Stories of Place invites residents to share stories of Martin County
BY RACHEL DOVE
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — Mark the date and share your stories of Martin County in a memorable storytelling event Nov. 16 in Inez.
The event, hosted by Stories of Place, will be from 10 a.m. to noon at the Martin County Senior Citizen Center.
Stories of Place comprises students from Martin County and the University of Kentucky, a UK professor, the Livelihoods Knowledge Exchange Network (LiKEN) and a group of local community members.
Students involved with the Stories of Place residency program at Martin County High School last year will be volunteering at the event. Roughly 20 student volunteers will lead story circles, perform live music, document stories and scan photos for any residents who bring pictures that they would like to have digitized.
The students have undergone oral history training and have a special interest in storytelling.
MCHS student KyLee Alley is working on the event. She has been busy providing information to other students, asking them to share it with their parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and family and to invite them to participate.
“The story circle is important to me because it gives everyone a space to share their stories and feel comfortable while doing it,” Alley said. “I also think this event will bring us closer as a community.”
The senior citizen center was chosen to attract the older generation of the county to share their stories and those passed down through generations, according to Liz Stayton, UK student and intern field researcher for Stories of Place.
“People from our area are gifted storytellers,” Stayton said. “I can remember all the times I sat and listened to my grandmother and mom reminisce as they shared their important memories with my sister and me. Every family has a story or two, and our goal is to document and preserve them to ensure they’re not lost.”
Stayton said the event is community-led and based solely on stories folks are willing to share.
The group will have the equipment to digitally scan old photos that families have in albums or shoeboxes and will provide them with a digital copy.
“So many times I’ve heard families mourn the loss of irreplaceable photos that may have been lost during flash-flooding events or a housefire,” remarked Stayton. “Digital copies provide an easier way to share photos with family and friends in emails and on social media.”
Stayton works closely with Karen Rignall, an associate professor at UK who manages the project, and Madison Mooney, LiKEN community engagement coordinator.
“This project means a lot to me personally,” said Stayton. “I grew up in the newspaper world and recognize the importance of preserving our history, both in the news field and in personal stories of bygone days. I have such a love for Appalachia and Martin County, and this is the perfect way to showcase our past.”
For more information, contact Madison Mooney by calling 606-626-5930 or emailing mmooney@likenknowledge.org. Learn more about Stories of Place online at martincountystories.org. Follow Stories of Place on Facebook and Instagram.
“Come out and spend time with us,” Stayton encouraged. “Share your stories and listen to those that others have to tell. It will be a memorable day for Martin County.”