EVERY STORY IS DIFFERENT The possibilities for preserving personal histories are as diverse as the individuals involved. Below are helpful definitions and types: A LIFE STORY Simply put, a life story is a personal history which tells the story of a human life, the life of a family, a community, an organization or business entity as seen through the eyes and ears of the individual(s) involved. It does not have to be a full blown autobiography or biography, which very few people will ever produce. It can be as short as a letter, or as long as a book. It can span the entire lifetime, focus on special events/periods, or tell the story of objects/places which have special significance to an individual or group. (resources available) AN ETHICAL WILL An ethical will is a written document or audio/video recording which describes a person's values, beliefs, hopes, life's lessons and other thoughts which they share with present and future generations. In the last few years, the recording of an ethical will has rapidly gained in popularity, although it is not a new phenomenon. In fact, its origins can be tracked back as far as biblical times. (resources available) VETERAN'S STORIES Veteran's stories are their accounts as told in their own words and adds the human experience to the facts and figures. This is something we are very passionate about. We feel that all veterans deserve to have their stories permanently recorded as a way of honoring their invaluable contributions to protecting us and preserving our way of life. Be it the World War II veteran, who we are loosing at the rate of 1800 a day, the Korean veteran who unfortunately have been largely forgotten, the Vietnam vet who went off to an unpopular war and came home to a welcome they did not deserve, the veterans of the first and present Gulf Wars and all others who served outside these conflicts. (resources available) TRIBUTES A tribute is a eulogy, an obituary, a bio-sketch or some other form of recognition. There are many occasions when a written, spoken or recorded tribute is appropriate and greatly appreciated means of recognizing an individual or group. (resources available)   SPECIAL PERIODS/TIMES Special periods/times in the course of a lifetime may be singled out for special treatment. These include one's early, middle, and later years or times spent in a particular place (e.g. a residence or on a trip) or doing a particular activity (e.g. an adventure, career, sport or hobby). (resources available) EVENTS Events are weddings, anniversaries, retirements, reunions, retreats and other short-term occasions. (resources available)   FAMILY HISTORIES Family histories are stories about individuals who make up the family tree. They have become a popular topic of interest in recent years. The means of recording them have become easier with the wider availability of websites and other central repositories, where different family members can readily participate. In addition, various companies have set-up user-friendly websites which can do the gathering and organizing of the submitted material for you, along with the preparation of high quality publications. (resources available). JUST THINK! FAMILY HISTORIES COULD (and maybe SHOULD!) INCLUDE...     GENEALOGIES! Genealogies constitute a particularly detailed form of family histories, trees and maps, which is the subject of literally thousands of websites. It is beyond the scope of our website, but we can direct you to a few sites which will put you on the right track.   AND HOMES! Homes have a special place in many people's memory banks. They can make very special themes around which to build family histories. AND COOKBOOKS! Another topic around which one can build an interesting treatment of family history is food. Family Reunions, Mothers Day, Thanksgiving Dinners. Who hasn't a favorite dish that brings back special memories of mom's or a family member's kitchen prowess? Recipes passed down from generation to generation. Sometimes written. Usually not. The collection of all these great recipes and a story behind each can make a great cookbook. (resources available). ORGANIZATIONS Organizations are communities, clubs, social groups, teams, and associations. It can tell its: entire life story to date, certain periods or certain dates or events, individuals or groups that make up the organization, about the common thread that holds it together, etc. (resources available). BUSINESS HISTORIES A business history typically traces the story or stories behind the founding of a company, through its ups and downs, to the current condition. The product of these efforts is not just an interesting read and a way to recognize those who have contributed to the company's growth and development, but it is also a valuable resource for management to help ensure that lessons of the past are not forgotten.  (resources available). NON-PROFIT COMPANY AND GOVERNMENT AGENCY HISTORIES Non-profit and government agency histories are similar to corporate histories.   HEIRLOOM STORIES ARTIFACTS Heirloom stories are stories about objects which have special significance to an individual, a family, a community, or anyone else, can be well worth doing. There are many cases where such productions have become "classics" in their particular media - e.g. "The Red Violin", "The Tin Drum", etc. Of course, it isn't necessary to have such high expectations to make such stories worth pursuing. You can probably think of some object which played a special role in your life or the life of your family which would warrant having its story told. (resources available). INVENTORIES Similar to artifacts above, is the making an inventory of one's possessions. It is a common practice, especially in later years. It can and should be done simply for insurance purposes, but also presents an ideal opportunity to record the special memories associated with certain items, its place in the history of an individual, family or organization; and specify whether the item(s) should be preserved, and if so, what should be done with them. It also allows you the opportunity to explain who you would eventually like to pass these items on to with a special message as to why. (resources available).