We want to hear from you!
We are asking the people of Maple Ridge to write stories, journals, letters, and poems or make drawings or artwork about their experiences during the pandemic. What have you experienced during the year so far, how has your life changed, and how do you want this time reflected in future history lessons? These digital tales provide a portrait of what everyday life was like during this unusual time.
Not only will your writings or drawings be added to the permanent archives, you will have the opportunity to reflect on this time. For kids, it can be a way of reflecting on the strange and even scary changes that have happened. For adults, a way of exploring our own anxieties and life changes. We would love to hear from frontline workers and the changes in their daily life and work. Consider using the prompts below to get you started, or just start writing!
Prompts:
For Kids: Encourage kids to write, draw, or both!
How does it make you feel that school has been closed?
What was it like to go back to school in June?
What kinds of things have you been doing at home to have fun?
What do you miss most about life before the pandemic?
What makes you happy right now? What makes you sad?
For Adults and Seniors:
What brings you joy during this time?
What worries you?
How has your daily life and routine changed in the last few months?
Have you done new activities? Have you learned or practiced a new skill?
Have you learned something new about your community or neighbourhood?
What do you hope to learn personally from this time?
How do you think the pandemic time will change our community? Country? World?
If you could inform someone 100 years from now about this time, what would you say?
These digital stories and artworks will be saved at the museum and used for future exhibits, displays, and public information on what life was like during the pandemic. Our goal is to keep these stories and perspectives from community members for future generations to know how strange and potentially important this time is to their history. When you send them to us you will be asked to sign a form stating that we can keep and use them in future exhibits. On the form you can choose to have your name attached to them or to remain anonymous.
Submitting your Quaren-Tale to the Museum:
Thank you so much for sending us your Pandemic story! In order for us to store and use your story/art in our archives and future exhibits you will need to email it to us at mrmuseum@gmail.com along with your signed consent form, found here. Thank you for being part of Maple Ridge history!