Woman who lived through Holocaust to talk to area students, parents
Last year, 100 Indian Prairie Unit District 204 families received a free copy of Marion Blumenthal Lazan's book, "Four Perfect Pebbles: A Holocaust Story."
Tuesday night, they'll get to meet the author.
The district's Parent Diversity Advisory Council is playing host to Lazan from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Crouse Education Center, 780 Shoreline Drive, Aurora.
Council secretary Rachel DePorte said the presentation originally was set for last year but had to be rescheduled. In the meantime, Lazan donated dozens of copies of the book to the district.
"We just put it out there that the first 100 families to respond to our call would win a copy of the book," DePorte said. "The initial response was unbelievable. Then we got varying e-mails from people saying they knew Holocaust survivors or that they thought their kids should know about the topic."
According to Lazan's Web site, fourperfectpebbles.com, the memoir recounts the time following Hitler's rise to power when the Blumenthal family -- Marion, her parents and her brother, Albert -- were trapped in Nazi Germany.
They eventually managed to get to Holland, but soon thereafter it was occupied by the Nazis. For the next six and a half years, the Blumenthals were forced to live in refugee, transit and prison camps that included Westerbork in Holland and the notorious Bergen-Belsen in Germany.
It took three more years of struggle and waiting before Marion, Albert and their mother at last obtained the necessary papers and boarded ship for the United States.
Between today and Thursday, Lazan will discuss her book and life experiences with nine area schools and groups, including her Tuesday night presentation for the District 204 community.
She will begin Tuesday with a 9:30 a.m. presentation at Neuqua Valley High School, followed by a 12:30 p.m. stop at Naperville Central High School.
The council will prepare a dinner at 5:30 p.m. for Lazan and her husband before she is presented to the community at 7 p.m.
The public event is free. Books are available at a discounted price at Anderson's Bookshop in downtown Naperville.
Schools in Bensenville, Glen Ellyn, Naperville and Villa Park also will host Lazan during the week.
"She really likes to get the most of her travel and make several appearances in an area at a time," said DePorte, who was involved in scheduling Lazan's trip. "She'll be spreading her story of hope and courage across the area next week."
If you go
What: The Indian Prairie Unit District 204 Parent Diversity Advisory Council sponsors a visit by Holocaust survivor and author Marion Blumenthal Lazan
Where: Crouse Education Center, 780 Shoreline Drive, Aurora
When: 7 p.m. Tuesday
Cost: Free; books are available at a discount at Anderson's Bookshop, 123 W. Jefferson Ave., Naperville
Info: (630) 428-6290