Sylvia Sedrak (at podium) and the Colorado Springs Children's Chorale delivered powerful peace messages to an audience of about 160 at the International Day of Peace breakfast on Sept. 21. Nearly 100 people joined the J&P or renewed their memberships after hearing about the Middle East Peace Project, the Jerusalem Project, Urban Experience and the Green Dream Center. If you could not attend the breakfast but would like to join the J&P (or renew your membership for 2012), you may do so online via this website. Or contact Steve Saint at (719) 632-6189 or director@ppjpc.org.

Jerusalem Project invites you to Interfaith Holiday Tour

The J&P’s Jerusalem Project (the ones bringing you “Evenings in Jerusalem”) is organizing an opportunity to sample some holiday traditions and build relationships across religious lines. The first stop on the itinerary was an Iftar (breaking the Ramadan fast) potluck at the Islamic Society on Aug. 27. Sixteen of us joined the festivities and made a few friends. Twenty-seven of us celebrated a Sukkot dinner on Oct. 14 at Temple Shalom. The third stop will be the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on Dec. 12. Everyone is welcome to join! The purpose of the Jerusalem Project is to provide a safe, social environment for Jews, Christians, Muslims and people of other faith traditions to meet, make friends and develop an united voice for peace and justice. To RSVP or get more information, contact Steve at dynamic@ppjpc.org.



9/11 remembered with “Evening in Jerusalem 4”


“Never Forget Peace” was the theme of Evening in Jerusalem 4,” held on the 10th anniversary of 9/11. While Colorado Springs was awash in flag waving and saber rattling, we organized a dinner and commemoration by Christians, Jews, Muslims and other friends in search of world peace through dialogue, mutual respect and the breaking down of dangerous enemy images. About 100 people attended the Middle Eastern dinner at Colorado College. This was our “fourth cup of tea” - our three previous evenings (July and October, 2010; March, 2011) drew about 100 people each to further the process of interfaith dialogue in Colorado Springs.  For more information about how to get involved, contact Steve at dynamic@ppjpc.org.

Iraq vets to speak out for soldiers’ right to heal

A group of Iraq Veterans Against the War stopped in Colorado Springs in July on their way from from Ft. Hood to the national IVAW convention in Portland. They gave a report from the field, “Operation Recovery: A Campaign to Stop the Deployment of Traumatized Troops.”

Earlier this year, IVAW deployed the team to Ft. Hood to begin a year-long outreach drive and lay the groundwork for a fight to win service members and veterans right to heal. The military depends on the deployment of service members with traumas (PTSD and brain injuries) to continue the wars. The J&P not only advocates for immediate troop withdrawal from Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya, but supports the right for veterans to heal - at Ft. Hood and Ft. Carson as well. For more information on reaching out to at-risk soldiers, contact Steve at dynamic@ppjpc.org.

 

Keeping Dr. King's message of peace and justice alive


"Immigration Reform: Today's Civil Rights Struggle" was the theme of the J&P's All People's Breakfast on the national Martin Luther King Jr. holiday at Colorado College. More than 200 people gathered to celebrate and hear keynote speaker Polly Baca (the first Latina elected to the Colorado House of Representatives and later to the Colorado Senate). Polly said that Dr. King would call for comprehensive immigration reform were he alive today and we are now trying to connect the community with struggling immigrant families.

Allies from the Colorado Springs Branch NAACP, Colorado Springs Diversity Forum, Colorado Springs Utilities and Colorado College are now meeting to plan the 2012 breakfast, scheduled for Jan. 16. To join the team, contact Steve at dynamic@ppjpc.org.

J&P to collect bikes for people and planet

The two existing bike clinics for homeless riders are facing serious challenges. Peter Sprunger-Froese has seriously injured his hand and Brian Gravestock’s Bike Clinic Too has trimmed hours. To help out, the J&P is launching a summer campaign to collect good-condition (i.e. no repairs needed) bicycles from the community. 

We need the community to bring down those good-condition-but-unused bikes parked in sheds and garages around the region. The emphasis here is on “good condition.” You can also volunteer to help us transport other peoples' bikes to a storage facility and even make a few basic repairs on site. Bike mechanics who can volunteer to make more extensive repairs are also sorely needed.

Bring your bikes down understanding the following protocols:

1. Bikes in need of obvious repairs should be repaired before they are donated.

2. If the only challenge is flat tires, please inflate them to see if they hold air before donating them.

3. If you have a suitable bike but no way to transport it to the park, please contact us. We are developing a list in case a way of transporting bikes presents itself.

5. Acceptable bikes will get you a receipt for tax deduction.

6. Any surplus bikes may be used to launch a new pilot bike-sharing project.

For more information, contact Steve at (719) 632-6189 or econjustice@ppjpc.org.




Can we end homelessness?


Almost 70,000 people in El Paso County live in poverty, according to new statistics from the U.S. Census. The poorest of the poor are homeless people suffering from mental illness, drug and alcohol addiction and disabilities. Is there anything we can do to reduce and even eliminate poverty in the Pikes Peak Region?

In partnership with Catholic Charities, Peak Vista Health Centers and Care & Share Food Bank, the J&P has launched a community discussion of the new federal Interagency Council on Homelessness strategy document, "Opening Doors." A task force towards ending homelessness in Colorado Springs through collaboration and partnership began meeting last fall. Concerned citizens, non-profit organizations and local government agencies are invited to collaborate in synthesizing strategies from various sources to prevent and end homelessness in Colorado Springs. For more information, contact Steve at econjustice@ppjpc.org. "Opening Doors" can be found at www.ich.gov.

The Green Dream: Creating a Demonstration Center for Sustainable Urban Living

The J&P is launching a new Green Dream project to create a demonstration center exploring how people can survive and sustain themselves in the urban environment - for the duration of this century and beyond. We actually have the technology and expertise, they’re just not getting the needed attention and funding as our country clings to its extravagant, consumptive past.

Got land? We need it – donate it to us, sell it to us, lease it or loan it. Got professional skills – legal, financial, planning, technical? Volunteer some time as a Green Dream Guru. Want to employ hundreds of people in urban farming, biofuel production, construction, transportation and renewable energy? Bring your capital and business expertise to our table. For more information about how you can make a difference, contact sustain@ppjpc.org.