Jan Gluth, Director of Student, Staff, & Community Development for the Port Clinton City School District, has been elected to the Catawba Island Historical Society (CIHS) Board of Trustees. She joins nine area leaders in overseeing one of the area’s newest cultural assets, Catawba Museum at Union Chapel, which was opened by the Historical Society in 2018.

David Wonnell, the CIHS Board member with responsibility for identifying and enlisting qualified candidates for trustee positions, said that “One of the Society’s strategic objectives is stimulating greater interest in history among young people. Port Clinton City School District is already working in this direction and Jan will be helping us meld our efforts with theirs to create and take advantage of potential synergies.”

Visitors to the Catawba Museum are typically greeted by trained volunteer guides called docents. Last year, there were 15 men and women who manned the reception desk, answered questions, and often walked visitors through the Museum’s exhibits offering supplemental explanations and anecdotes. In 2020, with guidance from Gluth, a Youth Docent Program will be established for high school students who want to learn about and share local history with others.

“Jan also has an excellent working knowledge of social media channels we should be using to get the word out about what the Historical Society has to offer at both the Museum and through its cultural speakers program,” said Wonnell. “We want to expand our dialogue with the community by effectively using all the cyber tools that are out there. She not only knows what they are, but how and when to put them in play.”

Prior to joining the Port Clinton City School District in 2001, Gluth served as Administrator of The Commons of Providence in Sandusky. She is a Board Member of Main Street Port Clinton, committee member at the OSS Solid Waste District, and past president of both the Port Clinton Women’s Club and Ottawa County Ohio State University Alumni Association.

“I am particularly pleased to use my other volunteer experiences in a capacity that can help balance the changes in our future while celebrating our past,” she said. “I appreciate the rich history of the area and believe it is worth sharing with young and old alike. My initial focus with the Historical Society will be on the former, and I couldn’t be happier with the opportunity.”

Catawba Museum at Union Chapel is currently scheduled to open for 2020 on May 16, but could be delayed based on Coronavirus guidelines. There is no charge for admission. Its cost of operation is primarily underwritten by membership dues paid to the Historical Society. Two levels of annual membership are available; the Historian at $25 and the Curator at $100 per year. A lifetime subscription to the Society’s Council of Nabagon is also available for a one time investment of $1,000.

A search is also currently underway for additional participants in the Historical Society’s Adult Docent program. More information can be obtained by calling 419 967 5363 or on the web at www.catawbaislandhistoricalsociety.com.