Monday, January 30, 2017

Peace!


Cruising in for our second visit to Selah Valley Lions, the VDG and I arrived in the nick of time to assist with the judging of over 120 entries to the Selah Valley Lions Clubs Peace Poster Contest. Those entries were laid out flat on the cafetorium tables and were a riot of fun, color, whimsy and youthful creative expression. 

Ashley Burmaster, Secretary of the Selah Valley Lions and the primary contest organizer, was positively beaming as the judging came to a close. Her two years of work organizing the contest had really paid off and there were a lot of excited children and parents lingering about waiting to find out who the winners would be. 


On the back of her award winning poster Tessa Fresco had written, "To Celebrate Peace you must share it, and try to "bring" more people to peace. To celebrate peace is to make a effort to spread it."  You can see a great art teacher's influence in Tessa's work as two wooden figure drawing models are depicted on a crest above a waterfall beneath a flower of peace offering laurel branches across an infinite river to hand holding paper doll citizens of the world who stretch unseen around the globe. Music, doves, rolled parchments of wisdom, and other symbols of peace and justice spiral off from nations of the world and feed the flower which is pushing back against lurking evil. Wow! All this from the creative mind of a middle schooler!














The Yakima West Valley Lions Club conducted Peace Poster Contests in two of their schools.

Kiana Giffiths, from Yakima's West Valley Junior High, said of her magnificent and spiritually inspired poster, "I feel balloons are a symbol of Celebration. Hands release the balloons to the dove who spreads them across the world." Her work is artistically mature, balanced, vibrant and well composed. Amazing!


Jacquelyn from West Valley Middle School's entry was pleasing for its distinctive use of the dove, national flags and fireworks. The bright iconic images work well together to emphasize her quote and theme.

As you can see all of the three local winners are wonderful. 

The Selah Valley entry was selected as the 19F winner since her entry closely encompassed the theme of this year's contest in a spectacular way.

It will be on display at the District Conference March 10th & 11th in Walla Walla! 

Ray Fujiura, the District Peace Poster Chairman, has this message for those clubs interested in sponsoring a Peace Poster Contest in their schools next fall, "Happy New Years, or Akemashite Omedato! It is now 2017 and the new Peace Poster Kits are available from LCI. This year is the 30th year for this fantastic youth project. Zone Chairs and Lions Clubs please begin making plans now to participate.  The first deadline will be upon us before we know it so it is important that we start preparing now. "

Ray






 

 

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