July 2006

Women's Action for New Directions (AR/WAND) had its 1st annual Fourth of July Benefit picnic and fireworks watching event on the Arkansas River at the Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum (AIMM).

The evening began with a striking rainbow just east of Little Rock. It did turn out to be a good omen for the party. We had expected around 150 people to participate in the celebration; actually we had about 180.

The proceeds from this benefit event, just under $6,000, will be used to help fund The Beacon of Peace and Hope which will be built at the AIMM site later this year.

On May 12, ground was broken for The Beacon. Congressman Vic Snyder and Mayor Patrick Hays were on hand to contribute to the program. WAND is a peace organization of approximately 250 women, and a few men, in the state ofArkansas who were approached by the Board of AIMM to sponsor The Beacon.

We have been active in raising money to build this 36' tall monument of granite and steel for a year now. To date 280 individuals, families and foundations have contributed to The Beacon fund. We are nearly 2/3 of the way to our goal of $150,000.00. We'll be pleased to have you on hand when we dedicate The Beacon.

Gratefully,

Caroline Stevenson, Chair

Beacon of Peace and Hope Committee

A friend of The Observer’s who is a member of WAND (Women’s Action for New Directions) spent her Fourth of July on the deck of the USS Razorback at a fund-raiser for the Beacon of Peace and Hope to be placed near the sub on the North Little Rock shore. She sent a present tense narrative of how it felt to spend Independence Day on a vessel that had sunk enemy ships in the Pacific during World War II.

“Every once in awhile through the hum of conversation I hear the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra across the river playing rousing patriotic music. The music comes and goes almost like we are hearing it over a fading short-wave radio. That must have been how sound was heard on this submarine for many years. I wonder how this old girl is feeling about being at home on a river far, far from any ocean where she had served her working days. I imagine the fear, anger and anxiety that filled her then. Does she think that since she is no longer at war or preparing for war that wars are done with?

“Today it’s her time to party. She seems relaxed and proud to show off her dents and lumps under a fresh coat of shiny black paint. Earlier, before the sun set, I had admired how bright she looked with several blue and white ‘wage peace’ signs propped against her upper deck. The shine of her paint and the shine of the signs matched perfectly as if made for each other.

“Suddenly through the dark come several ear-shattering boom, boom, booms. I jump in surprise and I think I feel the submarine give a shudder. Bombs bursting in air! A big sigh floats through the crowd. No bombs, just the echo of the sounds from beautiful fireworks we were expecting.”