Another Celebrity PeaceTagging!

From time to time we get word from our PeaceTags Ambassadors about well known individuals who have received PeaceTags as gifts of gratitude.  We call this "peacetagging".

 Last week, Patti S. attended a taping of The Voice in Los Angeles.  She personally delivered a PeaceTag to her fave judge, Adam Levine.  We hope Adam joins the thousands of others helping veterans and spreading peace one tag at a time by wearing a PeaceTag!!!!

PeaceTags' World Religion Collection is here!!!!!

Here's a paradox. The PeaceTags' World Religion collection was inspired by an agnostic.

Religion in general has always fascinated me. Born and raised Roman Catholic, by a devout Irish Catholic mother, the "bells and smells" of Mass were enchanting to a little girl. Plus I loved dressing up for Church. But, thanks to my Dad, other people's religions proved a source of fascination as well.

My Dad was a card carrying Agnostic, although his family was Jewish. (OK, he didn't actually have a card, but if one had been available Dad would have carried it.) His routine answer when asked about his faith was: "I'm not sure what I believe, how about you?"(That's my Dad in the middle with some army buddies circa 1943)

This authentic sense of curiosity and refreshing lack of "certainty" made him a magnet for religious conversations. He would meet a Buddhist in the checkout line at Safeway and come home telling us about "Dharma." He watched any PBS documentary on world religions and would tell his teenage kids, "You should turn off that crap (some would say the Brady Bunch had cultural merit, right?) and watch this show on Hinduism."

My Dad loved learning about all the major world religions, and I remember him saying to me, "Fredda, if you want to know what makes a person tick, find out what they think about religion and God. If you want to know how someone might justify killing another human being, ask them how their faith influences their beliefs about right and wrong." And my Dad was savvy enough to catch on to the fact that no two members of any one faith are ever in total agreement about all parts of that faith.

Dad loved pointing out how similar the main World Religions were if you got right down to it. "That Golden Rule is the Key," he would say. And he pointed out they all had their own versions of it. (And he found it super cool that Golden was his own last name. ) If I ever asked his advice about something that involved a value judgement, he would say with a twinkle, "Remember MY rule baby girl." (My Dad called me "Baby Girl" until the day he died, though I was well into my 30's.)

And shortly before my Dad passed away, at the in-house nursing home at VA Puget Sound Medical Center, I was perched on the side of his bed, reading him a book. Several strokes had left him unable to walk and barely able to speak. Looking at my beloved 84 year old father who had passed along so much wisdom, I made one final attempt on the religion thing. "So Dad", I queried, "do you believe in heaven?" "I'm not sure," he replied. "But whatever comes next I sure as hell don't think I'm going to be disappointed."

The PeaceTags' World Religion Collection and PeaceTags in general were inspired by Larry Golden. Something tells me there's a big smile on a certain Agnostic's face in heaven.

The PeaceTags World Religion Collection is currently available at participating retailers (check our website www.peacetags.com) They will be offered online via the website within the next few weeks.

PeaceTags in Tanzania!

It's always amazing to learn what PeaceTags' wearers are up to in the world! Recently I had the chance to chat with Tiana D. She's pictured here during a recent volunteerism journey to Tanzania. Her experience in the East African country was a powerful source of life lessons. (Scroll down for the interview.)
Question: Why Tanzania Tiana?
Tiana: Well, I was always drawn to Africa. A college class on the culture and beauty of the region really intrigued me. Tanzania is home to the Serengeti, the people are fascinating, and the need for volunteers seemed clear.
Question: What was your job there?
Tiana: I was a teacher in a village called Karanga, just outside the city of Moshi. The school was for disabled people and my students ranged from 5 to 35 years old. The disabilities ranged from major physical challenges to slight learning dysfunction such as dyslexia. Mainly I taught math and reading. (scroll down)

Question: The photos of the kids with your PeaceTag are so great!. Did you wear it often?

Tiana: I wore it almost every day--the kids loved it! And I learned how to say "All we are saying is give peace a chance in Swahili!!!!"

