Friday, June 1

4:45 p-6:00 pm – Parker Hall -- Bradley Manning Case Update –

Presentation by Courage to Resist president Jeff Patterson

6:00-7:00 pm – Millar Lodge -- Potluck “Welcome to Fayetteville” Dinner - Public invited

7:30-9:00 pm – Parker Hall -- Music by Still on the Hill and Friends

Saturday, June 2

9:00am-1:15 pm -- CLE for local attorneys

Rape and Sexual Assault

Conscientious Objection

AWOL – Mitigation for Court Martial

11:45 AM-12:45 PM – Civilian Medical Resource Network (CMRN)

http://civilianmedicalresources.net/

OMNI Center for Peace, Justice & Ecology of Fayetteville, is proud to host the National GI Rights Network, Inc. at the Mt. Sequoyah Conference and Retreat Center. Volunteer counselors from around the US gather annually to receive in-depth and updated training. An estimated 50 individuals will be attending. Counselors are traveling at their own expense.

To keep the registration fee as affordable as possible, community support in the following areas is needed:

• Airport pickup and return Thursday May 31 and Sunday June 3

• Transport to the Farmer’s Market from Mt. Sequoyah on Saturday at 7:00 am

• Pick up food from donors around town Thursday, Friday and Saturday

• Kitchen prep, serving and cleanup Thursday through Sunday lunch

Contact Alison at 479-521-5678, or alisoncarter2@yahoo.com to volunteer

The GI Rights Hotline (www.girightshotline.org) provides accurate information to prospective, current and veteran members of the US military, their family members and friends regarding service member’s rights under military regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Military regulations are vast and complex and few enlisted people are aware that a legitimate discharge exists for their situation. Hotline counselors provide reliable and nondirective information that is often withheld by the service members’ chain of command. Hotline counselors have civilian legal and medical resources to refer callers to when needed.

The military is a closed and often scary institution and many members feel isolated and hopeless when they have a problem and a command that is unresponsive to it, or even punitive toward those who seek help. Hotline counselors are not just a resource for help with the problem; they are a compassionate human connection in a time of need.

Your donation of food and time will assist this important work

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:  Moshe Newmark - 530-7786

On Saturday, May 26^th, from 10am – 3pm the Omni Peace Center for Peace, Justice and Ecology invites everyone in NW Arkansas to attend the 7^th annual Peace Gardens Tour.  This year’s tour features 9 beautiful and dynamic gardens in Fayetteville.  The cost for the tour is $10.  For ticket information and garden descriptions, please visit www.omnicenter.org or call 442-4600 / 283-2167.

The Omni Peace Gardens Network was established seven years ago to celebrate the relationship between nature and inner and world peace.  The motivation was to offer an opportunity for the public to connect with nature as expressed in beautiful gardens.  A garden environment lends itself to self-discovery and helps us define the kind of society we wish to inhabit; one that deepens our reflection about peace and justice and environmental stewardship (hence the name “Peace Garden”).  These gardens serve essential human needs while at the same time provide habitat for native species. 

In 2006, the first year of the Peace Gardens Tour, five Fayetteville gardeners volunteered to open their gardens to the public where a half hour video of the event was recorded and cablecast on Community Access Television.  As the tour matured, gardeners from east Fayetteville to Prairie Grove participated and last year more gardeners were added to the roster.  In 2007, Omni agreed to join with the Local Food Movement to combine beauty along with nutrition. 

This year’s self-guided Peace Gardens Tour showcases the following gardens:

"Bamboo Peace Garden"  1039 E. Overcrest St.  (South of Township; west of Old Wire Rd.)  
Peace Gardeners: Hamsa & Moshe Newmark
Enter this garden and feel transported into a unique environment, “a world unto its own.”  A graceful forest of a variety of bamboo populates the grounds. The newest addition is the presence of an octagon, all-cedar meditation temple.  All are invited to sit in the meditation temple and reflect upon the nature of peace that the garden effuses.  In addition, there are numerous benches in the garden to sit and enjoy the different views of the swaying bamboo. Tea and beverage will be available.

"Blue Birds of Peace Garden"   951 Missouri Way (Turn west off Assembly)  
Peace Gardeners: Marshall Carter, Alison Carter (for Nancy Maier)
"The focal point of my peace garden is an Ozark flagstone tree-shaped patio designed by Quinn Landrum and built by Quinn and his father, the artist M.M. Kent. The center of the patio is a single orange stone sun with rays extending outward.  Next to the patio is a terraced planting area for sunflowers, lavender, and butterfly bush. The area is surrounded on three sides by a fence and several birdhouses."  It Includes a Peace Pole.  Additional flowers: daisies, Solomon Seal, zinnias, spearmint, geraniums, lilies, sedum.  There are also vegetables: squash, peppers, lettuce, tomatoes.  A Zen white sand garden adds to the general beauty and cheer." —Nancy Maier

"Heartwood Gallery Garden" 428 S. Government Ave.
Peace Gardeners: Anita and Edward Hejtmanek
A streetscape gem of a flower garden at the entrance to Heartwood Gallery

"Parrish Peace Place" 2809 N. Cedar Hill Drive  
Peace Gardeners: David & Cookie Parrish
(DIRECTIONS: Half way to Goshen on Hwy. 45, going east, just past a new church (on the left). TURN RIGHT up hill before red balloons.). Begun in 1995, this 3 1/2-acre landscape holds varied spaces and carefully tended areas — specially named gardens in one area, bountiful trees in another, and home and workshop in another. There are many opportunities to walk and discover plantings and David's woodwork. Please feel free to sit on one of the many benches, listen to the music from the house speaker on the back deck and have something cool to drink in Margaret's Garden picnic area! 

