Greg Forbes Siegman is the real-life person upon whom The First Thirty by Jillip Naysinthe Paxson is based.
In the Fall of 2007, Greg spent 48 hours in Knox County (Illinois). This part of the website features photos, feedback and links regarding the speeches, book signings, dinner, and art exhibit he took part in, the people who were part of them -- and the people and places who unexpectedly crossed Greg's path along the way. The italicized notes in parentheses are personal comments from Greg.
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DAY ONE
The first event took place less than an hour after Greg arrived in the area. He spoke about making a difference at a young age at an assembly for a couple hundred middle school students in Knoxville. In advance of the event, the school ordered copies of the books, workbooks and posters.
For more on Greg's connections with Middle Schools, click here
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Following the event, he signed autographs for the students
Dylan, 8th grade: "...There are no copies of The First Thirty [left] in the school library because every one is reading it. I think I might have to buy it...I am looking to be more helpful in my neighborhood, and decided to take Greg's advice [on how to start] outside my window...he is very inspiring and made us all laugh. We ALL appreciate it!"
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In conjunction with Greg's trip to town, the Galesburg-area Steak 'n Shake ordered additional copies of The First Thirty for local kids.
Citing the main character's efforts to use milkshakes to bring people together, the community-minded folks at Steak 'n Shake also provided gift certificates for junior milkshakes to be given to the students at some of the schools where Greg spoke during the visit.
For more on Greg's connections to Milkshakes, click Here
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In conjunction with the event, Tompkins State Bank ordered additional copies of the book and donated them to the school.
Want to do the same thing, as an individual or a company, for students in your community? Email Books@IdeaListEnterprises.com
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That night, Greg hosted a dinner for about 20 people at Applebee's. Greg had never met any of the dinner attendees before that day.
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These "Dinners with Strangers" have become a tradition on his speaking trips - with up to 40 people at a time joining him for dinner.
For more on these Dinners, visit www.ShakingUpAmerica.com
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The food and service in this instance were outstanding. (Special thanks to Mike, Nancy and the rest of the staff!)
Applebee's served as an in-kind sponsor throughout the trip.
For more on Greg's Connections with the F&B Industry, click Here
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After dinner, Greg went to a birthday party for a woman he'd never met at the invitation of a man he did not know.
(A week before the trip, Greg happened to learn about a local resident involved in a variety of civic projects and gave him a call. As the two men talked, they discovered the timing of Greg's visit was ironic. The very night Greg would be in town discussing The First Thirty, the man's fiancee would be turning thirty -- and the man graciously invited Greg to attend the birthday party) (Happy Birthday, Shannon!)
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DAY TWO
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In the morning, Greg spoke at an assembly at another school in the area. In advance of the event, the school ordered copies of the books, workbooks and posters for class-wide readings.
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In advance of the assembly, the teachers did a goal-setting project with the students based on part of The First Thirty (when the main character, as a child, creates a list of his future goals). The students' outstanding displays were on exhibit during the day.
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Following the assembly, Greg took part in an hour-long Question & Answer Session - answering prepared questions from the students
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While there, he also guest lectured a class. They talked about Creative Writing.
For more on Greg's Writing Background, click Here
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That afternoon, Greg spoke at an assembly for a couple hundred students at a local grade school. In advance of the event, the school ordered copies of the book.
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That evening, Greg made his way to Knox College. He received a tour of the school's athletic facilities from Athletic Director, Chad Eisele.
For more on Connections with Athletics, click Here
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He then ate dinner with the football coaches, before speaking at a private event for the Knox Football Team.
Jim, Student-Athlete, Knox College: "I enjoyed Greg's talk and artwork immensely. I really took a lot from what he said and have been thinking a lot about what I mean to the team and how I interact with my teammates. I also feel that I am becoming more outgoing regarding meeting new people."
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Michael, Student-Athlete, Knox College: "I would like to thank Greg so much for taking the time to talk to the Knox College football team and the Knox College community. I have learned so much from him in such a short time...The stories he told and the messages they had have really opened my eyes to what is really out there...it has inspired me to do so much that I would have never thought of doing."
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Afterwards, he spoke at a campus wide event at Knox. The event was co-sponsored by a variety of groups on campus. During the event, Greg spoke about topics like diversity, community service and connecting dots. In particular, the topics ranged from Grandma's to milkshakes to mismatched socks.
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"Walking away from Greg's presentation allowed me to concentrate and focus on my own life and encouraged me to look at it from different perspectives. I thoroughly enjoyed his message and have started The First Thirty ..." - Kathryn, college student
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During the visit to Galesburg, a couple of students were selected by school representatives to assist Greg and/or oversee his art while on display
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DAY THREE
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First thing in the morning, Greg spoke at an assembly at another middle school in the area. In advance of the event, the school ordered copies of the books, workbooks and posters.
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During Day Three, Greg also did a sit-down interview (at Applebee's) with a reporter from the local newspaper, and worked out with some undergrads in the brand new fitness center at Knox College.
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At the end of a hectic couple days spent with large groups of people, Greg made a quiet visit to The Bowl. The Bowl is the legendary, one-of-a-kind football field at Knox. Sixteen years ago, Greg spent three very memorable days there for a football camp. This was the first time he'd been back.
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The weather was perfect, and as the memories came flooding back, he walked out onto the field and started running around like he was 18 again :)
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In conjunction with Greg's visit, the Galesburg Area Convention & Visitors Bureau ordered copies of The First Thirty for a staff-wide reading. If it looks like Greg had a fun time in Galesburg, you can check it out yourself by visiting the the Bureau's great website, www.VisitGalesburg.com
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THE FIRST THIRTY ELEVATOR PROJECT
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During this trip to Knox County, Greg gave away two special copies of The First Thirty as part of the ongoing "The First Thirty Elevator Project." On this trip, one recipient was the person working the late night shift at a local hotel, and another was the gentleman who runs the local Applebee's.
To learn more about the project, go to www.TheFirstThirty.com and click Elevator Project.
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CROSSING PATHS
As always, Greg's trips were filled with unexpected meetings and adventures. Here are pictures of some of the memorable people and places who crossed his path during the trip -- including the duo who Greg joined for an impromptu late night dinner on Day Two
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To get The First Thirty in Knox County in person, check out Knox College Bookstore
To get the book or companion workbook or posters online, go to www.TheFirstThirty.com, click Shopping Cart
To inquire about booking Greg for an event, email Events@GregForbes.com
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