We are very grateful to our friends Arun and Julie for allowing us to use their country home in Vermont for a wonderful stayover. THe peace and beauty of Vermont was very prominent here on our first day back from Canada.
ON the route this morning we had great views of the forests and Green Mountains of southern Vermont.
We were even treated to a beautiful rainbow at one point.
Harita was so grateful to meet this wonderful woman, Deb, today. She is a true peace lover who was driving down the road and pulled over to find out more about the Peace Run. We hope to connect many more times in the future!
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The men's team started running in Bennington on the way to Wilmington.
The men's team ended our run at the Bartleby's Bookstore in Wilmington where we were offered some refreshments for our journey. Pierre was delighted to purchase a copy of the new Harry Potter book.
He even found a nice chair to start reading his new book which he said made him feel like a child again.
We are grateful to our dear friend Akanka who came down from northern Vermont to greet the whole team in Brattleboro. She kindly treated us to some homemade sun tea.
In Brattleboro we also had some time to enjoy lunch at the Brattleboro Common.
The whole team in Brattleboro with Akanka before running into our next state, New Hampshire.
Victoria leads off for the women's team as they run into New Hampshire. Only five states to go before we reach New York in less than a week.
Later that evening in Portland, Maine we were greeted by members and friends at the Italian Heritage Center.
A beautiful collection of paintings, photos and memorabilia collected over the years by our dear friend Giovanna (JoJo) Ricci was displayed in the main hallway.
Unfortunately JoJo passed away last year but left this wonderful collection of Peace Run memorablia to the Italian Heritage Center. Her sisters Maria and Louis kindly created this beautiful museum of photos, paintings by Sri Chinmoy, news articles, T Shirts, brochures on the Peace Run and even the Peace Run Torch Bearer Award JoJo was given for her work with children and the community.
The display included these eight Peace Run T-shirts from past runs signed by the team members for JoJo. She valued everything that was offered to her and kept them safely stored away to for all to eventually enjoy.
JoJo embodied the spirit of the Peace Run in boundless measure. Her life was a perfect embodiment of kindness, caring, self-giving, and love for everyone she came across.
We are very grateful to our good friend Polly (Chusini) Goodyear who kindly helped to organize this event for the Peace Run and to remember and honor JoJo.
Mayor of Portland, Ethan Strimling, offered some inspiring opening remarks about working for peace both here and abroad. We are very inspired and grateful by his presence here this evening.
Mayor of South Portland, Tom Blake, also came to share some very illumining comments comparing the Peace Run efforts to those of the disciplines of athletic training and achievement. As a track coach he has experienced the benefits of sports disciplines in promoting and developing peace in individuals.
The spacious and colorful hall was a perfect setting for this banquet which also hosted the Peace Run many times in the past.
Polly Chusini Goodyear gave an inspiring account of JoJo and her work with children and the Peace Run as well.
We introduced ourselves and sang the Peace Run song written by Sri Chinmoy before the delicious meal was served. Our team currently has ten members from nine differnet countries. Our tenth runner, Yatkara from Ukraine, is taking the photo.
Friends, relatives, Mayors and others all showed up to honor JoJo and greet the Peace Run with such love and friendship as she would do every time we passed through here since 1993. Three nuns from the Sisters of Mercy in Portland, including JoJo's sister Maria joined our table for the delicous meal.
Mayors and former Mayors all came to show support for the Peace Run and love for JoJo.
JoJo had many friends in her long and productive life, some of whom came here tonight to honor her here in Portland where she lived her whole life and was involved in many community projects.
Some of the guest included Salvatore and Barbara Bonetti, center, from St. Peter's Catholic Church organize the popular Italian Bazaar in Portland every year. Rocco and Gina Ferrante from the Italian Heritage Center also kindly came to offer their goodwill and support. We are so grateful to all of them for coming here tonight.
Arpan offered some personal comments about JoJo and presented a Peace Run Shirt signed by all the runners with their countries as we had done many times in the past for JoJo.
JoJo's sisters Maria and Louis accept the signed shirt as a photo of JoJo holding the torch years ago appeared on the screen behind them.
Cammy Reali, President of the Italian Heritage Center, accepts this painting by Sri Chinmoy, Founder of the Peace Run. It is called 'Peace Is Precious'. Joe Delaney, JoJo's brother-in-law, holds the torch as Maria and Louis hold their painting as well.
We are so very grateful to Cammy and the Italian Heritage Center for hosting this inspiring banquet and delicious meal for the Peace Run and for JoJo.
Everyone had a chance to hold the torch and offer their wishes for peace outdoors after this three hour function.
April Cohen and her mom Linda, former Mayor of South Portland. April is a long distance runner who encountered the Peace Run at her camp when she was a child many years ago.
Former Mayor of Portland Ed Suslovic, who is also a good runner and has run with us through town before, shares the torch with a visiting student from Russia, Yevgeniy Lapin.
JoJo's family, her sister Louis and husband Joe, and her sister Maria.
The women's team with Sister Maria.
We eternally grateful to JoJo and her family and friends at the Italian Heritage Center for this wonderful function in the name of peace, friendship and love.
