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Peace Prayer Project
We are excited about our Peace Prayer Project, hoping that eventually it will grow into a larger initiative that will truly make a difference. Over the years K has given Peace Prayers to many people in gratitude for their inspired actions for peace. We hope that you will take this opportunity to help her widen the Circle of Peace. | |||||||||||
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Whatever your way, we hope that you will share or show peace in some way - be it small or large - and take as examples the inspiring stories of our wonderful Peace Prayer Recipients.
Harmony, our Peace Dove took flight on September 21, 2011 in honor of International Day of Peace. We sent her off on a journey (first to California) with the goal of seeing how many places and folks she could 'touch' on her way home to Nelson County, Virginia. We will be tracking her on our Facebook page. If you would like to wear her, please post to our Facebook Page. | |||||||||||
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Holly Near is an ambassador for peace and equality who has been singing out for nearly 40 years. She invites her audience not only to be entertained but to enter into a state of community, using her powerful voice to invoke the spirit of highest self and creative activism.
“I just saw Holly perform at Michfest, which had to be one of the all-time best Michigan moments. I took time from my booth to attend one of her workshops. She began by leading us in song joined by Pat Humphries and Sandy O from emma’s revolution. I gave her a Peace Prayer Pendant after the workshop .... I am still singing.” k
Award-winning activist songwriters Pat Humphries and Sandy O named their band in honor of Emma Goldman. emma's revolution performs at demonstrations and gatherings around the world! "These two women rocked my boat and (everyone else’s I think) at Michfest this year. Their booth in the market place had a steady/heavy flow of women purchasing their PEACE t-shirts. I promptly gave them two Peace Prayer Pendants." k
Judy Enzig would like to honor Craig Newmark of www.craigslist.org along with his
CEO Jim Buckmaster. Judy says,"...Craig could be a billionaire by now but he has chosen not to make money but to create a safe place for the people of the world to trust each other and connect. He won't sell out his community. He just gets money from some employer postings; the rest is free. He's an anomaly in the world of websites. He has a non-profit branch where he gives away money to good causes. He's like Don Quixote, fighting the bad and standing up for the good, tirelessly working constantly. He's so deserving. I'm always trying to figure out how to give back to him because of all the ways that he's helped and blessed my life through his site. I've watched people pay tribute to him for how he's transformed their lives. He's the wizard behind the curtain, quietly creating the structure of the world we want. Judy also says, " It is Jim who advocates for the use of the peace symbol on their site. " Thanks so much Craig and Jim! | |||||||||||
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Lynn G. wants us to send a Peace Prayer pendant to a dear friend. They both are disabled from CFIDS and fibromyalgia. Their story takes them constantly to some hard places that most of us are spared but all delve into at some time and to some degree. Lynn's friend seems to be the kind who loves all and is finding her walk on this planet to be full of riddles yet she keeps her hope, faith and peaceful spirit alive.
Promotes peace, freedom and justice
"Each year the choir celebrates each solstice with a community celebration - we just had our winter solstice concert last night. This year the focus was on ending the war in Iraq - last spring the focus was on keeping the Earth's water clean. The choir is committed to creating a diverse and welcoming group of people, bringing together those who are differently abled, the Onondaga Nation, African American, Latino, GLBT and other communities, and events highlight the strength of that diversity. Karen and the choir have built an active alliance with the Onondaga Nation, our neighbors and caretakers of the land and water in our area. It was Karen's vision that began the choir 21 years ago and it is Karen's skill and inspiration that motivate and provide the opportunity for all of us to be a part of a group that speaks to our ideals and to promote those ideals within our larger community." Through Pam’s illness she educated herself on vitamins, nutrition and learning how to heal oneself through those modalities and others. After she was well enough to leave her house, her first job was a manager of a health food store in Grand Haven, Michigan. She consulted with a wide variety of people who are also trying to take care of themselves beyond traditional medicine. She taught people about vitamins and herbs, massage and Reiki, etc. Now she is a massage therapist and a reflexologist. She is an intuitive healer and has a very warm, nurturing demeanor that allows people to feel comfortable with her. Many women especially are attracted to her and she has helped many who suffer with residual effects of sexual abuse and other issues that eventually manifest in poor health. Besides, she is one of the funniest people ever! She is truly an 'Earth Mother'." Janice Schuster has nominated Debby Volenec as recipient of the Peace Prayer Project. Debby is a breast cancer survivor who gives of herself constantly for the well-being of others. She has organized a Walk for Life Relay