Brookfield Rotary Club plans to install a peace pole and pollinator garden in Brookfield Center this year. The club has been raising money for the project for about a year, and is halfway toward its goal, said club President Amy Zell.
The club is selling engraved bricks to fund the construction and maintenance of the project, which will be built on the triangular section on the south end of the township green, by the “Welcome to Brookfield” sign. About 20 organizations and individuals have purchased bricks so far, Zell said, and the club is looking at grants and other outside sources of funding. Bricks cost $50 and can contain text and clip art characters. Information: contact Zell at 330-506-1232 or see the Brookfield Rotary Facebook page.
The peace pole is a symbol of hope and non-violent action, and the garden will support bees, butterflies and other pollinators. Rotary Clubs from around the world have installed more than 250,000 peace poles, according to rotarypeacepoles.world
The Brookfield club wants the peace message on the pole to be translated into languages that reflect the people who live in the township today, and those who had an historic presence, Zell said.
“We want it to be inclusive,” she said. “We have so much division in our society. We want to make sure that this is presented in a way that demonstrates unity.”
The club has talked to Amy Reeher of Trumbull Soil and Water Conservation District, and Sarah Spetsios of Sarah’s Garden Center, Brookfield, about suitable plants for the pollinator garden. A master gardener also has offered his services, Zell said.
