Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary Presents a FREE Benefit Concert for Operation Respect Rock River Valley Blowin’ in the Wind, If I Had a Hammer, Puff the Magic Dragon and more favorites. Sing along with Peter Yarrow, Peter’s daughter, Bethany and the Rufus Roots Quartet, rap musician Baby J, and the Rock River Valley Peace Choir under the direction of Rodney Cain featuring 100 youth from Auburn High School, and Keith School. Monday, September 26th, 2011 7:00 – 8:30 PM at the Coronado Theatre Tickets are FREE but needed for admittance to the concert. Available at Coronado Box Office (815) 968-0595 or online at www.coronadopac.org (convenience fees apply). Tickets also available at the Rockford Arts Council or Wonderland Books and Toys. Donations for Operation Respect are gratefully accepted at all three locations. The anti-bullying program Operation Respect began over ten years ago when Peter Yarrow discovered a song written by Steve Seskin and Allen Shamblin called “Don’t Laugh at Me”. Out of this song grew the Operation Respect program using music as a way to reach students, giving teachers additional tools to create caring, respectful, classrooms. The McGraw-Hill Companies partnered with Operation Respect/Don’t Laugh at Me to provide curriculum guides and materials free of charge. The program is now in 22,000 schools, all 50 states and six countries around the world. Last month, 80 local administrators, community agencies, teachers and others who work with children attended a workshop focusing on Operation Respect methods. This workshop fostered a core group interested in becoming trainers willing to field requests from individual schools and organizations working with area youth to spread the message and methods of Operation Respect within the Rock River Valley. All proceeds from the benefit concert on September 26th, will be used to establish a fund supporting grants to those in the Rock River Valley seeking to use Operation Respect or similar programs to create a safer, more caring and accepting environment for children. In addition to the September 26th concert, Peter and Friends will participate in the 9th Annual International Day of Peace at the Peace Plaza on September 27th. For more information, to become a patron or sponsor of the concert, or to attend the International Day of Peace, contact Pam Keeling at [email protected]. For more information on Operation Respect or to request a download of materials visit www.operationrespect.org or contact Ellyn Ahmer at [email protected]. Make Checks Payable to Operation Respect/Rockford College send to Operation Respect/Rockford College, 5050 E State St . Rockford, IL 61108 attn Bern Sundstedt .