The 2008 City of Springfield Ornament, released by St. Joseph’s Home in Springfield, honors the 200th birthday of President Abraham Lincoln.

St. Joseph's Home of Springfield now has its official City of Springfield Ornament for 2008 available for sale. The 16th annual ornament celebrates Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday.

The three-dimensional ornament has gold ribbons engraved with bicentennial messages forming a sphere around a small version of Lincoln's famous stovepipe hat. "This year's ornament is different because it is sphere-shaped," said Terri Hempstead, development director at St. Joseph's Home. "This is the most complex ornament that we've done."

Katie Grant, a young Springfield artist who is associated with the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, designed the ornament.

"Katie had some brilliant ideas," Hempstead said. "It was her inspiration that led to the final design, which is fabulous."

The ornament sells for $29 and includes a signed-and-numbered certificate with a brief timeline of Lincoln's life. A limited number of the 24-karat gold-plate ornaments will be produced. The initial shipment of 300 sold out quickly, said Hempstead, but more are now available.

Past year ornaments have featured the Lincoln family, Lincoln at New Salem, Union Station, Lincoln's Tomb and other Springfield landmarks. Some of the past ornaments are also available at St. Joseph's Home.

The ornament program is a fund-raising project for St. Joseph's Home. "Throughout St. Joseph's Home 105-year history, the community has generously helped support our ministry to the aged," Hempstead said. "In the last 15 years, ornament sales have contributed more than $500,000 to help care for our residents."

The 2008 ornaments are available in Springfield at St. Joseph's Home, the Illinois State Museum Store, the St. John's Hospital gift shop, Heartland Credit Union's two branches, Bank of Springfield's three branches, Pease's Candies' four stores, Tinsley Dry Goods, Wild Birds Unlimited, and at Prairie House at Parkway Pointe. End of the Rainbow in Sherman also carries the ornaments.

For more information on this year's ornaments and those from past years, call St. Joseph's Home at (217) 529-5596.