Through two service-learning courses, POLS374 and POLS357, students were extended an invitation to serve as volunteers at Care Partners’ Adult Day Center. Once engaged in service, the Volunteer Coordinator, Erika Pollard and her supervisor Angie Williams, proposed an idea of documenting oral histories of the facilities elderly veteran participants. Being a veteran myself, I was honored to have the opportunity to interview these heroes. Work began during the spring semester of 2012, and each Friday during the veterans’ meeting, time was allotted for individual interviews. The recommended questions to be asked were how each veteran felt about freedom, honor, duty, service, the flag, and community as well as a personal recollection of a campaign effort or other memory from their active duty. Seventeen local veterans were interviewed. Their stories were documented and presented to the Political Science Department and also to the Adult Day Center for publication of a keepsake for the veterans. The work accomplished was presented to the students of Re-Storying Community and archived for future classes to research volunteer opportunities with Asheville’s elderly through Care Partners’ Adult Day Center.
