CHIEF LOGAN STATE PARK — With the opening on the Chief Logan Rec Center, southern West Virginians will have no excuse not to be healthy, Gov. Joe Manchin and Senate President Earl Ray Tomblin said yesterday as they toured the new facility.

Gov. Manchin praised the new rec center to about 60 business leaders yesterday morning. Manchin said he’s sick and tired of people being sick and tired in southern West Virginia. He said he hopes the rec center will help Logan County lose its status as the unhealthiest county in the state.

“This is really a tremendous facility and I really hope that everyone takes advantage of this,” Gov. Manchin said. “The philosophy behind this was like the movie Field of Dreams — ‘If we build it, they will come.’ This will really help West Virginia be all that she can be. We need an educated, healthy workforce. This gives them the opportunity and doesn’t leave them any excuses anymore.”

The governor, the senate president and Logan County Commission President Art Kirkendoll all talked about the benefits the rec center provides for all of southern West Virginia.

“People who have not had the opportunity to come up here needs to come here to see what all we have available. Hopefully, it’ll be open soon so people can get in here to exercise,” Senate President Tomblin said. “This is probably the most state-of-the-art rec center in the state. There is no other community that has a brand new Olympic-sized indoor pool, the tennis courts, the weight rooms, the indoor walking track and all the programs they will be offering.

“There will be different attractions coming all the time. There will be different things for people to do, for all age groups. I’m looking forward to a healthier lifestyle in southern West Virginia.”

Kirkendoll was pleased to get a corporate sponsorship from Logan Regional Medical Center in the amount of $25,000 at the meeting. He said others have stepped up and donated money and he hopes that more step to the plate to help pay the operating costs for the facility.

In attendance at the meeting were representatives from companies such as Arch Coal, INR, Mine Lifeline, Patriot Coal, Baisden Brothers Hardware, Logan Regional Medical Center, the Logan County Board of Education, Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College, Thornhill GM Superstore and several others businesses. Mingo County Delegate Harry Keith White and Logan County Commissioner Willie Akers also attended.

Kirkendoll said the county commission will be putting in $100,000 toward operating costs and the Logan BOE will also contribute a large sum of money. He said Massey Energy’s Don Blankenship has also committed $50,000 to the fund.

“We have a state-of-the-art wellness center and the accessibility is great and the affordability is even better,” Kirkendoll said. “We want to make sure that anyone who wants to take part in this rec center can have a place to be healthy and get good, quality family time.”

Kirkendoll said Manchin is a good salesman for the rec center.

Manchin said he wants to encourage companies to get their employees involved in the rec center so that everyone can live healthier lives.

“We’re asking corporate West Virginia to give back,” Manchin said

“The more they can entice and encourage their employees to join and be a part of this beautiful facility, it will pay dividends because they will be healthier and there will be preventive care. Everybody needs to take responsibility to keep themselves healthy. This is a big thing.”