by Kimberly A. Cook (Twitter@ WarriorTales)
Last Friday I spoke at the Veterans Coffee Club at The Wings of Freedom Showcase about the importance of saving veteran’s stories. Since this group is also restoring the B-17 bomber, it all fit together quite well. The Bomber is a longtime landmark on McLoughlin Blvd. A dedicated group of volunteers and The Bomber Restaurant family are making sure this B-17G beauty gets a fabulous facelift. Her nose is restored to a gleaming shine and sits protected in the Wings of Freedom Showcase just beyond the bomber.
While we writers think nothing of jotting down a story, not everyone wants to do that, but we all have stories. That’s why using today’s technology is so important to help keep the stories alive.
One of my favorite tools is The Flip video camera. A small easy to operate device with a red stop and go button, it couldn’t be simpler. It plugs right into your computer and downloads not only the video, but the software to make movies too. Its small tripod is also very effective for filming. Check it out at www.theflip.com (I saw Anderson Cooper on CNN using it in the Middle East, so you know it works.) Available at Target and Amazon.com
Or use a digital voice recorder; my small one is from Sony. Bought at Radio Shack, it lets me record everything from frog sounds in my backyard to interviews, then plug it into the computer to download the sound files. Not everyone can write, but everyone can push a button or two. This would be a great project for grandkids and retired boomers alike. Capture these important stories, historians need all of them.
A special thank you to Terry and The Bomber Veterans Coffee Club for hosting me. Check out their wonderful work on the B-17 at www.thebomber.com or call 503.342.3597 and press 2 # to learn more about the Bomber’s history. It’s a great story! They have big plans to better preserve the B-17G, so keep your eye on them.
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