Question: Why did you choose that PeaceTag?
Tiana: It was a gift from my Mom who happens to LOVE John Lennon! And as teacher, it was perfect. I found myself constantly thinking "give peace a chance, give peace a chance" when I needed more patience! (Scroll down)

Question: Where did you find peace in your experience?
Tiana: I found peace in the community. The people were so warm and welcoming and had the biggest hearts! No matter how little a family had, when you entered their home they prepared food for you. Sharing a meal was a true way of connecting and showing honor and respect.
Question: Was there anything that made you feel less at peace?
Tiana: Sometimes when we made home visits, I realized that they were sharing the only food they had. That made me uncomfortable, but it would have been seen as very disrespectful to reject their hospitality. (Scroll down)
Question: What else did you learn from volunteering in East Africa?
Tiana: It's daunting to realize how great the need is for education and economic resources in third world countries. To see it firsthand really impacted me. I felt as though my time there was not enough. I want to return. Volunteers can make a difference but it takes a lot of time and effort.
Thank you Tiana for living out the PeaceTags motto: think about, talk about and work for peace!

PeaceTags supports A Million Minutes for Peace!

This video is very powerful isn't it? PeaceTags is proud to support A Million Minutes for Peace. This initiative created by our friends at Odyssey Networks is so simple, it's brilliant! At noon, on September 21st, International Day of Peace, they are working to get one million (or more) people to stop for ONE MINUTE to think about, focus upon, meditate, or pray for peace in whatever way is comfortable. Hey, you could simply read through the PeaceTags quotes, every one of those lines from a famous peacemaker is like a little prayer!

Visit the site, pledge to participate, and mark your calendar for noon on September 21st!

PeaceTags helps fund "Healing Garden"....

PeaceTags helped provide funds toward a "Healing Garden" that was dedicated last week at the Fisher House on the grounds of Seattle's VA Medical Center!

The Garden was introduced as another way the Fisher House helps veterans families find respite and solace. A speaker noted that "the garden is a way to sooth their souls and refresh their spirits," as family members stay in this home while their loved one is undergoing medical treatment at the VA Hospital.

Students from the UW Landscape Architecture School designed and installed the beautiful garden. Associate Professor, Daniel Winterbottom talked about the power of gardens to heal, inspire and restore. He eloquently described how this collaboration could lead to future VA Projects, expanding the healing power of gardens and nature to the greater veteran population!

We are proud and honored to help with projects like this. And we are so grateful to all of you PeaceTags Ambassadors who make it happen simply by wearing and talking about a beautiful necklace!!!!! Thank you so much!

Announcing the Maya Angelou PeaceTag!!!

You know how some moments simply take your breath away? That's what happened when I received word that the beautiful, amazingly talented Dr. Maya Angelou had composed a quote about peace for PeaceTags!

This Global Renaissance Woman has a passionate voice that needs to be heard, today. Her peace quote is profound in its simplicity. She says, "Peace is more than, and other than, the absence of war. Peace is the permanent presence of good will." What powerful words those are! (scroll down.)I had two main objectives in creating PeaceTags. The first was to create a beautiful piece of jewelry that would help veterans and their families. We are doing that through our affiliation with the Fisher House Foundation, (please check out their work, it's wonderful),

and some other outstanding non-profit organizations.

Just as importantly, another objective was to encourage people to consider the words of our greatest sages in these turbulent times. Many have spoken of peace. And, my hope is many more will! (come on you gifted creative minds, we need you NOW!)

The next time you are stressed, someone in the office or at home is driving you nuts, or you are about to say or do something decidedly not peaceful, consider that last line of Dr. Angelou's quote. Let it move you in a positive direction!

In addition to our website, http://www.peacetags.com/, you can see the Maya Angelou PeaceTag at these top independent jewelry stores: Alvin Goldfarb Jeweler (Bellevue/Seattle), Kern Jewelers (Burlingame, CA), OC Tanner Jewelers (Park City, Utah) Ringmaster Jewelers (Winston-Salem, North Carolina) Shreve Jewelers (San Francisco, CA), Traditional Jewelers (Newport Beach, CA)

PeaceTags....one "tag" at a time!

Recently, PeaceTags sponsored a REALLY special evening at the Seattle Fisher House!!!! Pictured here are talented young people from Sacred Heart School, Brief Encounter Cafe's owners Mel and Amanda, and Patti and I representing PeaceTags.

