Join Dede Bartlett at the New Canaan Museum & Historical Society for a luncheon and discussion about the family stories behind the antiques and other objects we have in our homes, on Tuesday, November 12, from 11:30 am to 2:00 pm. Perhaps the worth of an item is not its market value but its historic value. Who used it and for what? How many generations passed it down? What significance does it have to the family lore? Dede will share her process for taking inventory of family treasures, gathering relevant information and recording it so that family and friends can appreciate what memories are captured in a pitcher, a pocket watch or a breakfront cabinet.

A former Fortune 25 Executive with Mobil Oil Corporation and Philip Morris Company, Dede Bartlett is Co-Chair of the New Canaan Domestic Violence Partnership and a director of Legal Momentum: The Women’s Legal Defense and Education Fund. Known for her work helping survivors of domestic violence, she received the “Women Who Make a Difference” Award from the International Women’s Forum. She co-chairs the Jim and Dede Bartlett Foundation and is the author of a three-volume memoir, Discovering My Lost Family: The Unexpected Journey of an American Woman.

This luncheon is a joint program with Staying Put in New Canaan. Tickets are $40 and advanced reservations are required. To reserve a seat, call (203) 966-1776 ext. 3.

The New Canaan Museum & Historical Society, 13 Oenoke Ridge, New Canaan, CT. www.nchistory.org