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United Way's Third Book Release Promotes Positive Aspects of Seniors

United Way's Life: Act 2 Partnership Council and its Multigenerational Early Literacy Collaboration (MELC) recently announced the publication of the MELC program's third children's book, Just Mollie and Me.

Since its inception five years ago Life: Act 2, United Way's senior initiative, has led a pro-active community response to the opportunities and challenges of a growing senior citizen population. One of the goals of Life: Act 2 is to elicit a permanent shift in the way the community views and values seniors. With the help of the MELC initiative they are doing just that. Formed from a partnership of the collegiate, early literacy and children's books sectors, the MELC project publishes books that feature affirming senior themes in order to promote a positive view of seniors and aging among children and youth. Just Mollie and Me, is a unique picture book that celebrates the life and service of Norma Folsom. In addition to retiring from teaching after 35 years, she also served in the Peace Corps and continues to teach the value of helping others and staying active in life.

"Life: Act 2 is the culmination of several years of research and study by United Way volunteers, community stakeholders, and experts," Michael Korn, chairman of United Way's Board of Directors and the Life: Act 2 Partnership Council said. "When it began, one of its goals was to create a culture shift in the way our children view and value seniors. With the publication of Just Mollie and Me, we are one step closer to our goal."

The book's publication was made possible through the financial support of Bank of America, which has a long history of caring about and supporting early literacy and education efforts.

Just Mollie and Me also addresses Mayor Peyton's community literacy initiative, which plans to get every child in Duval County ready to read and succeed in school. RALLY Jacksonville! aims to make early literacy a core value in Jacksonville.

"In addition to changing children's perceptions of seniors, these books are supporting our community's focus on improved literacy," Connie Hodges, President of United Way of Northeast Florida said. "Through the publication of this book, and the earlier books, we are striving to reach every child in our community through early literacy."

The process of creating each book involves pairing a middle school student with an older adult whose stories are used to highlight an intergenerational connection. These sessions, where the stories originate, are facilitated by a volunteer from United Way's women's affinity group, Women in Local Leadership (WILL).

After structured training for all involved, the student/senior team meets for a video-taped session where the student interviews the senior to find out more about their lives and begins to chronicle the senior's story. From there, professional authors work with the stories and convert them into children's books. The books are intended to generate a positive perception of older citizens and are able to show the value that older adults can provide in a child's life.

At the launch, children from Methodist Children's Village gathered around as the author, Gigi Morales David, read an excerpt from the book. In addition, everyone in attendance received a personal copy of Just Mollie and Me.

The first MELC book, Peter and the Silent Siren, was given to kindergarten students in Title I Schools in Baker, Clay, Duval, and Nassau counties, in addition to being placed in pediatricians' offices, hospital waiting rooms, and every public library in the community. Based on its success and with the expansion of this program, 15,000 copies of the second book, The Little Red Envelopes, have been distributed free of charge to every third grader in Baker, Clay, Duval, Nassau, and Northern St. Johns counties along with all Duval county public school libraries and every public library in Northeast Florida. This year, 45,000 copies of Just Mollie and Me will be sent to first-graders, area hospitals and school libraries throughout the five-county region of Northeast Florida.

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