This was not a political rally. Nor was it an anti-war demonstration.
Those who came to Fairview Park on Saturday heard that message
over and over again.
"We want to help redefine peace as an action," said the Rev. Jim
Turrell, senior pastor of Costa Mesa's Center for Spiritual
Discovery, from a stage temporarily planted at the park.
And that action? Volunteerism, Turrell said.
Turrell is co-chairman of Peace Centers Inc., which co-sponsored
the second annual "Celebration for Peace" festival. He said there is
a misconception that peace events are inherently fueled by disdain
for a particular political event.
"We're not here to protest," Turrell said. "The idea is to be
proactive and give people a chance to help one another."
Throughout the seven-hour event, the crowd listened to a series of
bands. Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Paul Williams was
scheduled to headline the festival.
One-hundred yards away, children and teenagers painted rocks and
colored pictures while listening to the tunes.
Sabrina Neas, a 15-year-old Costa Mesa resident, relaxed while
drawing underneath a tent. She attends the Center for Spiritual
Discovery and said she came in search of more volunteer
opportunities.
"I'm all for peace," she said. "I'm inspired to do what I can do."
The event, which hundreds were expected to attend, was a chance
for attendees to learn more about major organizations such as
American Red Cross and Salvation Army, which are leading Hurricane
Katrina relief efforts.
Turrell said the goal was to get 24,000 volunteer hours pledged at
the event.
Twenty-five Orange County agencies also set up booths at Fairview
Park, hoping to attract potential volunteers.
One of them was Tia's Arms, an Orange County-based nonprofit that
supports orphaned or abandoned children who have been affected by
AIDS in South Africa.
Organization founder Joanne Baker said she wanted to attend the
peace festival to support other grass-roots organizations.
"The fact that this isn't about conflict, that people here are
focused on resolutions, makes it a good environment," Baker said.
The Rev. Morgan Green, who gives interfaith sermons at parks
across Orange County, designed T-shirts for last year's event. This
year, she brought a mural she painted that shows symbols from various
religions.
"It's nice to be around like-minded people," Green said.
Last year's event was held on Sept. 11. The Rev. Joanne Tucker,
the Center for Spiritual Discovery's communications director, said
the backdrop for the event is fitting.
"It's an important time around 9/11 for us all to reflect," Tucker
said.
