Doug Brown to speak at Wayne County Public Library

Doug Brown has done a lot of traveling as a professional skateboarder, author and motivational speaker. His perspective is different than most—his vision seen through philanthropic lenses. Brown is the founder of the Skate Straight Foundation, which tours libraries, schools, hospitals and other functions, leaving behind a trail of hope and optimism.

Despite all of the traveling and the different people he has met, there is still something nostalgic about delivering his story to his hometown. On Thursday, Sept. 20, Brown will speak and sign copies of his books, Beyond the Board and Looking Glass Self, at the Wayne County Public Library at 7 p.m. Following the presentation, Brown will conduct a meet and greet and sign posters.

The community is invited to attend the event. Brown will offer his life story, discuss growing up in Wooster and talk about his skate career. His presentation is meant to inspire attendees to be themselves and make positive choices along the way. In his 10th year as a professional skateboarder, Brown knows a thing or two about the power of dreaming.

"I do speaking engagements all over the country and it's nice to finally speak to people that are from my stomping grounds. I've done a lot with my life and I came from Wooster and still call it home," Brown said. "I'll be sharing my journey and I will be talking a lot about growing up here and how I landed as an author, motivational speaker and pro skater."

The event is open to all ages. Brown explained that most assume his demographic is teenagers, but his message transcends all age groups. In fact, his second book has been a great seller to women 30 and up. Brown said he's had audiences ranging from ages 5 to 75. His favorite part is the interaction with the public.

"This will be an uplifting time and I'll be speaking on lots of different issues and they will leave hopefully inspired and motivated to make their dreams come true," Brown continued.

Brown said he is treating the presentation as a celebration as well. His journey began in Wooster, so it's only logical to give back to the community that provided such a sturdy platform. Those in attendance can expect the event to begin with a video depicting the past 10 years of Brown's career. A question and answer session will follow the presentation.

"This event is very interactive and I encourage people to get involved and ask questions. This is more than just a meet the author. I'll be sharing my life stories and the lessons I learned along the way. I talk about my books a great deal, also," Brown said.

For more information, visit www.dougbrownskate.com.