Story sharing project hosted Jan 24 at Waterfront Center (WU-104)

In this podcast, BCB's guest is Sue Barrington, the Director of the Bainbridge Island Senior Community Center ("BISCC").

Sue points out that BISCC, which is housed at the Waterfront Center, is not just for Seniors.  There is no minimum age requirement to participate in Center programs.

Sue describes two related events:  (1) an upcoming StoryShare event on Saturday morning January 24th, and (2) a six-session training, starting February 19th, in interviewing technique and eliciting engaging stories.

Sue describes the StoryShare project, which is a multi-year program jointly sponsored by BISCC, the BI Park and Recreation District, the BI Historical Museum, and BCB community radio.

The next StoryShare project event is scheduled for January 24, when those who express an interest in story-telling will be invited to assemble for a Saturday morning session.

Subsequently, the StoryShare project will sponsor a six-week Interview Team class to be taught by Barbara Golden, an experienced interviewer and radio host.  Barbara will supplement her teaching with a series of online trainings, produced by Alex Blumberg, a nationally recognized podcaster who staffed NPR series such as "This American Life" and "Planet Money". The six-session classes, with an overall cost of only $10, will begin February 19 at 9:30am at the Waterfront Center.  Participants will learn to use professional microphones and recording equipment, and will explore ways to connect on a personal level with an interviewee.

StoryShare is about encouraging story telling, eliciting an individual's stories that reveal personal insights or oral histories, and then sharing those stories in person or in recordings that can be heard by others.

In this joint project, the Historical Museum brings its long-time interest in oral history recordings that shed light on Bainbridge Island history in living memory.  The Museum has collected approximately 100 recordings made over the last several decades, which are available for listening at the Museum.

BCB is offering to make StoryShare recordings available to the community -- in some cases as podcasts  or radio programs, and in other cases as archived recordings available for listening on the BCB website.

The BI Senior Center  brings to the project its mission to honor and engage our senior citizens through meaningful contribution to the community. This involves the efforts of both the BISCC nonprofit and the BI Metro Parks and Recreation District that provide the Waterfront Center's management.

Credits: BCB host and editor: Joanna Pyle; BCB studio tech and publisher: Barry Peters; BCB representative to StoryShare project: Annie Osburn.