The women's Peace Run team were very happy and grateful to stay in the Holiday Inn Express in Poughkeepsie. Here they are offering a Certificate of Appreciation to the desk clerk for the wonderful service and comfortable and clean accommodations.
The Holiday Inn in Poughkeepsie was a very nice place to stay overnight to prepare for our next day of running and the events ahead. We are very grateful to them for their hospitality and the discounted rooms they offered us this evening.
Arpan and Pavaka start their day running on the Hudson River Walkover Bridge, a very scenic run over mile long to the west side of the beautiful Hudson River.
Pavaka is enjoying his scenic run as we take turns carrying the Peace Torch.
Along the run over the bridge we met quite a few friendly people who kindly shared the Peace Torch and offered their wishes or prayers for peace and harmony.
A very soulful woman stopped on her bike ride over the river to offer her prayers for peace.
Homagni joins Pavaka to carry the torch further west as we leave the bridge and run on a scenic trailway system towards Woodstock, N.Y.
Arpan meets up with his great ulrarunning friend, Trishul, who lives nearby and puts in a few miles carrying the peace torch into New Paltz.
Devendra gets ready for his run with the other men's team as we make our way northwest towards Woodstock.
Scott is happy to be out of the big city with his teammates Devendra and Natabara today on the Peace Run in the beautiful countryside of upstate New York.
Devendra puts in his miles on the scenic country roads.
Natabara happily spreading peace as he carries the Peace Torch further down the road towards our first event in Woodstock.
Our women's team runs the last stretch into the idyllic town of Woodstock, known for its arts, music and focus on nature and peace.
Our team passes the torch to three women from the Woodstock Town Council, Deputy Town Clerk Michele Sehwerert, holding torch. On the right is Deputy Supervisor Lynn Sehwerert and mother of Michele. On the left is Laura Ricci, a longtime Woodstock Town Council Member. They very enthusiastically welcomed us to their beautiful town on the Village Green on this beautiful day.
Palash, one of our team members who organized this event today, offers Laura Ricci our Certificate of Appreciation for their participation in our Peace Run event today.
A beautiful painting by Sri Chinmoy, Founder of the Peace Run, which reads, "Peace is the indomitable response to life's every challenge", is also offered to the council members with gratitude for their support and work for peace in their community.
Michael, one of our local team members living in the area, was happy to come join us today in Woodstock, and we were happy that he could come be part of our event.
Natabara reads out a short talk on peace by Sri Chinmoy, Founder of the Peace Run, given many years ago on how we can all contribute to spreading peace in the world.
A very sweet Buddhist monk from a nearby monastery soulfully offers his prayers for peace with us.
We are very grateful to all the kind folks who came out in Woodstock today to greets us here and share their own efforts and wishes for peace.
One of our team members, Sutusthi who now lives in Woodstock, was so kind to treat us to a wonderful lunch and show us some interested sites around here as well.
Our team at the Peace Plaque nearby.
This plaque was dedicated in 1997 as a Peace Blossom recognizing the peace efforts of Sri Chinmoy, Founder of the Peace Run, which began in 1987.
Visiting a very special place where Sri Chinmoy would love to visit many decades ago when he first arrived in New York.
The women's team finishes their miles carrying the Peace Torch out of Woodstock towards the town of Catskill.
We are always so happy to encounter friendly locals who love to share the concept of peace spreading from person to person as they share the peace torch and offer their hopes and dreams, prayers and wishes for peace and harmony in the world.
Homagni and Arpan install the Peace Tree plaque at Dutchman's Landing Park as we all wait for the Torch to arrive.
Helene, who is a member of the Catskill Tree Council and Bard College Archivist, and Michael, also a member of the Council, tell us a little about the Council's initiatives.
Scott, one of our members currently living in New York City, is all smiles as he carries the torch to the Peace Tree.
Arpan starts our Peace Run song with accompaniment. After a long hot day as runners we finally become musicians as a way of sharing the peace and harmony of music.
Palash, right, thanks the three members of the Catskill Tree Council who were so kind and generous in planting this Peace Tree, which is an Eastern Redbud and only a few years old.
A wonderful group of peace lovers at the Peace Tree in Catskill.
Dinner time as we enjoy a delicious meal supplied by Palash and the Catskill Tree Council.
Enjoying dinner along the majestic Hudson River with a nice view of the Rip Van Winkle Bridge.
It was also Helene's birthday today and she cheerfully holds the Peace Torch as we all sing the birthday song to her. Luckily she did not have to blow out the torch flame, and the wind blew out the cake candles for her.
Helene's husband Paul and son Zach, showed up for the birthday meal and cake to the delight of us all, especially Helene.
Palash, longtime friend and colleague of Helene, helps to serve the birthday cake.
Some very young ducklings wanted to join us in the meal but we refrained from feeding them as per the rules of the park. They must learn to forage on their own in order to survive in the wild.
The cute and persistent ducklings kept trying to get to our pizza as they approached Harita while she was eating.
A very friendly local woman, Desiree, kindly brought us some good luck four leaf clovers she found growing near her home.
She was very happy to share the Peace Torch with us and offer her prayers and wishes for peace.
Her grandson Mikey was with her but was too shy to be in the photo. We are always so happy and grateful when local folks come out of their way to see us and share the Peace Torch with us, offering their goodwill and prayers for peace. This is the spirit of the Peace Run and it is what keeps us going as we pass the Torch person to person, town to town, and country to country.