The kids entertained the Fisher House guests with musical performances (Here two brothers and two sisters in a "family band" rock the room! ) The portrait on the wall is Zachary and Elizabeth Fisher; Fisher House Founders whose amazing organization created more than 44 of these homes across the country and around the world. Check them out here: http://www.fisherhouse.org/.

The Brief Encounter Cafe gals prepared an absolutely delicious dinner for everyone! PeaceTags' Patti got Mel and Amanda onboard as PeaceTags Ambassadors a couple years ago! When you visit their fabulous Bellevue restaurant, the staff is usually wearing PeaceTags and veterans get loads of TLC!!! Since launching PeaceTags, my dream has been to engage people in the PeaceTags mission-to help veterans and their families and spread peace one tag at a time. If you think about it, "tag" can mean much more than the literal pendant we sell. Taken metaphorically, it can mean touching others (like you did in the schoolyard game), or connecting with other people.

That is exactly what happened this night at the Fisher House, lots of meaningful connections! (Here is Seattle Fisher House manager Cecile connecting with St. Louis Fisher House manager, Rachel. These ladies are FANTASTIC!!!) Sacred Heart served as our test school for the PeaceTags School Initiative. We created a limited edition version of our trademarked product, and they sold it as part of their fund raising auction and retained some of the proceeds.

As part of the Initiative, PeaceTags offered curriculum and community service suggestions to engage the students in veteran's care and peacemaking.

Through the support of some dedicated parents, (Vanessa, Lisa, Laura et al!)the PeaceTags School Initiative was a stunning win/win for Sacred Heart and PeaceTags! We look forward to developing this further and offering the program to schools across the country

Here are some more photos of the wonderful performers who brought peace and joy to the guests of the Fisher House (all guests have loved ones/veterans being treated at the VA Hospital and are under a lot of stress) PeaceTags' photographer is Angela Carlyle of Angela and Evan Photography (http://www.angelaandevan.com/) She also does brilliant wedding photos! Enjoy! Peace Out!

Michael Oher gets Peace-tagged!!!

Okay, how's this for cool---on Wednesday, Patti and I got to meet the gifted, charming, and totally humble Michael Oher! In addition to being an NFL Football star, Michael's life inspired a little movie called "The Blind Side".

Michael was presented with a PeaceTag prior to him sharing his moving personal story to a packed room of 1200 supporters of Treehouse. Treehouse is an AMAZING organization devoted to giving foster kids a childhood and a future.

PeaceTags salutes people like Michael Oher and our friends at Treehouse who are creating more peace in the world through helping kids find their way to a better life!

How will you make tomorrow more peaceful than today?

PeaceTags at the Sundance Film Festival!

PeaceTags held a trunk show at OC Tanner Jewelers in Park City, Utah January 21st and 22nd.. Thank you to Curtis, Robyn and their FABULOUS crew for making us feel so welcome! OC Tanner Jewelers was a corporate sponsor of the Sundance Film festival and PeaceTags were featured at one of their fun in-store events.

Lots of the Seattle PeaceTags Posse were in attendance, including Julie, Patti, Maura, Vanessa and the fabulous Mr. JJ McKay!

Among the highlights of the trip, we got to see an AMAZING documentary called "Restrepo" which won the Sundance grand jury prize. The film chronicles the deployment of a platoon of US soldiers in one of the most dangerous areas of Afghanistan. Watch this film and for 90 minutes you will know what it's like to be in a war zone.

This film reminds us why we are doing what we do at PeaceTags. Our mission is to help veterans and spread peace one tag at at a time.

I hope more uber talented filmmakers will take on subjects like PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) and TBI (Traumatic brain injury). We need to really see the consequences...

Now go out and make it a peaceful day!!!!

Reflecting on Martin Luther King's message of Peace

"We must pursue peaceful ends through peaceful means."

- Martin Luther King, Jr.

Today, throughout the US, people are commemorating Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday, with messages of peace, civil and human rights, mutual responsibility and service. We encourage you, wherever you may live in the world, to take a moment to reflect on his words, his life and his example.
Watch his "I Have a Dream" speech in full here or read the text here. For a larger collection of his speeches and sermons, check here.
To provide assistance to the victims of the Haiti earthquake, look at this list of organizations responding to the crisis prepared by Charity Navigator.

