POLAND — The Poland Historical Society met Monday to continue planning efforts for 2026 and the nation’s 250th anniversary. The session included a presentation from Poland Village Mayor Tim Sicafuse regarding a proposed McKinley statue.

The statue, according to Sicafuse, would be around 8-1/2 feet tall and would be mounted on a pedestal. The finished piece would be located on Village Hall property.

The statue would be one-of-a-kind as McKinley statues located in other communities depict him as president. The proposed statue for Poland would show him as a young man when he lived in the village.

“Maybe I am being a little optimistic,” Sicafuse said, “but I think we can easily raise the $100,000 needed for the statue.”

He said local artist Tom Antonishak has already begun work on the statue. Once it is completed it will be shipped off to a foundry in Colorado where it will be finished off in bronze.

He said the idea came from former Village Councilman Dr. Anthony Lattanzio, who received the thumbs up from present council members.

Sicafuse added the finished art piece from Antonishak would take about eight months in Colorado to complete. He said if it could be done in time, it could be ready to be placed and dedicated in late 2026 as another part of the 250th celebration.

Checks in support of the statue project can be made payable to Celebrate Poland and can be mailed to P.O. Box 5186, Poland, OH 44514. Checks should include the words McKinley statue in the memo line.

Following the mayor’s presentation, Society President Laurie Fox ran through plans for 2026. She said all the plans are tentative at this point and she would need people to step up and help pull off the events for America 250 in Poland.

The calendar started with a January program that included a possible Poland High School McKinley tribute. A second possible program for February involved a presentation about Poland’s historic businesses and transportation.

“In March we are looking at an indoor movie event at the library,” Fox said. “The library is OK with this, but we need to find age appropriate movies.”

The project for April will focus on planting trees at each Poland school and in parks. Fox added she would like to see a tree planted at the Little Red Schoolhouse as well.

A May suggestion was to hold a walk on the bluebell trail in Poland Forest, but some believed April would be more appropriate as that is when the bluebells are expected to bloom. The walk would include a history of the forest through story boards posted along the trail.

In June, the 250th Celebration would play a role in Celebrate Poland. Fox said the idea was to participate in the parade and to have a display at the event on the Village Green. Other ideas are for re-enactments and walking tours.

July was left blank, but committee member Mary Jan Perdulla made a suggestion.

“I suggest having a patriotic concert,” she said. “I will check on it.”

For August, a community picnic was planned for Poland Township Park. The event could include a re-enactment such as the Town 1-Range 1 surveyors who laid out the land known as Poland Township.

In September, the celebration will include the Poland Tour of Homes of which there are six homes on next year’s list. Fox said the Poland 250th celebration also will include the nationwide ringing of bells at 4 p.m. on Sept. 17. This commemorates the signing of the U.S. Constitution.

“We are working to get the churches on board and the Village clock tower bells,” Fox said. “We will be part of the nationwide Bells Across America on that day.”

For October, Fox said the idea is to focus on agriculture and the original farms in Poland. An event would take place at Countryside Farm.

November’s focus would be on veterans, first responders, and front line heroes. Part of the focus would include wreaths across America.

“We have 14 Revolutionary War soldiers buried in our cemetery (Riverside Cemetery),” said committee member Dave Smith. “I suggest holding our own ceremony, but we would have to buy the wreaths.”

For the final month of December, a time capsule was suggested that would include artwork and memorabilia. The time capsule would be opened in 2076 during the nation’s 300th anniversary.

“The time capsule will be a nice ending to the year,” Fox said.

All the ideas were seen as favorable, but Fox said more needs to be done.

“We need a budget,” she said. “I would like to get figures for the various events so we can put together a working budget.”

She said all the proposed events will need people to help. Fox said she does have a long list of volunteers who said they would pitch in.

Poland Township and Village are two of the four local communities that are officially part of America 250. Youngstown and Columbiana are the other two communities set to take part in the national celebration next year.

While the planning will continue for the Poland committee, the Poland Historical Society also will focus on a historic bus trip planned for Dec. 9, 2025. The trip will leave the Poland Methodist Church parking lot at noon and will head to Akron with stops planned at the Perkins Stone Mansion, the John Brown House, dinner at Papa Joe’s Restaurant, and a final stop at Stan Hywet Hall, the historic home of F.A. Seiberling, co-founder of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. The bus will return to Poland around 8 p.m. The cost is $135 and checks can be made out to the Poland Historical Society and sent to 133 Diana Drive, Poland, OH 44514. For more information, call Larry Bartos at 330-757-4223.