Memories to Memoirs Program
Connecticut Community Foundation is proud to support Literacy Volunteers of Greater Waterbury and Waterbury’s collaborative BRASS initiative as they work with older adults in our area to help them find their voices and share stories across the generations. With a grant from the Foundation’s Pathways for Older Adults initiative, LVGW’s Memories to Memoirs program brings participants back to another time, while helping to keep their minds sharp today.
Volunteers work one-on-one with participants, listening to their stories and working with them to capture their thoughts and memories in writing. The memoirists gather at the Mattatuck Museum at the end of the program for a reading of several of the stories. All stories are compiled into a booklet to share with family and friends. LVGW’s Executive Director Tina Agati explains that “talking about one’s earlier memories is a great way for our older community members to keep their minds sharp and prevent dementia.”
Clara Ducham, an LVGW staff member who works with the program, enjoys helping participants capture their memories. “They are so excited that someone is interested in hearing about their experiences. And in many cases they are creating an amazing legacy – one senior, for example, told me that he hadn’t ever told his children about his recollection of the Flood of 1955.” Preserving memories and sharing stories across the generations – Timeless Impact.
