PRESS RELEASE
February 16, 2008
MCHS Alumni Memorial Committee
The 2nd meeting of the MCHS Alumni Memorial
Committee was held on this date at the home of Wayne and
Norma Prichard. Those in attendance were: Chairperson,
Jack Koger; Wayne and Norma Prichard; Cecil and Elaine
Walker; Barbara Gilreath, Sam Perry; Ted Baker; Mike Baker;
Nell Koger and Anne Duncan-Withrow.
Minutes of the January 19, 2008 meeting were approved as
written.
The following Agenda items were discussed:
LOCATION
Report
regarding possible placement sites of the monument.
Ted
Baker
reported that he is still working on a list of sites for
consideration. He will keep the committee advised as those
discussions develop.
ALUMNI LIST AND
LETTER
Jack Koger presented, for committee approval, the official
letter to alumni composed by Sam Perry. The letter is
designed to fill each and every person who ever attended
McCreary County High School with nostalgia and enthusiasm
for the project. The committee agreed that the letter was
exceptionally well written and a tremendous step forward in
our effort to make this dream a reality.
Motion by Ted Baker – seconded by Wayne Prichard, to accept
the letter as written. Motion carried unanimously.
The letter will be prepared for distribution. It is our
hope, through this letter, we will be able to determine just
how much interest and enthusiasm can be generated for this
worthwhile project. We are not asking for donations at this
time, just an expression of interest. The first mailing
will be targeted to members of the Class of ’57 inasmuch as,
at this time, they are the lead group on the project. The
letter has been e-mailed to all those for whom we have
e-mail addresses. In addition, the letter will become an
official part of the minutes for this date and be posted on
the MCHS website @
http://www.mcmemorial.org
The letter has been forwarded to all local media for
publication
OTHER BUSINESS
Committee Expenses
Jack
Koger
suggested a donation by the committee as a start-up fund to
pay for expenses incurred such as postage, etc. $135 was
collected and Barbara Gilreath and Elaine Walker will
establish an account at Bank of McCreary County.
Special MCHS
Memorial Committee Meeting
It was suggested that inasmuch as Memorial Day Weekend
brings a lot of out-of-town people back to the county, it
would be a good idea to hold a special meeting in the hope
of drawing those folks into our project. This is an
excellent idea and Saturday, May 24, at 2:00 P.M. was chosen
as the date and time. Place will be determined and a
meeting notice and contact phone number will be published
with our local media
Legal Advice
We are
in need of legal counsel and would welcome a volunteer for
this service.
Next Meeting
The next
regularly scheduled meeting will be held at 6:00 P.M. on
Saturday, March 8, 2008 at the home of Wayne and Norma
Prichard.
Adjournment
There being no further business for discussion, the meeting
adjourned.
Press Release
For Immediate Release Monday, January 21, 2008
Whitley City, Kentucky
McCreary County High School (MCHS) Alumni Memorial committee
formed
At the 50th Reunion of the Class of ’57, an idea was
discussed to create a lasting memory for teachers and alumni
members of the McCreary County High School. The building is
sadly in an extremely deteriorated condition and, very
likely, its presence will fail to exist in the near future.
The property is currently privately owned by Rev. Braxton
King. Alumni Tom Clark has established an informational
MCHS website to visit at http://www.crosskit.com/class57
The first meeting was held on January 19th the home of Wayne
and Norma Prichard. Those in attendance were: Jack Koger;
Wayne & Norma Prichard; Cecil and Elaine Walker; Ted Baker;
Shirley Bryant; Anne Duncan; and Tom Clark via WebCam.
The meeting was basically a brainstorming session to
establish the formation of a committee and discuss ways and
ideas to proceed with establishment of a McCreary Alumni
Memorial. The following items were discussed:
Project Title
By a unanimous vote it was agreed that the project be called
The MCHS Alumni Memorial
Placement of the Monument
Jack Koger stated that Doug Stephens has spoken with
co-owner Monica King and obtained verbal permission to
construct the monument on the grounds of the high school
building. It was determined by the committee that before
proceeding with actual construction at any site selected,
written approval must first be obtained before expending any
monies.
Other possible sites discussed were:
McCreary Central grounds.
Courthouse lawn.
McCreary Bank Park on Main St. in Whitley City,
The new McCreary County Park currently under
construction.
A brick replica of the old McCreary Co. High School building
was suggested. A search will be done by the committee
members to obtain an acceptable photograph for possible use
in the preparation of a drawing.
A drawing and specifications must be prepared to determine
size, cost estimate and for presentation to various
officials and/or property owners for their review and
approval. It was suggested that Jack Koger contact
Ruthann Murphy Pratt to determine if possibly she could do
the drawing.
Construction Material
Wayne Prichard suggested it would be neat to use the old
brick and stone from the building. He also suggested that,
for a fee, alumni could have their name engraved in a brick.
Jack Koger stated that Doug Stephens also indicated that
Monica King had given verbal approval for our reuse of the
old brick.
Cecil Walker suggested that, quite possibly, the old brick
could contain asbestos dust. EPA would need to be contacted
for a ruling on its reuse. This is definitely an issue for
further discussion.
All committee members agreed that brick would be the
preferred material of choice for the memorial.
Project Funding
Committee discussion for funding possibilities include:
Purchase by alumni, for engraving, of brick used in
construction. This would be open to all past students of
McCreary High regardless of whether or not they graduated.
It would also be open to family members of deceased alumni
who wish to purchase bricks in memory of their loved ones.
If approved by EPA, old brick could also be sold to alumni
for personal use as mementos.
Of course, donations in any denomination will be solicited.
Just how and when procurement of funds will begin is a topic
for future discussion.
Jack Koger indicated that Barbara Gilreath has generously
volunteered to establish and manage an account at the
McCreary Bank for these funds when we are ready to proceed
with this aspect of the project.
Alumni Contact List
Compiling a list and mailing addresses of the McCreary
alumni will be a major project. During his visit to the
School Board regarding construction of this memorial, Cecil
Walker will also discuss with them whether they have any of
these records and can they be obtained. Committee members
of various MCHS Reunions can be contacted for their
respective list. Other potential sources will be discussed.
Establishment of Officers/Committee
Members
Chairperson: Jack Koger
Treasurer: Barbara Gilreath
Recording Secretary: Anne Duncan Withrow
Committee Members: Ted Baker
Shirley Bryant
Webmaster Tom Clark
Norma Prichard
Wayne Prichard
Elaine Walker
Cecil Walker
These nominations were approved by all in attendance.
Committee Meetings
The committee agreed that meetings will be held monthly.
The next scheduled meeting will be held at 6:00 P.M. on
Saturday, February 16, at the home of Wayne & Norma. This
is subject to change based upon the determination of a
larger attendance.