Ponderay Centennial Peacebuilder Club

The Rotary Club of Ponderay Centennial in the Greater Sandpoint area of Idaho became a Peacebuilder Club on March 21, 2022. 

Conscious of the many challenges humanity faces and specifically in the Greater Sandpoint community, Barney Ballard, Carol Curtis and Kari Saccomanno found it very important to create this mission driven club within Ponderay Rotary.  The Ponderay Peacebuilder Club focuses its attention currently on female empowerment and encouraging peace through active listening conversations, involvement and relationship building.

Participating in District 5080’s Peace Pole Chain Campaign, Ponderay Rotary will be planting a peace pole this spring along the Sand Creek Trail that connects Sandpoint and Ponderay. The Rotary Club of Bonners Ferry used an Express Grant to purchase Ponderay’s pole and Ponderay purchased a pole for the Rotary Club of Pullman.  

Ponderay’s pole will be placed appropriately next to the bench commemorating Pat Gavin, a charter member who passed away in 2019. The pole will include English, Spanish, Chinese and Kalispel.  English represents us today along with Spanish. While Chinese and Kalispel respectfully celebrate the historical importance of these two cultures to this area. The club hopes that people use this bench, peace pole, and the serenity of Sand Creek to take time to relax, think, and breathe in all that makes our community and its diverse people invaluable to all of us now and generations to come.

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