200 Peace Poles gifted to America the Beautiful Fund Projects-USA
1995-96
Celebrating 30 Years of Service To America!
America the Beautiful Fund Projects (ABF) receives international honor!
ABF was gifted 200 Peace Poles from the Peace Pole Project, an international project of The World Peace Prayer Society (WPPS), for their 30th Anniversary to distribute to the ABF projects throughout the USA. The 200- 6ft. white vinyl Peace Poles were crafted in Japan, inscribed with the words, “May Peace Be in Our Homes and Community” on two sides and with the message, “May Peace Prevail on Earth” on the other two sides.
In February, the first Peace Poles were presented in Florida to the Fragrance Garden of Lee County in Fort Meyer, New College of the University of South Florida at Sarasota, and Palmetto Elementary School in Miami. ABF’s President, Nanine Bilski and representatives of the WPPS Peace Pole Project from Japan, including Danielle Sato, from California, USA, attended the ceremonies. Peace Poles were presented by Members of Congress, Mayors, County Supervisors, Governors and delegates from Japan who came specifically to give these Peace Poles to America the Beautiful Funds Projects.
Below are the locations where the Peace Poles have been planted.
Northeast
Maine: University of Maine Peace Garden, Portland – Aroostook Youth Gardens, Fort Kent Massachusetts: Senior Housing Garden, Lenox – M.E. Fitzgerald School, Cambridge – Chelsea Housing Authority Youth Building Project – Somerville Conservation Community Growing Center New Hampshire: Laconia Housing Authority – Shea Farm Halfway House, Concord – Hostelling International White Mountains, Conway – Deerfield County FairgroundsNew York: Seeds for LIFE, Watertown – George W. Brown Garden, New York City – Gleaning Project of the Community Action Agency of Franklin County, Malone – East 16th Street Community Garden, Brooklyn
Rhode Island: Coventry Senior Center Garden
Vermont: White River Junction Beautiful Project – Vermont Anti-Hunger Corps, Waterbury – Bonnyvale Environmental Education Center, Battleboro
Mid-Atlantic
Delaware: Delaware Center for Horticulture, Wilmington – Delaware Correctional Facility, Smyrna – District of Columbia: Project GROW’S Mount Pleasant Community College
Maryland: Maryland Student Union Food Co-op, Kensington – Little Friends of Peace Park, Mt. Ranier – St. Martin’s Barn, Ridgely – Second Genesis Farm, Bethesda
New Jersey: Morris Canal Park, Clifton – Juvenile Residential Program, Egg Harbor – Boy Scout Troop 212’s Wildflower Meadow, Kinnelon
Pennsylvania: Fleischmann Memorial Baptist Church, Philadelphia – Boelson Cottage, Philadelphia – Delaware Valley Mental Health Foundation, Doylestown – County Camp Sertoma, Harrisburg – St. Gabriel’s Monastery, Clark’s Summit – Old Dry Road Farm, Berks CountyVirginia: Caring-Connection, Lebanon – Methodist Family Services, Fairfax/Richmond
Southeast
Alabama: Sylacauga Beautification Committee’s Spring Garden – Habitat for Humanity Community Garden, Montgomery – Marion Wright Edelman Center, Auburn – Lacey Springs Community Association
Florida: Lakes Regional Park Fragrance Garden, Fort Meyers – Oviedo Gardens – New College of the University of South Florida , Sarasota – Palmetto Elementary School, Miami – Sanborn Square, Boca Raton
Georgia: Morgan County Middle School, Madison – Metter Elementary School – Clyattville Elementary School, Valdolsta – Phoenix Alternative School, Atlanta – Barnett Shoals Elementary School, Athens
Kentucky: Russel Neighborhood Community Gardens, Louisville – Cumberland County Family Resource Center, Burkesville – Bracken County Middle School, Brookville – Southside Circle Housing Project, Mayfield – Nature Academy, Fort Mitchell
Louisiana: Lake Vista Garden, New Orleans – Assumption Church, Cameron – Schumpert Medical Center, Shreveport – Willie G. “Bunk” Johnson Memorial Plaza. New Iberia
Mississippi: Planter’s Hall, Vicksburg – Mississippi Choctaw Indians, Philadelphia – Tuwiler Community Education Center – New Albany Garden Club
North Carolina: Albemarle Resource Conservation & Development Council, Edenton – Head Start Garden, Goldsboro – R.S.V.P., Charlotte – Pender County Park Project, Burgaw
South Carolina: Project Start garden, Greelyville –AmeriCorps Community Garden, Charleston – John De La Howe School, McCormick – Historic Charleston Foundation – A.L. Corbett School, Wagnener
Tennessee: Brick Church Middle School, Nashville – AmeriCorps, Centerville – Peace Project Garden, Sevierville – Living Quilt Garden, Knoxville
West Virginia: St. Francis Fraternity, Charleston – James Monroe High School, Lewisburg – Braxton County Middle School, Gasaway
Midwest
Illinois: Beverly Farm Foundation, Inc, Godfrey – Operation New Spirit Garden, East St. Louis – Springfield Fairground – The Cenacle, Warrenville – St. James Church Social Center, Maywood – Du Sable High School Urban Ecology Sanctuary, Chicago
