Judge Frank “Trippy” McGuire will deliver the keynote commencement address.

• Relay for Life’s survivor dinner, set for this Friday night, has been moved outside to the Kiwanis Midway.

• Christian recording artist Jason Crabb’s May 7 concert has been moved next door to the Covington Center Arena.

Dansby said the next event scheduled at the Kiwanis Community Center is the Andalusia Rotary Club’s World Championship Domino Tournament.

Rotary president Tom Albritton said Wednesday afternoon the club is working to secure an alternative location in the event the Kiwanis Center isn’t repaired in time.