Naper Settlement Journaling Project
Naper Settlement is asking Naperville residents to reflect on their time and experiences during the coronavirus pandemic for the Naper Settlement Museum Archives.
Credit: Naper Settlement
“Museums like everyone else need to react during these very extraordinary times,” said Naper Settlement President & CEO, Rena Calabrese. “The collecting method during these situations is called the rapid response collecting. And so very quickly we try to collect thoughts, artifacts, images. Everything and anything that tells us what that daily life was like.”
Residents are encouraged to participate in a community-wide journaling project to capture the day-to-day life during this time. The museum has developed an online “how to journal” lesson plan on their website as a resource.
The Whole Community
Calabrese stresses that the community-wide effort doesn’t only include residents and families. Local businesses, schools, hospitals, etc. will also be great contributors.
Aside from journaling, these facilities can donate anything that portrays how they may have changed their business model. For example, “pick up only” signs a restaurant has put up on their windows. Or some breweries have switched from crafting beer to making hand sanitizer. Calabrese said these businesses can keep a few labels or even a bottle to donate.
Rena Calabrese, President & CEO of Naper Settlement
“We’re looking and hoping for our community to be very involved in this because this is a time when they are the voices in history.”
Storing Your Items
At this time items cannot be dropped off, so the museum asks residents to put them in a box in a safe location at home, label them “Naper Settlement COVID-19 Collection,” and add the name and contact information of the family or business who is donating.
Naperville News 17’s Aysha Ashley Househ reports.
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