To the Editor:

My husband and I would like to extend our appreciation to the staff of the St. James hotel for work well done and to share this good news with others in Selma having an interest in the facility. Our third son, Rex, and his wife, Kim, elected to be married in Selma. They both live on the Gulf Coast. They love Church Street United Methodist Church where he was raised, our majestic Sturdivant Hall, the St. James hotel, and the historic feel of our town. They especially love and appreciate the many friends here who helped them plan and have a positive experience.

Editorial page readers may have recently seen a positive letter about the restaurant at the hotel. On the other hand, they may have previously read a couple of letters from concerned guests who had stayed at the hotel. We too read these letters. I called the hotel manager, Shane Alexander, and made an appointment to visit with him and express my concerns. He listened patiently to me. He also explained that in each room of the hotel there is an informational page with his personal cell phone number on it. Together, we addressed these concerns.

Our guests came from near and far. They all had the St. James as their base. Each one had a wonderful time not only at the hotel but also at every great place they experienced in Selma!

Selma’s citizens made the difference here!

One family who stayed at the hotel had five family members in it. Two of them are a husband and wife who are both doctors. They have expressed an interest in moving to Selma. Our hospital has been in contact with them. (The hospital’s web site www.vaughanrmc.com is very impressive). The husband’s field is orthopedics and the competition in recruiting is stiff. The wife is interested in emergency room care. If their stay at the hotel had been unpleasant, it would have influenced their willingness to consider Selma as a home.

Yes, Selma does have problems. Every town and city does. Let’s all pull together, solve our challenges and accentuate our positive attributes.

We all have the opportunity to support not only our historic hotel but also our other venues and each other.

Edie and Larry Jones