Dinosaur will have big impact

To the editor:

This note is to clear up a few misconceptions about the impact that having the dinosaur that was found in Bollinger County named the official Missouri dinosaur.

The hours that state Rep. Rod Jetton spent on this legislation will have economic, scientific and educational consequences for every Missourian. Since this legislation started in the Missouri House, our numbers of visitors at the Bollinger County Museum of Natural History has tripled. And if you look at Missouri Division of Tourism statistics, we know that for every dollar spent at the attraction, three more dollars go into the local economy.

If we look at the educational and scientific outlook for this discovery, we stand to benefit astronomically. We have about 40 special groups that visit the museum yearly. Students can understand the science behind the exhibits much more easily than just reading a textbook. Every Missouri child in elementary school must do a report on state symbols. With the official designation, that also means that every student will be studying our dinosaur.

I'm sorry some people do not see the tremendous economic and educational benefits that will come to this area of the state, but I certainly know that Jetton's legislation has helped our economy already. I'm looking forward to our museum becoming home of the official Missouri dinosaur. If you want to peek at what's ahead for us, visit, www.bcmnh.org.

EVA DUNN

President

Bollinger County Museum of Natural History

Marble Hill, Mo.