Drury students to collect Joplin Tornado stories at May 22 Cunningham Park anniversary event

(From the City of Joplin)

As part of the second anniversary event of May 22, 2011 an area focusing on a healing garden and educational space designed to tell the story of the tornado and the people affected will be one of the eleven tents within Cunningham Park. This tent will be located in the northeast corner of the park, just east of the new playground and Cunningham Pool.

Representatives of this area request the public to bring their stories that day to share with them to help begin the creative efforts in building an educational and healing garden area. Some of these stories and photos from those affected will be incorporated into the area to depict the many acts of heroism and courage displayed during the disaster. In addition, stories that portray the hard work and collaboration exhibited throughout the community’s devastation, clean-up and recovery efforts may be used in this area or in future projects related to May 22, 2011.

Students from Drury University, Springfield, Mo., and their professors will be onsite on May 22 to record the stories from the public. This area will have scanning equipment, computers, cameras, and recording devices to allow people to share their stories in a manner that is most comfortable and convenient for them.

“We want the citizens to share their stories and not have the process hinder them,” said Traci Sooter, Director of Design/Build at Drury. “They can come and orally tell us their story, or they can bring it written or saved on a flash drive. We will have several technologies available that we can download written documents, scan photographs, record a personal story, or photograph various elements. By having these different methods available, we hope to capture as many stories as we can that day.”

In addition to gathering information at the second anniversary event in Cunningham Park, Drury University students will accept stories via email at joplinstories@drury.edu .

“We are in the initial phase of the creative process,” said Sooter. “The planning work has been completed, now we want the public to participate in this stage to make the garden area a beautiful and telling place about Joplin and the Miracle of the Human Spirit.”

More information about this project will be available at the information gathering tent area on May 22.