[KJW #107] WELcoming a festive season of love and healing...

I N D E X

- Our Holiday Message 2008

- Chapters For Peace - A community-based program

- Veterans History Project, National Library of Congress - Update

- Workshops With Elders... Wellness Of The Mind

- Chapters For Peace: A WEL community-based program.

In 2003 WEL, World Elder Land started an initiative to foster meaningful social support networks and community integration, intergenerational dialog and the inclusion of ALL community members into the process of betterment of their small worlds.

The first Chapter For Peacewas formed in South East, Washington D. C. while we were restoring an old house that served as a home for elders with HIV that did not have access to medical insurance. All community members were invited to volunteer their time and resources. We did not ask for government or corporate help or assistance from any other agency or organization. The Chapter For Peace was formed by people that wanted to make a difference, at their pace, where simplicity, love and generosity of hearts are ways to co-create a better world for everyone; people, animals and nature.

Benefits of three aspects of community integration: physical, psychosocial and the betterment of our spiritual humanity.

Promote a number of significant social roles. Such roles facilitate meaning and purpuse. The sense of belonging, personal well-being, better communication skills, problem-solving skills and self-efficacy that stems from these roles is an important part of everyone's health and community healing. More over, it fosters a better understanding of our basic human rights.

Members of the Chapter For Peace decided to decorate the four bedrooms of this house. The theme, the four seasons; spring, summer, fall and winter. Others donated blankets (new or used), a sound system, a portable CD player, heaters, their time and professional help too.

With so much JOY we are happy to report that as of today there are 64 Chapters For Peace on planet Earth. Some of them led by elders members of their communities. If you wish to form a Chapter For Peace or learn more about it, please download the form below... and let us know about your progress by writing to wel@worldelderland.com Everyone is invited!!!

Better World Community Adventures is a project of WEL, World Elder Land as it is the "Chapters For Peace." However, all Chapters are independent and do not report to us.

Click here to obtain a printable pdf color brochure

Veterans History Project at the National Library of Congress. A tribute to our elders... 2008 Update

Jeff Lofton and Kathy Ward got together in September 2004 and brainstormed about better ways to design a Retirement Community Outreach Program to collect stories from our veterans to be kept at the National Library of Congress... Four years later, with more than 60,000 entries, a new location and exhibit, we bring you an update, new photos and more information about this meaningful project.

Jeffrey Lofton and Kathy Ward: 2004 - 2008

The Mission of the Veterans History Project (VHP) of the Library of Congress is to collect, preserve, and make accessible the personal accounts of  war veterans who served our nation so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war.

A better world is possible!

At the exhibit there is a wonderful newspaper that focuses on positive news. One of the soldiers in the war decided to make her own newspaper including happy messages, positive news, drawings and announcing events that never happen but as if they were going to happen. This initiative was very popular among everyone then.

Unfortunately over 1,000 WWII and Korean War veterans pass away each month.  For that reason, VHP is eager for care-givers or volunteers to make it a priority to collect their stories.

VHP is also eager for volunteers to record more stories of women and minority veterans to ensure that the stories in the VHP collection represent the veterans who served our nation.

Volunteers interested in recording the stories of veterans may download a "how to record a story" booklet by clicking here. The Field Kit provides easy-to-follow steps on how to record a story of a veteran, complete the required forms, and send the collection to the Library of Congress.

The VHP general information brochure is also available online. Click here to obtain a copy.

WEL encourages Activity Directors, Directors of Volunteer Services, Social Workers, Therapeutic Recreation Directors, Chaplains, family members and all community members to motivate our veterans and their caregivers to submit personal accounts of war veterans.

Photos of the new exhibit at the National Library of Congress

Click here to view a 2004 photo collage

As Nobel laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu recently noted, “It is by preventing, rather than reacting, that we can truly fulfill our shared responsibility to end the worst forms of human rights abuses. The Responsibility to Protect is frequently misunderstood. It is not a justification of military intervention. It simply requires states to protect their own people and help other states to build the capacity to do the same."

Workshop with Elders: Wellness Of The Mind

Objectives of the workshop:

- The brain bears the footprints of the decisions we have made. Learn how to empower the mind to better the brain and the whole-person.

- Our thoughts are not facts. Learn how to utilize visualization therapy, color therapy and meditation to co-create healing.

Comments from the participants:

Life is a life-long learning process and we have the ability to influence its direction.

I have learned not to feel uncomfortable, that I have things to work on. Rather, look at them as an opportunity to build upon not beat self down.

I now realize we have to live in balance (all aspects of wellness), and I will help myself and be my best friend. The content is helping me manage my own depression, my Dad's "graduation" and my own aging.

I love your view of death as a "graduation". I love the idea of a "spiritual breakfast."

I have learned today to love myself more. To be my own cheerleader. The exercises to heal mind fog were great!

Kathy, you teach me so much. I have been a self centered brat when I could have been a being of love. I know ... self-criticism does not help either.

Dearest source of love, help us become instruments of PEACE!

Please send inquiries, requests for programs, speaker and consulting services with WEL, World Elder Land or Kathy J. Ward to connection@kathyjward.com


Peace be with you!

Kathy J. Ward,
Universal Peace Ambassador,
Cercle Universel des Ambassadeurs de la Paix - Geneva Switzerland
President of WEL, World Elder Land

 © Copyright 2009 Kathy J. Ward. All rights reserved.                  

No part of KJW blog or KJW websites: WEL, World Elder Land, ERT, Elder Recreation Therapy, BWCA, Better World Community Adventures, may be reproduced, totally or partially, in any form or by any means, without the written prior permission of the author. The use of our materials in KJW websites, conferences, group presentations, publications or network computer system is prohibited without the written prior permission of the author. The use of proposals presented and discussed during individual meetings by WEL or KJW is prohibited without the written prior permission of Kathy J. Ward. There can be a civil penalty for a person or organization that violates KJW copyright.