South Coast Senior College

 A legacy letter (also called an “ethical will”) is a written document that allows people to share their life lessons, express their values and transmit their blessings to future generations. A legacy letter is shorter than a memoir, typically just a few pages. Writing one is a rewarding experience that creates an enduring gift for family, friends and other loved ones. Jay’s presentation includes discussion and brief writing exercises to help participants examine their life histories, explore their values and capture important insights. It offers advice, encouragement and a model structure to help people draft and complete their own legacy letters. Jay works with partner organizations to customize the program; he can offer a one- session workshop, two-session mini-course or four-session course, either online or in person.

In a long and varied career, Jay Sherwin has practiced law, given away money for five charitable foundations, worked as a philanthropy consultant and served as a hospital chaplain. Drawing on all those experiences, Jay created the Life Reflections Project to educate people about legacy letters and ethical wills; he now teaches legacy writing and works with clients to help them draft or edit their own legacy documents. In the past five years, Jay has offered workshops and courses for more than 100 public libraries, adult learning programs, senior centers, churches, synagogues and retirement communities nationwide, reaching more than 3,500 participants. Jay earned a BA degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a JD degree from Northeastern University School of Law. He has lived in eight states and two foreign countries and now resides in Portland, Maine. You can read more about Jay and the Life Reflections Project on his website at www.jaysherwin.com.