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from Karen Duy
Willowick, Ohio
March 2006
Hi Eve! The event was wonderful! We are so thankful that we had the Children's Peace Cloth here for our event - the kids definitely liked seeing it. Yes, the JD cloth from Deb was "lost" for a couple of days with UPS, thus your cloth was the main one displayed for the first 2 days of the event. It was just gorgeous to see all the work and love that children have shared on the children's JD Peace cloth. My daughter and I made a poster to accompany the cloth, as well as printed up the John Denver "peace" poem on bookmarks for each child. Over 300!!! The 6th grade is planning an upcoming peace day when they can make/bring their own pieces of cloth to possibly submit to be added to the children's cloth if that is possible. (Because we requested the JD Cloth on such short notice, we did not have the time or organization involved to have the kids add to the panel at the event as I understand others have done.) What a wonderful drive your organization has to get out the message of peace and hope for one another worldwide. Thank you again for the opportunity to have your Children's Peace Cloth visit the Willowick Middle School. We were honored to have it displayed for all it represents. I am so glad my daughter and I came across your website and for this unforgettable memory for our children. I know my daughter will never forget it. She is 11 and is quite the Save the World ambassador herself. She did not know about John Denver just a month ago and today through our research she is thrilled and all the more motivated with her drive. I as well learned alot from this event. We sure wish there were more people especially today that strive on for the dream of PEACE. Hats off to you and the organization for continuing the drive that Mr Denver strived for ....and...a BIG thank you for sending it on such short notice. I am sending a few pictures of the kids with The JD children's cloth and also of my daughter with the poster we made. Wish we had more pictures but so many restrictions with privacy and consents for photos. Hope you can add these to your book on the "cloth's" visit to Willowick, Ohio!!!
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From Christine Egli,
President/Editor JDMAS AUSTRALIA
ausjdclub@hotmail.com
Hello Ann,
I was delighted to recently receive a copy of the John Denver Memorial Peace
Cloth Newsletter, Volume 2, September, 2005 from Christine Moon 'Friends of
John Denver, U.K.'. Congratulations to all at JDMPC on your 5th Anniversary.
I have just now forwarded the JDMPC web site address to JDMAS AUSTRALIA
members in Australia and overseas, and to all our new members, so everyone
can read all information and news about the JDMPC, as well as the latest
(September, 2005) newsletter.
...When the John Denver Peace Cloth first began I sent several swatches of my
own, and other pieces on behalf of some of the members of JDMAS AUSTRALIA,
to Debra Chilton. The swatches created by several members of JDMAS AUSTRALIA were adorned with
messages of peace, pictures of John, the Earth, doves, flowers, stars, maps
of Australia and Australian wildflowers, which were drawn, painted, and
embroidered on them. My neighbour across the road even sewed a peace sign
onto some cloth using many buttons! My own contributions were swatches with
pictures of John printed onto them, and the word Peace, and Peace from
Australia. I also sent pieces cut from 2 of my own treasured t-shirts - the
JD Australian Tour shirt from 1988 - our bicentennial year, and my JDMAS
club t-shirt. Both were green and gold on a white background.
Each member of our club said what a pleasure it was to lovingly create their
own swatches for the John Denver Memorial Peace Cloth, and that many
thoughts of peace and love went along with their swatches.
...I wrote the following poem in Nov. 2000, and you are welcome to publish it
if you wish. It has been very popular at my Sunday Markets, and a school
teacher who purchased one said he was hanging it on the wall in his
class-room.
Peace Always,
Christine Egli.
Here's my poem:
PEACE
P is for the silent Prayers
that we pray
E is for Everything
that a peaceful heart can give
A is for Appreciation
of what all of us together can do
C is for Compassion
that we should have for each other
E is for our Earth
that we should cherish every day.
May Peace be with you always
And light your way.
(By Christine J. Egli, Nov.26, 2000)
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Ruth Finkel London UK
I used to do a lot of counted cross stitch embroidery and so had a lot of aida cloth
and coloured cottons to spare. When the Peace Cloth idea was first mooted, I decided
to contribute and embroidered "Peace My Friends" on a piece of cloth making each letter
a different colour signifying a rainbow effect for peace.
I sent it off to Debra (I think) and shortly afterwards had occasion to visit New York
for the first time. As has become my custom when I am planning a visit to the US, I emailed
the johndenverforever group and asked if there were any family members who would like to meet
for coffee and a chat while I would be in NY. Eve Kleinfeld emailed me in return and we had
a lovely afternoon in her apartment looking at the cloth and I learned that my contribution
had been in Pacific Grove (again I am not sure, it might have been Aspen. Eve do you remember?)
I was able to touch the cloth and I remember a piece of one of John's stage shirts was in the piece
I saw. It is a beautiful project that has brought people together. Eve and I are friends now as well
as JD family. That is the message of hope of the Peace Cloth.
Ruth Finkel
London UK
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From Ruth Oddie, UK
Hello from England,
Once again I must write to Thank you for 2 wonderful days during the October celebrations.
