DECATUR - The 2008 Easter Seals Central Illinois City of Decatur Ornament of Hope commemorates the Abraham Lincoln statue on the Millikin University campus.

Engraved with "At twenty-one Icame to Illinois," it's the 19th in a series of limited edition collectibles. Since 1990, Easter Seals has partnered with the Greater Decatur Chamber of Commerce to feature historical and well-known landmarks.

One thousand of the ornaments, in 24K gold over brass, are available for a $15 donation at Kirlin's Hallmark locations on North Water Street and in Hickory Point Mall, Forsyth; at Haines & Essick downtown and at the Easter Seals office, 2715 N. 27th St. It comes packaged in a white velvet case, ready for mailing.

Unveiled by Larry Foster of the Decatur City Council and Gary Birschbach, chairman of the Easter Seals board of directors, in a Wednesday morning ceremony in front of the statue, the ornament was designed by Michael Bryant of Decatur, president of Gallery 510 and an art teacher at Meridian Middle School in Blue Mound. Birschbach proclaimed the ornament as "the best yet."

Doug Zemke, Millikin president, provided historical facts about the statue:

n Lincoln joined the family's move to Macon County in the spring of 1830 when he was 21 years old.

n Attorney Thomas W. Samuels was the driving force behind procuring the monument to Lincoln, securing a $25,000 state appropriation in 1947.

n The sculptor, Fred Torrey of Chicago, made two models of the Lincoln statue, one seated and one standing. The public was asked to vote on the favorite, and the seated model won.

n J. Walter Malone, then-president of Millikin, suggested the Millikin campus as the site.

n The statue was placed in front of Schilling Hall, facing West Main Street, visible to travelers between Decatur and Springfield. The statue was unveiled Oct. 24, 1948.

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