These lively events provide a unique opportunity for the people of a community to come together to share their family stories with each other. The events, led by radio show host Joe McHugh, can be held at libraries, museums, grange halls, bookstores, houses of worship, senior centers, colleges, or other community venues. Joe McHugh begins each event by talking about his experiences collecting stories, then shares some of his favorites and invites participants to tell their own family stories. It's a great way to have fun and hear a variety of delightful stories. From these events the producers select stories to record afterwards for the radio series.
Many families possess a tradition of remembering and telling family stories.
These stories about ancestors and relatives are told and retold within the family and passed down from generation to generation. They tell about the time Grandma killed a rattlesnake in the living room, or how Uncle Henry during the Depression found a twenty dollar bill on Christmas Eve, or how Great-grandfather wept the first time he saw the Statue of Liberty. These stories help us to know who we are and where we came from. Working with the Family Story Tree, participants learn how the collecting and telling of family stories by their students can foster the language skills of listening, speaking, writing and reading while helping make the study of history come alive in a variety of meaningful ways. This two hour after-school workshop will benefit elementary, middle and high school teachers.