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US Peace Memorial Foundation

 

 

 

 

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ANNUAL REPORT 2016

 

OUR MISSION AND OUR GOALS

 

The US Peace Memorial Foundation, founded in 2005, exists to honor Americans who stand for peace as a way to increase the number of voices that speak out against a war or wars.  If we are going to stop the killing, we must create a culture of peace where more of us feel comfortable demanding peaceful alternatives to war in times of international crisis. 

 

We do this by:

• Publishing the US Peace Registry to document the antiwar and peace activities of individuals and organizations.

• Awarding an annual Peace Prize to an individual or organization that has made an exceptional effort to stop wars and to work for peace.

• Raising funds to build the US Peace Memorial in Washington, D.C.

 

At this critical moment in history, we must increase the number of Americans who are willing to speak out against war.  We need your help, now more than ever, to make our voices heard.  In 2016, President Obama’s forces dropped at least 26,172* bombs on people living in predominantly Muslim countries.  That was 3,028 more bombs than in 2015.  We continued killing, wounding, and making refugees of people in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Somalia, Libya, Yemen, and Syria.  Many of the victims were children.

 

Those of us who work for peace are pulled in many directions.  Antiwar resources have been stretched thin, and peace seems elusive as our country's militarism maintains a fixed hold on our culture.  The endless wars will stop only when the American people demand it, and the more people who demand it, the louder our voices will be. 

 

Please help us to honor those who stand for peace by adding your voice to our cause.

·      Become a Founding Member

·      Add yourself and/or your organization to the US Peace Registry.

·      Do both.

 

Your work will encourage more Americans to feel comfortable confronting our government, just like they did to help end the wars in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. 

 

By celebrating many diverse role models, we can inspire other Americans to speak out against war and to work for peace.  For more details, please read the short commentary “World Peace: A First Step.

 

BRIEF REVIEW OF THE YEAR

 

Teach-In

 

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In April, we addressed a standing room only teach-in entitled “Making a More Peaceful World: Money Out of Politics, Honoring Peacemakers, and Challenging the Empire” at All Souls Church Unitarian in Washington, D.C.  As a result of the teach-in, we attracted a few more Registrants as well as additional names for the listserv.

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Afterwards I joined CODEPINK’s Alli McCracken, Medea Benjamin, and Rebecca Green for the well-attended Democracy Awakening march.

 

The 2016 Peace Prize

 

In August, the US Peace Memorial Foundation awarded its 2016 Peace Prize to Veterans For Peace “In recognition of heroic efforts to expose the causes and costs of war and to prevent and end armed conflict.”

 

peace plaque

 

We presented the award at the Veterans For Peace national convention banquet at the University of California, Berkeley.  The Peace Prize was accepted by Michael McPherson, Veterans For Peace Executive Director; Barry Ladendorf, President of the Board of Directors; and Doug Rawlings, a VFP Founder, to loud applause from an audience of about 400.

 

President Ladendorf commented, “For 31 years, Veterans For Peace has been the only veterans organization that has consistently led the peace movement in an effort to abolish war, eventually eliminate nuclear weapons, expose the real costs of war, stand in solidarity with veterans and victims of war, and to keep our nation from interfering overtly and covertly into the affairs of other nations.  This award is a great honor for Veterans For Peace and is a testament to the foresight, wisdom and dedication of our founders and to the thousands of VFP members worldwide who have led us in our non-violent struggle for a peaceful world.  We are indeed grateful and honored to receive the 2016 US Peace Memorial Foundation Peace Prize.”

 

In addition to receiving the 2016 Peace Prize, which is our highest honor, Veterans For Peace was designated a Founding Member of the US Peace Memorial Foundation.  Other distinguished Americans and nationally prominent U.S. organizations that were nominated and considered for the 2016 award included Center for Global Nonkilling, Lynn M. Elling, Colman McCarthy, and Psychologists for Social Responsibility.  See Peace Prize details at www.uspeacememorial.org/PEACEPRIZE.htm.

 

Public Speaking

 

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In November, we were honored to speak about our vision for the US Peace Memorial  in Duluth, MN, to various classes at the College of St. Scholastica and at the Peace Church.  The visit was sponsored and hosted by Veterans for Peace, Duluth/Superior Chapter.

 

If you belong to a group that might appreciate and support our mission, please suggest that they invite us to speak on the topic: "Changing Our War Culture By Honoring Those Who Stand For Peace."

 

Year-Round Search for Antiwar Quotations

 

Our Founding Members are helping to choose the best antiwar and pro-peace statements made by well-known Americans. Eventually, the selected quotes will be chiseled on the US Peace Memorial we are planning to build in Washington, D.C.

 

Participate in the process!  We are looking for statements to inspire Americans to speak out against war and to work for peace.  Let us know which ones are your favorites – and share with us any great quotes we may have overlooked.


