Loyalty and dedication are two words that get tossed around a lot in our society but, sadly, may not be used with the importance that they once were.

But the Friends of Ironton understand the meaning of those words.

The grassroots civic organization has shown a tremendous commitment to making Ironton and Lawrence County a better place. This volunteer organization puts countless hours and significant amounts of money into its projects that are all designed to bring people together and inject money into the local economy.

And it is with this loyalty and dedication that the Friends kept pursuing one of its dreams: to develop a recreational opportunity for area children.

That goal grew into the downtown Ironton project called a SprayGround.

SprayGrounds are playgrounds where water is sprayed from structures or ground sprays, creating a cool, splashy good time during summer months.

But the project hasn’t always gone smoothly. A variety of delays and some financial challenges the group has faced might have caused other organizations to give up hope.

But not the Friends of Ironton.

The group stayed the course and broke ground on the project earlier this week. It is slated to open on Memorial Day and will be a tremendous asset for the entire region because it offers free, family entertainment.

The Friends may have Ironton in its name but they are truly working for our entire county.