Wouldn't it be nice to be able to find an affordable way to save treasured photographs and special family documents along with a written account of memories about family and friends, then to be able to have all of this printed in a beautiful hard-bound book to be shared for generations?
Local Smith Valley resident, Victoria Moon, can show you how. She is a consultant for Heritage Makers, an affordable online publishing company designed to give you the ability to create your own personalized memory storybooks to be kept and treasured or used for unique gifts.
A visit to her in-home studio was an enlightening experience for me, as she showed me the many examples of these storybooks. A million ideas immediately began filling my imagination. I have always been a fanatic about preserving family history, hanging on to every picture ever taken in and of the family, most of which are slipped haphazard into binders of information going back at least four generations. Moon opened a whole new world of possibilities for me, as she showed me all the different ways all this information could be saved for future generations. Not only are memories saved in a professional-looking book, but multiple copies can be made of the original book, all hard-bound and printed on quality gloss paper, each page personalized by the creator. I was excited. What a special way to pass on all those images and information in such a beautiful presentation.
Moon will be introducing a new class in "storybooking" at the Douglas County Senior Center in Gardnerville from 1:30-2:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 22. She will explain how to take your new and old photographs and make them into a classic storybook. She will also go over her workshop schedule and instruction fees at the meeting, as well as explain some of the other ways Heritage Makers can help you preserve and display your treasures. And the beauty of it all is the affordability, with books starting as low as $34.95.
Moon, a 1997 Douglas High School graduate, moved from Carson Valley to Smith Valley three months ago along with her husband Arron and their two children. She got interested in Heritage Makers after she received a story book that preserved her uncle and aunt's relationship. Now with a family of her own, she realizes the value of saving memories and has made six books of her own. Her goal is to help others make something special to restore their own family histories and traditions that they can pass down for generations.
Moon is available for in-home parties, to introduce all interested in the process, explain the endless possibilities and offer any help where help is needed. You can read more about all of this at www.heritagemakers.com/214198 or call Victoria Moon at 690-5953.
Senior happenings in TRE
The Douglas County's Senior Center satellite site at the Topaz Ranch Estates Community Park building at the end of Carter Way is offering bingo playing time, Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:30 a.m. to noon with lunch served from noon to 12:30 p.m. There is also an exercise program, yoga, available from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Mondays, Tuesdays is walking tapes and Thursdays, exercising with different tapes.
Free tax help is available every Monday at the South County Sheriff's Substation, located just west of the intersection of highways 395 and 208. For appointments or more information, call 266-1028 or see Chuck Kiel.
Until next week, just keep on keepin' on.
-- Jonni Hill can be reached through The Record-Courier at jhill@recordcourier.com or by calling 782-5121, ext. 213, or after hours at JHILL47@aol.com
