The Oak Ridge community rallied and met the goal of 100 peace poles goal by July 4. We actually have 125 peace poles completed or in progress, more than halfway to our community goal of 250 peace poles by the year’s end.
It has been a wonderful community peace building activity. First, wood poles were donated by a local timber company. Then Treyton Peters, the manager of the local Sherman Williams store, happily donated four amazing colors of paint. Jefferson Middle and Linden Elementary were the first Oak Ridge Schools to make peace poles in art classes, but others plan to follow. The Oak Ridge Music Association’s Summer Music Camp had 30 students making mini peace poles. Many Oak Ridge homeowners came to the first peace pole painting workshop held at the Melton Lake Pavillion on Fathers’ Day. Roane State Community College and ORAU are getting poles and nuclear energy company Oklo plans to procure one in the near future.
Oak Ridgers have seen the Rotary Peace Pole Initiative around the world. Ray Smith, on his recent Sister City visit to Naka, Japan, found two poles in Japan, one in Nagasaki and one in Miyajimacho. He felt proud to witness the global connection to what we are doing in Oak Ridge…