Emily Jewell Clark Returns to the Women's City Club

On March 7, 2007, Jennifer presented a program to the Women’s City Club about Emily Jewell Clark, a fascinating former member of the club. Clark Retirement Community, which originated with a significant gift from M.J. and Emily Clark, opened on Sherman Street in 1906. The book, Caring Community: A History of Clark Retirement Community by Jennifer Morrison and City Historian Emeritus, Gordon Olson, was released October 2006. Women’s history enthusiasts were particularly interested in what the book research uncovered about Emily Jewell Clark, whose career of philanthropy and social activism spanned the Clark Retirement Community, the Starr Commonwealth, the Grand Rapids Art Museum, the D.A. Blodgett Home for Children, the Women’s City Club, the Ladies Literary Society, local suffrage activities, and more. Despite her broad contributions, many towards organizations that continue to thrive today, Jewell Clark had to a large extent disappeared from the historical record until Clark Retirement Community decided to mark their 100th anniversary with a history of their organization.

Grand Rapids Torch Club Hears "Minutes to Memory"

On January 9, 2007, John and Jennifer attended the Grand Rapids Torch Club where Jennifer presented a program on life story writing. She touched on the current memoir craze in the publishing world and the corresponding controversy surrounding such recent books as those written by James Frey and O.J. Simpson. Jennifer then focused on the rising popularity of recording and preserving one's own life stories. She gave an overview of the great variety of methods and media being used to do this work as well as the reasons why it is considered so important. She also shared samples of stories from projects produced by MI-Stories.com.

If you are a member of a community organization looking for such a program, feel free to contact Jennifer at (616) 248-2706, or .

Real People, Real Stories at the Cascade Public Library

MI-Stories.com, in collaboration with the other Grand Rapids members of the Association of Personal Historians, conducted a program in November 2006 entitled Real People, Real Stories aimed at helping attendees to record and preserve their own or their loved ones' life stories. The presenters introduced the audience to a variety of media, including books, video and audio, that could be useful in achieving their goals. They also explored a range of techniques for story telling and interviewing. The workshop took place on two consecutive Tuesday evenings, which allowed participants to practice some of the things they learned between sessions. The second session was highly interactive with participants sharing their progress on their own projects and receiving advice from the APHers about any struggles, roadblocks and questions.

Book Release Reception at Mangiamo's Sunday, October 29, 2006

The book, Caring Community: The History of Clark Retirement Community, was released at a reception at Mangiamo's restaurant, once the home of Melvin and Emily Clark who helped to found Clark Retirement Community in 1906. Book authors, Jennifer Morrison of MI-Stories.com and Gordon Olson, City Historian Emeritus, presented a brief program and the book was available for sale for the first time. The book celebrates the centennial of Clark Retirement Community and covers such things as the history of Methodism on the Michigan frontier, the business and community connections of Emily and Melvin Clark, the changing field of eldercare and the development of Clark Retirement Community through the years. Over one hundred books were signed and attendees were able to get a feel for what Emily Clark's hospitality was like a century ago as they enjoyed refreshments and listened to local musician, Roger MacNaughton.

MI-Stories.com Produces Miller Welding Supply 60th Anniversary DVD

Miller Welding Supply celebrated its 60th anniversary with an open house on October 5, 2006. The company, founded by J.C., Miller, prominent Grand Rapids businessman who once had an estate on the property that Calvin College now occupies, has remained on the forefront of incredible changes in technology over the years. MI-Stories.com used interviews with key figures as well as photographs of the business and its community over the last sixty years to tell the story of the company from its founding just after World War II to the present. MI-Stories.com is proud to have produced the Miller Welding Supply 60th anniversary DVD. The company has had a low key but essential impact on the community, surviving adversity and adapting itself to a changing economy to become a thriving business that helps other area businesses and industries to thrive. Present at the event were a 1946 Studebaker and a 2006 Ford GT representing Miller Welding Supply's span dates as well as its service to the automotive industry.

Gwen Frostic Day and MI-Stories.com

On April 26, 2006, Gwen Frostic, the Michigan author and nature artist, would have turned one hundred years old had she not died in 2001. She was not forgotten in her hometown of Wyandotte, Michigan. The Wyandotte Cultural and Historical Commission planned a series of events to celebrate the centennial including the dedication of a new park named Frostic Field and a special exhibit that featured many rare photos and art pieces. Several Frostic family members attended the events, including Gwen's only living sibling, Margaret Schweitzer. Jennifer Morrison, of MI-Stories.com was invited to cap off the evening with her presentation, "A Walk With Gwen Frostic." Morrison was formerly the curator of the Benzie Area Historical Museum and conducted a series of oral history interviews with Gwen Frostic. Morrison formerly made the presentation at the Ford Presidential Museum for the Grand Rapids Historical Society, the Frederik Meijer Gardens for the Gardens volunteers, Grand Valley State University for the Michigan Archival Association and the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel for the international Association of Personal Historians, among many other venues.

MI-Stories.com Hosts International Conference

John Morrison, of MI-Stories.com, organized the annual conference of the Association of Personal Historians that was held in Grand Rapids November 5-7, 2005. The four-day conference, held at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, featured thirty-five workshops and attracted 164 people from around the world. An article about MI-Stories.com and the conference appeared in the Grand Rapids Press on Nov. 5, 2005, pg. A1. For more information, see the article or go to www.personalhistorians.org and click on Annual Conference.