The Cattaraugus County Museum and Research Library is excited to announce that it will host an event to kick off our new veteran’s project on Armed Forces Day, Saturday, May 15, at 1 p.m.

The project, titled “Our Veterans, Their Stories,” aims to preserve the oral histories of county veterans to preserve the human face American History for generations to come and honor the men and women from our area who swore to defend and protect the United States.

Video recordings will be made of interviews with the veterans, which will then be made available to the veterans themselves, and the general public both online and at the Cattaraugus County Museum and Research Library. Veterans from all service branches, including National Guard and reserves, are encouraged to take part.

Several veterans have already been interviewed for this project, but we hope many more will participate. If you or anyone you know is interested, contact Cattaraugus County Veterans Services director, Steve McCord, at 701-3298, or visit www.CattCo.org/Veterans-Stories

The kick-off event will begin at 1 p.m. and will feature a talk by Steve Appleby, curator of the Eldred WWII Museum. The program will take place under a tent on the museum lawn. Some seating will be available, but attendees are encouraged to bring their own chairs. Masks and social distancing will be required.