Peace Learning Center Newsletter

Gratitude is Thankfulness in Action

November 2013

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"Thankfulness may consist merely of words. Gratitude is shown in acts." - Henri Frederic Amiel

Gratitude if the active process of acknowledging goodness and recognizing its source, according to Dr. Robert Emmons, a psychologist who specializes in researching gratitude and happiness. His research has shown that a person's level of gratitude is directly related to their level of happiness.

At Peace Learning Center, we believe happy people are peaceful people. That's why we're dedicating this issue of PLC News to gratitude. (Plus, it's a theme that works well for this time of year!)

We hope you will join us in showing your gratitude for the many people and things in your life that bring you joy. To see a few simple new ways you and your family can give thanks together click on the link below:

Gratitude in Action - 30 Ways to Give Thanks

One of our favorite new ideas to give thanks is by baking "thank you" bread using a monkey bread recipe. Then, as each family member pulls off each piece, ask them share something for which they are grateful.

Here at Peace Learning Center we are grateful for so many things - most of which are a direct result of people like you! Thank you for everything you do to promote peace in our community.

Peace on,

Peace Learning Center

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Peace Crew student training session

Our Peace Crew interns from Crispus Attucks are grateful for many things this year but one thing seems to be at the top of their list. This team of fifteen equipped and empowered students will travel to Swaziland from 11/19-12/4 to engage their international counterparts in a peer to peer learning experience.

Their goal is to help reduce the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Swaziland. Upon returning, they will use their global perspective and newly acquired knowledge to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS prevention in the Indianapolis Community. PLC taught the students empathy, leadership, and facilitation skills, while they learned critical skills related to communicable disease prevention from other program educators and trainers including IU Bloomington's School of Public Health, Butler University College Of Education, and Timmy Global Health.

Our own Volunteer and Intern Coordinator Jay Horan will be joining them as a chaperone and she is grateful to have the opportunity to see all their hard work come to fruition. Peace Learning Center would like wish all of them well in their travels. They are truly ambassadors of peace!

VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH

Peace Learning Center would like to recognize Myra Dworski as the volunteer of the month! Myra has been volunteering for years helping with various tasks and sharing her musical talents at several events.

Thank you Mrya for all you have done for the PLC! We are lucky to have you on our team.

Interested in getting involved? Contact Volunteer and Intern Coordinator, Jay Horan at jhoran@peacelearningcenter.org.

YOUTH PROGRAMS

When we work to improve ourselves, it is easy to dwell on the negatives. It is important, though, to be grateful for all of positive aspects of ourselves and our relationships. Watch this short video and grab some tissue, then take a moment to reflect on all of the things you do well!

A New Perspective For Moms

To learn how to bring PLC youth programs to your child's school or organization, please contact Kristina Hulvershorn, Director of Youth Programs, at 317-327-7144 or

khulvershorn@peacelearningcenter.org.

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

"To a lot of people I know, and some I don't, most of whom I like, and some I don't,

but acquaintances or strangers, friends or scoundrels, I must confess

I am indebted to them all".

~ George Kelly, from "A Theory of Personality"

Whole Foods team build nature scavenger hunt.

Whole Foods team members posing during their scavenger hunt while participating in a team-building workshop at Peace Learning Center. These are just a few of the people I'm grateful for having a chance to learn from and work with this year.

I had thought it easy to find a few acquaintances, friends and family, to mention this month and share my gratefulness for having learned from them. I started with a predictable list, but then surprised and even frustrated myself. The list grew and grew. Name after name and event after event, complicated my simple plan until I remembered Psychologist, George Kelly's above quote. As Kelly suggests, I am indebted, even grateful to you all.

I am grateful for the spirited dialogue and the passionate contributions from participants in our Peace Learning Center Community Program workshops. While I sometimes don't agree with what someone had to say, I normally come away from the conversations better informed or curious to learn more.

I am grateful for our Central Indiana community. Through Focus 2020, we have seen that our citizens care for and believe in our community. The effort to create a more welcome community is succeeding - one person, one neighborhood, one organization at a time!

I am grateful for the opportunity to serve our community in a peace-building way. We have so much to learn from each other and Peace Learning Center's values, kindness, and dialogue with dignity and respect help to forge learning and growth - for "friends and scoundrels" alike! I am so grateful for this "Safe Space", where even those who may disagree are encouraged to do so in a respectful and inquisitive way.

We are indebted to and have so much to learn from each other. Maybe we can work together to help create a "safe space" for discussion and dialogue. Check out Peace Learning Center's Community Program offerings at www.peacelearningcenter.org or send me a note at jmcshane@peacelearningcenter.org.

The more we learn about each other, the more we will certainly learn about ourselves!

TIM'S PEACE TIP

Tim Nation, Executive Director & Co-Founder

GRATEFUL FOR A DREAM COME TRUE

When Charlie Wiles and I were skiing through Eagle Creek Park in 1997, we were deeply involved in domestic violence prevention efforts. Through our work with the AmeriCorps, we placed volunteers with our police and prosecutor, the Julian Center, Coburn Place, and other service organizations to support survivors and their families.

Unfortunately, we often found preventing domestic violence was difficult when working with just parents and adults. We realized that by working directly with youth perhaps we could have the greatest impact on this community crisis.

We thought...

What if kids learned how to be peacemakers and learned alternatives to violence at a young age?
What if these methods were taught in schools, neighborhoods, and communities?

Maybe then a safe and common language to deal with conflicts and differences could emerge.

So, while skiing through the park in 1997, we came upon a mansion next to the water and surrounded by miles of woods. This building was slated for possible demolition due to a bad roof and too many years of neglect. Our imaginations immediately went to work - maybe this could be a corporate style retreat center for kids - a place where they could learn peacemaking skills while enjoying nature and learning about a previously undiscovered world right here in Indianapolis.

I knew Jeff Coates, who was responsible for IndyParks partnerships, and approached him about renovating the building for this purpose. What started as a two year agreement has now become a critical community institution called Peace Learning Center which has served more than 170,000 central Indiana people and has programs replicated in eight US cities and five countries around the world. More than 20 million dollars has been raised so far to accomplish our mission.

I am grateful for a community that has shared our vision and helped make this dream come true for our children, families, and people of all ages through our Community Programs which include our Focus 2020 initiative. Peace is something we can learn and practice everyday. There is still much work to do.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Upcoming Focus 2020 Workshops: Our Focus 2020 program is taking a short winter break. We'll be publishing our new workshop schedule, which includes many new workshop topics, next month.

The Indianapolis International Festival is this weekend! Click here to learn more.

Peace Learning Center's 16th Annual MLK Community Festival:

Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Saturday, January 18, 2014

11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Christian Theological Seminary

1000 West 42nd Street

FREE and open to the public

No registration required

A great family event! Click here to learn more.

More than 500 people attend each year and, as always, the festival will feature our very popular Community Fair. To make sure your organization is included, contact Lisa Jones at ljones@peacelearningcenter.org or 317-327-7144 for tabling information. To include your business as a sponsor of this inclusive event that celebrates diversity and supports social justice causes, contact Stacy Robinson at srobinson@peacelearningcenter.org.

Support Peace: Make Good Changes Happen!

Donations to Peace Learning Center make great holiday gifts to honor your friends and loved ones!