in her community. She has also created a wailing wall of sorts to honor those soldiers killed in the war. A small strip of fabric with the soldier's name on it is attached to the fence around her house as a special remembrance of their sacrifice. Debby is completely committed to peace and carries that energy into every interaction she has with others. Recently she organized a local event call "the clay bowl luncheon" designed to raise money for the local women's shelter for victims of domestic violence. Janice says, "Debby is a friend who is always there to help without being asked. She is the most down-to-earth and caring person that I know. She has given so much of herself to our circle of friends and has fostered the bonding of some women with very diverse personalities and lives. She has helped us to find common ground and to appreciate our uniqueness as well." Susan Ocean has nominated Michael Franti to the Peace Prayer Project for his awe inspiring work toward peace and love. She says that his work is all about acceptance, love, respect and peace - spreading this message with music, which he says everyone deserves. He started a "Power to the Peaceful" concern in San Francisco that he is taking to Brazil. He also created a documentary, "I Know I'm Not Alone". In this he travels to Baghdad, Palestine and Israel to educate about people's human-ness, no matter where they are born. His work is positive and uplifting and makes you want to sing and dance while learning about war and how awful it is. He has created a children's book that teaches differences and acceptance of self called, "What I Be". He travels to teach the world and spread positive energy. After each of his shows, book signings or readings, he talks to each person and hugs them (a real, honest, good hug). He makes time for everyone who wants to talk to him, no matter how long it takes. He really listens and loves. His energy is beautiful and huge. 
He is intelligent and consciously aware of issues that so many remain ignorant of. He went on a personal vigil by not wearing shoes for a couple of days to think about the large gap between the countries that can afford to purchase shoes and the countries where they are making the shoes but can not afford to buy them. That was in 2000. He is still barefoot. This sounds crazy to some but he understands the huge inconsistencies in the world and works hard and gives of himself to do something about them. I'm reminded of a quote that I heard in a documentary about Ram Dass. One of Ram Dass's colleagues was speaking of their guru in India: "What staggered me is not that he loved everybody, but that when I was sitting in front of him, I loved everybody. That was the hardest thing for me to understand. How he could so totally transform the spirit of people who were with him and bring out not just the best in us, but something that wasn't even in us - we didn't know. I don't think any of us were ever as good or as pure or as loving in our whole life as we were when we were sitting in front of him." That is exactly how I feel at one of his shows. And this is how everyone I've turned on to his music feels too. He has changed our lives. He has raised our awareness. He has shown us love and respect, simply because we are beings. His work is amazing. Sidney Lockaby (better known as K's sister!) is spending much of her time these days volunteering with an organization in Charlotte, NC that builds bridges across faiths, races, cultures, and ethnicities. Crystal Tucker will finally get to meet Nora Cedarwind Young this summer when she presents her with a Peace Prayer pendant and interviews her for Celtic Whispers Ezine . "Nora is someone I look up to and hope to serve the community as she does. She is the first Eco-Spiritual, Pagan Clergy for her county hospital. She is a Death Midwife and Hospice volunteer. She does advocacy work for Domestic Violence, Breast Feeding of multiple birth children and also participates in community youth programs. She focuses on sharing information and teaching others about End-of-Life Issues, education, and reclaiming caring for our beloved dead along with providing Rights of our Last Rites and also Green Burials. She serves on the board for her five community food banks, and Ecumenical medical equipment lending bank. She is also an advisory to The Beltane Papers Magazine. Also she serves the community both her local one and (world wide web community) thru her website www.thresholdsoflife.org/index.html. Whenever I think about Peace, I think about Nora. She brings peace to those that need her help in their final stages of life. She also helps assist families caring for someone that is terminally ill, trying to help them by sharing her knowledge. She helps people know what their rights are when it comes to Green Burials, something I am currently planning for myself, whenever the time comes (but hopefully not anytime soon). This summer I will be attending a series of workshops that she will be hosting in Ohio. I know I will learn alot from this great lady. I recently wrote an email to her asking for guidance and she immediately responded with a generous amount of information that I could use. She did not have to respond to a person's email that she never met....but she cared enough to help a stranger out that asked for guidance. I am grateful to her for sharing her knowledge with me. I am hoping to learn from her example and eventually be able to do the same for my community as well." Betsy Greenleaf and Jesse Tosto have nominated Janet Evergreen of Charlottesville, VA. as a recipient of K Robins Designs’ Peace Prayer Project.
