STORYCORPS, THE NATIONAL ORAL HISTORY PROJECT, COMES TO GRAND RAPIDS, MINNESOTA

91.7 KAXE HOSTS STORYCORPS DURING ITS STAY IN GRAND RAPIDS

OPENING CEREMONY FRIDAY AUGUST 29TH, 2008

August 8, 2008 – GRAND RAPIDS, MN - StoryCorps, a national initiative to document everyday history and the unique stories of Americans, will arrive August 29th in Grand Rapids to collect the stories of the residents of Northern Minnesota as part of its cross-country tour. StoryCorps is an independent nonprofit project in partnership with National Public Radio (NPR) and the American Folklife Center (AFC) at the Library of Congress.

The StoryCorps mobile StoryBooth -- an Airstream trailer outfitted with a recording studio -- will be parked at 91.7 KAXE - 260 NE 2nd Street , Grand Rapids, MN for almost a month and will be open August 29th. Reservations begin Thursday August 14th by calling 800-850-4406 or by going online to www.kaxe.org or www.storycorps.net. StoryCorps plans to collect as many as 100 interviews during its stay in Grand Rapids.

Since its launch in October 2003, StoryCorps’ mobile and stationary recording studios have collected interviews in 78 towns in 46 states -- over 18,000 stories in all. In Grand Rapids, StoryCorps is partnering with 91.7 KAXE, an independent NPR affiliate in Northern Minnesota, which will air a selection of the local stories and create special programs around the project. Selected segments may also air nationally on NPR’s Morning Edition.

91.7 KAXE will host an Opening Day press event to introduce the project to the community and allow press and the public to tour the booth, speak to the StoryCorps staff, and hear from the first set of participants who will interview on the day of the event.

WHO: KAXE and StoryCorps staff
WHAT: Opening remarks by KAXE and StoryCorps staff, tour of StoryBooth with coffee and treats
WHERE: 91.7 FM KAXE 260 NE 2nd Street , Grand Rapids
WHEN: August 29th, 2008

• 10:45 AM - Press Check-in
• 11:00 AM - Opening remarks
• 11:15 AM - Tours of MobileBooth
• 11:30 AM - First Interview
• 12:30 PM - Second Interview

General Press Guidelines:

With permission from the participants*:

• Cameras will be allowed in the booth before tape begins rolling. Photographs and video can be shot from outside the window during interviews.
• Press can listen in to interview with wireless headphones from outside the booth.
• Press can interview participants before and after their StoryCorps interviews.
  *First two interviews following opening ceremony on August 29th have given prior consent.

This project is made possible in part by the Blandin Foundation