Are you a Cookstown Oldie, but with a goody of a story to tell?
Well, the Innisfil Historical Society and Cookstown and District Chamber of Commerce will likely want to hear your tale. The organizations have partnered on a project to further enhance and share the history of the Town of Innisfil by gathering the names of anyone who has lived in the Cookstown postal code area for a minimum of 50 years.
The plan is to identify how long people 50 and older have stayed local, create a master list of contact information for participants and plan a date for a photo opportunity.
Beyond that, the organizations are open to ideas for further raising the profile of Cookstown — whether that’s through a blog, display, column series or podcast.
“Every 10 years, there’s this new generation of Oldies,” historical society community liaison Donna Wice said. “So who are they (now)? And how can we make a little history project, a little excitement out of gathering those names? Anybody who's lived that long has stories to tell. There’s a spark of interest here.”
The project got underway in earnest in January, and only a handful of people have come forward to talk so far.
Wice first thought of the idea while looking at a black-and-white photo of the Innisfil Old Boys. She then pondering what it would be like to do something modern for Cookstown.
“It would really be neat,” she said. “Let’s do it. Everybody benefits. There's so many positive spin-offs.”
Chamber president Heidi Visser notes the “synergy” between her organization and the historical society. By getting people excited about the village’s history, it encourages them to shop and eat at local establishments.
“It’s tying the community and the businesses together … to highlight the historical element,” she said. “You have to evolve, but you also have to remember history. It’s wonderful that we’re telling these stories, in whichever format. That photo (opportunity) could become postcards. It’s where people identify — where do they do their grocery shopping or meet friends?”
If you have a story to share, contact Wice ([email protected] or 705-436-2578), Diana Robinson ([email protected] or 705-458-1275) or Wes Prosser ([email protected] or 705-795-5678).
