VETERANS ARE TALKING!

Was Grandma a Rosie the Riveter? Do you have Grandpa’s ration books?

Veterans from all branches of the military are paying it forward by sharing their stories and experiences for posterity by making them available in the Library of Congress. Stories from World War II, Korean War, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Afghanistan and Iraq veterans are honored and celebrated.

You can pay it forward by learning about the Veterans History Project. The Veteran’s History Project was started in 2000 by The United States Congress to collect, preserve, and making accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war.

Here in Indiana, where Keeping In Touch Solutions is located, more than 10,000 stories have been recorded for the Library of Congress. With over 500,000 veterans in the state we have a lot more stories to hear…so if you are a veteran, son or daughter of a veteran, care giver or buddy or a veteran we encourage you to tell them about this project and to seek out information about the benefits that are available to many.

Do you have stories from a veteran or civilian workers?

Was Grandma a Rosie the Riveter – or volunteered at the USO -if so please ask them to share all of those wonderful stories for future generations. Did you know the USO is still seeking volunteers to greet and help our soldiers as they return home as well?

Our THANKS AND APPRECIATION to the men and women in the U.S Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and Marines for your service in keeping us safe- may God heap special blessings and abundance on you.

Of special interest to me are the stories of women and how they managed and coped …this is history waiting to be told! This includes stories from the home front and the battlefield!

Story telling has been passed through generations even before the written word was created. Man during the Stone Age era had carved out pictures to expressed stories of their lives. Throughout history, we learned from our predecessors and gleaned from their stories.
It is with this thought in mind and also the appreciation of our veterans who had sacrificed their comfort and lives for the freedom, that we are passionate about the Veterans History Project.

How can you get involved?

Teachers and students: Teachers and students from 10th grade to college levels can participate. You can get a sample interview as a guideline from this link. Students who participate in this program usually know of someone who has served the country and some students are just interested to understand the mindset of a veteran and give back to their community in recording stories.

My friend Claudia’s children attend a public school in Florida where they honor veterans once a year with a special luncheon and sharing of stories with the school children. Students who have relatives or neighbors who are veterans are encouraged to bring them to school for the day in honor of Veteran’s Day.

Relatives of veterans: Children, grandchildren, and spouse of veterans can be involved in this project. If a veteran has passed away, photos, letters, diaries and other mementos are also accepted by the Project. They do not accept second-hand information.

Neighbors and caregivers: If you have a neighbor who fought in a war and is interested to share his/her story or you are caring for a veteran, there are guidelines that you can follow to submit their stories to the Veterans History Project.

In preparation for Veterans Day, Keeping In Touch Solutions is coordinating a Special Veterans History Event in Noblesville Indiana at the Lodge on Tuesday, November 8, 2011 starting at 9:30 at The Lodge Center, 1667 Sheridan Road, Noblesville, IN 46062.

If you would like to know more about starting a Veterans History Project in your area you may call Keeping In Touch Solutions at our Veterans History Project Hotline: 1.800.788.1280. You can share your story with us here by going on the Would you like to share with us page.

If you would like to know more about how we can keep you connected with your aging or elderly loved one while you are away at work …just give us a call or visit our website: Keeping In TouchSolutions

Diana Beam is an entrepreneur with a vision and a heart for the elderly. She has more than 30 years of experience as a teacher, long term care administrator, home health care pioneer, senior real estate specialist and owner of Keeping in Touch Solutions. Her passion is to see working women and men with elderly parents set free from guilt of not having time or proximity to their aging parents and helping the elderly with their aging needs and transition challenges. Diana lives in Indiana with her husband Ron and they have 3 grown children, 2 grandsons and a golden retriever named Hope and a calico cat named Ms Dottie. Grab her free report, 7 ways to provide maximum support to your parents, today. If you’d like to learn more about Diana and how she helps elderly clients through Keeping in Touch Solutions, check out her website at www.keepingintouchsolutions.com.