Peoria, IL…Common Place children, families, staff and interested guests from the community will gather at an Open House at Common Place on Thursday, April 25, 5:00-6:00 p.m. in order to kick off a new project, PEACEPRINTS. The purpose of PEACEPRINTS is to give our children the opportunity to choose nonviolence and to invite the general community to do so as well. At the kick-off event, the children will take the PEACEPRINTS pledge, our Peace Singers will perform, and artwork by the children with a theme of peace will be displayed. Families and the general public will also be invited to participate.

Those who pledge are asked to display PEACEPRINTS yard signs, car magnets, or wear PEACEPRINTS lapel pins and help us create a path of peace throughout the community. The Common Place children will be supported by program activities to enable them to learn how to cope with conflict in acceptable and peaceful ways.

PEACEPRINTS has developed in Peoria out of concern for the effects of violence in our community and nation. It was brought to us by a Peoria resident who is a native of Buffalo, New York where it was first created in tribute to Sister Karen Klimczak, a beloved community member who promoted non-violence and lived her life serving others. Among other things, Sister Klimczak developed the use of the dove signs which read, “I leave PEACEPRINTS”. It is said that “we leave PEACEPRINTS when we act in nonviolent and peace-promoting ways.” She met a tragic death, but the community continues to celebrate her life. A limited supply of signs and pins is available at Common Place. Others can be ordered and donations to help provide them to the community would be appreciated.

Common Place Family Learning Center is a social service organization focusing on literacy, and is located on Peoria’s South Side. Common Place offers afterschool tutoring and enrichment activities for children grades K – 12, summer tutoring for grades K – 12, summer youth programs for children ages 8– 15 years, adult one-on-one tutoring and small reading and math group classes, and GED study. Common Place holds a weekly emergency food bank for those in need on Peoria’s South Side.