I’ll let you in on a little secret – PBA is holding its annual Walk/Run for Peace again this fall!
I will admit it might seem a little soon for PBA to hold the fundraiser/activity again – my wife raised an eyebrow when I asked her to sponsor me (she said yes!) – but the reason behind it is that we wanted to accomplish two goals: first, we want to encourage the PBA families to join us in our fundraising efforts at the start of the school year; and second, we felt it was more appropriate for the PBA Walk/Run for Peace to coincide with Peace Day Hawaii and UN International Day of Peace, which is held annually on September 21.
You may not be aware, but PBA has an important connection to Peace Day Hawaii. Back in 2007, representatives from PBA and the Jr. Young Buddhist Association lobbied the Hawaii State Legislature to establish September 21 as a state holiday. House Bill No. 346 of that year did just that, and was dedicated “to promote peace programs, improve international relations and increase educational awareness of peace.”
PBA and the temple communities of the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii (HHMH) have observed Peace Day on or about September 21 ever since. In some years, we marched with groups on the Big Island. In other years we joined together for interfaith services with the Interfaith Alliance Hawaii. And in others we marched with the Honpa Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin to ring the Nagasaki Peace Bell or worked together to do caretaking of the Bell of Peace at the Neal S. Blaisdell Park in Pearl City.
Joining as a school and temple community for engaged walks such as the Walk/Run for Peace also has an important lore at PBA. Back in 2013, when PBA’s capital campaign effort to raise funds for the PBA Weinberg Building seemed to have lost steam, the Ministers Association of the HHMH rallied together to organize the “Ministers Walk.” The event was covered on KITV Island News and in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. Ministers, temple members, PBA students, administrators and teachers walked from the Betsuin to the Moiliili Hongwanji and back. It was really inspiring, and it rejuvenated the fundraising effort that finally resulted in the grand success of the PBA Weinberg Building!
In subsequent years, former Director of Advancement Rudy Rückmann organized the Walk/Run for Peace to coincide with the Honolulu Marathon and his abiding love for PBA and marathon running. He organized marathon teams for a number of years.
Finally, in spring 2021, new Director of Advancement Megan Lee helped elevate the Walk/Run for Peace to new heights when she persuaded about half of the student body, including the cross country team, to participate. Our main point of emphasis was to get away from our screens and join in safe, outdoor exercise. The event was a way of taking back some of the space we had necessarily yielded to COVID-19. It was also a means of investing PBA families in our efforts to support the tuition assistance programs that provide support to about 40% of our families.
This fall, as we align the W/R4P with Peace Day Hawaii, we look forward to joining many of the same students and new students for our collective and engaged walk. We invite you to join us by pledging a donation to an individual runner, the collective miles of the PBA Cross Country team (go Dragons!), or to any PBA group that tickles your fancy.
I will be out there putting as many miles together on the pavement as my feet will take me on September 18-19 … and I will be interested to see how many students beat me in their total mileage tally!
Please stay healthy, and peace!
Warmly,
Josh Hernandez Morse
Head of School