"Janet is closing her private healing practice on May 23rd, 2008 and beginning a 3 year 3 month Buddhist retreat/sabbatical in conjunction with the Phuntsok Dargyeling Tibetan Meditation Center of Frederick, Maryland. Although Janet will not be wearing the Peace pendant during this time of relinquishment, we would like to honor her 20 year service to our community. Gayle Allison has nominated her dear friend, Donna Douglas, as a recipient of the Peace Prayer project. Donna owns "Hawk's Ridge Retreat", an eco-spiritual retreat for humans and a sanctuary for native plants and wildlife. This center offers individual retreats for environmental, emotional and spiritual education. She also works in collaboration with the "SEEDS organization" out of Blacksburg, Virginia, to provide environmental education to children. Gayle says, "Donna is transitioning into retirement now and has lived her life in support of healing the environment and promoting peace. Her spirit led her to create a retreat center for souls to rest and create - a place where people can be at peace." Patt Doyle has been nominated by Babs Johnson to receive a Peace Prayer Pendant. "Patt was the first to start organizing Peace rallies in our very small, rural community. She has organized demonstrations on every anniversary of the Iraq War and other important dates. Patt takes part in other rallies around the state also. She makes signs for everyone and uses her own resources to put notices in the paper about upcoming events. Patt works to get people to vote so there will be change. She does this year after year with true conviction that Peace is the only way. About two years ago Patt started a list of all the sons and daughters of our area who are in Iraq and Afghanistan. The list says ‘In our thoughts and prayers' and then lists the names. She puts this list in the paper every week and also posts the list in every store in our town. Soon the list grew to include the small communities around us. She drives and posts the list in the outlaying areas. She puts hundreds of miles a month on her car while doing this effort. The list is always updated and current. Patt’s motto is “One person can change the world” and she lives it. Patt is one of my heroes." Nancy Thuer nominates her daughter, Lisa Thuer, for the Peace Prayer Award. "Lisa grew up being an advocate for peace and justice.
She followed her passion and is currently a social worker, advocating for women who have experienced homelessness, crisis pregnancy, and sexual and intimate partner abuse. She has been providing advocacy to women and
their families and facilitating educational groups which work to help women become financially independent. Kathy Chinouth dignifies the word ‘Peace’ through her tireless words and deeds of compassion, her visible inner strength,
her energy for teaching yoga, her gentle zeal for living ‘green’ and the example she sets for those whom she touches.
