Minutes of the
October 4, 2007 meeting of the
Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission of
Lincoln,
Illinois.
The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission of Lincoln,
Illinois met in
Lincoln
City Hall
on October 4, 2007. Members present included: Mayor Davis-Kavelman,
Shirley Bartelmay, Paul Beaver, Darlene Begolka, Ron Keller, Paul
Gleason, Geoff Ladd, Charlie Ott, Wanda Lee Rohlfs, and Richard
Sumrall. Bobbi Abbott, John Hutchinson, Erika Nunamaker, and Keith
Ray were absent.
Ron called the
meeting to order at 5:05 PM. Ron and Paul B. informed the group of
Bicentennial Commission activities statewide and nationally. The
commission acknowledged more volunteers will be needed to
successfully achieve our goals, and would recruit where we can.
Paul B. will solicit people from his Communiversity class. Geoff
offered to put out a call for volunteers in a press release. It
was decided both the Tourism and Chamber newsletters are good
avenues to announce our meetings and to draw in volunteers. Richard
and Geoff offered to work together on that venture.
The following is
action the commission took on each of current project ideas and
goals:
·
Sponsor parade float in Heritage Days or balloon in Art & Balloon
Festival
o
This will
be pursued further, but it will take some money to construct a float
or sponsor a balloon (perhaps $1000). This was tabled.
·
Special art categories in Art & Balloon Festival
o
Paul B.
will talk again with Tina Nutt and Deb Ackerman about this, and will
also let Annette Chapman at the Chamber know about it
·
Commission special paintings of Lincoln scenes
o
On the
proposed painting of the October 1858 rally in Lincoln, Paul B. said
that he and Ron will see Adam May for a preliminary digital
rendering
o
Jennifer
Boeke, E.J. Miley, and Deb Andrews have been approached for being
possible commissioned artists
o
The
commission recognized this as one of the most expensive of all our
projects. Paul B. said he would talk to Lincoln College
administration to possibly support partial funding.
o
Paul B.
said that accuracy in historic dress should be stressed
·
Abraham Lincoln Chautauqua at Lincoln College
o
Paul is
developing three or four Chautauqua speeches at LC for the fall of
2008 and early spring of 2009
·
Marketing of From Surveyor to President video
o
Wanda Lee said that
Main Street
would pick up this project
·
Selling souvenir postcards with Feb 12, 2009 postmark from Lincoln,
IL
o
This
idea was supported. Discussion followed as to what scenes or
pictures would be on the postcard. Paul B. mentioned the Ostendorfs
allowed the county permission to use Lloyd’s images if we are
promoting the county, but perhaps not to make a profit with
o
Richard offered to check on copyright laws.
o
Paul
G. has some centennial postcards, and will check those out and share
as possibilities at the next meeting
·
Writing articles on various Lincoln topics for Courier
o
Geoff
volunteered to ask the new Courier editor of this possibility
·
Lincoln scholars panel jointly at LC and LCC
o
No further
communication from LCC has been received. Tabled.
·
1850’s fashion show
o
Ron will
contact again Marilyn Craig, who initiated this idea about her
interest in pursuing this
·
Sponsor bunting around town for patriotic holidays
o
Wanda Lee
and the Mayor will work further on this
·
Extended historic homes tour in Lincoln
o
The Mayor
affirmed that in 2008 this will happen
·
Develop educational programs for local schools/community
o
Darlene
said that Railsplitter has been discussing an educational program,
and discussed a Life of Lincoln program for next year’s event which
will show Lincoln from youngster through adult
o
Paul G.
reported that he had not yet heard from LCHS regarding homecoming or
the high school involvement. He was asked to pursue that again,
this time contacting Judy Dopp
o
Paul
also informed the commission of a education guide for teachers he
has been developing, not likely ready until fall 2008
o
Ron will
meet again with a citizen who expressed interest in working on a
Lincoln character education program in schools
o
Ron also
said that a citizen had suggested to him to develop an interpretive
program using real reminiscences and personal accounts of people’s
memories of Abraham Lincoln
·
"Lincoln in Lincoln" special exhibit at LC Museum
o
Mayor
Davis-Kavelman suggested that LC again try something similar to the
Underground Railroad exhibit a few years ago. She suggested that
Heritage Days has a Thursday night set aside every year for such an
opening. Ron and Paul G. will work further on this.
o
Shirley
mentioned of the possibility of an URR gentleman and a particular
URR site that might help us out on that
·
Re-enact 1909 centennial events held in Lincoln
o
No further
action on this was taken
·
Host downtown songfest or stage old-time theatre
o
The LTC
will perform "Mrs. President" as their second show next summer in
honor of the bicentennial
o
Darlene
will talk again to LAMS, but mentioned perhaps there was a planned
choral or orchestral performance for fall 08 or spring 09
·
In addition, we will be assisting in helping implement a Lincoln
theme in the following events listed on back/attached page
o
The
commission within the next few months will be contacting all
organizations who have expressed interest in incorporating a
bicentennial theme to see how we might assist them
o
The
Mayor said that the Bicentennial Commission needs to be present in
some way at every bicentennial year event
·
Other new ideas and projects
o
Paul
B. showed the commission a clock idea that would be indigenous to
Lincoln. The commission encouraged further exploration of that
idea
o
Paul
B. will contact Leigh Henson, who operates a website on Lincoln, IL
to have him update periodically on bicentennial activities
The Commission
also addressed the need to have a cooperative county-wide effort
behind one grant submission to the Illinois Abraham Lincoln
Bicentennial Commission. The application is due November 15. To
that end, two possible projects were discussed. Alice Petrol from
the Oasis discussed her idea to involve the youth, who need to be
made aware of our wonderful heritage in the community. The result
of this could be a publication of the history of our city through
the eyes of our youth. The commission agreed that this was a noble
idea but that it still needed a great deal of work in shaping it to
be ready for a November 15 deadline. The commission applauded her
efforts and invited her to update them as that develops.
Wanda Lee alerted
the commission to a project that the Looking For Lincoln (Logan
County Heritage Foundation) has been working on for several years
for a grant proposal. It will involve the construction of a kiosk
at the courthouse which will provide the means to direct people
throughout an interpretive journey of the county. The attractive
kiosk will identify 30 sites to be marked with signage and
interpretive cell numbers. A brochure which includes maps and GPS
coordinates would be available at a number of locations for site
seers to use in their journey. The commission decided to endorse
this project, and congratulated Wanda Lee and the committee on all
their work so far. Discussion ensued as to whose name would be
listed as the project organization, and thus whom would receive the
grant money if approved. Wanda Lee will check further on that.
The commission
adjourned at 6: 53 PM. The next meeting will be on November 1st
at
5 PM at City
Hall.
[Copied from file received from Ron Keller] |
