NOTES FROM MENARD COUNTY MEETING OF FEBRUARY 12, 2007

The purpose of the group is to plan Menard County's activities to celebrate the bicentennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth. Activities will begin in 2008 and continue into 2009, the bicentennial year.
This will be a cross-organization group, similar to a coordinating committee.
Jim Reed will chair it.
Information such as projects and contacts will be posted on the MenardIL website.
Jim will use the sign-in sheet to establish an e-mail list so people can share ideas.
Kay Smith is the IL Bicentennial Cmte chair; we will link with her activities.
Next meeting: Wednesday, April 25 @ 6:30 PM. Jim to confirm location.

We will look at three general groups of possibilities:

1. Current activities that can incorporate the bicentennial
2. New activities organized specifically for the bicentennial
3. Legacy activities....new ones that can become permanent, ongoing

(People who volunteered to follow up on obtaining more information on specific items are noted below)

Current activities in which to incorporate the bicentennial theme in 2009:

• The Menard County Fair
• Petersburg Harvest Fest (perhaps rename to Lincoln Fest for 2009)
• Athens Heritage Days
• Greenview Labor Day

Ideas for new activities, some of which could become legacy or ongoing activities:              

• Menard County Anthology, based on Spoon River Anthology (school project)
• Student-written and acted plays about Lincoln era (to involve history, English, art, etc. classes)
• Student-written plays about the histories of various Menard towns.
• Students or other groups to do an inventory and write up places nominated for recognition because of their association with Lincoln
• Teacher workshop on Menard County History (to encourage student involvement) Note: the Tri-State Commission should have a standard packet for teachers to use with K-12
• Dress up Lincoln cut-outs and put in local business window; contest? (Dave L and Edie S)
• Plant white oak seedlings from tree at Lincoln's Tomb (Guy S)
• The County's stop light...Lincoln top hat or other symbol?(Diane K/IDOT)
• Organize another New Salem Descendents' Reunion or something similar
• Pride in Menard County type of promotion to encourage people to clean up the County for the 2009 visitors
• Mementos...cups with Menard/Lincoln facts; Mr. Lincoln's lemonABE stand; tasteful T-shirts
• Incorporate a unifying element on various signage and plaques, etc used by County groups

Potential legacy activities:

• Antique lighting in Petersburg, from Lodge to Route 123 and around Courthouse (Diane K)
• "Uncovering" the Athens survey point and some others on public property (Tony)
• Meet Mr. Lincoln's Friends...cemetery tours, group or self-guided (Earl P)
• Schools/students...specifics to be identified (Ann G)
• A Menard County map drawn to show various Lincoln points of interest color coded by cemetery, survey points, etc.

Miscellaneous...things to do; ideas:

• Develop a general calendar of dates in Lincoln's life and plan an event during each month
• Develop a calendar specific to the chronology of Lincoln's life in Menard County and select events to commemorate
• Have a "big deal" event during good weather time of year
• See if there are plans to "Float the Boat" in 2009
• Power Farm...think of ways to incorporate it into plans
• Look for companies and other funding underwriters
• Find ways to involve PORTA Problem Solvers
• Identify things that are unique to Menard County and see if there are ways to capitalize on them