"Peace in Our Lifetime Garden" 4880 W. Wedington Drive (Hwy 16 west of 540)    Peace Gardeners: Unity Center For Conscious Living
You are invited to step into the labyrinth and walk the sandy path to the center and experience the peace that passes all understanding. In the center of the labyrinth you will find our peace pole presented to us by Omni Center. You are also welcome to visit our community garden, “Unity Organic Garden”.

"Peace Trees Garden"
2008 W. Cleveland Street (just up from Sang) Peace Gardener: Cathy Boyd
Two acres of large trees, clusters of flowers scattered beneath, swimming pool surrounded by flowers, vine-covered arbor perfect for snacks and drinks.   (Parking in lot adjacent east.)

"Stroll Garden for Peace & Serenity "
17095 Lake Sequoyah Drive  Peace Gardener: Anne Reichardt
(DIRECTIONS: From School Ave. take Martin L. King Blvd. east toward Elkins for 5.4 miles (@ 1.5 mi it becomes Huntsville Rd., or, Hwy 16 east). Turn left onto Lake Sequoyah Dr. for 2.1 miles; okay to park in Fire Department lot on the left, the house and studio are on the right, the 2-acre garden is "up back".) Begun 6 years ago, this garden honors the natural character of the rural Arkansas landscape while incorporating Soto Zen accents. Enjoy the labyrinth consisting of many intriguing earth, stone, and repurposed sculptural elements among native plants, which are flourishing. Celebrate with chamber music playing in the gazebo in early afternoon. 

"Wishing Ball Peace Garden"  885 N. Fritz Drive (Off College, corner of Fritz & Cleburn) 
Peace Gardeners: Kelly Mulhollan & Donna Stjerna of Still on the Hill
Dedicated to the late, great songwriter, Nick Masullo, the garden features many spheres, including a 4' tall "Wishing Ball" in front painted like the earth. The back yard is host to the annex "Mug Tree", modeled after Clara’s "The Mug Tree" in Batesville, AR. in memory of her son, which is now on the Historic Tree Register and is an AIDS awareness tree. A small veg garden on side, a small herb garden (help yourself) out front, and of course several peace poles.  The home is also the acclaimed Ozark Ball Museum (50-cent admission (or a ball!)).  Delicately lined with japanese honysuckle and privit, there are rock-lined flower beds and lots of mint.

OMNI Summer youth will work all month to learn leadership and entrepreneur skills, which includes answering questions like "how many tasty things can you make with a blueberry?"

At the Blueberry Festival they'll share their wares and raise money for next year's youth program.  Put the day on your calendar before you drool.

'omnicenter.org/omnisummer' -- application form and more information

A dynamo youth team is preparing the program for OMNI Summer.  Applications are being accepted from high school age youth, at the website above. 

You're invited to join the Hotline Operators to show them Fayetteville hospitality.  Bring a potluck dish and hear a Bradley Manning organizer talk about the premier whistleblower's case, music from Still on the Hill and other local musicians, and meet some of these dedicated hotline operators who answer the phone when a desperate soldier calls.

OMNI is hosting this conference for the dedicated GI Rights Hotline operators from all over the United States.   They get together once a year to train, and revive their spirits after months of work to help soldiers in the military who need to know what their rights and options are. 

There will be some fascinating people here, and you'll want to meet them.  If you'd like to volunteer to help out, we can use food servers and drivers to transport people around during the conference.  If you're available, contact Alison at 'alisoncarter2@yahoo.com' .

The WE Presentation this month is about a great community group, from a WE member on their Board. AppleSeeds Inc has been working for awhile now to bring fresh, local food into the public school system in Fayetteville.  Connecting the schools with the farmers who grow their food is a big deal, and AppleSeeds has created a really fun program for school-age kids about healthy food.  They love it!

The Gardeners are hard at work and hoping for beautiful weather for the tour.  Tickets are $10 per person for all the gardens.  Tickets are available at the farmers market, and at the Block Street Block Party on May 20.  You can also call OMNI at 935-4422.

Every year people comment on the simple sweetness of the peace gardens, and the joy of meeting new folks in town.  Don't miss this.  The peace is real!

Women writers read their own or somebody's great work... everybody enjoys.  Very sweet energy here.

Last year the Block Street Block Party was such a blast that thousands of people showed up.  Thousands.  This year OMNI and OMNI Youth Programs will have fun tables supporting OMNI issues and programs.

OMNI Youth Programs is recruiting high schoolers for OMNI Summer in June, and raising money for it.  They'll be tabling, and helping IM Spa hold a jump rope contest!  That'll be fun. 

For information about OMNI Summer see the home page at 'omnicenter.org/omni summer' , or michelle@omnicenter.org .