The Route 66 Association of Illinois motto is to promote, preserve, educate, and enjoy 66! As the New Year approaches, the Board of Directors looks forward to expanding our Association membership, a newer, updated website, our Hall of Fame and Museum even better than before, and to become better stewards of the Illinois portion of the Mother Road.
The City of Pontiac, aided by a sizeable donation from the Humiston and Floyd and Alta Byrne trusts, will begin construction of an elevator that will enable visitors to enjoy both the Livingston County War Museum and to enjoy the use of the second floor of the Hall of Fame and Museum.
The City has also added to the Museum by developing the back wall into the “world’s largest” Route 66 shield and a photo opportunity that is being enjoyed by all our visitors. Everyone can be a star simply by mailing a photo of yourself or you and your family or friends in front of the shield to the museum for posting!
Please check our website often for information regarding meeting dates and committee meetings including Preservation! Our webmaster, Scott, is working on making our website more informative, and it will include our Association’s history as well!
Our Association will be taking the quarterly meetings back on the road in 2008. The January 20th meeting is in Pontiac, the April 20th meeting will be in Hamel. The July 20th meeting is in Joliet, and the October 19th meeting (and elections) will be held in Bloomington. I ask everyone who will be attending any or all of these meetings to please bring a canned good or shelf stable product for the food pantry in that community. We need to help the road and the communities along the road in every way we can.
We will be returning to the format of having a board meeting in the morning, a short general meeting following a lunch break, and then an informative, educational program or field trip after the general meeting. The January meeting in Pontiac will be a Board meeting, a break for lunch on your own, then a short General Meeting followed by a “field trip” on Pontiac’s famous trolley to see the sites and history of the Pontiac area.
The 2008 Motor Tour dates will be June 6th, 7th, and 8th. We moved the Motor Tour from the traditional 2nd full weekend in June to the prior weekend due to Father’s Day. This year our tour will go from south to north. Our Board of Directors and many volunteers have met to start planning our 19th annual Motor Tour. If you’d like to help, email your country rep or any of the officers or at-large reps for further info, and check the website for the times and dates of the upcoming meetings. All members are welcome to help.
Your feedback, insight, and suggestions will help our Association grow.
I look forward to hearing from you!
Cathie Stevanovich
President, Route 66 Association of Illinois