Monday, March 28, 2011
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Civil War re-enactor Doug Babyak is a member of the planning committee coordinating quarterly events sponsored by the Sutliffe Museum in Warren that will commemorate the Civil War. The first event in the series will be April 12 at the Eastwood Mall Complex. Here Babyak, of Hartford, displays flags from the war.
NILES
Eastwood Mall Complex will be the site of a Civil War commemoration from 2 to 6 p.m. April 12.
The Sutliffe Museum CW 150 Committee sponsors the event, which will feature five areas of interest. Each area will display timely artifacts with informed volunteers.
The five areas follow: the national election of 1860, the attack on Fort Sumter, a mock enlistment table, a showing of uniforms by type of service and a display of commemorative postage stamps.
President Abraham Lincoln, portrayed by Jerry Payne, and William McKinley, played by Mike Wilson, will give informative speeches. Times for their talks will be announced later.
Boy Scout Troop 101 from Howland will present the colors, and volunteers in costume will guide visitors to the activity area in the Eastwood Mall Center Court.
A free, informative, locally produced brochure on the Civil War, titled “Preamble to the Civil War, A public Commemoration” will be offered to all visitors as a keepsake.
The event will be the first in a series of quarterly events that will be presented over the course of the four-year commemoration of the war.
The planning committee comprises Sally Thomas, chairwoman; Rachel Doddato, Americorp coordinator; Wendell Lauth; Lynn Griffith Jr.; Gina Boder; Carole Babyak; Doug Babyak; Harry Schoger; Larry Hardman; Ray Vanderpool; Bruce Birrell; Alex Bobersky; Roger Juntunen; Hugh Mullen; Jan Rice; and Bruce Thomas. Other supporting volunteers are Sue Kindelburger, Stephanie Sferra, Eileen Patrone; Ron Heames and Emily Love.
According to Lauth, a noted Trumbull County historian, “Trumbull County men participated in major military operations in practically every sector where Union forces fought.”
Students and their parents are urged to attend this event and the entire four-year series to commemorate and learn about what life was like during that time and about those on both sides who participated in the Civil War.
The CW 150 Committee has a particular interest in Civil War activity associated with Trumbull County residents. Anyone who has special knowledge, artifacts or oral history may want to share that information with a volunteer at the April 12 event. Write your name and phone number on a 3-inch-by-5-inch card with a few words about your special knowledge and give it to one of the volunteers.