The Origin Story

A chain retail pharmacy announced it was officially closing all of its Ohio stores. This came on the heels of a local auto dealership closing just a month or two earlier. When I read it, my eyes welled up with tears. I was sad and angry. This was a blow to so many folks that have been filling prescriptions here for years. The dealership closing was also frustrating due to the folks that lost jobs. The library branch was moving north. The community pool had closed. While there are plenty of discount stores where food can be purchased, we haven't had access to fresh, quality food for quite a while. A quick scroll of social media only intensified my emotions. I wasn't the only one that was angry, but I really didn't feel that throwing my two cents in would change what I was feeling. Anger is the emotion that comes up when we percieve a threat. This anger was stemming from thinking I have been watching my community slowly die. I felt so powerless, and this anger was generating energy. A quick rant on socials really didn't seem to be a useful way to harness it. I spent time thinkng, "What can I do? How can I help?"

Well, unfortunately, I am currently not in a financial position to start a pharmacy, grocery store, auto dealership, or any other business. (I could open a small, private office and offer therapy services; however, that gets a little strange when you have known so many people in a community your whole life.) I was running through so many conversations I have had over the years with people about how the community used to thrive. Then, I realized I couldn't find these stories anywhere. We actually had a local paper at one point. It not only shared current events, but also ancedotes of stories from the generations before us. I also realized, there aren't very many places where we see each other these days. I have had countless conversations in the parking lots of the grocery store or gas stations. The vision became clearer, "How can I help our community connect and preserve these stories that define our piece of the world?"

I grew up at the feet of a great storyteller. My dad could turn any ordinary day into a story. He loved sharing the humor of everyday, the beauty he found in nature, or the way it seemed that we are all connected in unusual ways. My mom started putting books in my hands and reading to me from the day I can home from the hospital. My sister actually taught me how to read when I was four. Living in a small community my whole life has also allowed me to hear so many stories about our villages and townships because I know so many people. I literally cannot tell you exactly how I know them, we are just "from the Valley." Today, I often describe my work as a therapist as helping people process and understand their stories. I believe this can also work for a community. Our community is actually a set of villages and townships which are part of three counties, intially linked together by a local school district. I believe through community storytelling, we can bring people together and share not only our stories, but our hopes and ideas for our future. And, we can have a lot of fun doing it!

What is storytelling? Well, Valley, I want to leave that up to you. My personal interest is live storytelling events. However, I have also seen great things written about this place. I know of at least two original songs that have been written about places in the community. I even have seen digital art of our landmark structures and a few fantastic paintings. And, there are so many photos of places I know on sight that have unlocked memories for me. It is my honor to collect, curate, and archive your stories in any way you are willing to share them. I haven't worked out all the details yet, and I am not exactly certain how we will share your stories yet. I am ready to begin and will keep everyone posted.

-Maria 44688 mailbox with a house in 44643