Nokomis Historical Society hosts May meeting

May 21, 2024 74

NOKOMIS — The Nokomis Historical Society met on Tuesday, May 14 in the Nokomis Township Public Library archive room with President JoAnn Keele and Secretary Jake Leonard present. Other attendees include Bill Bolte, Lou Ann Bolte, Michael Glenn, and Dylan Goldsmith.

April 2024 summary

In a summary of unrecorded events from the April meeting, attendees discussed fundraising efforts, grants the historical society could apply for, and working to establish the board for the Nokomis Historical Society.

Having previously served on the board in the organization’s previous tenures, Keele volunteered herself as President. The motion was approved without objection.

Michael Glenn nominated Jake Leonard for secretary. The motion was also approved without objection.

May 2024 minutes

Several show-and-tell items were presented during the meeting. The Boltes brought in a yesteryear book of Nokomis and a picture album full of postcards of many buildings in and around Nokomis. Keele brought in an old bourbon jug and an old bourbon jug given to an area bar owner named John Tammen dating back to the early 20^th century.

There was a discussion on the yesteryear book, published by a company on the East Coast. If the original files from the initial publication are still available, the publication of the book in limited runs could be considered as a potential fundraising source for the historical society.

Keele currently has a large queue of archives that were donated by the children of the late Ken Wiseman. There were discussions regarding further archival options, as Keele would someday like them to be safely secured somewhere. In the meantime, they may need to be added to the archive room at some point.

Keele will look into inviting Jeff Dunn to the next meeting to look at reproducing some of the photos.

Leonard reported on an ongoing project that started late last month with the Illinois ASA (IASA) and USA Softball Hall of Fame in Casey. The Nokomis Bud Light team became a Hall of Fame inductee in the museum in 2012, but the focus of the project focuses on Nokomis-area players who may have played in the IASA (or predecessor leagues) in the 1970s to 1990s predating the Nokomis Bud Light team.

With no further business, the meeting adjourned at 2:03 p.m. with the next meeting set for Tuesday, June 11, at 1 p.m. in the library archive room.

The Nokomis Historical Society is seeking volunteers to step up for the current vacancies for Vice President and Treasurer.

Jake Leonard is the recording secretary for the Nokomis Historical Society.

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Jake Leonard

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Jake Leonard, a broadcast media and journalism veteran, is the editor-in-chief of Heartland Newsfeed. Leonard is also GM and program director of Heartland Newsfeed Radio Network, wrestling editor and contributing writer for Ambush Sports, a contributing writer for My Sports Vote and Midwest Sports Network, and a former contributor to Bleacher Report and Overtime Heroics. He resides at home in Nokomis, Ill. with his dog Buster.