 Bill and Cheryl Hawthorne, and George Hoguet, were pleased to attend and represent our Sangha, on Sunday July 31st, at the dedication of a wonderful Peace Pole erected by the Rotary Club of Monroeville. The project was the vision of SOm Sharma, former head of that Rotary, and a leader in Pittsburgh's Interfaith Community. On behalf of the Rotary, which raised more than $15,000 for the monument, Mr. Sharma had invited members of many spiritual and ethnic communities to attend. The words, "May Peace Prevail" are found on the pole in 40 different languages. The Monastics from Pittsburgh's Buddhist Meditation Center (Thai), which is located in Monroeville, spoke briefly and chanted a Metta meditation in Thai. The fellowship there was as bright as the sunshine. The 12-foot high, stainless steel Peace Pole will last 400 years, and joins several thousand others now in more than 200 countries worldwide. Allegheny County Executive, Mr. Rich Fitzgerald spoke with pride at having this centerpiece in the County, and offered an official Declaration. The Pole is the center of what will become a Peace Garden at the Monroeville Community Park West. After the dedication, a Monroeville police officer invited Bill & Cheryl to consider using one of the pavilions in the park, closest to the Peace Pole, for an outdoor gathering of our community. Bill, Cheryl and George will be promoting a Day of Mindfulness there in September with walking mindfulness around the Peace Pole, which is at the center of a large labyrinth. Stay Tuned!  Comments are closed.
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