Your Camcorder Can Be a Treasure Chest

Your Camcorder Can Be a Treasure Chest

By

Mike Scinto

                I actually had three inspirations for writing this column. The column itself is my Christmas gift to you and I hope you take advantage of it.

            I recently spoke at a ceremony honoring our veterans during Veterans’ Day week. As I relayed a story about my own Dad it stirred some thoughts in the back my mind.  I talked about my Dad’s memories of his breakfast-cut-short on December 7^th, 1941.  You see, he was stationed at Schofield Barracks, Pearl Harbor on that “day that will live in infamy”. He then served in the Guadalcanal Campaign. I heard his recollections of those momentous events all through my years growing up.

            I was fortunate.  Because I hosted radio and TV shows I have several hours of those stories on audio and video tape shot for my shows. It paints a more realistic and colorful picture than me trying to pass the story on to our children or other family and friends than I could ever do as I try to recapture it now that he has passed on.

            The second thing that inspired me to write this was our own thanksgiving feast, and the funeral of a wonderful man we’ve known, our sister-in-law’s father. It made me realize what I had known for years; there are generations of living memories out there that won’t be with us forever.

            The third inspiration is trying to discover if this could present an avocation for me. I have been Blessed to have a job that is a passion for the past 34 years.  I plan to host radio and TV shows for many more years to come. But, if there is a market, I would like to utilize my gift in a job that I could enjoy just as much; memory preservation archivist.

            Let’s tie all this together. The oral (and visual) stories our parents, grandparents, great-grandparents or even friends can share are priceless! Watching a DVD of your uncle who fought in the Korean War, or traveled around the globe on his job, sure beats a second hand account that may be shaky at best and that will eventually fade into oblivion.

            I doubt there is a family out there that doesn’t have at least one camcorder or could borrow one from a friend.  The rest is making time to have the person whose brain you want to pick sit down and open up. It would be the best hour or two you could spend on many levels and would create an irreplaceable heirloom.

            I realize there are people who cringe at the thought of “interviewing” somebody or being on tape themselves. And some of these “vaults of living memories” may appear too shy to open up. Thinking out loud, that is where I could envision me, or an outgoing family member of yours, coming into the picture.  I’ve learned over the years that, with the right approach, even the most shy of interviewees will let it all out after the right button is pushed. And then you have it.  And it will always be there for your family to enjoy, and share.

            So consider archiving those memories. And what better time than on your Christmas visits. I only wish there were tape recorders or camcorders when I was a teen so I could now share my Grandparents’ stories with Kathy, Zak and Carly. The wisdom in their words and the sincerity in their expressions would touch us all.