Salem, Oregon--The Pay It Forward City

Salem To Pay It Forward For Award-Winning Novelist

Catherine Ryan Hyde, author and conceptual architect of the Pay It Forward movement will visit the city of Peace November 5th through the 9th. Hyde will deliver her message of world change, hope and the celebration of doing something good for others to numerous Salem-Keizer Schools, Blanchet Catholic School and Western Oregon University.

Scheduled prior to the September 11th tragedies, Hyde will deliver her message of commitment to the concept of doing unselfish acts of kindness, a service for someone, and asking them to pay it forward instead of paying it back. Hyde's novel which illustrates the lesson that one person can make a difference was made into an award-winning movie of the same name. Pay It Forward starring Kevin Spacey, Helen Hunt and Haley Joel Osment, triggered a national response that even prior to September 11th was paramount in depth and scope.

Mother Oak's Child, Center for Grieving Children has joined with the national Pay It Forward Foundation to educate and inspire Salem, Keizer and its surrounding communities to realize that they can change the world with one act of kindness and one display of hope.

"We kicked off a local Pay It Forward campaign on September 7. Just four days later, we saw our nation come together in the most powerful example of paying it forward in our history," said Krina Lemons, local Pay It Forward coordinator. "Empathy and the belief in the innate goodness of man triumphed with the delivery of every free sandwich, donated dime, and pint of blood given in the aftermath of September 11th. While we have always believed in honoring humanity and the future at Mother Oak's and were going to celebrate it here locally, we now have the world's stage to take example from."

"We are very, very fortunate to have Ms. Hyde spend an entire week in Salem," said Trey Malicoat, Director of Mother Oak's Child. We are also appreciative that the schools recognize the impact of her visit and put so much effort into rearranging schedules that she could speak to as many as she is."

"We urge Salem-Keizer businesses to roll out the welcome mat for Ms. Hyde. Let's put Pay it Forward signs, words of encouragement and welcome signs on business marquis, billboards, and more. Let's show the world that Salem and Keizer know how to Pay it Forward." Said Malicoat.

Pay It Forward resource guides were distributed in all Salem-Keizer elementary schools and numerous secondary schools. Chuck Lee, President of Blanchet Catholic School and Keizer City Councilor thinks so highly of the concept that he showed the movie at the beginning of the year to his staff. They have integrated the concept of "doing something real good" throughout their school curriculum.

The City of Salem proclaimed itself a Pay It Forward city and the City of Keizer has proclaimed November Pay It Forward month.

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