From Dee Partridge in Charleston:

Thank you to all who came out to support The Peace Alliance in its efforts to create a US Department of Peace and Non-Violence. The Concert for Peace was held on Saturday, Sept. 15, at Unity Church of Charleston and was a great success! We had a turn out of about 125 people over the two hour span, and brought in around $650 for the local chapter of the campaign. The weather held out for us as we listened to Austin O’Malley’s solo Native American Flute and the jazz and blues sounds of Bradford Station. The event ended with the Unity Montessori School Choir singing songs from around the world, to remind us that the US Department of Peace and Non-Violence is for our children and our children’s children.

We were grateful that ABC News 4 came out and reported on the concert. We were featured during the 7 o’clock and 11 o’clock news casts, and I was very thankful that the message was about what the Department could do domestically, instead of it being suggested that it was an “anti war” rally. The Department of Peace and Non-Violence would do so much for South Carolina, as we are ranked #6 in Domestic Violence in this country. Patrice Smith said at the end of the 11 o’clock newscast that there are 80 countries around the world working to create Departments of Peace in their governments. I think that was a good point to end with to get people thinking about what it would mean for the US to lead the way.

My email address is dee_partridge@msn.com if you want to be included on my list for future actions towards this campaign. I am eager to get Charleston talking about this bill, and see what we can do to get South Carolina on board.