Madeline Collins has written and illustrated a book about Memorial Day that will teach children the significance of the holiday and contribute to the well-being of veterans.
Allentown High School senior Madeline Collins, 18, Millstone, wrote “Stars and Stripes Celebrate Memorial Day” to earn the Girl Scout Gold Award. Proceeds from the book will help wounded soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. ERIC SUCAR staff “Stars and Stripes Celebrate Memorial Day” is a children’s book about a family of cats learning the history behind the day of remembrance for those who died serving the country. Completed to earn a Girl Scout Gold Award, the book’s proceeds will be donated to the Bob Woodruff Foundation, which provides resources and support to injured service members, veterans and their families, according to Collins, 18, of Millstone Township, Monmouth County.
Collins said she wanted to combine her three interests — reading, writing and art— into a Girl Scout Gold Award project that would affect people in her community not just temporarily, but would make lasting contributions for years to come. In choosing a project theme, she considered that both of her grandfathers served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II and the Korean War and that most people do not know the true meaning behind the holiday that is so often used for family trips and barbecues.
The book for children ages 3-7 includes colorful illustrations and age-appropriate text. Collins researched Memorial Day, verified information with veterans, created an educational story, drew complementary artwork using colored pencils and wrote a culminating poem. She received a copyright and had the book printed for sale.
In developing the story, Collins learned a great deal about Memorial Day that she had never been taught. The tradition, originally called Decoration Day, began when women decorated the graves of American soldiers who died fighting in the Civil War, according to Collins.
“I didn’t know the wreath-laying went as far back as the Civil War,” Collins said.
The tradition of laying wreaths on the graves of American soldiers who died in wars has survived more than 100 years. Although many towns claim to have started this tradition, President Lyndon B. Johnson declared in 1966 that Waterloo, N.Y., was the original birthplace of Memorial Day on May 4, 1866, when the town came together to honor all American soldiers who died in war, according to Collins.
Other traditions Collins explores in her book include the buddy poppy and the Blue Star Mothers of America. The latter has been around since World War I, she said. One of Collins’ illustrations in the book depicts the blue stars that mothers embroidered for the number of children they have serving in the war.
“If someone in your family was away fighting in the war, you would put a blue star in the front window of your home,” she said. “If the family member died in the war, then a gold star would be placed over the blue star.”
Collins hopes parents will read her book to their children to teach them about history and tradition. She hopes teachers can incorporate the book into their lesson plans regarding military service, veterans, war and patriotism. The Millstone Township School District has already invited her to read the book to primary and elementary school students in May 2011.
Collins chose to donate proceeds from the book to the Bob Woodruff Foundation based on the foundation’s three missions — education, collaboration and investment. She said the foundation aims to make the greater community knowledgeable about veterans’ issues, work with businesses and other service-oriented groups to help veterans, and make contributions of time and money toward helping wounded veterans adjust to civilian life.
“They don’t just concentrate on money and education and housing,” Collins said. “They go deeper and make sure that veterans and their families don’t go homeless or develop substance abuse problems.”
The foundation also provides medical care and employment services to wounded soldiers, veterans of war and their families, Collins said.
Collins joined Girl Scout Troop 1439 in the fourth grade and is the only Scout in what was once a 20-member troop to have moved through the ranks to attain the Gold Award. Prior to her Gold Award project, Collins earned the Bronze and Silver awards. The former project focused on water conservation and a clean environment in the watershed, while the latter had her working with the EpiphanyHouse inAsbury Park to help chemically dependent women and their children who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.
Collins said she continued scouting over the years because she valued the leadership opportunities that she knew would help her throughout high school, college and the rest of her life. In the Girl Scouts, she had opportunities to serve as a Girl Scout camp counselor and as a delegate for her service unit.
Collins is now a senior at Allentown High School, where she is a member of the English, Science and National honor societies, as well as the student representative for the curriculum council and an active member of the student council. She plays varsity field hockey and lacrosse and scored her 100th lacrosse goal last year. She recently committed to attending La Salle University in Philadelphia, where she will study English and play NCAA Division 1 lacrosse in the fall. She has aspirations of becoming a lawyer.
“Stars and Stripes Celebrate Memorial Day” can be purchased at www.createspace.com/ 3484638 or at www.amazon.com. Amazon will donate just over $2 from the $10 purchase price to the Bob Woodruff Foundation, and CreateSpace will donate $4.35 out of the purchase price to the foundation.