What do we do with our Valued Files

[ms60ocb]

This morning the discussion got around to parting with our stuff and who should take it. How do find a younger person that will treasure (use/ expand/ share) rather than just put away or store files.  Young blood needed.

The STUFF is written material whether digital or hard copy, Family bibles are easy to pass on and all personal information is recorded elsewhere. A local person has some writing about the Covid happening. Things like how local restaurants changed their operation to need Covid guidelines and labor availability. It was mentioned the last local History book was 25 years ago. Who can tie some of history together without the obituaries ( replaced with a death notice followed by celebration of life), So many facts are on social media and lost. Items of recent history (Less than 50 years) is when a business changed hands and moved next door. Both business owners were Paul. who was the first Paul. Just trivia, but part of another story.

I have bit of that Trivia that is stored in TN and TX and one daughter is scanning pictures. Another is continuing my family tree branch. My Obituary may tell of me going to one-room country schools. My grandchildren can't imagine being in that small room. The local library keeps some todays history that may be will connect the dots.

How do you find a person who may appreciate your files and share. The local historians are getting older. Young blood needed.

Clay

[Kirk W]

We have found that same thing to be true of family heirlooms. Only 1 or our 3 sons puts much value on them and none of the grandchildren seem to have any interest in things. I have been considering donating the best ones to a museum, if we can find one that wants the things. I have a candle lantern which folds flat to fit into a pocket that was used by my great grandfather, along with quite a few other things.

[Ray,IN]

I've told our children what antiques or collectibles they do not want; donate to the local historical society. Anything else they do not want goes to Salvation Army.  If you watch Storage Wars, the things people have kept in storage before passing away- most are simply sent to a landfill.

Example; When my mom died last Sep at 99 she she had given me the wooden training potty chair she used for me during WWII. Now who would want anything like that??? Yet she had saved that all this time, she was the only human who had an interest in that piece of furniture. Dad wasn't there, he was on the lead minesweeper for the Atlantic Fleet, so it didn't mean anything to him.

I know what our children will do with it, burn pile or junk; that is providing I've not already, since she's gone.

We enter this life with nothing and we leave with nothing, things are just things. But who am I to be posting this on a full-timers forum?

That sounds harsh, but IMO it is reality.