Keepers of Peace and Justice

Dear friends,
For as long as I can remember, JRPC has held a “Kid’s Night” in December, an opportunity for our youngest folks to shop and learn about fair trade. I will miss this part of our holiday tradition. It was hard work, but the rewards were many — faces lit up with joy at finding that perfect gift, the care taken to wrap each one just right and the pride as each gift was carried home to the tree. This year will require some adjustments, but hopefully we can find ways to keep the magic because we all need that. I don’t have children but I do appreciate my relationship with my grown step-son and my young nieces and nephews and all the love and lessons I cherish with them. It strikes me that all of us with young people in our lives have the greatest opportunity to be keepers of peace and justice because we are role models, and the holidays present us with opportunities to practice and teach what we believe. We give gifts to express our love and affection. But how wonderful it is when our gifts also serve others, protect our planet and its people and express our values. Challenge accepted!! Thank you for keeping and modeling the peace this holiday season by buying local, choosing fair trade and making donations to JRPC and the many local nonprofits that serve our community. Molding responsible future citizens is a daunting task, but one that is critical for all of us as a community…Betsy