Front (Peacemakers): Ella H., Michael S., Anne Polaski
Back (Selectmen): Alison Manugian, Barry Pease, Becky Pine, Jack Petropoulos, Josh Degan
Members of the Pages for Peace Foundation, including student peacemakers, attended the March 12th meeting of the Groton Board of Selectmen to display a bronze plaque recently awarded posthumously to Betsy Sawyer by The Peace Abbey of Millis, MA, for her outstanding efforts in peace education. Betsy’s tireless work to help her students create the biggest book in the world on the topic of peace has been an inspiration to students and adults alike. The plaque will be installed on the walls of Pacifist Memorial Park in Sherbourne, MA this spring. The park was created in 1994 and its statues and walls honor both well-known and unsung peace activists, including Mother Teresa, Margaret Mead, Dr. Martin Luther King, Maya Angelou, Albert Schweitzer, John Lennon, Sojourner Truth and over 60 others.
Anne Polaski, Vice President of the Pages for Peace Foundation announced the award, Middle School student Ella Hutchinson gave the selectmen background information about the Pacifist Memorial Park, and college student Michael Suchecki read the plaque’s inscription. Each plaque has a compelling quote by the recipient, chosen by the Peace Abbey selection committee.
Betsy Sawyer’s plaque reads:
Betsy Sawyer, Public School Peace Educator and Founder of Pages for Peace Project at Groton-Dunstable Middle School (1955-2016)
Once a Peacemaker, Always a Peacemaker. You never know when and where a dream will be born that might end up changing the world. If students can change their minds about the way they think about the world, if they can see how they can create a more peaceful world, if they can inspire just one other person, then that might spread to somebody else, and on to somebody else, and then we might just make a difference in the world. I believe we should always try.
Josh Degan, chair of the Board of Selectmen, praised the work of Betsy Sawyer and lauded her accomplishments, remembering her indomitable spirit, commitment and drive. For more information about the Pacifist Memorial Park please visit peaceabbey.org.