Sample Press Release

Print your press release on your sponsoring organization's letterhead

or include name, address, and phone number of organization at top of release}

For Immediate Release

THE [SPONSORING ORGANIZATION] HOSTS MONTANA CONVERSATION “FINDING AND CAPTURING YOUR STORY” WITH SUSIE RISHO

[City–date]

The [sponsoring organization] will host the Montana Conversations program “Finding and Capturing your Story” with Susie Risho on [date of program]. The program will be at [location and time of program]. The presentation is free and open to the public. Funding for the Montana Conversations program is provided by Humanities Montana through grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Montana’s Cultural Trust, and private donations.

Risho inspires and instructs people to find and keep their own, or their loved ones’ stories. She guides and ignites our memories to recall unique and common experiences, which can model how they or another person will come upon their own memories. There will be opportunities for sharing orally as well as various writing experiences, including developing skills in organizing, memory prompting, automatic writing, photo-journaling, and using historical fiction. Participants can gain knowledge and confidence to actually capture real life stories.

Susie Risho is the executive director of StoryKeepers, a nonprofit organization in Missoula, Montana, dedicated to promoting and preserving oral and written histories. StoryKeepers works with individuals, families and organizations to encourage a community culture to honor our past and enjoy our life stories. She is also president of The Art Associates of Missoula, and serves on the board for Rocky Mountain Ballet Theater. Risho and her husband have ministered to people with disabilities and the elderly with Christian services for over 40 years. Risho has taught in private schools in Missoula since 1980, most recently in the arts. She presents workshops and lectures on story gathering, art, and creativity. Susie and her husband Ray Risho received the Cultural Achievement Award from the Missoula Cultural Council in April, 2008.

For more information, please call [sponsoring organization] at [phone number].

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Contact person: [project organizer and phone number]