INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Can one person change the world? Come find out at the American Association of University Women’s (AAUW) Book Review Breakfast on Monday, Nov. 9 in the Richardson Center of the Mueller Campus of Indian River State College, 6155 College Lane, Vero Beach.
Mary Silva, Executive Director of Literacy Services of Indian River County, will discuss Walk in Their Shoes: Can One Person Change the World? by Jim Ziolkowski. The event begins at 9:30 a.m. with a continental breakfast, courtesy of Panera Bread, on the veranda followed by the book review in the auditorium at 10 a.m.
This year, AAUW Vero Beach invites those attending to stay and discuss the book from 11 to 11:30 a.m. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Linda Barker, (703) 898-8260.
Walk in Their Shoes tells the true story of the author and his colleagues who created BuildOn, an organization that turns inner-city teens into community leaders at home, and builds schools in impoverished areas abroad.
BuildOn students have contributed more than 1.2 million hours of service, from Detroit and the South Bronx to Haiti, Maki and Nepal, while building more than 550 schools worldwide. Together, they are breaking the cycle of poverty, illiteracy, and low expectations in their own lives and transforming their communities.
Visit the website, www.BuildOn.org for more of this story.
The Dalai Lama, whom the author met, calls Walk in Their Shoes “an inspiring tribute to the power of compassion and education; the keys to leading a meaningful life.”
Mary Silva practiced law for 15 years and then, as she puts it, “saw the light.” She joined Literacy Services of Indian River County in 2005 as its Executive Director. The organization focuses on adults who need assistance with their reading and English skills. It is estimated that one out of five adults in this country struggle with literacy. Ms. Silva has a BA in English and a JD, both from the University of Florida.
AAUW Vero Beach has presented these Book Review Breakfasts as a community service for 30 years. They are free and open to the public; reservations are not required.