The Athabasca Area Seniors’ Memory Project commemorated hundreds of years of combined life experience in an open house celebration Nov. 26.
Just fewer than 50 people involved in the project gathered in the Athabasca United Church basement for refreshments and a presentation on the project’s accomplishments.
“Not only did I enjoy the interview itself, but when you get to be my age, the future doesn’t have too long or too exciting a picture for you, so you tend to think more about the past,” said one of the project’s narrator’s, Ann Stiles. “This brought so many memories back to me. I still think of some of those things that I recall then that I hadn’t thought of for years.”
In the past two years 36 people have participated in the Athabasca United Church project and 25 agreed to put their portfolio – including the interview audio, a portrait, and submitted documents – on the Athabasca University website set up to house the stories.
Shirley Stashko, project co-ordinator, said it was nice to see everyone who has participated in the project in one room.
“They did their recording in their own kitchen and it was kind of an isolating experience,” she said. “For them to come and see who the other friends and neighbours are that took part was a really nice thing for them.”
Aroon Sequeira, son of Charles Sequeira, said his father passed away last November and his father’s participation in the project was an opportunity to “memorialize his adventure in Athabasca.”
“He passed away last November, so I guess in hindsight I’m very thankful he had the opportunity to tell his story, and thankful we have his story to listen over and over to,” he said. Sequeria added that through his father’s participation in the project, he learned a lot of details about his father’s life he would not have otherwise known.
“I think it’s a brilliant idea, and it’s a great way to preserve some of the rich history of the community,” he said.
Mavis Jacobs, project co-lead, said in a speech after presenting the online portfolio of stories that those who have been involved in recording narrator’s stories have come to realize “just how meaningful it is to tell our stories” for individuals, along with their friends and family.
She added more people should consider recording their own stories.
“Let’s continue and enjoy the stories, and we will have a permanent record for everyone,” she said. “That will be our legacy from the church, for us as individuals and for all community members.”
The project continues to seek interviewers to help conduct interviews, and those who are interested in volunteering can contact Stashko at 780-675-5902.
