In The News: Rotary clubs complete peace pole project

Written by: Seth Gordon, Newberg Graphic 

Eleven dedication ceremonies held Friday morning to celebrate planting of 50 poles across Newberg and Dundee

The Newberg Early Bird and Noon Rotary Clubs celebrated the culmination of their peace pole project with 11 dedication ceremonies across the community Friday morning, including at 10 different Newberg School District sites. [SETH GORDON - NHS principal Kyle Laier addresses students during a dedication ceremony for the school's new peace pole Friday morning. The Newberg Rotary clubs held ceremonies at all 10 Newberg School District schools and at the Chehalem Cultural Center to celebrate their broader effort to install 50 peace poles across the community. ]

The Newberg clubs are participating in a broader Rotary district project to install 130 poles in and around the Portland area and member Mike Caruso noted that pole manufacturer, the World Peace Prayer Society, reports that the 50 planted in Newberg represent the largest single undertaking in project history.

"The idea is for people to come together and learn to talk about peace," Caruso said at the dedication ceremony at Newberg High School. "We're always talking about war, about how we're going to defeat the enemy, and the idea is to have the conversation about peace, how can we solve our problems without becoming violent."

Many of the ceremonies were held simultaneously in the morning, with staff and representatives from Rotary introducing students to the idea behind the peace poles, which were born from Hiroshima survivor Masahisa Goi's creation of the "peace prayer" — May Peace Prevail on Earth — in 1955.

According to Caruso, more than 200,000 peace poles adorned with the peace prayer in four or more languages have been installed all over the world as a physical representation of that message of unity.

NHS principal Kyle Laier addressed the group of 30 to 40 students who were invited to attend the event during advisory period because they were leaders at the school in some shape or form.

"The Newberg Rotarians do a lot for Newberg High School students and we probably don't do a good enough job telling you guys about," Laier said. "They're giving you guys more opportunities and I know there's been a long history of that here in Newberg. This is just another example of that."

Laier challenged them to do a bit of "homework" after the ceremony and pledged to follow through with them later in the school year.

"What I want you guys to be thinking and talking about over the next few weeks is what things should we be doing here that make this a better place for all students that come here, where everybody feels welcome and feels this is a safe place for them and a peaceful place," Laier said. "You guys have a lot of power in making that happen. I know that we're not a perfect place, but we'd like to be a better place."

Caruso, who has been one of the primary organizers of the project in Newberg, attended seven of the 10 ceremonies held at school district buildings, as well as a marquee event at the Chehalem Cultural Center that featured members of city government, which approved the installation of poles at six locations.

"I thought they were very well attended and the speakers were very well spoken," Caruso said. "Some of the principals gave talks. The cultural center was especially nice because they had it decorated with flowers. They may do something this fall or maybe next year and make it a yearly basis type thing because they want to make sure it's not just a one time deal."

Poles have also been or will be installed at Chehalem Park and Recreation District parks, Portland Community College and numerous individual churches in town. George Fox University opted to create four of its own poles and will dedicate them when they are completed.

Caruso noted that other Rotary clubs participating in the district project were not as warmly and readily received, with some being slowed down by permit applications.

"Fortunately in Newberg it was 100 percent go from day one," Caruso said.