As new quotations are referenced, they are posted on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/USPeace and www.facebook.com/Peace.Knox, as well as on Twitter: @USPeaceMemorial.  We invite our Founding Members to add their comments on any of these social media sites.  See www.uspeacememorial.org/Quotes.htm for more details about the quotation selection process.

 

NOTES OF APPRECIATION



 

Thank you to our Directors: Dr. Lucy Bradley-Springer, Dr. Charles F. Clark, and Jolyon Sasse; Assistant Editors: Sondra G. Cadman, Dr. Martha Friedrich, Barbara Gerten, Mikell T. Herrick, Beverly Lowenstein, Dr. Lynette J. Menezes, and DonWeise; Librarian: Mary Robin Leigh; Coordinators: Dick Bernard, Dr. Dennis Neyman, and John Clark Pegg; Bookkeeper: Donald Martin; and other volunteers: Dr. David Chiriboga, Sharon Leban, and Brian J. Trautman.  Without these incredible and dedicated supporters, very little would have been accomplished during the year.  We greatly appreciate their contributions.

 

Our volunteers are the backbone of the foundation. As a nationwide grassroots organization with annual expenses of less than $12,000, we are heavily dependent on them.  We are especially in need of assistant editors, researchers, marketing specialists, fund-raisers, and coordinators.  If you have the skills for one of these jobs and can donate four or more hours a month, we could certainly use your help.  Please see www.uspeacememorial.org/Volunteer.htm for more details.

 

Thank you to all of our new Founding Members and other 2016 donors.  They are:

 

Bashir G. Ahmed, OH

AmazonSmile Foundation    

Rev. Jennifer A. Amy-Dressler, MN

Brooks Anderson, MN

Philip Anderson, WI

Dr. Paul Arons, FL

Dr. Lucy Bradley-Springer, CO

Dr. Laurence G. Branch, FL

Sondra G. Cadman, FL

Dr. Axel Frank Campbell, FL

Dr. David A. Chiriboga, FL

Dr. Charles F. Clark, CO

Stephen D. Clemens, MN

Pauline E. Cragun, MN

Kenneth Crowe, SC

Jodie Evans, CA

Daniel Falcone, DC

Barbara Fite, FL

Dr. Sondra J. Fogel, FL

Dr. Donna Gallagher, MA

Marilyn Gallant, MA

Barbara Gerten, MN

Dr. Joan E. Gildemeister, MD

Katherine A. Gildemeister, MD

Dr. Thomas C. Greening, CA

Amanda Hall, FL

Dr. Linda Heath, WI

Fletcher W. Hinds Jr., MN

Ali Ismail, FL

Isabella Jancourtz, MA

Linda Musmeci Kimball, OH

Chris A. Knox, OH

John M. P. Knox, TX

Dr. Michael D. Knox, FL

David M. Korman, PA

Dr. Jeffrey D. Kromrey, FL

Stephen D. Landers, NC

Beverly Lowenstein, MD

James A. Lucas, AZ

Susan K. Mathias, PA

Coral McDonnell, MN

Minnesota Alliance of Peacemakers, MN

Dr. Victor A. Molinari, FL

Dr. Janet L.S. Moore, FL

Dr. Thomas W. Morgan, MN

Dr. David P. Nichols, IL

Dr. Glenn D. Paige, HI

John Clark Pegg, MN

Lyn Clark Pegg, MN

Gail S. Phares, NC

David Reddy, FL

Dr. Kathleen M. Rehl, NY

Dr. Ona Riggin, FL

Barbara Riordan, FL

Chaia Ross-Booker, NM

Jolyon Sasse, FL

Bonnie Beth Silvestri, FL

Fredric D. Sirasky, FL

Sally J. Van Slambrouck, MI

Partha Ve Srivathsa, OH

Dr. Rick Staggenborg, OR

Dr. Arthur Ulene, CA

Veterans for Peace, Chap. 80 (Duluth/Superior), MN

Dr. Alvin W. Wolfe, FL

Brenda Woodard, FL

Stephen G. Yovino, FL

 

BEQUEST

We were saddened to learn of the death of our dear friend and long-time Founding Member, Dr. Joan Gildemeister.  Joan was the first person who remembered us in her will by including a bequest to the Foundation.  Her wish was “to counterbalance the war monuments on the National Mall by building the US Peace Memorial in honor of those devoted to world peace.”  

 

Thanks to the work and support of her daughter Katherine Gildemeister, the gift was received as a charitable distribution to the US Peace Memorial Foundation.  You may read about Joan’s antiwar/peace work in the US Peace Registry.

 

We need your help, too.  Without your ongoing generosity and commitment, the US Peace Memorial will never become a National Monument that can help move the United States toward a culture of peace.

 

MEASURED PROGRESS

 

Early on we set four benchmarks to achieve before going public with a national campaign to build the US Peace Memorial.  This chart shows how we are doing and where we need your help before we can distribute our initial press release.

 

 

40 States Represented - 80% of our goal

We have achieved 80% of our goal to have Founding Members from every state.  With 40 states (plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands), we still need our first Founding Members from Arkansas, Delaware, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, and West Virginia.  Please help us get new Founding Members from these 10 states.

