True stories of everyday people

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Andrew Dale Hamaker

In an excerpt of his story about the life lessons learned from his father, Andrew tells about how his parents encouraged their children to learn to play music. One Christmas evening they found a clever way to channel Andrew’s passion for playing the snare drum.

Jeanette Marie Sawi

While visiting Greece with her brother, Jeanette Sawi took a side trip that changed her life. In this excerpt of the story of how the The Island of Santorini Restaurant in Fountain Square area in Indianapolis came to she tells about meeting the man she would marry.

Shari Lyn Finnell

How did growing up in Gary, Indiana help Shari Finnell, a journalist with a degree from Northwestern University, to see the world as a place where anything was possible? Shari explains.

Sharon Kirk Clifton

One year when the budget was too tight to buy presents storyteller Sharon Kirk Clifton brought out her sewing machine to create an unforgettable Christmas for her two young daughters.

Ellen Marcy Rosenthal

Ellen Rosenthal tells of researching the history of her great-grandfather, Maurice Rosenthal, a Jewish peddler during the 1880’s; a challenging time for families living in the tenement apartments of New York City.

Carol Bussell

Born in New York, Carol Bussell is a professor at IUPUI who uses stories in her teaching. She came to her Life Stories intervew with family artifacts, journals, diaries, photos, and most importantly books!

Anthony Renato Mason

During the years before he played a significant role in the hosting of the Super Bowl in Indianapolis, Anthony Mason learned that every experience prepares you for what is coming down the road.