A feeling of peace and well-being will envelop the communities of Santa Maria, Orcutt, and Guadalupe the week of Oct. 12 when the People for Nonviolence Committee of Marian Medical Center hosts the 13th annual Peace Week.
The event will feature a variety of activities and programs designed to bring Santa Maria Valley locals together in peace, harmony, and unity, according to Marian Medical Center officials.
“There is so much violence in the world; we have come together to focus on promoting and building peace now and for the future,” Sister Janet Corcoran, Peace Week founder and Marian Medical Center’s vice president of mission services, said in a release to the media. “Peace Week reminds us that one by one, we must be peacemakers.”
Throughout the week, local leaders will come together to welcome the public and encourage peace and understanding, beginning on Oct. 12 with an opening ceremony and community breakfast from 7:30 to 9 a.m. at the Abel Maldonado Community Youth Center.
On Oct. 13, people of different faiths and philosophies are welcome to partake in a musical reflective peace service from 7 to 8 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, located at 311 S. Broadway. The free musical service will feature musicians, vocalists, and local choirs.
Peace Week will continue with Peace Through the Eyes of Our Children Day on Oct. 14, during which local students define peace through writing and artwork at their schools; Respect for Mother Earth Day on Oct. 15, when students will pick up litter and plant trees at their school campuses; and Peace in the Heart Day on Oct. 16, a day for personal reflection.
The final day, Oct. 17, will feature two events: Respect For and Celebrating Cultural Diversity Day and the fifth annual Free 4 the Weekend event. First, community members are invited to a cultural fiesta at the Boys and Girls Club of Santa Maria Valley, 901 N. Railroad Ave., from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., to enjoy games and activities, a classic car show, and more. Then from 7 to 11 p.m., local seventh- and eighth-graders who pledge to stay drug, tobacco, and alcohol free can spend the night hanging out at Fighting Back Santa Maria Valley’s Free 4 the Weekend party. The event will be held at Honda of Santa Maria and include food, games, activities, entertainment, music, prizes and more.
All Peace Week events are open to the public. For more information about this year’s festivities, call Marian Mission Services at 739-3106.
This article appears in Oct 8-15, 2009.
