 "We're doing this to ensure that our communities have some funding
for the upcoming bicentennial," said Geoff Ladd, executive director
of the tourism bureau. "The bureau has set aside $10,000 for
promotion and assistance to bicentennial attractions."Several
communities have already been contacted regarding this funding,
including New Holland, Middletown, Emden, Atlanta, Mount Pulaski,
Elkhart and Lincoln. Preference will be given to applications that
show a potential for the attraction or event to have a lasting
effect past 2009.
"The creation of our committee is partly in response to the fact
that the state Bicentennial Commission's funding has been cut, and
there remains an uncertainty regarding funding for the local
bicentennial groups," Ladd said.
The tourism bureau's Bicentennial Committee is comprised of
several board members from the bureau's board of directors,
including the chairman, Paul Gleason, along with Shirley Bartelmay,
Annette Chapman, Gail Apel-Sasse and Charles Ott. Ladd also serves
on the committee.
Also, the Abraham Lincoln Tourism Bureau of Logan County has
reincorporated the Abraham Lincoln Heritage Foundation of Logan
County to assist in bicentennial activities. This foundation's
purpose is to promote Abraham Lincoln heritage in the county and to
allow each of the communities in the county, large and small, to
have a voice in the development of Abraham Lincoln activities and
attractions in conjunction with the bicentennial of his birth and
beyond.
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Abraham Lincoln traveled throughout Logan County and developed
relationships with many people in our communities. In fact, he
helped form the county and the city of Lincoln, and he worked in the
county as a surveyor and lawyer. It is in the spirit of this
heritage that the foundation is being formed, with the goal to
preserve and promote Abraham Lincoln history.
Local Abraham Lincoln enthusiast Les Sheridan formed the original
Abraham Lincoln Heritage Foundation of Logan County over 30 years
ago. Other original members were Charles Ott and Paul Beaver, who
will both be serving on the newly re-formed foundation's board of
directors, along with Paul Gleason. Other members of the foundation
are Terry Steinhour of Middletown's Bicentennial Commission and Ladd
of the tourism bureau.
The foundation has secured the rights for the use of the famous
Lloyd Ostendorf prints to be used to promote area Abraham Lincoln
attractions. The first of many interpretive Lincoln signs from this
group was dedicated earlier this year at the site of "Lincoln's
Lot," where the Sherwin Williams store is now located in downtown
Lincoln.
For more information regarding the tourism bureau's Bicentennial
Commission as well as the Abraham Lincoln Heritage Foundation of
Logan County, please call 217-732-8687.
[Text from file received from
Abraham Lincoln Tourism Bureau of
Logan County]
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