The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
GATHERING FOR PEACE
Oberlin Rotary Club gets together at Lakeview Park to mark World Peace Day
After months of club meetings via Zoom, members of the Oberlin Rotary Club stretched their legs and met at Lakeview Park, 1800 W. Erie Ave. in Lorain, to honor World Peace Day Sept. 21.
A statement about world peace was made by Rotary President Barbara Thomas and a handful of members watched the sunset at the park.
Thomas said meeting in person after so much time apart with a cause in mind makes a difference for the health of the club.
“It’s a great opportunity to meet,” she said. “It’s great to see everybody in person.”
Snacks and beverages were enjoyed and conversations shared during the event, which was open to the public. Thomas said she was happy with the turnout, and that it shows that Rotary members care both about others and their community.
“I think everybody understands how important peace is, particularly at this point in our country,” she said. “They really care about one another and the bigger picture.”
Thomas said while the club’s more personal interactions
“I think everybody understands how important peace is, particularly at this point in our country. They really care about one another and the bigger picture.”
—Barbara Thomas, Oberlin Rotary Club president
between members have been online, the Rotary is still partaking in service projects outdoors and raising funds to help the city of Oberlin.
That includes gardening, bed-building for children and working with local organizations such as Oberlin Community Services.
Choosing those service projects is made easier by surveying the interests of club members, Thomas said.
“We find what somebody likes to do and go to work saying, ‘Who would like to help?’ “she said.
Jeanne McKibben, a retired doctor and one of the first women to join the Rotary back in the late 1980s, said being able to meet with people outside and still partake in social activities has been a game-changer for her.
“Something like this is a wonderful relief,” she said.
The World Peace Day, also known as the International Day of Peace, was established in 1981 by the United Nations General Assembly. Two decades later, in 2001, the General Assembly unanimously voted to designate the day as a period of non-violence and cease-fire, according to the United Nations website.