Creating attractive — and consistent — entrances to Lawrence County’s villages and the City of Ironton is a smart way to welcome visitors and greet every day those who call these communities home.

The Lawrence County Convention and Visitors Bureau has launched a project that will provide two attractive signs to each community as way to beautify the most prominent entrances as well as create a consistent theme from Hanging Rock to Proctorville. The CVB will pay for the signage leaving the villages in the city only to foot the bill for the installation.

This is certainly a worthwhile project and one for which Dr. Bill Dingus, Viviane Vallance and other leaders in the organization should be commended.

Our region only gets one chance to make a positive first impression.

But perhaps the most exciting part is how this has already, and still could, sparked even more involvement by civic organizations and concerned citizens.

Operation TLC, an eastern Lawrence County beautification group, has already started its plans to beautify the area where the Chesapeake sign will be installed.

Couple this with projects already in the works by the Ironton Lions Club in the Ironton Rotary Club to install two separate signs along U.S. 52 near the Ironton entrances and you have a strong start to making sure that those who visit our communities are greeted in the best possible way.