While we are constantly bombarded with news about violence and conflicts around the world, Cambria Rotary’s Peace Builders committee saw an opportunity to promote peace right here in our community. Several years ago, Rotary installed Peace Poles in the Peace Garden at the Vet’s Hall and on the campuses of each of our schools.

The Peace Poles are planted with the Universal Peace Message “May Peace Prevail on Earth”. The time seemed right for finding a way to promote peace right here at home once again. It was decided to approach the local school district to see how the students might participate in a Pickets for Peace Project.

At Friday’s meeting, Suzette Morrow, art teacher at both the middle school and high school told us that, upon returning to in-person classes, the students were given a presentation on Conflict Resolution within their own friend groups and how they could lower the possibility of disagreement. The peace pickets fit in perfectly with this presentation and give the students a way to share what they learned with the community.

After the meeting, members of the Peace Committee collected the 96 pickets created by students 10-18 years old and prepared them for installation at businesses in Cambria and San Simeon that were willing to display the pickets designed by the students. This is a project that we hope to grow in the coming years and expand to include additional businesses.