Celebrating Our 54th Annual Dinner
This year, for our 54th Annual Dinner: “Ending Nuclear Weapons for People and The Planet,” we decided to have our very first “hybrid” Dinner event! The Buffalo-Niagara Convention Center was gracious enough to host us, even with ticket sales “up in the air”! Supporters were also able to view the Dinner live via Zoom. Mark Coville of The King’s Bay Plowshares was our keynote speaker and shared a beautiful presentation with humility and quiet strength. Since 1967, the Peace Center has worked together with its task forces, members, partners, and allies in promoting peace through justice at home and abroad and we are so excited to have been able to honor The KBP7 and our Awardees that evening. We would like to thank all of our sponsors, members, supporters, and friends who helped make this event possible!
Although we wanted to honor so many of the community activists that constantly work towards justice, we focused on five awards this year. The Emerging Leaders Award-Ladaisha Williams, The Phoenix Award-Chuck Culhane, The Peace Education Award-The King’s Bay Plowshares, The Alt-imate Activist-Cariole Horn, and the Lifetime Achievement Award-Chief Oren Lyons. Congratulations to all of our awardees! (Please see media articles)
Entertainment and inspiration were not lacking at this event! Efferin Fuse and friends played a beautiful jazz combo during the Meet and Greet and young Reginald Thomas read his original poetry.
We also had some wonderful surprises during the program! Jim Anderson (Honorary Board member) and Mary Bisson (Dinner Committee Chair) presented Vicki Ross, with Munich’s “Blue Angel” of Peace statue, from her home country of Germany, as honored for her many years of service and dedication to the Peace Center, including her time as Executive Director! Oren Lyons graced us with his presence and words of wisdom as he accepted the Lifetime Achievement award. Wayne Alt, one of the co-founders of the Peace Center uplifted some of our fallen heroes, especially Jim Mang, our very first and longest-standing Executive Director. Cariol Horn’s son, Derek Middlebrooks reminded us of our fellow citizens still in the armed forces and veterans that suffer from PTSD among many other things.
We would like to say Thank You, to our wonderful staff: Nicole Perrone, Genesis LaBoy, Shaina Merchant and Deavyon Webber (intern), The Dinner Committee (Mary Bisson, Marty McGee, and Vicki Ross), Our Board, Vendors, Ad supporters, our donors for the basket raffle, auction and all our volunteers! We could not have done any of this without YOU!
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