Put on a mustache and bring your running shoes for a great day in the park at this year's Mustached Turtle Dash!

Use the code TURTLES5 for $5 off your registration.

This year's Mustached Turtle Dash will include:

• Fair Trade chocolate courtesy of Endangered Species Chocolate
• Complimentary post-race massages courtesy of Harrison College
• Zumba warm-up with certified instructor Demetrees Hutchins
• Complimentary recovery station with drinks and snacks provided by Georgetown Market
• $50 Go Ape! zip lining gift certificates for the winners in each category
• Turtle racing and activities for kids
• There will also be a giant gorilla and banana participating in this year's race!

Many thanks to our other sponsors:  TLS Custom Furniture, State Representative Cherrish Pryor, Indy Parks, Concept Prints, Nuvo, and Liberty Mutual agent Avery Preddie 

 

Upcoming Focus 2020 Workshops

 Join the movement to make Greater Indy a more welcoming and engaged community!    

  

All Focus 2020 workshops are offered at no cost to you and by attending you will become eligible to apply for a $500-$5,000 Community Action Grant, but preregistration is required.    

 

Community Leadership Certificate Training:  Indpls. Neighborhood Resource Center

Series of classes:
September 13, 8:30 - 3:30 p.m.

September 20, 8:30 - 3:30 p.m.

September 27, 8:30 - 3:30 p.m.

Click here for additional information and to register

 

Orientation:  Peace Learning Center

September 18, 12:30 - 3:30 p.m.

November 20, 12:30 - 3:30 p.m.

Click here for additional information and to register

 

Creating a Culture of Peace:  Peace Learning Center

October 14, 12:30 - 3:30 p.m.

December 11, 12:30 - 3:30 p.m.

Click here for additional information and to register

 

Our Choices, Our Community, Our Environment:  Peace Learning Center

September 17, 12:30 - 3:30 p.m.

October 15, 12:30 - 3:30 p.m.

Click here for additional information and to register

 Do you have an idea about how to help Greater Indy become a more peaceful, welcoming, and engaged community?  

Campaign Nonviolence is a new, long-term movement to build a culture of peace and nonviolence and to foster a world free of war, poverty and the climate crisis.  We at have joined this nationwide effort-and we invite you to join also!

To launch this new movement for a more just, peaceful and sustainable world,

Campaign Nonviolence is organizing nonviolent marches, rallies, and public demonstrations in hundreds of cities across the United States during Campaign Nonviolence Week, September 21-27. To learn more, click here. 

 

CREATING A SAFER SPACE

During a recent staff retreat at PLC, leaders from the Girl Scouts of Central Indiana discuss what a safe place looks like to them.

Participants tell us what it takes to create this space - a space where people can have dialogue with dignity and respect for one another, a place where people can problem solve together. Here are a few example of what recent workshop participants decided to do to create their own safe space:

• Listen completely

• Keep an open mine

• Don't judge

• Stay cool!

• One microphone - one person talks at a time

• Be honest

• Stay on topic

• Participate

• Have fun

• Be kind and inclusive

• Seek to understand

• Practice empathy

Now, this might look simple, even silly to some. But think about it a moment. We could extend the notion of a safe space in our workshops to include creating safe spaces in our communities, whether those communities are workplaces, clubs, organizations, neighborhoods and even cities.

People have it within themselves and their communities to address and solve their most difficult problems. Most group or team efforts that fail probably broke a few of the above rules. Think of a recent unresolved or continuing conflict. Could it have been better addressed with a sense of empathy, efforts to understand and not to judge, setting inclusiveness as a working parameter, talking with one another? We think so; we think it's a start.

With summer winding down, school years beginning and returning to work after well-deserved vacations, it is a great time to re-commit to what it takes to create a welcoming and inclusive community. What will you do to create a safe space?

This section was written by John McShane, Director of Community and Corporate Programs.  For additional information on the programs we offer, please contact John at 317.327.7144 or email of JMcShane@peacelearningcenter.org.

VOLUNTEER OF THE MONTH  

 Peace Learning Center would like to recognize Matt Horan as volunteer of the month! 

Matt is a longtime supporter of the PLC and has helped at many of our events. 

At one event last month, as we were expecting four busloads of children to arrive at any second; Matt noticed me looking down at the floor. Without even saying what I was staring at he said, "Do you want me to vacuum that? I'll vacuum."  And he went to get the vacuum without a second thought!"

Every nonprofit should be so lucky as to have a volunteer like Matt Horan! We will never be able to thank you enough for all that you do!"

