The Rotary Club of Jacksonville-Oceanside is doing its part to promote world peace by installing several $4,000 decorated PVC pipes next to million-dollar homes in Atlantic Beach.
The slogan, “May Peace Prevail on Earth,” written on three four-foot “Symbolic Peace Poles” in multiple languages most of us cannot read, somehow promotes “global harmony” as well as “commemorating peace building efforts.”
There’s no word on which historic peace building efforts at Russell Park, Neptune Beach Elementary, and Beaches Museum were important enough to spend $12,000 on vinyl PVC pipes as a permanent reminder.
Photo Credit: Jax Today||Jeff Michelman
According to WJCT’s online news outlet, Jacksonville Today, these peace pole “monuments” are easily recognized around the world as “symbols of hope and unity.”
The 250,000-plus Symbolic Peace Poles installed around the world and locally are compassionately reminding beachfront homeowners and elementary students – to resolve conflict with their mouths instead of their hands.
Even better, the peace poles create “relationships” with those living nearby because of their collective concern regarding world peace.
Jacksonville Today reported that each pole costs $4,000 and that the poles were bought using “a grant from District 6970 (Northeast Florida) and The Rotary Foundation. “Now, if you think $4,000 for a four-foot plastic PVC pipe is a little pricey, you’d be right.
WJCT’s article included a link to the Peace Pole Project’s online store. I kid you not – the online store is selling the poles for $300 a pop.
The most expensive PVC pipe I could find sold by major big box store is less than $80. Add another $5 for a topper and you’ve got an $85 DIY version.
Before we jump to any conclusions, we must remember to give The Rotary Club of Jacksonville-Oceanside some grace. Members are so focused on serving out their mission of helping wealthy coastal communities develop local leaders and eradicate polio, they simply do not have time to shop around.
If Atlantic Beach’s three new monuments don’t produce enough peacekeeping dialogue, perhaps someone else should negotiate the next invoice.
