Utah Public Radio/Dixie Regional Medical Center Host StoryCorps

StoryCorps, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to recording, preserving and sharing the stories of Americans from all backgrounds and beliefs, will record interviews in southern Utah from Thursday, May 2, to Saturday, June 1, as part of its cross-country MobileBooth tour. During its stint in southern Utah, StoryCorps is partnering with Utah Public Radio (UPR), Utah’s statewide NPR station and a service of Utah State University’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences. Additionally, Dixie Regional Medical is celebrating 100 years and helps sponsor the StoryCorps MobileBooth as part of its celebrations.

UPR will air a selection of the local interviews recorded in the StoryCorps MobileBooth and create special programs around the project. Segments of select interviews may also air nationally on NPR’s Morning Edition.

StoryCorps’ MobileBooth — an Airstream trailer outfitted with a recording studio — will be parked at the St. George Town Square, W. Tabernacle and South Main Street. Reservations are available now and can be made online at the UPR website (upr.org) or by calling StoryCorps’ 24-hour toll-free reservation line at 1-800-850-4406, or at its website (storycorps.org). Additional appointments will be available on May 16, 2013.

StoryCorps’ MobileBooth interviews are conducted between two people who know and care about each other while a trained StoryCorps facilitator guides participants through the interview process. At the end of each 40-minute recording session, participants receive a complimentary CD copy of their interview. With participant permission, a second copy is archived at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress for future generations to hear.

Founded in 2003 by award-winning documentary producer and MacArthur “Genius” Grant recipient Dave Isay, StoryCorps aims to create a growing portrait of who we are as Americans. By traveling to every corner of the country, StoryCorps currently has one of the largest collections of American voices ever gathered, with interviews collected from nearly 80,000 Americans in all 50 states.

“StoryCorps tells the true American story — that we are a people defined by small acts of courage, kindness and heroism,” Isay said. “Each interview reminds people that their lives matter and will not be forgotten. By strengthening connections between people and building an archive that reflects the rich diversity of American voices, we hope to build StoryCorps into an enduring institution that will touch the lives of every American family.”

Kerry Bringhurst, UPR station manager, and other UPR staff coordinate the site visit to southern Utah as part of the station’s 60th anniversary as Utah’s first public radio station.

“There are stories to be shared that are unique to southern Utah,” Bringhurst said. “A strong pioneer heritage exists. There is a diverse population of long-time residents and sun seeking newcomers, and there are memories to be shared about time spent in the area’s national parks.”

In addition to a traveling MobileBooth, StoryCorps currently operates stationary recording booths in Atlanta, Ga., in partnership with the Atlanta History Center and public radio station WABE-FM, and at the Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco, Calif.

To ensure the diversity of participants, StoryCorps sponsors major initiatives. StoryCorps Historias collects the stories of Latinos throughout the United States and Puerto Rico;  StoryCorps Griot preserves the voices and experiences of African Americans; the Military Voices Initiative honors the voices of post-9/11 veterans, service members and their families; StoryCorps Legacy provides people with serious illnesses and their families the opportunity to record, preserve and share their stories; and the September 11 Initiative honors and remembers the stories of those personally affected by the events of Sept. 11, 2001.

To help offset its operating costs, StoryCorps suggests a donation of at least $25 for each MobileBooth interview. If participants cannot meet the suggested donation, they may participate at no cost to ensure that StoryCorps remains a free public service.

About StoryCorps

StoryCorps’ mission is to provide Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to record, preserve and share their stories. Each week, millions of Americans listen to StoryCorps’ award-winning broadcasts on NPR’s Morning Edition. StoryCorps has published three books: Listening Is an Act of Love,Mom: A Celebration of Mothers from StoryCorpsand All There Is: Love Stories from StoryCorps— all of which are New York Timesbestsellers. For more information, or to listen to stories online, see the StoryCorps website.

About UPR

Utah Public Radio is dedicated to providing a service that enriches the lives of listeners throughout the state of Utah with quality programming designed to inspire the mind, engage the imagination and perpetuate the habit of lifelong learning.  UPR’s network provides locally produced programming, national news, public affairs and cultural entertainment programs.  Through the support of Utah State University and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, the station engages in outreach and builds community resources and empowers listeners to become active participants in shaping the future.  For more information, or to listen online, go to the UPR website.

About Dixie Regional Medical Center

Dixie Regional Medical Center is a 245-bed hospital located on two campuses — River Road and 400 East. Located in St. George, Utah, Dixie Regional Medical Center is the major medical referral center for northwestern Arizona, southeastern Nevada and southern Utah. It has been recognized as a Thompson Top 100 Heart Hospital. It partners with the Huntsman Cancer Institute to provide world-class cancer care for patients close to home. It recently expanded its newborn intensive care unit so parents can stay with their struggling child without having to travel. The center also opened the LiVe Well Center, which is a collection of services, including fitness classes, nutrition coaching and personalized medical fitness evaluations.

Source: Utah Public Radio (UPR) / StoryCorps

Contact: Kerry Bringhurst, (435) 797-1352, Kerry.bringhurst@usu.edu