Rzshichiv, Kilgore's sister city says hello

Howell, city manager, and Mike Coston, chamber president, at left, look on as Mayor Joe Parker, center, greets Viktor Anatoliyovych (on screen), Rzshichiv, Ukraine, mayor, in a video conference this morning. Hunter Hilburn, of EDsuite, operated the Skype Internet call. Bo Bolding, at right, of Crossroads community Church, was there for support and prayer. Kilgore administrators traveled thousands of miles in one second this morning for a video conference with the mayor of Rzshichiv, a Ukraine city Kilgore has adopted as a sister city.

Joe Parker, city mayor; Jeff Howell, city manager; Mike Coston, chamber president; Amanda Nobles, Kilgore Economic Development Corporation executive director; paired with support staff from Kilgore businesses EDSuite and Cypress Interactive, attended a video conference between the two cities.

Viktor Anatoliyovych, Rzshichiv mayor, shared some background information on the old farming village, which was officially registered as a town in 1996.

Rzshichiv has a population of 7,786 and was founded on the same land as the archeological discovery of the former Trepil culture, which has been dated to have inhabited the area from approximately 3,000 to 5,000 B.C.

Anatoliyovych told Kilgore his main concerns for Rzshichiv are education and business attraction.

The town extended gifts to Kilgore for display at city hall. Among items was a traditional Ukraine towel in customary red and black colors, the red sym- bolizing love and the black symbolizing the rich farming soil of the region.

Howell, Coston and Nobles shared brief descriptions of their duties in Kilgore and Anatoliyovych appeared intrigued by the prospect of working with the city to learn more about law enforcement and policy; the chamber to learn more about tourism and support of businesses; and KEDC to learn about incentives and business attraction.

Parker exchanged greetings with Anatoliyovych and expressed excitement about the opportunity the cities have to learn from each other.

Aiding in facilitation of the meeting was Bruce Crowe, owner of Cypress Interactive and resident of Rzshichiv, who said the next couple of years would be a learning process for Kilgore and Rzshichiv, which both have rich histories.

Bo Bolding, pastor of Crossroads Community Church, also took part in the meeting as a local resident who has visited Rzshichiv. He prayed for the growth of the sister city relationship and for the well being of all those involved.

Another video conference is planned, but not yet scheduled.