Are you a person who says someone in Lawrence County needs to make changes or do you actually make needed changes?

There is a big distinction. The Friends of Ironton are an organization that make changes happen, a group that makes a difference in the community rather than waiting for someone else to do something.

Today, the fifth annual Gus Macker 3-on-3 basketball tournament is wrapping up after attracting thousands of people to Ironton once again.

Each year the Friends invest massive amounts of money and volunteer hours into this event that they designed to provide a family-friendly activity that injects some economic stimulus into the community.

Critics are quick to throw stones at the organization and try to point out the flaws in the different events the grass-roots civic club has organized in the past six years.

But everyone has heard the old saying about those who live in glass houses.

We challenge the critics to look inward and ask themselves: What have I done to make my community a better place?

It is easy for someone to criticize the Friends of Ironton, all the while standing on the sidelines and not getting involved in anything.

Whether you love the events the Friends put on or you dislike them, there is one thing for which you have to give the organization credit: At least they are doing something.

Too many people want to sit back and point out all the flaws in Lawrence County and cry about the glory days gone by.

That isn’t productive and serves no good at all.

The Friends choose to stand up, come up with some ideas that they believe will make a positive impact and then work hard to make those become a reality.

Are they perfect? Of course not but at least they are trying.

The old basketball cliche is that you miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take.

Thankfully, the Friends aren’t afraid to keep shooting.