(Chelsea Update would like to Janet Ogle-Mater for the information in this story.)
We all remember hauling a treasured possession to school and telling our friends why we loved it so much.
As adults, we have many more treasures today. You can now relive the fun of Show and Tell by coming to a local event where you can show an item, tell your story, and listen to other memories.
Three story-gatherers in Washtenaw County are organizing “Show and Tell (for Grown-Ups)” events in May as part of a global project to celebrate Personal History Month. On May 22, from 6:30-8:30 p.m., one will take place at Thompson’s Pizzeria.
Everyone is invited to bring an object, new or old, that has meaning to them. It’s the story that matters. Consider an old photo or letter, a family heirloom, an object from a job or trip, an ancient artifact, a work of art.
Each participant will have five minutes to tell the story behind the object. There’s no reading or performing; this is amateur storytelling.
Anyone is welcome to join in the fun and become part of the conversation, and attendees are welcome to just look and listen without having something to show and tell.
Show and Tell events for adults are sweeping the nation, with recent publicity of the trend in the Wall Street Journal (http://blogs.wsj.com/metropolis/2014/01/17/a-show-and-tell-for-adults-in-brooklyn/). Described as The Moth Radio Hour meets Antiques Roadshow, these events focus on connecting people through their personal histories.
The local organizers—Janet Ogle-Mater, Chuck Newman, and Stephanie Kadel Taras—are all members of the Association of Personal Historians, which is promoting Show and Tells in May to celebrate Personal History Month.
It is expected that dozens of communities in the U.S., Canada, and Australia will be hosting Show and Tells for grown-ups.
About the Organizers
Charles Newman is a serial entrepreneur whose companies include ReCellular, which collected over 50,000,000 cell phones for reuse. He has held leadership positions with the University of Michigan Alumni Association, the Bank of Ann Arbor, the JCC of Ann Arbor, Habitat for Humanity, and the Ark. His current interest is the use of technology to preserve family and personal history.
Contact: [email protected]; 734-604-3770.
Janet Ogle-Mater is a Corporate and Personal Historian who captures the stories of businesses, communities, families, and individuals. She has more than 20 years of interviewing and writing experience. She is also president of the Chelsea Area Historical Society.
To learn more, visit www.janetoglemater.com. Contact: [email protected]; 734-355-3868.
Stephanie Kadel Taras writes life stories and institutional histories through her 14-year-old company TimePieces Personal Biographies (www.timepiecesbios.com). She was vice president of the Association of Personal Historians and is the 2014-15 president of the Ann Arbor City Club. Her memoir and social history of West Virginia, Mountain Girls, was published in 2013.
Contact: [email protected]; 734-663-0875.
About the Association of Personal Historians
Founded in 1995, the Association of Personal Historians is an international organization with about 675 members in 17 Chapters worldwide. The mission of APH is to support its members in recording, preserving and sharing life stories of people, families, communities, and organizations around the world. www.personalhistorians.org