Carrie Kile has been nominated by her friend Joan Hayden. "Carrie has a 16 year old son with autism and has dedicated her life to him. Four years ago Carrie opened a Montessori school (Hope Montessori School) where she could touch the lives of other children with learning differences. With her school she strives to create a community that mirrors the community in which she lives. Every day she teaches peace, respect, tolerance and courage to her children. She embodies peacefulness in every way. This year she decided to study one virture, in depth, with her children each month. She leads the children in short plays, stories, songs and writings. At the end of each month, she presents the children with a special bead that she chose to represent that virtue. The children love wearing their virtue bracelets and can tell you what each and every bead stands for and what it means to them. She teaches the children about the world's great peace makers and how they too can grow up to become one! Each child that has been in her class/school has been touched by Carrie." Kevin Metzger McNamee has been nominated by his mother, Kathleen McNamee, and father
as a Peace Prayer recipient. Kevin went to the University of Utah to pursue a degree in ballet. When most people think of role models for peace, they think of people like The Dalai Lama, Mahatma Gandhi,
Martin Luther King Jr., and many other influential people. But when I think of peace, the first person that
comes to my mind is my mom, Elissa Tivona. From her peaceful outlook on
life to her quirky peace earrings,
peace thrives within her. The nomination of Kathleen Wilder for the Peace Prayer Award was sent by a committee with members from "The Bridge", Centenary UMC and Lafayette UMC. "For several years, Kathleen served successfully in upper management for MCI and then became a National Director for Sprint PCS. Despite a high level of success working with budgeting for a large corporation, she felt a calling to leave corporate America and enter ministry. In 2001, she left the security of a very lucrative employment and enrolled in seminary. Today, Kathleen pastors two churches in St. Louis, Missouri. Kathleen has always had a heart for the needy, the homeless, and those persecuted because of race, sexual orientation, addictions or afflictions. She has used her voice to build two churches which reach out to the community and the world. She is the Executive Director of “The Bridge” at Centenary UMC, an outreach ministry which serves an average of 3100 meals per week to sojourners and food insecure people. The Bridge is an active participant in the Continuum of Care and a key agency in the Mayor’s ten year plan to end homelessness. Besides pastoring two churches which are reconciling and open to ALL, Kathleen is a member of the Gateway Partnership for the St. Louis Human Services Board; a member of the St. Louis Continuum of Care which deals with homelessness; the Mayor’s Task Force to End Child Abuse, the Task Force to Build and Encourage Foster Parenting; a Field Instructor for Brown School of Social Work at Washington University; a Contextual Field Supervisor for Eden Seminary. She is a wife and mother of three, two of whom are adopted. Kathleen is also a member of Charis, a St. Louis lesbian chorus, a group open to all women, which seeks musical excellence while voicing messages of social justice. For these reasons, and many more, we feel that Kathleen exemplifies the true meaning of both Peace and Prayer…." Aimee J. Mattila honored her friend Christine Menager for a Peace Prayer Award with these words: "I am a prayer minister and currently work at a convalescent hospital in the activities department. I have a masters in art and a long deep spiritual practice. I am nominating a friend of mine who is a psychiatric nurse and works at a mental health clinic. She says she could make more money in private practice, but feels she is giving to those who need her help most. She was born and raised in France, is modest and thoughtful and lives with passion. She is one of the original members of a group peace vigil that stands on the corner street in Cottage Grove, OR every Friday evening and has been doing so for years. She has a cat she got out of the dumpster and adopted a dog with a shaky background. I consider her a great friend and role model." "My mother Linda Bauer (recipent of a Peace Prayer pendant) is one of the most splendid human beings in the world--we're talking "splendid" as in Mother Teresa and Mahatma Ghandi splendid.
Mom has lived her entire life in peaceful, joyful service to others. I cannot think of a single time in my mother's life where she ever did something entirely for herself, outside of buying herself a new book. "My Mom Roxanne Francis inspires me every day. She is kind, loving, considerate and very prayerful. She has always sacrificed for my brother and I. She raised us to be respectful, and generous to others. We went to church every Sunday without fail and I believe those early experiences in the church helped to shape my core values and outlook on life. She often went without so that we could want for nothing. Nance Ulliman shared her experience about her nominee Kim Hall - "I'm old and I haven't taken any type of college course in years. Last fall I signed up at the local community college for a 'jewelry metal working' class.
The first day arrived, I couldn't find a parking spot, I didn't know which building I was supposed to be in, I was running behind, and to top it off was having a hot flash.
Needless to say I was late...all heads swiveled around as I rushed in. The teacher, Kim Hall asked me to take a seat opposite the door (which squelched any thoughts I had of a hasty retreat). | |||||||||||
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The first International Day of Peace was declared by the United Nations in 1981. International Day of Peace is celebrated annually on September 21.
"I met her at the Michigan Women's Music Festival.
With eyes twinkling and much laughter, DC told me about the street
theater she does all over the country for peace and justice. Of
course, I had to give her a Peace Prayer Pendant right then and there.
