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Friends of Peace Pilgrim a Non-Profit, Tax-Exempt, All Volunteer Organization P.O Friends of Peace Pilgrim A Non-Profit, Tax-Exempt, All Volunteer Organization P.O. Box 2207 • Shelton, CT 06484 • (203) 926-1581 www.peacepilgrim.org • email: [email protected] Spring 2012 “Overcome evil with good, falsehood with truth, hatred with love.” - Peace Pilgrim Number 56 “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead Friends gather at the Peace Pilgrim Park in Egg Harbor City, NJ for the 2011 Peace Pilgrim Celebration Dear Friends of Peace Pilgrim, The colors of spring are a soft blanket on the Connecticut hills. The browns of winter are being smothered in gauzy greens and wispy reds as new growth emerges on maple, oak, birch, and tulip. Daffodils and forsythia came early and are now beginning to fade as lilac, cherry, and apple offer their bright blossoms to the landscape. There are many anniversaries recently past and soon to be. Last July marked the 30th anniversary of Peace Pilgrim’s “transition to a freer life.” Next January 1, will be the 60th anniversary of the beginning of the pilgrimage. We have been in touch with an independent producer of National Public Radio stories who is working on a piece that we hope will air on one of the national NPR news programs on that day remembering Peace Pilgrim and highlighting her contributions to individual and world peace. On April 26, 1952 Peace Pilgrim began her Appalachian Trail walk from the top of Mt. Oglethorpe in Georgia. In October of that year she would become the first woman to complete the trail in one hiking season. One of are articles in this edition covers that journey. This year also marks the thirtieth anniversary of the beginnings of Friends of Peace Pilgrim. Our book Peace Pilgrim: Her Life and Work In Her Own Words went to press for its first printing of 2500 copies in December of 1982. The compilers felt that it had to be offered in the same spirit that Peace Pilgrim had offered her life and pilgrimage, freely to all who asked. At the time, it seemed an improbable model for keeping the books in print. But, here we are thirty years later, having printed and sent almost half-a-million books and over two million Steps Toward Inner Peace booklets to friends around the world. As Peace would say, “Aren’t people good!” In peace and friendship, Cheryl Canfiield, Jeff Bloom, Richard Polese, Mayte Picco-Kline, Bar- The Friends of Peace Pilgrim Board bara Reynolds, Bruce Nichols, and the Oklahoma City volunteers 2 Friends of Peace Pilgrim Newsletter: Number 56 - Fall 2011 Celebrating Peace Pilgrim - Sept. 16-18 2011 “Having the opportunity to honor my peace mentor by Nanette Galloway by bringing WAMMS Across America to Egg Harbor City to participate in this special event has been an ultimate EGG HARBOR CITY — With another successful Peace Pil- privilege,” Park said. grim Celebration under their belts, the residents of Peace The weekend opened with a screening of director Tom Pilgrim’s New Jersey birthplace are getting ready to plan Shadyac’s film,I Am at the high school’s Dr. Adam Pfeffer what will be the fifth annual celebration of her life’s work. Performing Arts Center on Friday evening. In the docu- The fourth annual celebration, which took place Sept. mentary, Shadyac shares his awakening to his prior life of 16-18, 2011, attracted visitors from near and far to partici- excess and greed as he investigates how as individuals we pate in five special events made possible with the help of can improve the way we live and walk in the world. Peace movie producer Tom Shadyac, Planetwalker John Francis, Pilgrim is briefly featured in the film along with Planet- Rev. DonnaChristine Park of Walk a Mile in My Shoes walker John Francis, an environmentalist who conducted a (WAMMS), members of the local Quaker and Unitarian twnety-year pilgrimage, seventeen of them in total silence. congregations and students from the city’s new Cedar Taking time from his work as a professor of environmental Creek High School. studies at University of Wisconsin, Madison, Dr. Francis visited Egg Harbor City to speak to students about how they can create peace with the environment. In his address, Francis noted that he considered Peace Pilgrim a kindred spirit. He said he first learned about Peace Pilgrim during his pilgrimage when he came upon a peace center in Redding, California where he was fed and given shelter. “I noticed a picture of an elderly woman with gray hair walking down the street. It was Peace Pil- grim,” he said. John and Ann Rush, founders of Friends of Peace Pilgrim, who provided him with a copy of Peace Pilgrim’s book to take