Peace Builders Initiative
Our Mission
To serve as a catalyst and resource for promoting and sustaining positive, peace-enhancing communication and relationship skills among all people within the greater Columbus community.
Our Goals
- Serve as convener of special events and ongoing programs with the purpose of encouraging positive community engagement, understanding and trust while facilitating grassroots, peace enhancing, problem solving.
- Collaborate with aligned* organizations and businesses as a supportive partner in peace-building efforts, with the purpose of maximizing Columbus Rotary’s Peace Initiative mission fulfillment.
*Aligned means that others’ peace building efforts are in alignment with our mission, Rotary’s Guiding Principles and the Four-Way Test.
The Four-way Test is:
- Is it the truth?
- Is it fair to all concerned?
- Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
- Will it be beneficial to all concerned?
The Columbus Rotary Peace Builders committee originated in 2017. It was initiated by a serendipitous visit by Columbus Rotarian Nancy Trux to the Gulf Beaches Rotary in February 2017. A member of the club, a man of Indian descent, Raj, spoke of a racially motivated hate crime in Kansas City, in which his friend’s son was killed. Raj was distraught & posed this question to the Rotary club, “What am I to tell my [Indian] friend about America?”
Ms. Trux challenged the Columbus Rotary Board to addressing this question in Columbus, Ohio. The Board agreed that Rotary with its non-partisan, non-political, non-religious, cross-cultural & international stand, needed to be a part of the solution. The Board also agreed that Columbus is a community uniquely positioned to make collaboration & peace a part of the culture, given the “Columbus Way”. Specifically recalled by the Board was the Columbus Rotary’s collaboration to peacefully desegregate the Columbus schools in 1979.
In light of that background, a small group of Rotarians began to brainstorm solutions which has grown to significant projects for the Linden community & Windsor STEM Elementary, a school in South Linden.
Columbus Rotary Peace Building Activities to Date
Since 2020, Columbus Rotary has been supporting the students & teachers of Windsor STEM Elementary, a Title 1 school, with 400 students located in South Linden. The school serves a population challenged by poverty, violence & family trauma.
- Provide all the school supplies for the students
- Tutor reading with 2nd grade students.
- To Enhance school pride & achievement, Windsor STEM Academy tee shirts were designed with the school logo and motto. Every year, each Windsor student is excited to receive a free shirt.
- Donated a piano
- Participate in Winterfest, a community event held at the school & offering gifts for those unable to afford them.
- To encourage parental involvement, hosted a parent-teacher dinner.
- At the request of the principal, bought & installed a washer/dryer so children don’t have to stay in dirty clothing.
Business mentoring by Columbus Rotarians with Linden small business owners to help them access funds.
Through the Ohio Imagination Library, we have been & will continue to provide books every month to Linden preschoolers. We have done outreach at Community Festivals & gatherings & will continue in the next year.
Provided an annual Community Festival/Dinner in Linden. Food, music & entertainment is provided to help support the families of Linden who are in need.
Historically, the Peace Builders of Columbus Rotary:
- In 2018 and 2019, held a community roundtable in collaboration with the Interfaith Collaborative to offer the opportunity for people from different backgrounds to dialogue.
- Provided training on Building Peace through Nonviolent Communication to various community groups throughout Columbus.
- Created a template which enabled spreading the message of building Peace to the Rotary District of Ohio and beyond.
