Volunteers and National Court Reporters Foundation (NCRF) leaders and staff hosted the second annual Veterans History Project (VHP) oral history event held during the 2024 NCRA Conference & Expo in Louisville, Ky. NCRF’s program to preserve the stories of veterans reflects the efforts of the many volunteers who came together to make it happen. The fact that local news outlets featured the NCRF VHP event highlights its significance to the community.
NCRF Trustee Lance Boardman, RDR, CRR, arranged for the interviewers, legal videographer, and court reporter transcribers for the four Louisville combat veteran interviews.
Front row (l to r): Lee Reeves, Mike Rodgers, Sandy Narup
NCRF Manager Jill Parker Landsman worked with American Legion Shawnee Post 193 adjutant Steve Trout to arrange for two of the veterans. Cited on their Facebook page: Shawnee Post 193 was honored to be able to provide [two] veterans to have their history recorded and sent to the Library of Congress. The process was six months in the making, but on August 1, 2024, Lee Reeves, US Army, Vietnam, and Michael Rodgers, US Marine Corps, Vietnam, shared their stories so that they could be preserved for future generations. This was a great honor to share, especially since today there currently [are] less than 1% of Americans [who] serve to protect us in the military. It took great courage for these two veterans to share their stories, and we are very proud of them for that. Mr. Reeves was interviewed afterwards by WAVE 3 and discussed the high numbers of veterans’ suicide that exist today. Again, this took great courage. Both of these veterans served our country in their youth and still serve our community as we speak. Veterans helping veterans and veterans helping our community!
NCRA Director of Communications Annemarie Roketenetz arranged for two television stations to cover two of the four veteran interviews. Louisville court reporter Jolinda Todd, RPR, connected NCRF with the additional veteran interviewees, Joseph Shelton and Bob Miller.
View the local news stories:
- Veterans’ stories entered into Library of Congress
- Voices of Valor: Court reporters preserve veterans’ stories for the Library of Congress
NCRF is grateful to the volunteers who participated in this historic event: Erika Sjoquist, RPR, CRR; Jolinda Todd, RPR; Lisa Conley Yungblut; NCRF Chair-Elect Meredith Bonn, RPR, CRR; NCRF Trustees Andrea Kreutz, CLVS, and Sandy Narup, RPR; and NCRF Foundation Chair Doug Friend, FAPR, RDR, CRR (Ret.).
