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New Project for Gathering Family
Stories
Whether we admit it or not, we are all procrastinators, a talent
that is particularly prevalent among people who say they would like
to save their family history. A new project called Saving Our Stories
(SOS) will help procrastinators take steps toward gathering stories
and completing a written or taped family history.
SOS was founded by a coalition of concerned historians, educators,
students, and members of service organizations in Illinois with a
goal to champion the recording and preserving of family, cultural,
and community history. The Coalition's campaign targets all generations,
urging Illinoisans to gather their family stories and to advocate
with their neighbor or classmate to do the same.
On May 1, the campaign was formalized by Senator Emil Jones, Jr.,
president of the Senate, during two events: a workshop to inform students
about SOS, and Family History Day at the Capitol. The workshop recruited
middle school and high school students to provide leadership in their
schools and communities and to target those who say, "family
history is a great idea, but it is something I will do tomorrow."
Members of the coalition work as advocates in their organizations
to motivate colleagues and friends to preserve their history. The
coalition is developing a five-year plan that highlights a different
theme each year.
Dedicated Teachers and Parents Make SOS Workshop
Possible
The willingness of schools and parents to take an extra step made
it possible for 45 students to attend the Saving Our Stories workshop
and Family History Day. Three cheers for: United Township High School,
East Moline; Steinmetz High School, Chicago; St. Mary Catholic School,
DeKalb; St. Peter Cathedral Catholic School, Rockford; Morris High
School; Cairo High School; Cairo Junior High School; Coulterville
High School; St. Kevins School, Chicago; St. Thomas More Catholic
School, Elgin; James Weldon Johnson School, Chicago; Illinois Math
and Science Academy, Aurora; Shupe Elementary School, Chicago; Carbondale
Community High School; PORTA High School; and Turner Jr. Junior High
School. Retirees were also represented by the Illinois Department
on Aging's Reminiscence Program and Project Life Area Agency
on Aging, Springfield.
None of these events could happen without the support of teachers,
parents, and concerned citizens. Those who gave so generously of their
time on May 1 included: Betty Lane, Cairo High School; Darrell Dexter,
Cairo Junior High; Herman Albers, Coulterville High School; Charlene
Anderson, Linn Mann, Don and Nancy Jolly, Turner Jr. Junior High;
Greg Conroy, United Township High School; Kristin Staver, Morris High
School; Chondra Price, St. Kevins School; Clay Skinner, Illinois Math
and Science Academy; Regina Latimore and Mrs. D. Green, Shupe Elementary
School; Pat Grimmer, Carbondale Community High School, John and Nancy
Glick, PORTA High School and Havana Public Library
Higher education faculty also sponsored students: Jim Price, Lewis
and Clark College; Danielle Bank and Jan Fitzsimmons, North Central
College; and Anne Petty, Northern Illinois University.
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