16th Annual Peace Week Bridges Diversity, Community Together - KCOY Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo - News

SANTA MARIA, CA – (September 7, 2012) – All community members of the Santa
Maria Valley are invited to celebrate peace in our community with the award-winning
Peace Week taking place September 14–20, 2012. This year marks the 16th Annual Peace
Week and will feature a wide-variety of events and activities designed to bring the three
diverse communities of Santa Maria, Orcutt and Guadalupe together in peace, harmony
and unity.

"There is so much violence in the world, we have come together to focus on promoting
and building peace now and in the future," says Sister Janet Corcoran, O.S.F., Vice
President of Mission Services at Marian Regional Medical Center and Chair of the
People for Nonviolence Committee. "Peace Week reminds us that one by one, we must
be peacemakers."

This year's Peace Week will begin on Friday, September 14 and will end with the
Closing Ceremony Luncheon on Thursday, September 20 between noon and 1 p.m. at the
Abel Maldonado Center, 516 S. McClelland Street, Santa Maria. The community
luncheon will feature a free lunch for all attendees, student musical performances, a
dynamic inspirational message from a former Los Prietos Boys Camp student and the
presentation of the Annual Peace Builder Award to an active community member
followed by the release of doves.

Peace Week began in 1996 under the inspired direction of Sister Janet Corcoran who saw
the need for local leaders to help foster a community-wide commitment of unity and
peace. Local education, religious, business, medical and civic leaders have joined forces
to put together an event which has historically drawn hundreds of participants each year.
Peace Week is organized by the People for Nonviolence Committee of Marian Regional
Medical Center, a committee made up of hospital employees and actively involved community members that represents diverse cultures and occupations throughout the Santa Maria, Orcutt and Guadalupe areas.

Organizations involved in this year's Peace Week celebrations include Boys and Girls Club of the Santa Maria Valley, CASA, the City of Santa Maria, Conflict Solutions Center, Fighting Back Santa Maria Valley, Marian Regional Medical Center, The Peace Chair Project, Santa Maria Bonita School District, Santa Maria Discovery Museum, Santa Maria Police Department, Teen Court, WonHeart and many more.

All Peace Week events are free and open to the public. Please see the attached schedule for the complete listing of Peace Week 2012 events. For more information or questions about Peace Week 2012, please call Marian Regional Medical Center's Marketing Department at (805) 739-3594.