GROTON — The long-running story of the “Biggest Book in the World on Peace” may be nearing its final acts.
After nearly 10 years in the making, the 10-foot-by-12-foot tome is so massive that it will need to be disassembled before being transported between stops on a hoped-for world tour.
A celebration of the project is planned for Oct. 8 at the JFK Library in Boston.
The Biggest Book will surely stand as a testament to the tenacity and commitment of the hundreds of Groton-Dunstable Middle School students who have dedicated themselves to the project for the past decade.
“Even after 10 years, the students involved with the Peace Club are still super-enthusiastic,” said Christine Muir, a parent volunteer with the project whose middle-school daughter is a member of the club.
“There are kids in college now who started in the club years ago, and they’re now taking on roles and responsibilities that come directly out of their Peace Club activities,” Muir said. “They’re all still passionate about peace and about connecting with each other and other kids around the world. In fact, the club is still accepting letters from celebrities and others in support of the book project.”
The book consists of hundreds of pages and weighs in at almost a ton. It was the brainchild of students at Groton-Dunstable’s Florence Roche Middle School, who have been working on the project since 2004.
For much of that time, students have been canvassing the world stage for celebrities and political figures to contribute messages of hope and encouragement to be included in the book.
Many stops are expected for the book, and students hope to see it embark on a “world tour” and be displayed in different venues, such as museums, embassies and, finally, on exhibit at the United Nations building in New York.
“When the project first began, students were in the second grade, not long after the events of 9/11,” Muir said. “They talked about how that event impacted their lives and decided they wanted to make a book about peace. They named their club the Bookmakers and Dreamers Club, but over time, they began calling themselves the Peace Club for short.”
To help celebrate the impending completion of the project, club faculty sponsor and guiding light Betsy Sawyer, as well as students of the Peace Club, have reserved space at the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston on Oct. 8, from 6 to 10 p.m., to display some of the completed pages and host some special guests who will speak at the event.
“Betsy Sawyer and a team of parent volunteers have been coordinating the book project, and now that school is back in session, they’re keeping the kids involved by getting their input,” Muir said. “To hold the event at the JFK Library, we reached out to them, saying that we wanted to have the celebration there, and they said it was OK to use the facility.
“The event itself will be a celebration of the book’s progress to this point,” she added. “We’re hoping to have it complete soon in terms of printing out the final version.”
But holding the event at such a prestigious venue does not come cheaply. To help raise money to pay for special equipment needed to put the Biggest Book on tour, tickets will be sold at $100 each, with special rates for children.
“Everyone is invited to the event, with children’s pricing on request,” Muir said. “The admission price allows people to visit the library’s museum, enjoy a four-course dinner and meet special guests like UN ambassador Anwarul Chowdhury, 9/11 first-responder John Feal, Lewis Randa of the Peace Abbey, Perry Greene from 911 Families for Peaceful Tomorrows, and Ted Reinstein from the Chronicle television program.”
But with the impending completion of the book project itself, there will still be plenty to keep students occupied with the Peace Club.
“The club does hold regular meetings after school at the middle school, where they do a lot of different kinds of things during the year,” Muir said. “For instance, they do a lot of Skyping, holding conversations with kids from other countries. They also work on other activities, including fundraising for the book project. Over the years, the club has had over 400 members. It’s open to any student and any parent who wants to help out.”
“It’s really exciting because it’s really cool that Ambassador Chowdhury is coming,” Muir said of the JFK soiree. “He’s been working so hard for peace. That, and this is just a huge milestone in the history of the project, something that everyone’s really excited about.”