The first being at the Peace Cloth Event at Mountain Chalet such a feeling of belonging
to something special and sharing the depth of feelings in that room. Everyone was
so generous to me after I proudly showed the panels that I brought over that the
5 groups of children here had made. I was so proud and never thought I would stand
up in front of a group and say so much, not feeling nervous either. Did I really
ask to do that myself ?
Windstar again reduced me to tears. Every one again so supportive, kind and understanding.
It is a very special place and very special people are involved. I will gladly write
about my involvement in this project. Already another panel is being made by the
people on our trip this time and the school have booked me to make another with Year
5 next year. This only means I'll have to return back to Aspen again. I'll have to
force myself ------ NOT.
Peace and Friendship to you all, Ruth |
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From Ruth Oddie, UK
Thought you would like to know that the Rainbow panel was shared today at the St.
George's day parade. The church was full of Rainbows, Brownies, Guides and their
guiders. The theme was Peace and Hands so the panel was spot on.
Am off to school tomorrow to make a panel with 27 children aged 9 years old. An environmental
panel is what their teacher hopes to achieve. Save our world.
A cub scout panel is also in the planning stages as too is a Trefoil Guild one. These
are older ladies who were involved in guiding. The two groups go well together ,
thinking of others and wanting Peace and Unity in the world.
Have received our planned dates and trip details for the U.K. club trip in 2004 so
must get saving so we can deliver these panels in person and get up that mountain
to the top.
Peace and Friendship, Ruth |
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From Ruth Oddie, UK
"I must thank you all for the wonderday at the Mountain Chalet, Windstar and
the Rocky Mountain High experience. All were events of sharing and caring. Ron Rich
is one special man and Bonnie is a gift to the world people. She made our trip so
special with her thoughtfulness and sharing. We have made a new friendship with Mary
Ann and her family and our 2 daughters had such fun together. Andrea just being 6
years old and Hazel is 29 going on 6! (She had the pink braids)
Seeing our Brownie panel at the top of Snowmass mountain can not be explained in
words. More tears and hugs. How can we have had such a great time and cried EVERY
DAY!! But I'm sure you know those feelings. I will be taking the photos to Brownies
tonight and on Thursday to show the girls. I start Rainbows, pre Brownie girls 5-7
years old, in January. I feel another panel starting then it will have to be delivered!!
Doing the first panel 2 years ago has changed my life and given me such purpose and
direction. Thank you all for your support and friendship." |
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from Aurelia Wight, Third grade teacher, Lent Elementary School, Portland,
Oregon.
Dear Peace Cloth
Today I revisited your wonderful John Denver Memorial Peace Cloth website at school.
It has been several months since I've seen it and I was truly impressed with the
additions, such as the beautiful pieces for September 11th.
John's biography is the best one I've ever read and the educational curriculum is
fantastic! Linda Wolverton did such a thoughtful and thorough job. I downloaded them
in their entirety, since I know I can adapt all of the lessons to my students' ability
level. I have CD's with all of the songs that accompany the lessons as well. I even
found a vocal recording of John reciting the Peace Poem on the Voice of No Regrets
website. As you can probably tell, I'm so thrilled about starting the Peace Cloth
Unit with my third graders. They are at the age of discovery and exploration. Most
of them have so much more insight and compassion than we give them credit for and
they are eager to show that they can make a difference in the world. I saw many young
people on Friday at the Green School Summit who are truly committed to protecting
the Earth. I was also inspired by the speech given by the keynote speaker, Stacy
Allison, the first American woman to reach the summit of Mt. Everest! Such determination!
On the Kid's Peace Cloth site I found the Pennsylvania project called, Care by Celebrating
Children Day. I wrote to them to receive more information. What an exciting endeavor
to try to reach all schools and make this a National event, perhaps even an International
Day! Our hope for the future lies in our children.
What touched me the most were the photos of the UK Peace Cloth! I couldn't believe
all the effort they put into each panel, stitching the song lyrics to John's songs,
some of my favorites are included. I started to cry uncontrollably while sitting
at my computer at school! Fortunately no one was around to see me. I would love to
see the entire Peace Cloth someday. Did you say it was over 1000 feet long? That
is amazing!!!
I also loved Kelly's poem "Let Peace Rain" and the others. She's going
to send me some other poems that she's written. There are such talented people in
your group!
Peace, always,
Aurelia |
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"I am very glad to be able to send you our Police Department
patch. I thank you for doing this very worthy project."
Dinuba Police Department, California |
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"I wish you the best of success for this very worthy cause."
Tom Crum |
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"As I may have mentioned to you, when I did a final, inspired
draft of "Way of the Peaceful Warrior," I played John Denver songs almost
exclusively. They opened my heart and let the message flow.
I hope I expressed how much inspiration John's music brought me. His voice and the
spirit of the music (as well as words and melodies) opened a place in me where creativity
flowed through. I believe that he was one of those "different" (devic)
souls, finding his own way even as he showed the way to others. Beyond the fact that
he entertained people as a musical performer -- even beyond the fact that he founded
Windstar and spoke for our environment -- his impact goes deeper than many might
image."
Dan Millman |
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