By Debbie Dibble
Here we are, the morning after time spent immersed in the presence of our U. S. Veterans, having spent a full day of our time invested in service, and I wake up feeling more blessed than I deserve. Isn’t that the way with service? We begin with others in mind but end up with more in our heart than can be contained.
The National Veterans Golden Age Games (NVGAG) was an event of which I had never heard. It was brought to NCRF’s attention by Granada Hills, Calif., court reporter Renee Zepezauer, RPR, CRR, CRC. Her father, Phillip Joseph DiMenno, a 92-year-old U.S. Army Korean War combat veteran, competes in the games every year. Renee accompanies him each time as well as her sweet sister Dana. Renee reached out to let me know that the games were coming to my neck of the woods, Salt Lake City, Utah, and she wondered if I might be interested in coordinating a Veterans History Project event that weekend. Game on!
I immediately called NCRA’s Director of Communications, Annemarie Roketenetz. Her experience and knowledge of these events would be priceless, as well as her personal investment in the program runs deep in her heart. We began communications with NVGAG. It turned out we were unable to make appointments to record personal histories prior to the event, so we pivoted. The NVGAG graciously provided us with a complimentary booth (with electricity) and we went to work. Our contacts at the Library of Congress sent us materials, and we went to NCRF and asked for funds to print a pop-up banner. The NCRA Communications Department knocked it out of the park with the most beautiful design ever! I loved it so much, I had 1,000 handout cards printed with the graphic as well as a QR code to the Library of Congress for direct submission of histories and a QR code to NCRF if veterans desired our coordination and assistance.
The day began at 5:00 a.m. for me, leaving the house at 6:00, arriving at the venue at 7:00, setting up by 7:45, and the doors opened at 8:00 with my volunteers prepped with information and clipboards. There was no time to sip coffee, as the veterans began approaching our booth at 7:47 (yes, early … gotta love veterans) and the traffic didn’t stop for the next six hours of the Health & Wellness Expo. We handed out more than 700 cards and signed up more than 120 veterans interested in sharing their stories in coordination with NCRF. The six of us manning the booth never sat down and left the event with scratchy voices (or no voice at all in my case), completely exhausted by the emotional investment by the end of the day.
Truly the most touching point for me was the effect this day had on our volunteers. As we shared our program with each veteran, they would often begin sharing their stories. Vickie Larsen, RMR, a freelance court reporter from West Jordan, Utah, and Immediate Past President of the Utah Court Reporters Association, said to me, “These veterans’ stories are so inspiring. I want to record them myself … right now!” Another volunteer, Wade Van Tassell, RMR, CRR, CRC, a freelance court reporter from Salt Lake City, had a very personal experience with a veteran that clearly impacted him deeply. As he visited with her, she became so emotionally distraught that she couldn’t even give him her contact information. She suffers from extreme PTSD. Despite this, she feels compelled to preserve the history of her experience for those who will serve in the future. This sweet volunteer came over to me and said, “I have to be the one to record this woman’s history! How can we make that happen?” He was close to tears himself. I removed the page with her information (where he had written in capital letters all over it “ONLY WADE VAN TASSEL!!!!”) and gave it to him, saying, “It’s yours … you take care of her!”
Look at the photos attached. Look at the love in the faces of our volunteers. Look at the body posture and the facial expressions as they bend down, lean in, give their full attention, envelop these veterans with their love and support. These volunteers were PRESENT! I could not be any prouder of my fellow reporters as I think about how they touched the lives of our veterans and how watching them serve has touched me.
And the icing on the cake? Utah volunteer Jamie Brey, RPR, a freelance court reporter from Salt Lake City, interviewed Phillip Joseph DiMenno at the conclusion of the Expo hours, with his daughter Renee Zepezauer as reporter and his other daughter Dana videotaping the event. They have been trying to accomplish this for over 18 years. Renee came fully armed with materials, photos, timelines, and a goal that today this will happen … and so it did.
The Veterans History Project truly is a service to others, but there is no value that can be put on what is gained by those who serve. This is a labor of love provided by NCRF and NCRA members. Thank you for the opportunity for our members to discover these ways to grow, share, and find deep satisfaction in the service of others.
Debbie Dibble, FAPR, RDR, CRR, CRC, is a Past President of NCRA and is a freelance court reporter and captioner from Salt Lake City, Utah. She can be reached at ddib06@gmail.com.
Information about NCRF’s VHP program can be found at NCRF’s Oral Histories page.
