Cemetery Tales 2021 Wins a Silver Telly Award!

From The History Museum of Hood River:

The History Museum of Hood River County and Big Britches Productions are proud to announce that the video documentary, Cemetery Tales 2021, was selected as a Telly Winner in the 43rd Annual Telly Awards!  The Telly Awards honor excellence in video and television across all screens.  Established in 1979, The Telly Awards receives over 12,000 entries from all 50 states and 5 continents. Entrants are judged by The Telly Awards Judging Council, an industry body of over 200 leading experts including advertising agencies, production companies, and major television networks, reflective of the multi-screen industry The Telly Awards celebrates. 

The Cemetery Tales video was one of two videos to win the silver award in the category “non-broadcast biography.”  Director/ producer Joe Garoutte said, “The gold award in that category went to a series about Randy Travis, funded by Warner Music Nashville. It’s pretty tough to outdo that kind of money!”

Cemetery Tales 2021 features the stories of Arline Moore, the Coe family, Reuben Crawford, Hattie Redmond, Cap McCan, Ray Sato, and Jose & Maria Castilla.  These individuals represent the diversity of people who have lived in Hood River County, including the first Black family to live in Hood River in the 1870s; a Japanese-American man born in Parkdale but affected by internment and racism during and after WWII; and one of the first Mexican-American families to settle here in the late 1960s who opened the beloved Jose’s Taco House.

Screenings of the video were held at two middle schools in Hood River and five senior living facilities in Hood River and The Dalles.  “Viewers of all ages appreciated the opportunity to connect with our history through this engaging video production,” says Anna Goodwin, Executive Director of the History Museum.   “Local teachers plan to use at least a portion of the video in future years as part of their curriculum about World War II and Japanese internment.”

“Cemetery Tales was incredible. The students really enjoyed the historical information on families and businesses that they never knew about in Hood River,” said teacher Jennifer Wilson.

Thanks to generous sponsors, Hood River Storage (Jean Harmon), Providence Hood River Hospital, Hood River Lions, Hood River Valley Leos, Elaine Johnson, and Ron Cohen & Christie Smith, free sponsored screenings of Cemetery Tales were held in the Fall of 2021 at Down Manor, Parkhurst Place, Hawks Ridge, The Springs at Mill Creek, plus a community screening in Cascade Locks.

The video is now available to watch on YouTube.  The link is on the museum’s website: www.hoodriverhistorymuseum.org or by searching “Cemetery Tales 2021” on YouTube.

The 2022 production of Cemetery Tales is underway, and we are seeking individual and business sponsors.  If you would like to help support this year’s production, please email director@hoodriverhistorymuseum.com.  If you are interested in acting or volunteering, please email or call 541-386-6772.