![People who contribute their stories to the Storycorps nonprofit receive a copy of their interview, which is also filed in the Library of Congress. [Special to GateHouse Media Florida]](http://127.0.0.1/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/ghows-DA-844a4c85-e094-250a-e053-0100007f1822-102a8424.jpeg)
PENSACOLA — StoryCorps, the national nonprofit organization dedicated to recording, preserving, and sharing the stories of people from all backgrounds and beliefs, will team up with WUWF Public Media in Pensacola as part of its Military Voices Initiative.
Together, they will honor Northwest Florida’s veteran and military community by recording and preserving their stories April 8-19 at First United Methodist Church, 6 E. Wright Street, Pensacola.
Those who wish to partcipate may set up an interview appointment at wuwf.org; by calling StoryCorps’ 24-hour, toll-free reservation line at 800-850-4406; or visiting storycorps.org.
WUWF will also hold a public listening event 7 p.m. April 11 in Wesley Abbey, FUMC. Go to https://bit.ly/2Hu5ArP to reserve a space.
"WUWF is excited to be hosting StoryCorps' third visit to our region, this time to record conversations between veterans and the people closest to them," Pat Crawford, WUWF executive director, said. "Clearly Northwest Florida was selected because of our significant active duty and veteran population and the demonstrable appreciation of this community for their service."
Nearly half a million people of all backgrounds and beliefs have recorded a StoryCorps conversation.
The organization preserves the recordings in its archive at the Library of Congress, the largest single collection of human voices ever gathered.
Recording an interview
You invite a loved one, or anyone else you choose, to a StoryCorps recording site. There you’re met by a trained facilitator who explains the interview process, brings you into a quiet recording room and seats you across from your interview partner, each of you in front of a microphone. The facilitator hits "record," and you share a 40-minute conversation.
At the end of the session, you walk away with a copy of the interview, and a digital file goes to the Library of Congress, where it will be preserved for generations to come.
The Military Voices Initiative builds on this notion and contributes to StoryCorps’ diverse collection by recording and preserving the stories of veterans, service members, and military families.
It is an opportunity for them to share their experiences in their own words. It is also an opportunity for civilians to understand more clearly the complex realities of veterans’ service and sacrifice.
More information about StoryCorps and the Listening Event is available online at https://wuwf.org/storycorps.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: StoryCorps, WUWF to record veterans and their families' stories