Wear PeaceTags to honor Veteran's Day!

In 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a bill proclaiming November 11th as Veteran's Day and called upon Americans everywhere to rededicate themselves to the cause of peace. Here's an archival photo of "Ike" signing the bill:

Veteran’s Day is largely intended to thank living veterans for their service, to acknowledge that their contribution to our national security is appreciated, and to underscore the fact that all those who served, not only those who died, have sacrificed much to honor their country.

Here are some ideas of how you can honor veterans on November 11th (and everyday!):

• Wear your PeaceTag. Explain to people that you do so to honor the service of American veterans AND to wish them, their families and all of us more peace. PeaceTags donates all net proceeds to veterans and peacemaking causes.
• Send a donation to the Fisher House (www.fisherhouse.org) one of our AMAZING non-profit partners who provide a peaceful oasis for the families of veterans to stay at while their loved one receives medical treatment at VA Hospitals.
• Volunteer at a VA Hospital. Contact your local VA hospital's community volunteer coordinator and explore volunteer opportunities
• Thank a veteran for their service. There are over 23 million veterans currently living in the US. These include veterans from WWI through the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Simply say thank you. It will mean a lot.
• Do one simple act to create more peace today. A more peaceful world is in all of our best interests. And a peaceful world is what all veterans and their families want. We won't all lead a Civil Rights Movement like Martin Luther King, Jr., nor will many of us care for thousands of sick people like Mother Teresa. But we CAN commit to small acts of kindness and compassion that make our world a little better, a little more peaceful.

Happy Veteran's Day and a heartfelt thank you to this nation's veterans from PeaceTags!!!!

Maya Angelou receives a PeaceTag!!!!

Dr. Maya Angelou is truly a global Renaissance woman! As a poet, educator, historian, best-selling author, actress, playwright, civil-rights activist, producer and director, she continues to travel the world, spreading her legendary wisdom.

Recently, the amazing Dr. Angelou shared her wisdom through a keynote address at Plymouth Housing Group's annual fundraising luncheon. (Plymouth Housing Group is a Seattle based organization devoted to helping homeless people.)

After her inspiring speech, Dr. Angelou was presented with a PeaceTag as a gift of gratitude. (PeaceTags have become very popular speaker/dignitary gifts!)

Pictured here are Plymouth Housing Board President, Leslie Christian, Dr. Maya Angelou, and PeaceTags' founder, Fredda Goldfarb.

If you need some inspiration today or any day, look to the beautiful words of Maya Angelou.

"How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes!" Maya Angelou

At PeaceTags, we celebrate some of the world's greatest heroes and sher-roes and their words about peace!!!! (And remember, all net proceeds support organizations working to heal the wounds of war!)

Happy Peace Day!!!!

Happy Peace Day from PeaceTags!!!! September 21st has been designated the International Day of Peace by the United Nations. Here are 5 simple ideas to make this day matter:

• Wish 5 people a Happy Peace Day!


• Update your Facebook or Twitter page with a Happy Peace Day message!


• Resolve to make one change in your life that will bring you more peace!


• Resolve to make one change in your life that will bring someone else more peace!


• Wear your PeaceTag and think about, talk about and work for peace!

Remember, PeaceTags donates all net proceeds to non-profits committed to helping wounded veterans, their families, our communities and our world.

Now go out and make it a peace-full day!!!!

American Idols get Peacetagged!!!!

Here I am with American Idols, Kris Allen and Adam Lambert who were presented PeaceTags on behalf of a corporate sponsor. (Remember, PeaceTags make awesome gifts for VIPS!)

The American Idol 2009 Summer Tour rocked the Tacoma Dome last night and PeaceTags were presented to all 10 finalists: Kris Allen, Adam Lambert, Danny Gokey, Lil Rounds, Matt Giraud, Michael Sarver, Megan Joy, Allison Iraheta, Michael Sarver and Scott MacIntyre.

Lil Rounds and all the Idols were delightful! So talented, so charming!!!!

