Andy’s College Essay
Andy, a volunteer for two years, who graduated from Harvard in 2007, wrote this for his college applications: “No se como decirles, pero yo les quiero con todo el alma.” Translated into English, this means, “I don’t know how to say this, but I love you with all my soul.” I viewed the speaker on the monitor, a middle-aged Hispanic woman, dying of cancer. She appeared ill, gaunt, and tired, but she still had the energy to leave a comforting message for her two daughtes who could play it over and over after her imminent death. For the past year I have volunteered...
Read MoreAmber’s Student Volunteer Essay
No history textbook could possibly illuminate times gone by as vividly as can the people who actually lived through them. Try as they might, the vignettes and primary sources thoughtfully placed throughout my American history book will never carry the same emotional impact as do the words spoken directly from the mouths of those who struggled to make ends meet during the Great Depression, or who sill feel reverberations of post-traumatic stress from World War II. I have heard tales of the past century from those who lived it in privilege and in poverty, whose reflections range from joyous...
Read MoreBBC World Radio interview
Leigh Wengler was just 43 years old when she died of cancer in July 2007. She left behind a husband Joe and two children Lucas and Ellie. But Leigh also left an hour-long DVD of her reflections on her life. It was filmed just a week before she died. The film was shot by a US based non-profit organisation Life Chronicles, which has made over 600 such recordings. Read the whole interview and see video clips, on the BBC website.
Read MoreJackson, Mississippi TV Spot
WLBT news in Jackson Mississippi featured LifeChronicles on a recent segment. Click to be taken to their website, featuring an article and accompanying video.
Read MoreSanta Barbara News Press
“LifeChronicles” Chronicles Life by Frank Talk, column for March 27, 2007 Years ago I made a tape recording of my mother, and it’s proven to be one of the wisest things I’ve done. It’s kept Mom’s memory vivid for me and also helped make Mom “more real” for my daughter who never met her. But sometimes I wonder If Mom might be more clearly remembered if I’d made a video rather than a sound recording. So I was captivated when I learned about LifeChronicles, because it’s an organization that videotapes interviews with seniors to ensure their remembrance by loved ones. “Our videos try to capture...
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