Contact: Lori Voth 617-566-9127 [email protected] are at war. People are nervous.And comfort often lurks in unexpected places.
Like senior citizens on the web.
While the celebrities give anti-war speeches and sing about peace, protesters march through our cities, and people turn to their religion to deal with their feelings, a tremendous number of Internet users look to a special group of self-proclaimed “surrogate grandparents.”
It’s called the Elder Wisdom Circle, and at www.elderwisdomcircle.org over 15,000 users each week use the site to seek free advice about anything from relationships to gardening. The confidential responses come from the group’s elders, seniors nationwide who’ve joined together online to pass down their “elder wisdom” to a younger audience with less experience in some life situations, while simultaneously gaining a sense of worth, satisfaction and place in the community.
Now, as the threat of a large, destructive war becomes a reality, the elders represent the one age group that has survived the longest lifetime of international struggles and they have some stories and insights that no other age group will ever have. Worried and emotional users are flocking to their service to express their core feelings, gain historical information and comparisons, and obtain feedback from those who’ve been there.
Selected letters can be read on the site. I encourage you to go to www.elderwisdomcircle.org and see about this unique organization for yourself. You will likely find the letters deeply moving.
A question presented in the news very frequently right now is how to talk to your kids about the war. This would be a great resource for families to hear about, for parenting advice and more. Even 11 year olds have been sending in war questions and concerns. And the service is an excellent means for students to further their range of educational experiences. We need to take advantage of this direct, creative link to history while we still can. Unfortunately there’s the sad but true fact that soon we will only have textbooks and material objects to depend on for information.
I am the Director of Marketing and PR for the EWC. If you are interested in this as a potential story idea and would like more information you may either email me back at [email protected] or give me a call at 617-566-9127. Or if you don’t have the time or staff to write something up I’d be more than willing to give you a completed, objective article I wrote myself. We just want to spread the word, as this non- profit service is truly unique and can really be of help to everybody right now. I have been nothing but impressed and fascinated with the EWC ever since I first heard of them. Whether I write it or your staff does, whether you choose this war angle or another, or whether it’s a two sentence blurb or a full-on feature story, I encourage you to recognize the EWC in your publication. They really are an amazing group of people providing a remarkable service to the public.
Please respond to [email protected]. Thanks
Lori Vothwww.elderwisdomcircle.org i can send a press release if you are interested in more