Sharron Twining gathered residents of Elida to discuss a potential museum for the village.
Precious Grundy | The Lima News
ELIDA — Residents in the village of Elida met Thursday evening to discuss a potential museum. The historical society of Elida held its second meeting to embrace the idea. Sharron Twining said she went to the Wood County museum where a meeting was held for museums across Ohio. Twining works for the Canal Museum in Delphos. She hopes to bring the same preservation of history to Elida.
Community members discussed creative ways to bring in funding and draw in people to visit the museum.
“I have brochures from museums all over the state of Ohio,” said Twining. The brochures provided information on what the museums showcase and how they draw a crowd. She also said 65 years and older are the number one audience for museums. Twining said the hope was to focus on strategies bringing in the second largest audience for museums, which is millennials.
Twining said she would like to have the old Elida Town Hall. Residents said there are many steps before a building can be obtained, including creating a 501 (c) (3) non-profit.
“I do not live in Elida. I live in Delphos, but I care about this community and I want to see it prosper,” said Twining. “My heart is in Elida.” The organization hopes to continue to meet to designate community members to help with the project.
Elida Mayor Claude Paxton said there has to be interest in the museum in order for the plans to move forward. Paxton also said he will write a letter to residents so they become informed about the potential museum.
According to the organization’s statement of purpose, the hope is to focus on preserving, recalling and reclaiming the history in Elida. Community members like Cleo Kruse reportedly have artifacts that help to display the village’s history.
The organization plans to hold another meeting at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 20, at Elida Town Hall.
For more information, Twining can be reached by email at [email protected] or by phone at 567-712-3035. The group also has an informal Facebook page called Elida History Buffs.
Reach Precious Grundy at 567-242-0351.
