Smith: Sonoma County's first un-war monument

You might call it Sonoma County’s first un-war monument.

Sunday in Sebastopol, creator Michael Gillotti will dedicate panels of granite that will be etched with the names of advocates of peace, justice and nonviolence.

Located on a patch of green behind the Rialto Cinemas, it’s a very different sort of public-?space monument. Beyond honoring those who have opposed war and injustice, Gillotti’s “Living Peace Wall” will bear the names of local people as well as those of national and international figures, and of living people as well as ones who have died.

Just days ago, the Sebastopol City Council approved the first four honorees. Gillotti, a musician, retired businessman and Vietnam War conscientious objector, said there isn’t time to have the names inscribed prior to Sunday’s 2 p.m. dedication.

So the names will be added soon. Most familiar is that of late South African president and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Nelson Mandela, a devotee of Mahatma Gandhi who for a time embraced violence as a means of defeating apartheid.

The wall’s other inaugural honorees are Sonoma County’s George Houser, Alicia Sanchez and Barry Latham-Ponneck.

The Rev. Houser, who died in Santa Rosa in August at age 99, was an anti-apartheid activist and civil rights advocate who co-founded the Congress of Racial Equality and was among the first Freedom Riders.

Sanchez, who lives in Sebastopol, worked with Cesar Chavez to improve the lives of farmworkers, then co-founded the Sonoma County Industrial Union and became a leader in myriad issues involving immigrants, women, war, civil rights and the environment.

Windsor’s Latham-Ponneck became an activist after the partial meltdown of a Three Mile Island nuclear reactor and went on to oppose war, the clear-cutting of ancient redwoods and many policies and practices he perceives as unjust.

Michael Gillotti and some helpers have just finished installing the monument. He said, “It’s so much more beautiful than I thought it would be.”

AROUND AND AROUND: Students at Santa Rosa’s Biella School walked laps at midday Wednesday to raise pledges for a 21st-century school marquee.

Every youngster wore a nifty T-shirt designed by schoolmate Jeremey Kheung. There was music, healthy snacks and wholesale agreement that it was one of the best days of the year at Biella.

SWEET GESTURE: Sonoma Valley High School senior Maddie Raffaini is selling chocolate bars for a buck each for the dance team. Imagine her surprise when teacher extraordinaire David Donnelley said he’d like to purchase a box of 60, but didn’t care to take them.

Then Donnelley said to Maddie: Please give a bar to any student who looked to be having a bad day or perhaps in need of a bit of kindness.

Chris Smith is at 521-5211 and chris.smith@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @CJSPD.