victoriavm Activities & Events, Fundraiser, Griffith Depot and Historical Park, Griffith Historical Society, Support the History Museums, Parks, & Rail-Cam, Volunteer

Standing Committees (Ways You Can Volunteer!)

We are always up to something at the Historical Society. We are constantly looking for ways to keep up our efforts to preserve Griffith’s historical records and stories, and publicize and fundraise for our efforts!

These are our standing committees, for which we ALWAYS accept new volunteer help!
Please contact us at [email protected] or come to a monthy meeting, if you’d like to volunteer!

STANDING COMMITTEES : Functions and responsibilities (see current By-laws for additional information)
1. Audit: on-going and year-end audit of financial records. Real time auditing of on-going operations vs. strategic planning to offer recommendations to Board of Directors
2. Railroad Depot Curator: plans and develop programs, displays and plans for public access to the Historical Park and Depot to share the stories of Griffiths Heritage. Monitors and keeps records of museum assets.
3. Franklin Museum Curator: plans and develop programs, displays and plans for public access to the Franklin Museum to share the stories of Griffiths Heritage. Monitors and keeps records of museum assets.
4. Newsletter: collects and creates information about the GHS to plan for and publish a membership Newsletter. Goal to publish three times per year โ€“ Mar, Jul and November
5. Programs: Plans for other special programs for both museums, Depot & Franklin in coordination with other Historical Societies
6. By-Laws: provides year-end and on-going review of all Bylaw Articles for required timely updates and republishing if and as required
7. Ways & Means: coordinates development of new fundraising programs to support GHS operations and its projects, programs & event priorities.
8. Special Event Chairpersons
a. Raffle Sales: 50/50 Super 7 yearly raffle
b. Rock & Rail Fest (Aug)
c. Annual Meeting / Dinner (Nov)
d. Santa in The Caboose (Dec)
e. Oral History Project / Golden Senior Interviews
9. Barrel Train Coordinator: (Mar โ€“ Oct) Plans and coordinates operations and continued maintenance of the GHS Barrel train amusement ride.
10. Merchandise / Purchasing Agent: Plans for on-going purchases or expenses required. Tracks completion and reports to Treasury
11. Maintenance: Plans and Coordinates all Park, Museum, RR & other equipment maintenance, repairs & upgrades. Reports schedule and plans to BOD monthly.
12. Publicity / Communications: Plans for and coordinates all local, area and Social Media Communications, Plans, projects and programs to inform and promote the public about the Operation and activities of GHS to โ€œPreserve and Share the Stories of Griffithโ€™s Heritage..
13. Nominating Committee: Committee and Chairman appointed by Sept.1 by President. Solicit and recommend candidates for all Officers and open Director positions of the Society by November 1, 2024
14. Strategic Planning: Provides assistance in the development coordination, facilitation and integration of strategic planning into active and on-going operations of the GHS and its Officers, directors and member

victoriavm Griffith Depot and Historical Park, Monarch Waystation, Support the History Museums, Parks, & Rail-Cam

Monarch Waystation:๐Ÿš‰Griffith Junction Butterfly Stop! ๐Ÿฆ‹

Introducing our new Monarch Waystation:
๐Ÿš‰Griffith Junction Butterfly Stop! ๐Ÿฆ‹

We are so grateful to the Lake County Master Gardeners for the financial support and to the Griffith Tri Kappa members for creating and maintaining this absolutely lovely and meaningful addition to our Historical Park, which not only beautifies our park for us and our human visitors, but for an amazing array of pollinators and other winged visitors!

Whether you’re biking or driving by, stop by the Griffith Historical Park to have a seat in the shade, play a game of checkers, and watch the trains and butterflies!

lbkulinski Depot & Train Museums, Griffith Depot and Historical Park, Griffith Historical Society

Our Little โ€˜Work Carโ€™ Has Come Home

A year ago last summer, the proud Chesapeake & Ohio Inspection Car, shown below in its honored place next to our Depot Museum, lay in pieces. Taken apart several years before by a long-time member, it had been cannibalized and left to rust away.

We feared the car would remain that way, none of us having the expertise to put it back together. Nor did the Society have the money to pay to have it done, or even know if it could be done. Enter Perry and Kevin Frye.

Father and son Inspection Car enthusiasts, with a passion for restoring them, the men volunteered to bring our little car back to life. And, they would charge us only for parts they couldnโ€™t donate to us, or arrange for others to do the donating.

Mid-summer 2021, the battered, bare-bones skeleton of our little car, was taken away by Perry Frye, along with a heap of random parts that were still left.

The photo shows the shape our car was in when Perry, right, came to pick it up from the town garage where it had been stored for us.

The Fryes couldnโ€™t give us a date when the car would be ready. All they could do was promise that they would bring back the car looking as good as in the first photo above, if not better. They did keep us posted as they worked with photos and updates as to what had been done.

Imagine our surprise, when in mid-January, Perry informed us our car was finished. He brought it to us on January 16th, after stopping offย at Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum to actually run the car on the tracks, see photo below. At our site, the car must be a static display.

Perry and Kevin gave us the best gift ever as the Griffith Historical Society celebrates our 40th anniversary this year โ€” they restored our Inspection Car to better shape than it was before. It now has front and back working lights, which were not on the car when it was donated some 40 years ago.

The car also has small brooms attached to the wheels to sweep offย the rails while moving along, which was unknown to us. A broom is visible in the upright position on the left side of the car in the picture below.

For now the car will be kept offย display until we can find a way to exhibit it without it being constantly exposed to the elements. However, we will be showing it offย in the Griffith 4th of July Parade, and it will be on display at the Griffith Historical Societyโ€™s 40th Anniversary event up at the Depot, where it all began for us.

Watch our website for more information about the Anniversary event, which will, of course, include having the Depot, railcars and the Tower open to the public. Also on hand will be our Hess Express barrel train, among other fun things.

L to r, rear, Griffith Historical Society President Nancy Stout and Secretary Karen Kulinski.
L to r, front, Directors Marthann Gatlin and Debby Hoot.

All of us at the Society will be forever grateful to Perry and Kevin Frye! Our beloved little car came home all in one piece for our 40th anniversary.