Livingston editor turns special section into documentary

From the Polk County Enterprise

LIVINGSTON — Some stories leave readers wanting more, but a collection of stories published in the Polk County Enterprise’s Heritage Edition last September had the writer longing for more.

For this special edition Vanesa Brashier, Enterprise feature/special sections editor, interviewed and wrote stories on more than three dozen war veterans from the Polk County area. The stories encompassed all major wars fought by Americans, beginning with the Civil War and ending with the most recent war with Iraq.

Alvin Holley, publisher of the Enterprise, suggested the theme for the special section, which won first place in the semiweekly routine division at Texas Press Association’s Midwinter Special Section Contest in January. The section also was runner-up for Best of Show.

After the edition was published last year, Brashier embarked on another project that blossomed from it — a documentary based on the extraordinary lives and experiences of the World War II veterans of Polk County.

“All of the veterans I interviewed had compelling stories that needed to be told and heard, but to me there is a sense of urgency in the stories of the World War II veterans,” said Brashier.

“Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, only four million or so are alive today,” she said. “More than 1,000 World War II veterans die each day, and, with them, they are taking their memories and experiences of the war.”

During the original interviews, Brashier tape recorded each veteran’s oral history to later transcribe and donate to local museums and libraries.

But that didn’t seem enough so Brashier made plans to interview all the veterans again, this time using video cameras.

Reginald Reynolds, the instructor for the graphics art area in the fine arts division at Angelina College, agreed to help out.

“I felt it would be a good thing to have my students involved in a project that would amount to something — a film that is culturally and historically valuable,” he said. “Projects like these also help my students because they can actually produce work for their portfolios that has been published.”

Carly Anderson, a sophomore at the college who is nearing graduation, is using the project for her internship. Livingston High School is donating space as a filming location.

After the film is complete, Brashier’s goal is to make at least 500 copies to divide between the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8568 and the American Legion Post 312. Both posts are in the Livingston area.

All proceeds from the sale of the film will be kept for veterans’ projects. The film is expected to go on sale later this year.

“I feel that I have gained more from this experience than any other project with which I have ever been involved,” she said. “I am just glad I am the one with whom these veterans shared their experiences. It’s worth more than any amount of money.”