Pana Pioneer Heritage Guild met January 11

PANA — The Pana Pioneer Heritage Guild met on January 11 at the Pana Industrial Park office of Keith Cearlock. Co-Chairman Gerald Rector conducted the meeting with a guest, Bert Crowe, becoming a new member. Malinda McClure made a reminder to the membership that the guild must have one-year and five-year plans in order to complete an unspecified grant application. Rector stated that the planned project for building a brick kiln for outdoor cooking at the village inside the Pana Tri-County Fairgrounds is on the back burner. A cemetery walk proposal was made three years ago. It is still in consideration for Coal Creek Cemetery in Oconee Township. Many of Pana’s and local area early settlers are buried at that cemetery. Further details are unknown. Plans for a community garden were discussed following information on how to successfully complete the project given at the December meeting.

Pana PHG new business

Cearlock reported changes to the guild’s website. He reports 420 people following the page with 103 checking in. 220 are signing up for the Coal Creek Village’s restoration project. Donation buttons will be on the website at a later date. Village use rules were discussed and reviewed. Changes to these rules will be pending approval at the February meeting. Cearlock also discussed a membership drive during the month of February. A recommendation was made to form a subcommittee to accomplish that. A discussion for children’s activities at the village was had. Some ideas include old-time games and making period-appropriate crafts. Another idea was a petting zoo, hoping to involve the area 4-H clubs, the Pana chapter of the Future Farmers of America, and the local Boy Scouts troop. The next meeting will be on February 14 at Cearlock’s office.