dan c

Dan is a retired military pilot who knows loads of stories and has lots of pictures, and he relishes storytelling. His problem was that he had loads of photos and a large scope of stories he wanted to cover from childhood, through his military career and into his professional and family life.

Soon after the birth of his first grandchild, his daughter-in-law gave him the gift of a grandpa book and asked him to provide answers to the question prompts within. In a short time, Dan knew he would never be able to adequately do the job of recording the depth of his stories, organizing the material, and selecting the right photos to do the project justice. Those grandchildren inspired Dan, and being mission-driven to “get it done right” is Dan’s Modus Operandi.

Dan kept telling me this was a big project, and he wasn’t kidding. We worked together for many sessions capturing his stories, scanning hundreds of photos, and then reviewing what was written to be sure we got his story details correct.

Dan is a natural storyteller and a great guy. We became friends over that time, and he truly enjoyed the process of capturing and chronicling his stories. Dan knew he had to work with a professional to organize, focus, and complete a book he’d be proud to share.

Dan C. and Storied Gifts celebrate legacy book.

When this project was complete, boy did we celebrate! Dan held a party for family and friends, and the local TV station came out for an interview. Dan lives in a small town where he is beloved by friends and family, so he gave a lot of books away that day. The biggest moment was when he handed a copy to his Army buddy who saved him 40 years earlier when his plane had been shot down. He said, “this life,” (pointing to the book) “was made possible because you came and found me in the jungle.”

Dan has been joyfully sharing his book with friends and family and even takes donations for his grandchildren for those who decide to contribute to their college education. As a gift to Dan, we made a children’s version of his book to share with those young grandchildren right away.

 In the meantime, his son and daughter-in-law were surprised and delighted with the result, and Dan basks in the joy of reconnecting with others.

 Dan still thrills at the letters and inquiries about his book. He is ready to share his stories to inspire others to find their mission and purpose in life.

Dee N.

Dee wanted to publish a book that detailed some of her childhood memories with her grown children and grandchildren. Doris cherished her memories of growing up in a rural life on a family farm. She had assorted photos and stories, but they weren’t in one place or in a format that would be easy to share with a large family.

We visited over several interviews, recording her stories, and then collaborated during the writing process. I’d give her copy and she’d make revisions as we moved along.

We were both delighted with this intimate and charming book that captured such fond memories with her lovely images. Doris was pleased with the outcome and shared the book with family and friends.

It was particularly poignant to learn that only a few years later dementia robbed Dee of those memories. Had she known at the time we worked together what was headed her way? I don’t know, but it was wonderful that she recorded these stories of a time and place that is no more so that they wouldn’t be lost to her family.

Bill K. M.D.

Bill is a wonderful storyteller who probably could have written his book of stories if he had the time. As a physician, his days were full enough, and as an aside Bill is a beautiful correspondent who followed any letter he received with a letter in return. To be Bill’s friend is to be the lucky recipient of the occasional honest-to-goodness creative and charming letter from him.

Bill’s wife gave him the gift of a Storied Gift Legacy Book just to make sure that all his memories of childhood would be documented. Bill was delighted with his wife’s gift and set off to create a book geared to a young reader so that his grandchildren would be able to read it on their own. Bill wanted to share some lessons he had learned along the way, with some family history folded in to give his grandchildren the insights he hoped would help them navigate the years of adolescence with confidence.

Russ J. Company History Book

Russ is the retired CEO of several companies, but even now over the age of 80 you would not know it. Even though his businesses have been sold for many years he still likes to put in some work each day. Russ approached us about creating a company history for Hammer Pharmacy because he was selling his interest in this little shop which had been the cornerstone of many of his enterprises over the years. His father had purchased the business, and then Russ worked there and bought a stake in it before expanding into other areas related to pharmacy. Ultimately, his sons would also buy interests in expanded directions in the medical supply business.

Russ wanted to be sure that this pharmacy history was recorded and shared. Not only was Hammer Pharmacy the source of the livelihood for his family for generations, it was also a community cornerstone, part of the city landscape for more than a century.  He had loads of articles, photos and documented research but hadn’t pulled it together for something beautiful and easy to display.The format he wanted was a splashy piece that featured photos, snippets of text and a timeline so that readers could dip in and out and capture a bit of history no matter where they landed.

The book was a huge success that not only documented the history of the business but highlighted the store of this CEO’s entrepreneurial journey, the history of the retail pharmacy industry and a testament to family working in business together.

Becky K. Photo Legacy Book

Becky was so heartbroken when her mother passed away that it took her almost a year to determine her next steps for all the photos and family history she now had in boxes in her home. With both her parents gone and the family house sold, all those lovely memories and her children’s wonderful times with their grandparents were at risk of being lost.

Becky felt the strong desire to honor her parents by making sure that those photos, the ancestral history, and their own life as neighbors and friends would be documented for her kids, who had just graduated college and had headed on with their lives.

As a professional woman with her own business, Becky knew she needed to work with a pro to see a project through from start to finish. She didn’t have the time, she needed creative help, and truly just the process of working with a person who cared about the finished book as much as she did was a tall order, but one we were ready to take her up on.

At each session Becky wheeled in suitcases of photos, documents, and stories to tell. We scanned, we talked, and we collaborated our way to success!

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