CACC President Dan Moore discusses future plans
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Chrisman Area Community Club President Dan Moore with Sadie
A few years ago, a club was put together to make the city of Chrisman stand out from the others. Gazebos were built and painted as well as little projects to spruce up the town. The group was called the Chrisman Enhancers.
Though the group didn’t last very long, soon after it ended, the Chrisman Area Community Club was formed. The club has seen a number of Presidents, but for the last two years, Dan Moore has served as the club President after the former, Jeff Voigt, stepped down.
“He was involved in so many other things,” Moore said. “He did a good job.”
Moore graduated from Chrisman High School in 1970, then from Danville Area Community College in 1972 and began working with the Edgar County Sheriff’s Department as a dispatcher and then as a road deputy on the weekends.
Dan, along with his wife Marilyn who married in 1978, also owned a little restaurant on the square called ‘Just A Little More’. In 1974, Dan received his Bachelor’s in Teaching and graduated from Indiana State University with an Administrative Degree in 1990 and served on the Chrisman City Council in 1991.
“I taught school in Ridge Farm and Chrisman for seventeen years, then became Principal for another seventeen years,” Moore said.
Along with serving as President of the CACC, Moore also sits on the cemetery board for Woodland Cemetery.
The Chrisman Area Community Club hosts many events in the community. Two pancake and sausage breakfasts are held each year. One in the spring for the annual Spring Fling and one in the fall for Chrisman Days.
In December, the club also has a chili supper and a lighted Christmas Parade.
The club also takes care of the ‘Welcome to Chrisman’ signs, plants flowers around the square and gives out three $500 scholarships.
“Some are two years and some are one year,” Moore told us. “No criteria, just to be a resident of Chrisman and graduate of Chrisman High School. We also give money to different school organizations. Basically, we’re here to support the community.”
New residents that move into town are given a ‘Welcome to Chrisman’ gift basket when they go to the city building to have their water turned on.
“We have a list of businesses, little freebies to get them familiar with what clubs and churches are in town.”
Moore believes that there are many things in Chrisman that can be changed. There are many people in town that keep up with their yard work, but others have let it go. This has caused the town to look a bit run down, especially with all the empty houses that are falling down. People throwing trash into the street has also become an issue.
Moore has stated numerous times that as he went up town to water the flowers around the gazebo, the kids playing basketball weren’t using the best language.
“The little kids don’t need to listen to it and older people are offended by that,” Moore said. “The little kids can’t use the park because of the language. I just wish they would pick up their trash when they’re done playing basketball. There’s not much to do in town. Keep it clean.”
Currently, eighteen street lights are out and the CACC has also requested that the lights around the square be changed from the sodium lights to the LED lights to better enhance the square when the car show takes place. Dark areas in town also pose uneasiness for the women who walk around town early in the morning.
Next year, the city of Chrisman will celebrate its 150th birthday. With such a big celebration, the Chrisman Area Community Club has already began planning the event.
“We’ve got a committee together right now, then we’re going to break it down into different committees,” Moore said.
The plan is to have a carnival theme with carnival activities in City Park. The celebration will have the same events as previous Chrisman Days celebrations, but with a few new attractions. Though they are all tentative, the events may include a ‘Little Miss Chrisman and Little Mr. Chrisman’ and a basket dinner after Sunday service. Instead of the Friday-Sunday celebrations, it would begin on a Thursday.
For this year’s Chrisman Days, which is quickly approaching, the event will have the usual attractions. Added will be a petting zoo and face painting.
“We want more things for the kids,” Moore said.
With the forty members in the Chrisman Area Community Club, there’s no doubt that the celebrations and the town will continue to be great.
