An old Danish proverb says, "The road to a friend's house is never long."

Though separated by at least a generation or more, the "road" between Russell's Seafood Restaurant on Central Drive in Southern Pines and the Shriner's Hospitals for Crippled and Burned Children has been a long (time) drive.

That drive has encompassed 45 years of service and support to the Moore County Shrine Club and their fundraising efforts by one of the area's longest running and best businesses.

Not only has Russell's provided a place for the club's monthly dinner meetings, but they continue to make the annual Shriner's Fish Fry the largest fundraiser for the local organization.

"Larry Russell has been a vital partner in seeing that the hospitals can continue to treat children from our area at no charge to them or their family," says a spokesman. "In addition to providing the best coleslaw and iced tea around, any emergency that surfaces during the Fish Fry event has been handled with generosity and a smile from a cooperative local family. Need utensils, condiments, help cleaning pots and pans? Who do you call. Russell's!"

At a recent meeting, Club President Jim McKee and John Sullivan, the Potentate of OASIS in Charlotte, presented a plaque in recognition of the support made by Russell's Seafood Restaurant.

"Though not the largest of Shriners' headquarters, OASIS is always the largest contributor to the hospitals and thanks to this community, the Moore County Shrine club is among the largest contributors in OASIS," says the spokesman.