Safety Harbor Resort and Spa very generously accomodated our womens team for two nights. This is an iconic location and we wished we could have stayed longer- thank you so much!
We were very happy to have a number of local team members join us for our day in Tampa. Pictured here is Lunthita from Hialeah, Florida. She is obviously thrilled to be on the way to our first ceremony of the day at Suncoast Waldorf School in Palm Harbour.
Also joining us was our good friend Cathy Oerter, co-founder of Art of the Olympians and wife of the late Olympic great, Al Oerter. Cathy drove up from Fort Myers especially to join us for the day
Cathy spoke about the important role that art plays in expediting peace on earth. She brought with her examples of artwork by Olympians and told the children that the ancient Olympic Games included medals for artwork and other forms of creativity.
Cathy came from Fort Myers with her good friend, Leslie Bush, who won a gold medal for diving in the 1964 Olympic Games. Leslie brought her gold medal to show the children, and told them that her best memory of the Olympics was not winning the gold medal, but being in a harmonious environment with people from all different countries of the world.
Cathy joined in our skits showing harmony and disharmony.
Feel the peace...
We presented a piece of artwork entitled "Happiness" by Sri Chinmoy to the school, along with our certificate of appreciation.
Peace is so beautiful!
Our Ukranian and Russian team members with a young Russian girl and her mother.
Thank you Suncoast Waldorf School, we loved your school and meeting all of you!
Some of the team ran to the next school. Even though it was still early, it was already hot!
Despite the heat, we enjoyed our run and were having such a nice time running together that 3 miles was over all too soon!
Looks like we are the main event at Palm Harbour Montessori today!
Waiting for the kids to arrive...
We started with a run around the field...
The children had prepared beautiful art with peace pledges for the occasion.
Many of the children were wearing the sweetest necklaces with peace signs and doves on them.
Cathy has a wonderful affinity with children of all ages.
Peace is...
The older students wrote some truly beautiful and moving poems on peace which they kindly read aloud.
...and then they even gave them to us!
The children sang some beautiful songs for us.
They also performed a fantastic dance on the theme of happiness which many of the children took part in.
On the peace train..
Thank you Palm Harbour Montessori School for your enthusiastic, inspiring and heart-felt contributions which are truly making the world a more peaceful place.
We went to Consciousness-Blossoms Restaurant for a delicious vegetarian lunch-on the house!
Thank you so much to Consciousness-Blossoms owner and local Florida coordinator, Tilvilla Hewitt, (pictured far left), and the hard working team of servers!
It is thrilling for everyone to see an olympic gold medal!
With the official t shirt, Leslie is 100% on the team!
Oldsmar City Hall have an exhibition of paintings by Sri Chinmoys on display which we were lucky enough to have time to view.
One big happy team ;)
We split the team for the afternoon. Team A visited Mattie Williams Neighbourhood Center after school programme.
We were happy to have local Peace Runner, Nancy, and our latest addition to the team, Kalyanika, fresh off the plane from New York! Kalyanika is joining the team until St Louis.
These kids were super enthusiastic!
deep peace..
Running for peace is never boring!
Local coordinator, Tilvilla Hewitt, presents the enthusiastic crowd with a painting by Sri Chinmoy.
Thank you Mattie Williams Family Centre for joining our peace loving family!
Next was Safety Harbor Community Centre After School Programme. Some of these kids knew us from previous visits.
It was late in the afternoon, but the kids were still enthusiastic participants!
We were happy to learn that the Safety Harbor Community Centre puts a strong emphasis on being like a family, just like us.
peace always feels so good!
What a great last ceremony for team A!
Team B went to an event in Tampa called "Fit Kids Playground"
More than just people got to hold the torch!
so cute!
Many people had stalls, and were happy to make a wish for peace.
We had dinner at the beautiful Consciousness-Blossoms Gift Store. Pictured is the transitioning girls team. Sadly we are saying goodbye to Abhejali the great, who heads home to Czech Republic tomorrow. We will all miss her wonderful team presence, but are happy to have Phaedra rejoining the team, and Kalyanika, on the far right!
Tilvilla showing the living flowers that match the wall pictures inside the beautiful Consciousness-Blossoms Giftstore.
A big thank you to all our friends in Tampa for organising super inspiring events and taking amazing care of the team in every way, we felt like we were truly with our family!