Thank you Matt for everything you have done for our organization.  We are very grateful to have you on our team!

 Looking for a fun volunteer opportunity at Peace Learning Center? Volunteers are needed from 7:30-11:30 am for our Mustached Turtle Dash on Saturday, 9/27! 

VIOLENCE PREVENTION 

Violence prevention should begin in the home and must be part of every child's education as early as possible.

Tim with his son Will at last year's Mustached Turtle Dash.

Mayor Greg Ballard included Peace Learning Center as a lead partner in his crime reduction efforts to take proactive preventive steps to decrease violence through direct education of youth and families at more IndyParks sites while expanding Eagle Creek Park operation outreach efforts to add more schools, faith and community organizations. 

Peace Learning Center is part of Mayor Ballard's crime reduction strategies because he realizes a comprehensive approach to crime prevention must start with violence because homicide, assaults, armed robbery and acts of unfiltered aggression are leading factors in creating fear and a lack of basic safety.  Violence can rob a community of its people, resources, and soul.

How do you reduce violence - Mahatma Gandhi said, "If you want true peace, you must start with the children."  Peace Learning efforts go from preschool to high school and even engage senior citizens in nursing homes.  Our birth to earth curriculum stresses individual protective factors that help people persevere and succeed despite life's many obstacles.  These include: hope for the future, ownership over your education, critical thinking and conflict resolution skills, and the ability to reach out to others for help.

We have proven programs that have documented results - now is the time to scale up Peace Learning Center's efforts. 

EXPANSION PLANS

GOAL: Peace Learning Center will increase capacity by 50% to serve 15,000 youth and adults per year. 

1).  FAMILY PROGRAMS:  Workshops on conflict resolution and communication skills, educational goal setting, and resource development all help families build a peace plan where each individual takes responsibility for overall harmony. 

     Indy Parks Sites:  Watkins Park, Washington Park Family Center, Krannert Park

                                     Family Center

      Other Sites:  Julian Center, Coleman Academy, and Meridian Transition

2).  PEACE SCHOOLS:  A holistic prevention approach,  all students, teachers and as many parents as possible participate in interactive learning to build skills for dealing with problems and conflicts while developing safe and easy ways to communicate while improving the learning environment. 

IPS Elementary Schools:  School 15, School 63, School 49, School 82, School 46,           School 31, and School 93

IPS High Schools: Meridian Transition Academy, John Marshall, Northwest, and George Washington 

 Other Schools: Excel Center, Lawrence North High School, and Starfish Mentoring

3).  JUVENILE JUSTICE INITIATIVES:  Youth who are in trouble with law enforcement and their schools need help immediately before they enter the "school to prison pipeline" outlined by the US Department of Justice.  Programs will expand to provide alternatives to suspension and expulsion while implementing best practices around restorative justice.

Sites:  Marion County Juvenile Justice, Coleman Academy, Meridian Transition

Resources Needed: To fund this scale-up, Peace Learning Center launched the million dollar Be Peace campaign.  So far, $821,000 has been raised.  Will you help us make this scale up possible? Click here to give today please.

YUMMY PROTEIN BALLS

 I couldn't make these fast enough when my kids were in school. They really loved them as an after school snack and I love them because they're healthy - so much better than store bought granola bars, a bowl of sugary cereal or some other unhealthy snack.

I'm STILL making these because not only are they a "10" on my yummy scale, but because they are so quick (10 min prep), easy to make, sweet, filling AND healthy for everyone! You don't even need to bake them!  Can't get any more simple than this!

This recipe makes 10 servings.  You can switch the recipe up by adding raisins, dried cranberries, nuts, dried fruit, chocolate chips, just about anything!  If you make these, send me an email and let me know how you like them and if/how you switched it up!  My email address is LJones@peacelearningcenter.org  

1 cup of rolled oats

1/2 cup of natural peanut butter

1/3 cup of honey or maple syrup (I use honey)

1/4 cup dark chocolate chopped (I chop chocolate chips)

2 Tablespoons of flax seeds (I grind mine in the coffee grinder, but you don't have to)

2 Tablespoons of chia seeds (optional)

1 Tablespoon of chocolate flavored protein powder

1 tiny drizzle of maple syrup (optional)

Directions:  Stir all the ingredients together in a large bowl until evenly mixed.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for approximately 30 minutes.  Scoop the chilled mixture into balls and place on a plate.  Keep covered and refrigerated until ready to serve.  Recipe by sgadacz 

Enjoy!!    

This section is written by Lisa Jones, PLC's Director of Human Resources and Operations.