STATESBORO — To put it into words that the old coach might have appreciated, the Erk Russell Project has reached halftime.

Collaboration between the Department of Communication Arts at Georgia Southern University and the Averitt Center for the Arts, the project will eventually result in a stage production that will debut at the kickoff of the 2008 football season and tell the story of legendary coach Russell’s immeasurable impact on Statesboro and the university.

In the meantime, the general public is invited to enjoy a free sneak preview of the oral histories phase of the Erk Russell Project on Dec. 2, at 2 p.m. in the Averitt Center at 33 E. Main St.

For more background on the project, or for an opportunity to contribute a story about Russell, visit Garner’s blog at http://erkplay.blogspot.com. For more information, contact Kennerly at rkennerly@georgiasouthern.edu or (912) 486-7325, or the Averitt Center at (912) 212-2787.