Preserving Family Treasures
by Enzy
My mother has a favorite doll. It is grungy, old, and faded but it is her favorite because of the memories that are attached to it. The story is that when she was about 6 years old she went with my grandpa to the local dump. Now I have no idea why they were there, but in the distance, my mom’s eye caught sight of the most beautiful doll she had ever seen. She asked my grandpa if he would go get it for her. As he looked at the mound of waste between him and the object of his daughter’s desires, he did what any father would do. He tried to talk her out of it. But my mother would not be dissuaded and her timid asking quickly became more of a frantic pleading. Finally my grandpa ventured out on a mission to retrieve the doll and waded through quite a bit of trash before he reached the it. The doll was smelly and dirty, but out of all of the toys my mom had growing up, this doll is the one that she has treasured, not because of the doll itself, but because of what the doll signifies. It is a representation of her dad’s love for her and is a reminder of her happy childhood.
Maybe you have a similar story, some memento from a grandparent, parent, or favorite aunt that is sitting in a box in the attic. Protecting and preserving these items is incredibly important and can sometimes be neglected. Ultimately they are not just objects, but connections to our past and collective history. On September 9 at 6:00 P.M. the Delta Township District Library is hosting a presentation given by internationally renowned preservationist and ALA 2012 Ken Haycock Award winner Jeanne Drewes. Not feeling up to a road trip to Lansing? No problem! The presentation will be streamed live and should be accessible through this link. Learn how to protect those family treasures and preserve the memories attached to them.
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