A community library is a hub of local activity, and Christine A. Berro placed herself square in the middle of that activity for 32 years as an employee of the Portage District Library. That’s a long, long time to be providing service to her community, but she has also found time since 1996 to be a dedicated Rotary leader and, consequently, a recent recipient of the Rotary Club of Portage’s Five Avenues of Service Club Service Award.

The word Peace can mean different things to different people.  What does Peace mean to you?  Countries not fighting with each other? 
What about:
·         stability in life
·         clean water
·         having food
·         freedom to worship
·         ability to receive an education in a safe atmosphere
·         a world free of polio
·         ability to see, i.e. glasses
·         freedom from being bullied in all environments
·         conflict resolution
·         people who care
·         a safe place to live
·         a sense of happiness, of inner serenity, of calm

On its simplest level, peace can be defined by what it is not.  It is a state of no war, violence, or fear.  It means that you are not in danger of hunger, persecution or poverty.  But we can also define peace by what it is, and what it can be.  Peace can mean freedom of thought, speech, opinion and choice, and the ability for self-determination.  It can mean security, confidence in the future: a life and home in a stable society. The truth is that peace means different things to different people.  No definition is right, and no definition is wrong.  However we use the word, this is what it means for us. Rotary helps to meet the basic needs of others; to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education, and the alleviation of poverty.  It builds friendship and tolerance among people and nations.  It helps us to understand each other.

In celebration of our 45th anniversary of service in 2012, Portage Rotary has purchased and gifted three Peace Poles to the community and Portage Public Schools.  Each pole is prominently displayed at the three Portage High Schools, where students can use them as a gathering spot for education and quiet reflection and teachers can use them as an educational tool.  Each pole has the phrase “May Peace Prevail On Earth” inscribed in nine languages.  A team of Portage Rotarians, school administrators, Rotary Interact leaders, Interact students from each school, along with Boy Scout Ryan Hoover, worked together to bring this project to life.  Hoover, a student at Portage Northern, completed the installation projects at Community High and Northern as part of his Eagle Scout project. The Interact Clubs will oversee the areas going forward and promote community awareness projects and participation.  They will be used during International Day of Peace (Peace Day) celebrations each year on September 21.

The Peace Pole Project began in Japan in 1955, after the bombing of Hiroshima during World War II, as a way to keep peace in the minds of people who see them. The poles have been dedicated by many prominent people, including former President Jimmy Carter and Mother Teresa. Peace Poles can be found in ordinary places, such as schools and gardens; however, others are located at extraordinary places, such as at the Pyramids in Egypt; the United Nations Assembly, N. Y.; the International Monetary Fund, Washington, D.C.; the World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland; the World Trade Organization, Geneva, Switzerland; and the International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, Austria. These Peace Poles serve as constant reminders for us to visualize and pray for world peace.

As our 45th anniversary gift, the Portage Rotary Club is pleased to present these Peace Poles to the Portage Public Schools and community.  It is our hope and desire that they will inspire, awaken and uplift the Portage students, staff and community to a greater understanding of peace, whatever peace means to you.

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