The 5 leading states in terms of membership are Florida (112), Minnesota (28), California (18), Massachusetts (12), and New York (11).  Help us increase the number of supporters in your state.

 

316 Founding Members - 32% of our goal

We are at 32% of our goal to announce 1,000 Founding Members in our initial press release.  We must have 684 more Founding Members from throughout the country.  Currently, our Founding Members list includes 287 individuals and 29 organizations/businesses, 9 of which are religious organizations.

 

Thousands of people have joined our email list, yet only 316 of you have become Founding Members.  You don't have to be an activist to be a Founding Member.  Join us – add your voice and your support for the goal of peace.

 

194 Registrants - 19% of our goal

I can't think of a better way to end the current U.S. wars than to have more Americans speak out against them.  There are a lot of ways to make your voice heard.  The US Peace Registry documents and honors what many of you have done.  Our publication currently recognizes the work of 135 individuals and 59 organizations that are role models for a broad range of peace and antiwar activities.  
 
Donations - Almost 10% of our goal

We have received $98,704 towards the $1 million benchmark we must reach before making a public announcement of our plans to build the US Peace Memorial as a national monument.  If you are in a position to make a charitable contribution, please consider the importance of supporting our goal to move the U.S. toward a culture of peace.

 

SOCIAL MEDIA / INTERNET / ONLINE STORE

 

If you would like one of these t-shirts to show your support for the Foundation and for our antiwar/pro peace message, here’s the link to order yours: www.cafepress.com/uspeacememorial.

 

You can also purchase other items with our logo on them, including buttons, magnets, signs, water bottles, tote bags, and more.  You’ll be encouraging your friends and everyone you meet to think about peace and join our mission.  It’s always time to get the conversation started! 

 

“Like” us at facebook.com/USPeace and Follow us on Twitter @USPeaceMemorial.

 

If you make Amazon purchases, please support the US Peace Memorial Foundation by shopping at smile.amazon.com.  The AmazonSmile Foundation donates .5 percent of the purchase price every time you shop at smile.amazon.com.  You'll get the same Amazon login info, same products, same prices, and same service.  These donations have totaled $402.  Please tell your family and friends about this easy way of supporting us.

 

During the year, many of you have created a link to USPeaceMemorial.org on your website or blog.  We hope that this trend will continue.  Feel free to use the logo with a link to our homepage.

 

WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU

 

We Need Your Financial Support (All donations are tax deductible to the extent provided by law).  CLICK HERE to see our 2016 Financial Report.

·      Become a Founding Member.  Add your name to our list of more than 300 visionary leaders, and be permanently associated with the US Peace Memorial.  CLICK HERE to donate by credit card or PayPal.  Or mail checks to: US Peace Memorial Foundation • 334 East Lake Road  #136 • Palm Harbor, FL 34685.  The only requirement for becoming a Founding Member is the desire to honor those who have worked for peace.

·      If you are already a Founding Member, please make a contribution for 2017.

·      Consider moving to the next donor level.  Credit for your contributions is cumulative.

·      Give whatever you can.  Donate $5, $10, or $20.  Every donation counts!

·      Make your Amazon purchases at smile.amazon.com. 

 

The need to change our war culture by honoring those who stand for peace is greater than ever.  When you reply with a contribution, you are showing that you value and support our programs to recognize courageous Americans.  

 

We Need More Role Models for Peace

·      Add your information to the US Peace Registry.  We are looking for Americans whose antiwar behavior, example, or success can be emulated by others.  If you have done anything to oppose U.S. wars, please submit your bio: Individual. To see examples, read some of the listings at www.uspeacememorial.org/Registry.htm.

·      Add your organization to the US Peace Registry.  Please submit your organization's antiwar activities: Organization.  To see examples, read some of the listings at www.uspeacememorial.org/Organizations.htm.

·      Help us find our first Founding Members from Arkansas, Delaware, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, and West Virginia.

·      Help us increase the number of supporters in your state.

 

We Need You to Volunteer

Can you volunteer?  Even if you have only a few hours to give, we would greatly appreciate your help. 

 

We Need You to Keep in Touch

Join us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.  Let me know if you would like a call to discuss any aspect of the Foundation's work and/or how you might like to participate.  I can be reached at Knox@USPeaceMemorial.org or (202) 455-8776.  Thank you very much for your support.

 

Wishing you a Happy and Peaceful 2017!

Description: Knox-Signature-Vector-Art

Michael Knox, Ph.D.

Chairman

 

* How Many Bombs Did the United States Drop in 2016?

 

US Peace Memorial Foundation, Inc. is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) public charity.

Donations to the Foundation are tax deductible to the extent provided by U.S. law.

 

Florida registration #: CH20094.  A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE FLORIDA DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE (800-435-7352) WITHIN THE STATE.  REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.

 

Copyright 2017, US Peace Memorial Foundation, Inc.