New Lincoln Christmas ornament made available; Abraham Lincoln Statue Committee continues fundraising efforts

[December 10, 2013]  Friday afternoon, JoAnne Marlin, Mary Ellen Martin and Wanda Lee Rohlfs were busy numbering their new arrival of Christmas ornaments and adding the certificates of authenticity to each one.

The ornaments arrived last week and are already on sale at several local businesses.

The ladies explained that the new ornament design is a depiction of the Abraham Lincoln speech on the steps of the Logan County Courthouse on Oct. 16, 1858. The likeness of Abraham Lincoln on this ornament is the same as the Logan County Historical & Genealogical Society hopes to create in a lifesize statue to be erected on the lawn of the Logan County Courthouse next year.

Rohlfs said the ornaments have been made by Desmark, the same company that produced the series of city of Lincoln ornaments. The new ornaments are sized and designed to complement the city ornaments on a tree.

Martin said that was one of the nice things about the ornaments, and so far she's had a few people who have asked for them because they have the full collection and want to keep it going. She also noted that some have asked if the society will continue doing annual ornaments in the future. Right now no specific plans are outlined for that, but the ladies agreed that it might be nice to pick that up as an annual event for the society.

Each of the new ornaments is numbered, comes in a hunter green box and is accompanied by the certificate of authenticity.

The first 30 ornaments have been set aside for those who are buying the miniature bronzes of the statue. Those purchasers will be offered the opportunity to buy an ornament with the same issue number as their statue. Rohlfs said that if the statue owner decides not to purchase an ornament, the number will be put back in the stack to be sold to the general public.

The Christmas ornaments now being offered for sale are just one of several fundraising activities the society is conducting for the statue.

Currently, the committee has sold 12 of the 22-inch bronze miniatures of the statue. Bill Donath was on hand Friday afternoon and said a new shipment of the statues will be in next week. When all of the statues have sold, the net proceeds going toward the project will total about $30,000. It is estimated that the funding needed to erect the statue on the courthouse lawn is $48,000.

Rohlfs said that Ms. Marla Williams' history classes at Northwest School have taken a keen interest in helping raise funds. Their penny drive this fall brought in over $300 for the statue. The classes will also sponsor a "Hiking for History" walking marathon in the early part of next year.

Another fundraiser coming soon will be the sale of postcards depicting the statue. Marlin said the cards will be coming in the near future, and the society has hopes of selling the majority of them at local businesses.

For those who are interested in purchasing the new Lincoln ornament, they are currently available at Beans & Such, MKS Jewelers, Serendipity Stitches, the Logan County treasurer's office, or from the Genealogical Society.

The Logan County Genealogical & Historical Society is located on Chicago Street, across from the train depot. The hours are Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The society also has on display the 22-inch bronze, which is currently being offered. Anyone who is interested in seeing and perhaps purchasing a bronze can stop in at 114 N. Chicago St. during the center's normal business hours.

[By NILA SMITH]