Help Organizations Honor Their History
Based on chapter from the book, Portable Writing by Kay Kennedy

If you have a case of the summer doldrums, there is something you can do right now that will earn enough money for next summer’s RV or plane trip. Usually when any business, civic or business organization, school, church, college fraternity or sorority, or local government gets ready to celebrate a major anniversary, such as the 25th, 50th, 100th, or higher, they want a history of their organization compiled to mark the occasion. And they’re going to need a writer to pull the facts together.

One way to find out about upcoming celebrations is to talk to people who belong to those organizations. Ask them when it was founded, and if a big anniversary is coming up, get the name of a contact person and find out if they have made plans for a written history book to honor their past.

Another way is to go to the library and look up the history of your region. Try old newspapers from way back. Look for nearby townships, churches, businesses, organizations, etc. that were founded about 23-24, 48-49 or 98-99 years ago, then check current telephone books to see if they are still operating. Next, try to find out the name of a contact person, or call the organization and ask for the name of someone who might be in charge of planning an anniversary celebration.

Still another way is to watch the daily newspaper, either the society pages (if your newspaper still carries them) or the business section, for any news about upcoming plans for an official observance or reunion to celebrate a landmark anniversary.

And quite possibly, you belong to a group that has a big anniversary coming up. It could be anything from a local preservation group for a museum, church, school, library, scenic railroad, or fairgrounds to the local chapter of the Elks Club. Think of all the groups you belong to and ask your friends and family about organizations they belong to. Somewhere among your acquaintances and the newspapers you research, you will surely locate one group that has an upcoming anniversary.

Once you have a contact person at such an organization, call them and ask if their organization has discussed having a history of their group compiled into a commemorative book. If they say no, or they haven’t heard of anything, ask if there is someone you can contact who might know, or who might be in charge of collecting and maintaining historical documents. The person most likely to know about such things would be the head of the organization, but it could be someone in charge of volunteer activities or even a secretary who has been put in charge of keeping historical files.

Pitch your idea to the person in charge on the telephone and offer to write a letter outlining your ideas. That way, they will have something in writing and can also see that you have the writing skills necessary to undertake the job. If you’ve ever put together any book or any kind, offer to make an appointment to show your examples and to discuss the project further. And you’ll discuss what type of book they would like to see: whether it will be a large, souvenir hardcover book or a smaller, paperback copy, or even a pamphlet, and whether photos will be included, and then if there will be any color photos.

When you find a group that wants to have a book compiled, present them with a contract (a copy of one can be found in my book, Portable Writing). Get at least a 1/3 deposit on the total amount up front, with another 1/3 due when manuscript is completed, then the final 1/3 due when the book goes to the printer.

You’ll want to have access to their records and any historical photos. You will also probably want to interview people still living who had a part in the founding and former employees familiar with the history and operation of the organization. If founding members are still alive, interview them to learn their original ideas and plans for their organization, and how they view its growth.

You will need to wade through founding papers, board meeting minutes, marketing materials and articles that might have appeared in local newspapers or magazines over the years. Document how the company or organization has grown.

Then put the story together, and get approval from the person in charge at several points along the way to make sure you are on track with their concept. Also show them the final proof, and have them proofread and approve it with their signature affixed before you proceed any further.

This type of project might take a year or a month to complete, depending on the size of the organization and the type of final presentation wanted, but it is possible to work on two or three of these projects at one time, especially if one or two are small pamphlets and booklets and one is a large-scale book. And remember, every one of the projects you complete, including the small pamphlets, can lead to bigger, more profitable projects in the future.