Peace Resource Center creates a new website and expands outreach

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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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Mount Williams Donates Flowers to Spruce Up Fire Department Yard for 9/11 Ceremony

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — In preparation for the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, the Fire Department wanted to clean up the side yard where it typically holds a remembrance ceremony.

"We wanted to make it look nicer because we are going to do a 9/11 ceremony here, so all of us got together, we cleaned it up, did all the stone work," said John Marlowe, firefighters' union president.

Marlowe said after their initial cleanup, the yard was still pretty bare, so they called Mount Williams Greenhouse for a quote on some plantings.

Instead, the business offered to donate the flowers and labor.

"They decided they wanted to do it for free," Marlowe said. "So they are donating all of the flowers and labor. They are a great group and great family. Great community members."

Monday afternoon, firefighters helped carry flowers and, other than supplying some water, let Mount Williams do its thing.

Flowers were planted in the circular area around the flagpole. Mount Williams planted New Guinea impatiens, regular impatiens, geraniums, ageratum, and salvia.

Marlowe said the department will hold its 9/11 ceremony on Sept. 11 at 8:46 a.m., the exact time when the first plane struck the Twin Towers. Police and EMS will also be present.

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