- link Copy Url - [ Share on twitter ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=At Michigan Retirement Community, Volunteer Records Memories to Last https://www.3blmedia.com/markdownify/node/95746?absolute=1&via=3blnews "link to 3 B L Media's Twitter") - [ Share on linkedin ](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.3blmedia.com/markdownify/node/95746?absolute=1 "link to 3 B L Media's Linkedin") - [ Share on facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.3blmedia.com/markdownify/node/95746?absolute=1 "link to 3 B L Media's Facebook") - [ email Share via email ](mailto:?subject=At Michigan Retirement Community, Volunteer Records Memories to Last &body=ESG News from Points of Light https://www.3blmedia.com/markdownify/node/95746?absolute=1 "Share via email") [Social Impact & Volunteering](/CSR-News/social-impact-volunteering) # At Michigan Retirement Community, Volunteer Records Memories to Last Aug 9, 2017 2:15 PM ET Campaign: [Daily Point of Light Award](/news/campaign/daily-point-light-award) ![](/sites/default/files/styles/carousel_2x/public/images/gwen-joseph-1.jpg "Gwen Joseph (left) interviewing Canterbury-on-the-Lake resident Ruth Creech.") ![](/sites/default/files/styles/carousel_2x/public/images/gwen-joseph-liz-vachon.jpg "Gwen Joseph and Liz Vachon, volunteer coordinator for Canterbury-on-the-Lake.") ![](/sites/default/files/styles/carousel_thumbnail_x2/public/images/gwen-joseph-1.jpg?h=71976bb4 "Gwen Joseph (left) interviewing Canterbury-on-the-Lake resident Ruth Creech.") ![](/sites/default/files/styles/carousel_thumbnail_x2/public/images/gwen-joseph-liz-vachon.jpg?h=a5eb5da0 "Gwen Joseph and Liz Vachon, volunteer coordinator for Canterbury-on-the-Lake.") [At Michigan Retirement Community, Volunteer Records Memories to Last](http://www.pointsoflight.org/blog/michigan-retirement-community-volunteer-records-memories-last) As Gwen Joseph revisited hours and hours of family memories – Christmas Eves spent with her extended family celebrating their Swedish traditions with performances, a family choir and food – the familiar sounds of joy brought her back to those moments, captured by her grandfather, who would hit record on the tape player at the start of the night and let the tape roll. She discovered this trove of recorded family tapes while clearing out her parent’s home, after losing them both in 2012. “It meant so much to not just remember the stories of my childhood, but to hear their voices. I thought, ‘this is something everybody should have the chance to have.’” Just as these tapes were valued by her family, Gwen realized that recorded memories could be meaningful for others as well. In a time when photo albums gather dust and many memories simply live on our smartphones and hard drives, she became a digital archivist, creating the ultimate gift for those who don’t have much time left. Working with the Liz Vachon, the volunteer coordinator at Canterbury-on-the-Lake retirement community in Waterford, Michigan, Gwen began to put her idea into play by recruiting residents, all “fabulous and fascinating” she said, who were interested in sharing their life stories. [Read the full story on the Points of Light blog.](http://www.pointsoflight.org/blog/michigan-retirement-community-volunteer-records-memories-last) [![Points of Light logo](/sites/default/files/Clients/Points_of_Light_-_Logo_-_Full_Color.png)](/profiles/points-light) ### More from Points of Light ###### [The Civic 50 Survey Launches Dec. 10](/news/civic-50-survey-launches-dec-10) Nov 11, 2024 7:01 AM ET ###### [Volunteer Time Off Learning Brief Shares the Benefit for Companies, Employees and Community](/news/volunteer-time-learning-brief-shares-benefit-companies-employees-and-community) Sep 24, 2024 10:05 AM ET ###### [Policies That Enable Employee-Powered Change: Join Our Upcoming Webinar](/news/policies-enable-employee-powered-change-join-our-upcoming-webinar) Sep 11, 2024 7:20 AM ET ###### [4 Key CSR Practices That Emerge From the Civic 50 2024 Report](/news/4-key-csr-practices-emerge-civic-50-2024-report) Jul 16, 2024 2:00 PM ET ###### [100 Organizations Nationwide Awarded $10 Million for Renovations Through Lowe’s Hometowns Community Impact Program](/news/100-organizations-nationwide-awarded-10-million-renovations-through-lowes-hometowns-community) Jul 8, 2024 8:00 AM ET ###### [A Day in the Life at the Points of Light Conference](/news/day-life-points-light-conference) May 21, 2024 1:30 PM ET ###### [Top 50 Companies Donate More Than $1.5 Billion and Engage Employees in 6.5 Million Hours of Volunteering](/news/top-50-companies-donate-more-15-billion-and-engage-employees-65-million-hours-volunteering) May 14, 2024 3:00 PM ET ###### [Join Our Webinar: Planning Impactful Fall Employee Volunteer Activities](/news/join-our-webinar-planning-impactful-fall-employee-volunteer-activities) May 9, 2024 11:15 AM ET