On Friday, Nov. 26, KEDM-90.3 Public Radio, housed at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, will represent Louisiana in the third annual National Day of Listening, a national holiday started by the acclaimed oral history nonprofit organization StoryCorps in 2008.

The National Day of Listening is an effort to encourage all Americans to honor a friend, a loved one, or a member of their community by interviewing them about their lives.

National Day of Listening participants are encouraged to record their National Day of Listening interviews using equipment that is readily available in most homes, from cell phones to tape recorders to computers or even pen and paper. StoryCorps has created a free do-it-yourself interview guide with equipment recommendations and interview instructions available online at www.kedm.org.

"The idea of listening during the holiday season has clearly resonated with people across the country," said StoryCorps founder Dave Isay, in a statement. "The National Day of Listening, which coincides with Black Friday–traditionally the largest shopping day of the year–provides a meaningful alternative to holiday consumerism and proves that simply listening to one another is the least expensive and most meaningful gift we can give."

Willer

"Families spend time together on Thanksgiving weekend," acknowledged ULM Director of University Broadcasting Joel Willer. "It's only natural that some of that time will be spent listening. By focusing on and recording those family stories, we can preserve them for the next generation."

To see how more people across the country are celebrating this year's National Day of Listening, visit www.nationaldayoflistening.org. The 2010 National Day of Listening is sponsored by the Fetzer Institute.

KEDM, licensed to ULM, is celebrating its twentieth year of serving northeast Louisiana with a mix of in-depth news, classical music and jazz, along with special entertainment programs from studios on the ULM campus.

StoryCorps' mission is to provide Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to record, share, and preserve the stories of their lives. Each week, millions of Americans listen to StoryCorps' award-winning broadcasts on NPR's Morning Edition. The Fetzer Institute engages with people and programs working to bring the power of love and forgiveness to the center of individual, organizational and community life.