Anyone familiar with Lawrence County can tell you that our corner of the world is a special place indeed.

From the rolling hills that make up large portions of our county to the small flat spots along the river on which many of us call home, the area is diverse and unique.

Those hills and far-flung proximity to other, more metropolitan portions of the state can sometimes give residents the notion that we're separate from the rest of the state of Ohio. Those differences often create artificial barriers to communication and togetherness.

But the reality is, no matter how geographically isolated we may sometimes feel, rural portions of Ohio are truly the backbone of the state and ultimately our nation. As last year's presidential race illustrated, rural Ohio can change the course of our nation's history.

The people of our area shouldn't fear the differences we have with the other parts of Ohio, but embrace those differences and begin to understand that the differences are what make Ohio such a wonderful place in which to live and work.

Lawrence County has been reaching out to the state capital for 12 years, taking its concerns and questions right into the heart of our state government.

The Greater Lawrence County Area Chamber of Commerce will mark its 12th visit to Columbus next month when it celebrates this year's chamber Legislative Day visit to Columbus.

Each year, the chamber brings community leaders to Columbus to meet with the state officials who are helping to shape policy and laws that affect our state.

By showing the state lawmakers that Lawrence County has one solid, unified voice, the annual chamber trips go a long way toward helping to break down some of the barriers that have been created in our minds and the minds of others throughout our state.

So what is a community leader, one might ask? It's someone who cares about the community's future and who has the courage to stand up and get involved. In short, it's someone like you. Call the chamber office today and reserve your spot on the bus. Doing so can help our area show the leaders in Columbus that Lawrence County cares about its future and wants to make a difference in the state.