Largely in response to the events of Sept. 11, a Bennington, Vt. group that advocates peace and respect among both neighbors and nations, has created a new web site and will be expanding its outreach activities. The Peace Resource Center (PRC) of Bennington was founded in 1983 at a time when peace meant nuclear disarmament between two superpowers. They were part of the Nuclear Freeze Movement, and in 1983-84 held a “Bridges for Peace†forum that invited Soviet residents to Bennington to discuss concerns and fears shared by the two nations. In today’s atmosphere, they believe promoting peace is even more crucial to improving the quality of life for everyone, regardless of where they may live.
The biggest ongoing activity of the PRC was the establishment in 1988 of Bennington’s sister city, Somotillo, Nicaragua. Somotillo faces severe living conditions, widespread poverty, and limited medical, educational and transportation resources.
The first delegation was sent from Bennington in 1988, in response to the U.S.-sponsored Contra War. Since then, the relationship between these two communities has created numerous community development projects in Somotillo. Water piping systems were built to improve sanitation. A children’s nutrition center was created, plus increased classrooms, and construction of the Sala Materna, a center for high-risk pregnancies. In 1991, the group helped Somotillo form its own Comision Social, the PRC’s partner that through regular communication, helps decide which projects deserve the most attention.
The town of Bennington officially recognized Somotillo as a sister city in 1992.
Over the years the group has also worked with Bennington financial institutions to provide Revolving Loan Funds to establish a pharmacy in the town, and funded a project to provide teachers with bicycles. The latter project is being extended to provide bicycles for health care workers in Somotillo, and to establish a tricycle taxi project.
Current projects include the ongoing support after Hurricane Mitch destroyed many buildings and facilities, a Rural Eyeglasses Project for children, and “school scholarships†to assist in the purchase of shoes, uniforms, school supplies and computer technology. Medical Aid shipments continue of sports gear, medical supplies and clothing. Donations from the community are always appreciated.
For many years, the Bennington-Somotillo project was part of a Sister City Consortium, but with the emergence of e-mail, they left the consortium last year and established a direct, consistent link through e-mails. An e-mail Pen Pal program has also been running between Bennington and Somotillo youth.
In recent months, the group has worked with Southwest Vermont Medical Center and the Social Commission in Somotillo to provide the Somotillo women’s clinic with an ultrasound machine. The machine was brought by Jim and Carolyn Walker and Maria Augustina Ponce, the nurse at the clinic, was trained at the Bennington hospital to use the machine.
PRC members are currently circulating petitions throughout Bennington County to get the Abolition 2000 article on town ballots throughout Bennington County. This project, done in concert with the American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker organization, is working toward a statewide resolution to abolish nuclear weapons. While members concede that the resolution will be more symbolic than anything, they see an importance in promoting thought and dialogue about the need for disarmament during a time when weapons are continuing to proliferate and the White House administration is considering a defense shield project.
The group is also encouraging participation in the Earth Charter Project, which is a treaty offering principles for decision-making that would be applied to multinational corporations throughout the U.S. and abroad. Much like a mission statement, the Earth Charter’s four basic premises are respect and care for community and life, ecological integrity, social and economic justice, and democracy, nonviolence and peace. The lengthy Earth Charter (visit www.earthcharter.org) contains 16 principles and 62 sub-principles, and is considered the only treaty ever written by average citizens.
With regard to the war in Afghanistan, the PRC was involved with a project that sent more than 500 blankets donated by Bennington, Middlebury and Montpelier, Vt., residents to refugee families in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The group is also selling a peace poster designed by teacher and artist Nina Karp, with proceeds going toward the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA), which sponsors Afghani women who are home-schooling their daughters.
The Peace Resource Center is a grass-roots, nonprofit partnership that meets each month at the Bennington Free Library. Its next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 19 at 7:30 p.m., preceded by a Somotillo Project meeting at 6:30 p.m. For more details, visit the web site www.peaceresourcecenter.com.
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Haskins Wins School, Select Board Seats
Staff Reports
CLARKSBURG, Mass. — Voters put Daniel Haskins back on the Select Board and also on the School Committee on Tuesday.
Some 60 voters turned out for the low-key election at the Community Center that had no races on the ballot.
Haskins was on the ballot for a second full term on the Select Board. He'd indicated he'd serve on the School Committee if elected, and polled 19 write-in votes to do so.
Laura Wood, School Committee chair, declined to put her name on the ballot for a third term but did poll eight write-in votes.
This isn't the first time someone has done double duty on arguably the town's two most important boards. Jeffrey Levanos first ran for School Committee in 2008 and then for Select Board in 2012. At one point, he was chair of both boards.
Also winning on a write-in was Richard Lefebvre, who earned two votes — beating four other candidates who got one each — for Board of Health. It's not clear if Lefebvre wants or will accept the seat.
Daniel Tanner was elected to Planning Board and incumbents Sarah Hurlbut and Joseph Bushika won re-election to the library trustees and War Memorial Committee, respectively.
Mount Greylock Regional School seventh-grader Scarlett Foley Sunday beat two opponents from Division 2 Longmeadow to capture the Western Mass Tennis Individuals Championship. click for more
Looking out at that scenery doesn't have to end when you go indoors with Marvin scenic doors, transforming any space by bringing the outdoors in.
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