Tuesday, July 8, 2008

DC Charity Spotlight CHALK4PEACE

Team CHALK4PEACE  Waples Mill Elementary School, Oakton, VA  photo: Bethany Millano

Recently a very good friend of mine and one of the most amazing artists in the city joined CHALK4PEACE. So of course I had to add it to the ranks of DC This Week's Charity Spotlight.
From its beginnings in 2003 in Arlington, VA, as a Sunday sidewalk chalk project for children to its recognition by the Arlington Arts Commission, the DC Commission for the Arts and Humanities, the DC Mayor's Office, the Humanities Project of Arlington and Whole Foods Markets, CHALK4PEACE has grown through the efforts of hundreds of events organizers, teachers, parents, community outreach coordinators, libraries, arts centers and other peace minded individuals and organizations.

The campaign to make CHALK4PEACE worldwide began on July 16, 2005, the day after the first CHALK4PEACE event at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library in Washington, DC. John Aaron, the Global Project Founder of CHALK4PEACE and chalk events coordinator, began a print and email campaign, sending out more than 5,000 personalized emails and 6,000 full color brochures about CHALK4PEACE for 2005-6. You may have received one or two along the way...

The global campaign spread coast to coast across the United States, to Cape Town, South Africa and in places in Europe.

Last year, more than one hundred individually organized sites with authorized clearances chalked out their messages and visions for a more peaceful planet.

CHALK4PEACE is not encouraged as an anti-war demonstration; rather, it is a creative presentation for young artists of all ages utilizing the theme of Peace.

This year, we expect CHALK4PEACE to grow even larger than last year, as it is now happening on four continents and most of the sites from last year have enlisted others to join in and/or create their own sites.

Mr. Aaron is a long time artist, sculptor, painter, educator and events coordinator who is internationally recognized for his contributions to his artforms and for creating the atmosphere conducive to make CHALK4PEACE a global event.

Please learn more about them by clicking HERE and consider donating ONLINE.


Taking time 4 Peace...  Cragmont Elementary School  Berkeley, CA  photo: Jerry Downs Photography

1 comment:

John Aaron said...

Dear Jade,
With your hand clearly on the pulse of DC, we at CHALK4PEACE are honored and thank you for your kind blog about CHALK4PEACE. MARIELLE MARIANO is a CHALKSTAR who has gotten things really rocking throughout the Beltway for the worldwide chalk art project about PEACE! It is because of her that CHALK4PEACE has grown on the Eastern Seaboard. We hope your readers will join us Sept. 14-21, when,
all over the world, WE CHALK4PEACE!