SUNDRE – Nearly 20 seniors who volunteered to participate in a program intended to document for posterity’s sake their wisdom gained through life experience, were recently celebrated at the local museum.
The Sundre & District Museum hosted on Friday, Aug. 18 its second annual Strawberry Tea; this time, in honour of those who enthusiastically got involved in the museum’s New Horizons for Seniors Oral History Project, said Carrie Couch, executive director.
The project, which was made possible through the federal government’s New Horizons for Seniors community-based grant, facilitated the effort to engage seniors residing within the museum’s geographical borders, said Couch.
“Seniors were invited to share their lives, local and global history, and the land, including farming practices and changing landscapes,” she told the Albertan.
The project enabled participants to connect through the digital documentation of storytelling, which in turn made it possible for the museum to gather the oral histories of almost 20 seniors, she wrote by email.
“Our interviews covered a broad range of topics: farming, ranching, the creamery and its relation to the dairy industry, rodeo, outfitting, rope making, schooling and quilting, to mention a few.”
Among the common themes that resonated and rose to the surface through the many different stories shared in numerous interviews was the importance of nature, family and community, she said.
Shari Peyerl, an archeologist and author who works at the Sundre Municipal Library and calls the Bergen area home, was brought onboard as the project’s researcher who also facilitated the interviews, said Crouch.
With the interview- and information-gathering stage of the project successfully wrapped up, the decision was made to celebrate the participants with a social event, she said, adding Hither & Yon provided live musical entertainment.
“The tea was a wonderful opportunity to showcase this project, thank our participants and share with our membership the activities of the museum,” said Crouch.
“It is always wonderful to get together as a community to socialize.”
