COTTAGE GROVE — At Coiner Park, near the peace tree, lies a cage, very like that of a gym locker. With a two foot-by two foot base, it stretches eight feet tall. In the bottom, a four-foot-tall rack displays almost 200 rocks, each one painted to represent a different country around the world, called unity rocks.
This structure is Cottage Grove’s take on the worldwide Peace Pole initiative. After the bombing in Japan in 1945, Masahisa Goi was inspired to spread the message of peace however he could. Through meditation, Goi found the phrase “May peace prevail on Earth,” and his mission gained new life.
Goi created the first Peace Pole in 1955, and they began gaining popularity in 1976. Peace Poles are now one of the most universally recognized symbols of peace across the globe.
About a year and a half ago, a study group “got this idea of ‘how can we share a positive message and opportunity to celebrate what is going on in Cottage Grove towards peace and unity,’” according to Jim Settlemyer, a member of the Peace Pole Committee.
IFYOUGO:
What: Peace Day Celebration
When: Sept. 21, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Where: Coiner Parl, Cottage Grove
More info: Free. A local celebration of the International Day of Peace. Guest speakers, music, information tables.
The idea of a Peace Pole came up, and suddenly the Peace Pole Committee was born.
“The first thing that we did that was actually concrete, was decide what kind of Peace Pole we want. Well, of course, we picked the one where we could do everything,” Settlemeyer said.
What they ended up with was a 2x2x8 structure made out of metal grating with a door on one side, donated by Weyerhaeuser, Settlemeyer said.
The next step was to make unity rocks, but the Peace Pole Committee needed some extra hands. Supplies were brought to events like Bohemia Mining Days and last year’s Peace Day Celebration, and community members from all walks of life helped to paint the rocks.
Although the Peace Pole only had rocks, the City of Cottage Grove installed it in Coiner Park roughly three months ago, according to Linda Diez, a member of the committee. Its dedication ceremony was held on July 20 during the Spirit of Bohemia Mining Days event.
“It was more of a statement of ‘it’s here! We’ve been talking about it a long time. It’s here, it’s just not completed yet,’” said Brenda Sawyer, member of the Peace Pole Committee. She added that the ceremony included prayers from several religious groups.
The Committee plans on printing artwork submitted by community members onto metal plates to be mounted on each side of the Peace Pole, Sawyer said. The phrase “may peace prevail on Earth,” will also be included in several different languages, including Japanese, French, Spanish, and even braille, Diaz said.
Diez added that she hopes to add textured artwork in the future to further open the experience to those with vision impairments as well.
The door on the Peace Pole also opens up the opportunity for the monument to continue growing and changing throughout its life.
“We feel really gratified when we realize this can always be a work in progress,” Settlemeyer said. “That’s the wonders of having that door there, that we’re able to do our own mounting of the signs … and trade them out as we feel. If someone else comes up with another vision, we can do that.”
Early on in the project, the City added a concrete path to where the Peace Pole now stands, as well as benches around the peace tree, according to Diez. The space is on its way to becoming a peace park within Coiner Park, making it the obvious venue for Cottage Grove’s second annual Peace Day Celebration. The celebration will be on Sept. 21 from 11a.m.-1 p.m. in observance of the International Day of Peace.
There will be music, information tables, and presentations by local students, authors, and other community members. Some of the tables will include the Center for Nonviolent Communication, the local Kiwanis Club, the local Lions Club, and more.
Members of the Peace Pole Committee want to continue spreading peace throughout Cottage Grove wherever possible.
“No one involved, whether they were part of the initial committee or not, thinks that we have solved our community problems,” Settlemeyer said. “So we welcome any new energies or ideas to be contributed, because it’s such an important pursuit, and even when we get to a more agreeable place, we know that it takes positive energy to keep peace and unity in the forefront of everybody’s mind.”
