A glimpse into the past is all that many of us can hope for these days, as so much of our history is lost with the passing of our community elders.
Each summer, Victoria County CAP Sites Association (VCCAPS) works with Summer Youth at C@P Sites to add to a “Community History & Heritage Project” as a way to explore our county’s rich heritage & history and find ways to preserve it for generations to come.
Youth collect stories, memories and information about their C@P communities and develop the content into video and snap shots of the past. Local history is explored and in some cases, community elders are interviewed to complete the picture.
Past VCCAPS Youth Coordinator Samantha MacKinnon says, “The support for this project is what was most exciting for us. People were thrilled to be a part of our projects and we were equally thrilled to have their involvement and support.”
In the process of completing this assignment, C@P Youth Interns were able to branch out and hit on other topics of interest. As the project scope became clearer, youth were looking for way to share these memories with the public. The idea of a “Community Showcase Feature” to highlight our community organizations was the result. This feature began with a request for a poster. A local organization, Clan MacNeil, was preparing to celebrate their 30th anniversary in 2012. A local C@P Site made their poster, spoke with them about the project and within days a video project to mark the anniversary was in planning stages. This video project was the big undertaking of this special project and resulted in a 20-minute video highlighting the organization then and now and its continued impact on the community.
A special “thank you” must be said to Buddy MacDonald, a Victoria County musician who graciously allowed the use of his song “We Remember You Well” which has quickly become the very meaningful anthem to our showcase.
At the end of each summer our Community History & Heritage Summer Project and Community Showcase Collections boast videos and written pieces. From goldmines to bridges to pioneer settlers our projects span a wide range of topics and locations. All have the same purpose, to preserve and protect the legacies of our communities by remembering the past and celebrating it.
To become involved or to share stories and memories, email – donna@vccaps.com or phone 725-2760.
Victoria County C@P 