She inspired me to begin the Peace Prayer Project." K 
Anthony Gomes is a blues/rock/indie artist whose motto is "Music can change the world!" His desire for world peace, harmony and love for humankind is evident in his songwriting. Such songs as Blues In Technicolor, Love's Got the Power, If You Could Rule The World, Unity and War On War resonate this message as he tours extensively (200 plus shows a year) in North America and Europe. One needs only to listen to be touched by the heart and soul pouring forth from this man. His sincerity in spreading the word is without question. People are drawn to him and then drawn to each other in a network of friendship that spans the globe. In turn, each is treated with kindness, respect and love by Anthony Gomes. He truly lives his message in his daily life and interactions with others. To find out more about Anthony, please visit 
She volunteers with Women SOLE ( Speaking Language Other than English), advocating for immigrant women in the US. She also volunteers monthly
at Plowsharing Crafts Fair Trade Market to ensure fair profits for workers throughout the world. An Athlete, Lisa coaches a girls' running program at the YMCA and also coaches at "Girls on the Run Inc."
program. The purpose is not only to developed running skills , but mainly to develop self-esteem and empower girls to feel good about who they are at an early age. 
He had been
involved with the dance since he was three years old and he was certain that was his future. As a Quaker and
the grandson of Thurl Metzger, the first Executive Director of Heifer Int., Kevin was also partial to causes
that attempted to alleviate injustice and suffering. By the end of his sophomore year and the second year as
a dance major, he realized he could not maintain the intense requirements of dance and at the same time
participate in the causes that mattered to him. Kevin changed his major to Anthropology/Peace and Conflict
Studies. 
She has studied and spread peace with such a passion for years and years. 
The most special and meaningful service my mother has given has been in my own life. Here are just a few of the myriad ways my mother has made a difference in MY life:
* Raising me (& not killing me!) through my rebellious punk rock teenage years, including me wearing a purple mohawk and all-black clothing for quite a while.
* Helping me to raise my son, Christian, (I was a single mom for 16 years) when he was a child and allowing us both to live with her and my dad while I quit my day job and went to college.
* Allowing my son to live with her and my dad while Chris goes to college and also helping him financially with his college education, and meeting his medical needs.
* Finding the time to make my favorite caramels and my husband's favorite pistachio cookies, even though she's on a sugar-free diet and can't partake of the goodies.
She is, and has always been, Mother-of-the-Year to me every year. I love you, Mom!" Nanci Francis 
When I expressed an interest in the guitar because of a television performance by the Jackson 5 she went out and bought me one, soon after we had the pleasure of attending one of their concerts. This was in 1972 and I kept that memory with me during my own world tour with the Air Force Tops In Blue entertainment group. I had a bass guitar in my hand because of my Mom encouraging the interest of her child. She has been through a lot of struggle in her lifetime but she always remained upbeat and positive and instilled those attributes in her two sons. She cared for her Mother when she fell ill and we had my Grandmother live with us in her final months. She constantly visited with her Dad especially when he needed it most. My Mom displayed tenderness, understanding and concern for her parents and I have learned from her unspoken example. She alone was responsible for funeral arrangements for both her parents as well as her brother. She has prayed for those who would do her harm as well as those who just need a kind word. She is a shining example of what a Christian woman is and an example for others to emulate. I love my Mom, can you tell?" Donovan Francis 
I sat there stressed out thinking 'this is just too much' - I was ready to leave. Then Kim explained what would be covered in the class and then she added in her gentle way her only expectations:
Sue Michael Schwartz is a very hard working gal according to her friend Elizabeth Ward. "She owns Studio on 6th in Springfield, Illinois. She is always doing something for someone or charity. One of our friends had breast cancer and Sue decided to build a garden in her honor. Recently she was making leather bracelets with the quote "PASS IT ON" for the special handicapped children in her area. A donation of $10 was given for each bracelet. I'm not quite certain how much money she raised. She loves the PEACE sign and the BEATLES. Your peace sign would be a perfect gift for her birthday on June 27. I received the "FRIENDSHIP KNOT" design from one of our other friends for my 50th birthday. I absolutely LOVE IT and the meaning behind it!! I hope I am not too late to enter her in the PEACE offer." Elizabeth 
