The Seymour Museum Center is at 220 N. Chestnut St. in downtown Seymour.
Tribune file photo
Seymour Museum Center President Lenny Hauersperger recently announced the center will host a gala that will include several unveilings.
Opening Night, Let’s Make History…Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow is set for 7 to 9 p.m. Aug. 5 at the center, 220 N. Chestnut St., Seymour.
The evening will include the unveiling of two historic restored museum acquisitions, the Shields Park soldier statue and the restored Meedy and Eliza Shields portraits. The second floor, known as the Railroad Room, will be open, and the Welch antique telephone collection will be on display along with other local historic areas.
Linda McCoy’s family will be awarded the first Meedy and Eliza Shields Founders Award recipient in honor of her support prior to her death. Also, recognition of donors, grantees and other museum supporters will be included in the opening.
The evening will highlight the museum’s importance to the community when built in 1915 as the federal post office and today as the cornerstone of the north historic downtown corridor, drawing visitors and locals to learn more about the distinct Seymour history. The celebration salutes the work of volunteers and organizations that have made the restoration of the building and the opening of the museum a reality.
The emcee will be Bud Shippee, recently inducted into the Indiana Sportswriters and Sportscasters Hall of Fame and the voice of the Owls for more than 44 years.
Entertainment will be provided by Ellen Olmstead, Dwight Hendrix and his band, a disc jockey and Dr. David Hartung in the food tent following the opening. A cash bar also will be available.
Local businesses are stepping up to offer support and donations to make the evening one filled with remembrances of times and events that have and will continue to shape Seymour’s history.
Tickets for the evening are available at the Jackson County Visitor Center in Seymour (credit cards accepted) and Artistic Impressions in Seymour (cash or check only). The cost of the tickets is $100 for one person or $175 for a couple. Only 200 tickets are available.
Sponsorships that will be included in the event program booklet are:
$250 to $499, eighth-page ad and two seats
$500 to $999, quarter-page ad and two tickets
$1,000 to $2,499, quarter-page ad and four tickets
$2,500 to $4,999, half-page ad and eight tickets
$5,000, one-page ad and 16 tickets
Anyone interested in becoming a sponsor or having questions about the event should contact Bob Kamman at 812-216-1500 or Hauersperger at 812-530-9272.
Erik Zakrzewski is serving as chairman of the Opening Night committee. Members of the committee are Georgiann Coons, Lan Pham, Mae Krumme, Amy Steitz, Charlene Farrow, Len Hauersperger, Bob Kamman, Sharon Kamman, Brittany Percival and Ruth Ann Rebber.