BIOGRAPHY

As written by Diane Feen for the Boca Raton News 09/23/07

Marilyn Perlyn is the author of "The Biggest and Brightest Light: A True Story of the Heart." But to say this Coral Gables native is solely an author is like saying that Mother Nature only created trees. That's because Perlyn is an educator, motivator, public speaker, community service award winner, parental role model, mother and wife. Her life's mission started out like most people's — to be a good daughter, mother and wife. And you could say that Perlyn's mission was accomplished. Her marriage to Don Perlyn is still in tact after 36 years, her three children are healthy, happy and successful — and she completed a full run as a dental hygienist. But it was daughter Amanda that wove a thread of innovation that still holds tight in the fiber of altruism that characterizes the Perlyn family creed.

Heavy Load

When she was six-years-old Amanda Perlyn came home from school with a heavy load. Her first grade

	Amanda Perlyn and Dr. Malko

teacher, Dr. Marguerite Malko had a sick daughter and not enough money to pay the medical bills. So young Amanda went home and asked her parents what she could do to help her favorite teacher. At first mom Marilyn avoided the question. "I was a very protective mother. I didn't want to discuss cancer with her or have a conversation about death." But Amanda was persistent — and eventually her plea was taken seriously by her parents. So serious that the entire family cleared away the living room furniture, picked up pieces of palm tree bark, solicited crafts from local merchants (colorful yarn and google eyes) and set out to make Christmas reindeers. The reindeers were sold to friends and neighbors netting a profit of $1000.00 that went toward Elena Malko's doctor bills.

Egg of Invention

The success of this venture not only made Amanda feel good, but it laid the golden egg of invention for mom Marilyn. "To feel someone else's pain takes courage — but the idea is that when you help someone else you feel so good." The Perlyn's didn't just tuck away their good feelings for future prosperity. They dug in their heels and created more good causes that made their hearts glow even more. "Parenting classes don't teach you how to teach your children to show they care. You can respond passively and say, 'that's terrible' or you can react and do something," said Marilyn. So that's exactly what they did. Amanda started an organization, "To Have and to Hug," that distributes stuffed animals to young people in hospitals and foster homes. Son Eric started "Stepp'n Up," an organization that outfits under-privileged youths with new sneakers (they have given out 15,000 pair to date) and eldest son Chad (who is presently an award-winning doctor) started "Doc-Adopt", that gets doctors and dentists to treat children in need. The organizations still flourish and so does the Perlyn clan. Eric and Chad have been on the Oprah Winfrey Show and have they have won numerous (30 collectively) awards for scholarship, kindness, community service, honor and courage. Daughter Amanda has been on the Dr. Joy Browne Show, has been written about in books and films and has a shelf full of accolades (26 honors and awards in all). She was also the inspiration (and artist) for mom Marilyn's book, "The Biggest and Brightest Light: A True Story of the Heart."

"The most important thing in life is to be aware of 'teachable moments.' That is a moment in life when something happens that is unexpected, but you take the time to reflect upon it. You think about how that moment could better your life and the world — it's usually a lesson." It is the lessons that Marilyn Perlyn learned being Amanda's mother that set the stage for her third career as a character education czar. She teaches — and gives seminars — on service learning and character education. She goes to regional conferences and inspires teachers to help their students learn about the act (and art) of giving. Not so much for their character development — but for something even greater.

Operation Smile

"What you teach a six-year-old stays with them forever — if you teach them about helping others it stays with them forever. When you teach a child to give back it raises their self-esteem and teaches them that they can make a difference in someone else's life," said the petite energetic Boca Raton wife, mom and gourmet cook. That's why Marilyn Perlyn hands out a service-learning guide to teachers and guidance counselors. It's why she goes to Palm Beach County and Broward County Schools as well as schools across the US (who often buy her book) to read to children and help them make "Cool to be Clean" goodie bags to give to away to those less fortunate. It's also why she spreads the wisdom embedded in her rib cage. "We learned from Amanda that the brightest light is in your heart. No one has ever helped someone else without helping themselves in the process." Perhaps that is why Marilyn and husband Don co-founded the South Florida chapter of Operation Smile (that provides money for cleft lip and palate surgery for children around the world), why they received the Points of Light Foundation Award from President H.W. George Bush, the R. David Thomas Child Advocate of the Year Award and have been featured on television shows (Everyday Heroes on PBS for one), radio programs and written about in enough books and magazines to make it seem as if they had halos over their torsos. But humility runs deep in this local family. "We're regular parents. People wanted me to write a book, but I am not a writer. I am not a better teacher — but I can share what changed our family and others like us. Don and I do have one special combined degree though — an MD — it stands for mom and dad."

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