Closter Resident, Peggy Monges, To Present Award At NJPA's 59th Annual Dinner

Peggy Monges, Closter Resident, to Present Award as New Jersey Peace Action Celebrates 59 years of “organizing for peace and a nuclear-free future” at its annual awards dinner – featuring kevin martin, national director of peace action and shigeko sasamori, hiroshima survivor – April 24, 2016for more information contact: Madelyn Hoffman, Executive Director, New Jersey Peace Action (973)259-1126 or (973)876-1023
The Bloomfield-based New Jersey Peace Action (NJPA) is holding its 59th Annual Dinner on Sunday, April 24, 2016 at the Hasbrouck Heights Hilton, 650 Terrace Avenue, Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey.
This year’s program is: “Organizing for Peace and a Nuclear – Free Future”. Kevin Martin, Executive Director of the Peace Action national office and long-time activist for peace and justice will speak about what Peace Action is doing and has done over its 59-year history to organize for a peaceful and nuclear-free world. Shigeko Sasamori, a Hibakusha, Hiroshima Maiden and the adopted daughter of one of SANE’s founders (now Peace Action) Norman Cousins will speak about her experiences and passionate desire for peace. NJPA will also honor Peace and Planet and name Litsa Binder NJPA “Person of the Year.” Virginia Ahearn will be honored with the New Jersey Peace Action Founders’ Award for Board Leadership.
Peggy Monges, longtime Closter resident, will present the NJPA Founders’ Award to Virginia Ahearn. Peggy Monges served as the president of the Board of NJ Peace Action for nearly 10 years and has been a member of the NJPA and the NJPA Board for almost 4 decades. She is also the co-chair of NJPA’s fundraising committee."It is a real honor to be presenting The New Jersey Peace Action Founders' Award for Board Leadership to Virginia Ahearn,” said Peggy Monges. “We have been working together for many years, and working specifically on fundraising for over a decade. Virginia's dedication to the causes of peace, nuclear abolition and justice has brought her to an understanding of the needs of an organization like ours, and given her an ability to reach out to our members and effectively convey those needs to them. She has also given of her time and knowledge to train others."Shigeko Sasamori was thirteen at the time of the bombing of Hiroshima and was less than a mile away from where the nuclear bomb exploded. Norman Cousins and the Quakers raised money to bring Shigeko and 24 other Hiroshima Maidens to the U.S. for reconstructive surgery in 1955. Sasamori has dedicated her life to campaigning for peace and “against all nuclear things.”
“As long as I live, I will speak all over the world to many people because I feel we went through such a horrible life, we should not have anybody go through experiences like we did,” said Shigeko Sasamori. “I get to keep going because this is my mission, and it is very important. It makes me very happy to see all of these young people who want to do something and stop the nonsense … war is nothing good. Everybody has a responsibility to keep this Earth beautiful.”
Since 1957, NJPA has worked for a world in which all are free from violence and war. NJPA and its parent organization Peace Action, based in Silver Spring, Maryland, continue to raise awareness that the end of the Cold War did not terminate nuclear threats to our country and the world. It strives for the global abolition of nuclear weapons as a most important part of removing those threats. Most recently, NJPA was part of a successful effort to uphold the Iran deal, a victory for diplomacy and negotiations.
Those interested in making reservations for this event, please visit www.njpeaceaction.org or call (973)259-1126.