on his journey. “I thought it was just amazing what she had done…it was something that just inspired me to continue on my journey,” he explained to the audience. After the screening, Friends of Peace Pilgrim presented the school with a Peace Pole to be planted in a butterfly garden that will be created on school grounds in the spring. The next day, Francis strummed on his banjo as he led the Walk for Peace from Peace Pilgrim Park to her child- hood home. Residents gathered at the park following the walk to share an old-fashioned community picnic, while a DJ played peace themed music. The day was capped off Planetwalker, John Francis and Helene Young with a drum circle, facilitated by drum master Dave Sha- The group’s very first event in July 2008 celebrated man. what would have been Peace Pilgrim’s 100th birthday. Perhaps the most profound part of the celebration was Subsequent celebrations were held on the weekend closest the Sunday morning interfaith worship service hosted by to Peace Pilgrim’s July 18 birthday, but due to the often op- the local Quaker and Unitarian congregations and held at pressive heat, the celebration date was moved last year to the Unitarian Church in nearby Galloway Township. The coincide with International Day of Peace. service included readings from Peace Pilgrim, Her Life and “Having the celebration timed with the United Na- Work in Her Own Words, a message from Dr. Francis and 10 tions’ International Day of Peace gives us the opportunity minutes of silent worship. to create greater awareness of Peace Pilgrim’s teachings This year’s event will be held Friday through Sunday, and involve our young people on a grass roots level,” said Sept. 21-23. For more information on the Egg Harbor City PeacePilgrim100 Chairwoman Nanette Galloway. celebration, visit www.peacepilgrim100.com. Students in the high school’s graphic design class de- signed the T-shirt, “Got Peace?” which was distributed to those who participated in the two-Mile Inter-generational “I don’t know what your destiny will be, Walk for Peace. Students also worked with Rev. Park but one thing I know: the only ones among to conduct a shoe drive in Peace Pilgrim’s honor. More you who will be really happy are those who than 200 pairs of gently loved shoes were collected at the will have sought and found how to serve.” high school and throughout the weekend and distributed to residents of the Atlantic County Rescue Mission and ~ Albert Schweitzer Women’s Center. Friends of Peace Pilgrim Newsletter: Number 56 - Fall 2011 3 Peace Pilgrim Movie Update form humanity. We’ve built a Peace Pilgrim movie website by Mark Skelton dedicated solely for this purpose. We would like to hear your Peace Pilgrim stories... did you meet Peace on her My name is Mark Skelton. I am an English screenwrit- pilgrimage? How did she influence you? Do you have any er-producer living in Hollywood. My dream is to see the interesting, entertaining anecdotes we could include in the story of Peace Pilgrim come to life in a full-length feature final screenplay? We would appreciate your endorsements film, so that the rest of the world can be transformed by for the upcoming movie. her powerful message of unconditional love. I’ll come right Our website (www.peacepilgrimmovie.com) will dis- out and say it; Peace Pilgrim has changed my life beyond play your endorsement for the film to Hollywood movers words. My heart is filled with so much appreciation for her and shakers and, finally, you can help spread the word by that I want to share my experience with as many people as sharing our website link with your friends on Facebook, possible. Twitter or any other social gathering you attend in the real Since partnering with the Friends of Peace Pilgrim world! If enough individuals come together as one, we will some five years ago, I have passionately dedicated my make cinematic history together. A truly united, grass roots life to this momentous endeavor. Soon after discovering ‘n’ boots movie that, I believe, would put a smile on Peace Peace Pilgrim, I teamed up with fellow writer-producer, Pilgrim’s face. Please email any questions/suggestions to: Kerri Randles, to write the in-depth screenplay which is [email protected] or add me as a friend on now ready to go into production. It is my belief that this Facebook! film will convey social messages that will help inform and guide society to a better future, through real-life storytell- Proclaim Peace ing that highlights the power of women, the power of By Dr. Elsa Potter conviction, the power of personal transformation and, most importantly, the power of an individual to help shift Dr.
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