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Our Goal: To bring about nonviolence and justice in social interaction. We will network with individuals, groups, & organizations to:
· Build resources within individuals & communities,
· Teach and practice nonviolence, &
· Nurture personal well-being

Building Resources within Individuals & Communities:
· Framework for Understanding Poverty - In August nearly 25 community leaders attended a training on the Framework with Dr. Ruby Payne and in November over 70 community leaders met for a day with Phil DeVol (co-author with Ruby) to focus on planning for this area. A follow-up planning session was held in December. A book study during the fall on the book Bridges Out of Poverty also was held.
· 20th Anniversary Celebration - The celebration of 20 years was held at Trinity Heights Methodist Church and featured a Muslim cultural night . A meal of Middle Eastern foods, Middle Eastern dancing, a fashion show of Middle Eastern garments, and Aziza Hasan's presentation on "Islam…Peace…You Have Got To Be Kidding!", all contributed to a wonderful evening of learning & enjoyment.
· Peace Connections History - the past 20 years of the history of Peace Connections/Newton Area Peace Center was researched and written up.
· Giving Garden - Once again, with the help of Harvey County Extension Agency, a large quantity of fresh vegetables were grown to be given to the Salvation Army food pantry. Over 1,636 pounds of produce were contributed.
· Open House - Peace Connections hosted the Chamber After Hours event featuring the CD Peace, a drama by a local middle school student, and refreshments. A nice crowd attended.
· Taste of Newton & Bethel College Fall Festival - Peace Connections offered a variety of healthy food options during the annual eating event on Newton Main Street. At Fall Festival, we hosted a Peace Fair featuring various activities related to peace and peace products were for sale. Ben & Jerry's Peace Pops, ice cream bars which were also for sale, seemed to be the hit of the events.
· Bi-monthly Newsletter - Published 6 times yearly, this resource listed upcoming events and reported on what had been happening in our work for peace.
· Board of Directors -The board met monthly to oversee activities and plan goals for Peace Connections. A highlight was the development of the goal & purpose statement that appears at the beginning of this review.
· Volunteer Appreciation Dinner - A festive evening, including a curry meal, was held for Board Members and volunteers to recognize their service during the year.
· Phone-a-thon - Board Members gathered on a number of evenings to phone those on our mailing list. It was a successful effort as many contributions were pledged to keep our important work and presence on Main Street continuing.
· Lenten Meditation - During the Lenten season, exercises, information on fasting, and discussion were offered weekly to help participants take a pause from regular life to sharpen their spiritual focus.
· Stations of the Cross - The Heartland Peace Tax Group, which is associated with Peace Connections, provided this opportunity to walk and hear scripture of Jesus' teachings as related to several of the service agencies in Newton.
· Presentations on Mental Illness - Stacy Yarnell gave insight to mental illness as someone who has lived with a mental illness herself and also shared her artwork.
· Bethel College Service Day - Bethel College students came and gave Peace Connections a new look, painting & sprucing up the front windows and back entrance.
· Newton Sidewalk Sale, Shop the Night Away, & Taste of Christmas - Peace Connections was a part of these downtown shopping events which drew many new visitors to the store.
· Member of Newton Ministerial Alliance, Newton Chamber of Commerce, and Harvey County Partnership/Communities in Schools, and Harvey County Asset Builders Coalition - Peace Connections was a part of these important area groups.
· Kid Fest - Peace Connections took a booth to this area event.
· Newton's Halloween Walk - Peace Connections offered peaceful "tatoos", instead of the usual candy, to children & adults who participated in the downtown merchants' event.
· Shopping Event at Ten Thousand Villages - Peace Connections was part of the TTV Christmas shopping event where proceeds are shared with local service agencies.
· Heartland Share - Peace Connections was a site for volunteers to earn credit for this food-share program.

Teaching & Practicing Nonviolence:
· Season for Nonviolence 2004 - Peace Connections once again offered materials for the Season for Nonviolence, January 31-April 4, and helped raise awareness about the event.
· Pledge of Nonviolence for Latchkey Students - Several Peace Connections volunteers & staff teamed up this past summer to provide weekly lessons on nonviolence to the Latchkey students from USD 373. Activities were centered around one aspect of the pledge and included short stories, journaling, crafts/art, baking, songs, and healthy snacks.
· Pledge of Nonviolence Nights for Big Brother/Sister Pairs and Preschoolers/Parents - Evening events similar to the format mentioned above with the Latchkey students were offered to these two groups this fall.
· Peace Book Club - A monthly meeting to read and discuss books on peace and social justice issues was held during the first few months of the year.
· Nuclear Weapons Testing - Toni Gough gave presentations providing information on the effects of nuclear weapons testing and current issues of importance relating to this.
· Gift Shop - The store offered a wide variety of products that promote peace, this past year especially increasing the selection of books we had for sale.
· KS Statewide Iraq Rally - A group of about 10 people with a connection to Peace Connections attended this statewide event in protest of the Iraq war. Many came away with new thoughts and impressions.

Nurturing Personal Well-being:
· Listening to Our Bodies - A weekly event, this stretching and breathing class helped participants work on physical peace.
· Creative Journaling Workshop - This day-long workshop helped participants dream of peace and create it through collage and creative journaling.
· Write Way to Wellness Journaling - This class was held twice each month and focused on inner healing through journaling.
· Poetics of Peace - This program included sharing, discussing and reading poetry and encouraging those, beginning or experienced, who write poetry.
· Card Making Events - Card making sessions were offered several times during the year for various groups, such as Prairie View or Northview and for special occasions like Mother's Day. As always, card making was available to individuals anytime.
· Prayer Bead Making - Persons attending this class learned how to make prayer beads from polymer clay and how to use them as a concrete way to pray for others.
· Hosted Weekly Bible Study - Peace Connections was the site for a weekly Bible study group over the noon hour.