HELP w/GNOME Menu Customization in Panels (RH8+GNOME2.0.1)

Running Redhat 8.0 with GNOME 2.0.1, I have a panel on the top of the screen 
with the Applications Menu, the Actions Menu, and a variety of other programs 
running.

I do a lot of low-level programming work on other systems and would very much 
like to setup additional menus that I can quickly select, pull down a list of 
remote system programs such as remote xterms, and launch them quickly.

I've been able to place an icon on the panel representing the "Games" menu 
(for testing purposes) and see the Games menu items when I click it.  The 
exact same functionality with a custom menu listing my remote programs would 
meet my needs perfectly.

But I haven't been able to figure out how to do this and the research I've 
done is confusing me.  This is Redhat 8.0's GNOME, not stock GNOME, nor is it 
the more recent GNOME available with Redhat 9.0.

Can anyone point me in the right direction or explain what I need to do?  I'm 
a longtime Linux/unix user that is happy getting his hands dirty with vi as 
long as I have a clue as to what I'm doing..

Thanks!

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Maxwell Spangler                                                
Program Writer                                              
Greenbelt, Maryland, U.S.A.                         
Washington D.C. Metropolitan Area