MARSHALL, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — An event is coming up in Marshall that will feature the stories of some of the oldest living residents in Calhoun County.
It takes place on Friday, July 23, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. in an Open House format. Calhoun County Senior Services will be unveiling its new Centenarians of Calhoun County storytelling project at the Marshall United Methodist Church in Marshall. This event is free and open to the public.
Over the last several months, staff and Senior Millage Allocation Committee members have worked to interview Calhoun County residents, age 99 or older. Of the 35 centenarians identified, 24 participated. The display consists of professional portraits and summaries of Centenarians’ lives.
“This project has touched us in so many ways. The history of Calhoun County is found in the stories of our older adults, and we need to make time to have important conversations about their history. We are so thankful for the 24 centenarians and their families who were willing to share their life stories with us. So many of them worked for historical employers in Calhoun County: the Sanitarium, Albion Malleable, and the Kellogg Company. Life can be especially fragile for people who have lived to 100 or over; unfortunately, two have passed already since we interviewed them. This open house-style occasion marks the first special event our office has hosted since the pandemic.” – Manager Helen Guzzo
This fall, the display will be at the Calhoun County Fair, August 14 to 21; the Albion Festival of the Forks, Sept. 17 and 18; and Battle Creek’s Fall into the Arts on October 15. Other appearances are being scheduled.
“Modern history is being written by the everyday person in the way they worked to provide for their families, the family vacations they took, and the memories they made along the way. Preserving our history means talking to our older adults while they can still hear and remember. These conversations are precious. The goal of this project is to celebrate aging and all the contributions that our older adults have made to their communities. Calhoun County wants to promote a healthy view of aging and encourage everyone to seek out the older adults in their lives and ask about the lives they have lived.”
For more information, please contact Senior Services Manager Helen Guzzo.
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