Circles for Peace is a Vermont grassroots non-profit organization that is based on the philosophy that inner peace/inner strength can be restored by the simple witness of the rhythms of nature.
Our first project is The Burlington Earth Clock.
The Earth Clock is a 43-foot diameter stone circle consisting of 14 five-to-ten-foot-high stones in a ring. The stones are aligned like a compass. When you stand in the center and look west to the Adirondack Mountains, the five stones on that side are positioned to mark the horizon where the sun sets at the Solstices, Equinoxes and the mid-points between these times of the year.
The center of the circle will be a sundial made of flat granite, so when you stand in the exact center of the circle, your shadow tells the time of day.
The site design includes landscaping, benches and information boards explaining the Earth Clock and thanking all of the donors who are making this possible. The three informational boards will also serve to enclose a community calendar, informative articles, and a place for visiting students to exhibit class work, i.e., paintings, poetry, science projects or mathematical calculations.
We have an international design team that includes Patrick MacManaway, M.D., President of The British Society of Dowsers, Ivan McBeth, stone circle builder from the United Kingdom, and Vermonter Andrea Morgante, who has volunteered her services as landscape architect and project manager (see the July 26th Burlington Free Press cover). A special thanks to Dana Matthews, Heather Robinson and Paul Craven for all their time and support in managing the many details associated with a project of this size.
We are building The Burlington Earth Clock on land provided by the Burlington Parks Department at Blanchard Beach on the bike path just north of Oakledge Park (a popular spot for watching the sunset).
The Burlington Earth Clock is being completed in three phases.
The First Phase has been completed. It included achieving non-profit status and obtaining Parks Department land, permits, and neighborhood support.
The Second Phase is the installation of the stones, landscaping, new benches, signs and the 6′ granite sundial in the middle, with a proposed budget for installation of $80,000.
The Third Phase will be the creation and use of curriculum for K-12 in the areas of science and math, art and history. As well as display boards at the site for students, artists and the community to submit their artwork, peomss, essays and mathmatical calculations.
All of our funding is derived from private donations, and much of our progress has been in the form of in-kind donations from businesses.
• Rock of Ages Quarry has given us the stones.
• Bellavance Trucking is moving them on two tractor-trailer flat beds.
• Gardner’s’ Supply has offered to give us any item in their inventory at cost.
• The Intervale Compost Project is donating some of the 200 yards of compost and
topsoil needed.
• The Waterwheel Foundation (started by the members of the band Phish with profits from
Ben & Jerry’s “Phish Food”) made a financial gift.
• Local artists, business people and groups including the Chittenden Society of Dowsers and New England Antiquities Research Association are contributing.
We have raised over $50,000 in cash and “in kind” donations. This leaves us with approximately $30,000 to complete the Second Phase.
WE NEED YOUR HELP to do this.
The stone circle itself, has been built. We need to raise the rest of the funds for the sundial, landscaping, benches, signage etc.
Your financial contribution is key to the completion of The Burlington Earth Clock. Please be generous and think of the generations of people who will learn from and enjoy this beautiful site.
Many of you have contributed already and we thank you.
Thank you for your time, generous financial contributions and support.
We couldn’t have gotten this far without you.
Most Sincerely,
David Brizendine,
President, Circles for Peace
(802) 864-3399
david@circlesforpeace.org
www.circlesforpeace.org
