On Friday, November 13th, the City of Ironton’s Ro-Na Steering Committee held a Dinner Theatre at Ohio University Southern Rotunda to display the many types of talent that once completed, could be showcased in the new Ro-Na Arts Center located on Third Street in downtown Ironton.

As the event coordinator, and knowing all the hard work that the committee put into executing the event, it well exceeded my expectations.

A new found excitement for this project developed as each performer took the stage. One would be amazed that so much talent could come from such a small community.

Many may see this building as overwhelming but others are beginning to look past its current exterior and see GREAT potential. I believe that if we as a community, unite together, we can take a piece of Ironton history and build a new future for generations to come.

Great projects come with great sacrifice and a determination to never give up. With a group effort and a positive mindset, we can continue or mission to Look Up and Move Forward.

Great things are happening in Ironton. New businesses, new developments, new constructions are popping up everywhere.

I’m asking you, as a citizen to get on board and support our efforts to restore the former Ro-Na Theater.

The building will not only provide a place for the performing arts, it will be an arts center that will provide space for any type of venue.

This project can be the key to giving our downtown business district an identity. Yes, we are a community that experienced a financial devastation in the early 1970’s. Guess what, we’re still here!

I’m asking that we learn from our past and step outside of the box and build for the future. We as a community deserve the best and by refusing to give up, we will achieve our goal.

Many thanks go out to the countless volunteers who have caught the vision of the Ro-Na Arts Center.

I truly appreciate your support of the dinner theater and the complete restoration of the project.

Katrina Keith

Co-Chair

Ro-Na Steering Committee