Pitt Meadows United Church is using some recently acquired grant money to help some of the populations hit hardest by COVID-19 in their community.
They plan on hiring teenagers, who may be short on work this summer, to interview senior parishioners, who have been somewhat isolated since the pandemic, for a video history project that everyone can enjoy for years to come.
Community church society board member, Anne MacDonald, said the board came up with the idea after receiving money from Westminster ProVision and the United Church of Canada: Seeds of Hope grant.
It has been 25 years since the 98-year-old church has put together a history project, so the time had come to record some of their legacy again.
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“We thought it would bring a bright spot into the days of the seniors, and help their contributions to church society get recognized,” MacDonald said.
In order to facilitate the interviews they are looking for three teenagers who have experience with recording and editing video.
“The youth will gain expertise in remote access, and practice their video work while earning some cash,” she noted.
Interviewers will help seniors understand the purpose of the interviews and encourage them to open up about their memories within the church and Pitt Meadows communities.
They will then edit the interviews together for a video that can be viewed online, as well as compile a booklet which will be provided to the Pitt Meadows Museum for their interactive record.
“It’s a small project but we’re hoping the impact will be beneficial for the both the students and the people being interviewed and it will have long lasting value because it will be printed and put into our archives,” MacDonald said.
Applicants are encouraged to send a resume and cover letter explaining their interest in the project to search@pmunitedchurch.com
They should be well versed in communicating clearly with older adults, have some experience with Zoom video conferencing, know how to record and edit video, and have an interest in the church and community of Pitt Meadows.
ronan.p.odoherty@blackpress.ca
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