Greene Countians will be interested to know that the county has a significant local connection to tonight's Vice Presidential debate at Centre College in Kentucky.

The connection is Martha Grace Burkey, of the Glenwood community, a junior at Centre and the daughter of Ruth and Paul Burkey, also of Glenwood.

Ruth Burkey explained to The Greeneville Sun on Wednesday what the nature of her daughter's role in the Vice Presidential Debate is:

"Many students are involved in the preparations for this historic event. Martha Grace was selected to be the 'phone voice' for the media call-in line! Any media organization calling into the official debate line will hear her voice!

"She has also been interviewed for a documentary on the debate.

"Her off-campus job is at Karamel Kreations, which was selected as the only food vendor to supply the media 'swag bags'! She spent the last several days filling bags with caramel corn and other goodies."

During a telephone interview with The Greeneville Sun this morning, Martha Grace said, "I had a really good time hearing all the stories ... "

She went on to explain that the debate is such an important event for the college of about 1,200 to 1,300 students that some students had actually held down 40-hour-per-week jobs over the summer putting the debate together.

"The whole student population was really involved in setting up for the debate," she said.

Ruth Burkey also noted that two other Centre students are from Greeneville/Greene County -- sophomore Nate Adams, son of Bill and Allison Adams, of Greeneville, and freshman Emily Morrell, daughter of John and Beth Morrell, also of Greeneville.

Ruth Burkey adds, "Paul and I are both graduates of Centre and are naturally proud of our alma mater for being selected. They also hosted the debates in 2000."