Preserving your family history for generations

Third in a series by Prairie Wind resident Dave Nation

Learning about your family history can be fascinating, but leaving a record for future generations helps them understand their roots and document their ancestry.

One of the best ways to achieve this is writing a memoir. It may seem daunting, but web services like StoryWorth can ease the process by emailing you one question per week to answer. After a year, StoryWorth will compile your responses into a beautiful book with multiple copies available for purchase.

Other web-based platforms offer a similar service, including No Story Lost and A Life Untold.

While writing a dedicated family history book is valuable, simpler options exist. Ancestry, for example, lets you publish your family tree information with additional details like reunion photos or personal stories. Similarly, 23andMe can generate a book based on your DNA's unique story.

Another impactful method is having a child or grandchild create a video record of you sharing family stories. You can turn a photo album into a captivating narrative by discussing the pictures and identifying family members. This not only preserves precious memories but also allows future generations to see your face and hear your voice.

For the truly ambitious, creating a full-fledged video production can be incredibly rewarding. My sister and I took this route, with her writing the script and me videotaping and editing a one-hour program titled "The Bedfords and Loonans in History." My aunt narrated the video, telling how ancestors emigrated from Europe and moved across the US. Family members wore pictures of their ancestors around their necks and used pins on a world map to visualize their journeys. My mother, acting as the newsreader, provided historical context for each family event.

These are just a few creative ways to preserve family history and memories for generations to come. So have some fun and leave a legacy your descendants will cherish!