If you have the chance, catch one of the shows on their 50 city tour. You will LOVE it!!!! The entire night was FABULOUS but I had two favorite moments. Adam performed a brilliant rendition of Led Zeppelin's Whole Lotta Love. (Beamed me back in time to high school ) And when Kris led the group in a spirited "Hey Jude"(one of my all time fave songs), it was magical!!!!!

Keep your eyes open. Lots of celebrities are wearing PeaceTags to support our grassroots, volunteer fueled mission to help veterans and spread peace one tag at a time!!!! (Below is our brand new PeaceBaby which is extremely popular!!!!)

Now go out and make it a peace-full day!!!!!

PeaceTags Around the World!!!!

PeaceTags Ambassadors, those who wear their PeaceTags and proudly tell others how they help heal the wounds of war and spread peace, are going global!!!!! Above, Amy Pal wears her PeaceTag in London.

I receive e-mails daily from around the world! PeaceTags Ambassador Extraordinaire, Patti Savoy and her husband, Bill, are visiting the gorgeous Greek Isles. These are some of their fab photos!

And, many others have shared photos from their travels. Here is my husband Steven, with our friend Greg at the Great Wall of China! (sporting PeaceTags!)

John Comstock wearing his PeaceTag while climbing Mount Killamanjaro in Africa!

Here is Paul Schwabe and a friend at Lourdes, France.

Shannon Komen with son, Bo, in Paris:

There is no stopping the momentum of PeaceTags Peeps and our grass roots effort to help veterans and spread peace! Please make today a Peace-full Day!!!!

PeaceTags at the NW Women's Convocation!!!

Journalist and author, Cokie Roberts, is presented a PeaceTag on stage at the 2009 NW Women's Convocation.

The Intercommunity Peace and Justice Center sponsored this fantastic event in my hometown of Bellevue, Washington May 1-2, 2009. The Northwest Women's Convocation brought together over 1800 people!!!

The Women’s Convocation gathered women for prayer, ritual, education, empowerment, celebration and transformation. Informative workshops and speakers inspired attendees to improve personal relationships, social structures, faith communities and planet Earth!!!

The event's Key Note speakers were all presented PeaceTags as "gifts of gratitude" for all they do to make the world a better place!!!

Here is Riane Eisler being presented a PeaceTag by Susan Francois, CSJP. Riane Eisler is a world renown social scientist, attorney, and author. Her books include The Real Wealth of Nations: Creating a Caring Economics.

We are delighted that these remarkable women were peace-tagged!!!!

Peace-TAGGING Peacemakers!

“Peace-tagging” people (publicly presenting a PeaceTag to a “peacemaker”) was initiated during the 2008 Seeds of Compassion conference. I will never forget the moment that Emily Hine presented the Dalai Lama with a PeaceTag! It was magical. There wasn’t a dry eye in the crowd of hundreds convened at a forum on “compassionate philanthropy.” That day, Peacetags became emblematic of the global effort to create more peace in the world and to help heal the wounds of war.
Well, intrepid PeaceTags Ambassador, Emily Hine, is at it again! Emily recently attended the Peace Alliance Conference in Washington D.C. (March 20-23rd, 2009). The aim of the conference is to create a United States Department of Peace! (Now there’s an awesome concept!!!)

Here is Emily “Tagging” Rita Marie Johnson, an amazing woman who founded a peace education organization called the Rasur Foundation, and the Academy for Peace of Costa Rica. http://www.academyforpeacecr.org/
Rita is about to address the conference attendees:

Here is Rita Marie Johnson addressing the 500 conference attendees (wearing her PeaceTag!):
And with our friend Emily:
Emily was also delighted to “Tag” a remarkable man, Azim Khamisa. http://www.azimkhamisa.com/.
Azim’s son Tariq was killed when he was 20 years old as part of a gang violence initiation. The killer was 14 years old. As Azim processed his grief, he realized quickly that there were two victims in this killing, one on each side of the gun. So, he started the Tariq Khamisa Foundation which is dedicated to Breaking the Cycle of Youth Violence by Empowering Kids, Saving Lives, and Teaching Peace.

Here is Azim signing copies of his book, “The Secrets of the Bulletproof Spirit: How to Bounce Back from Life’s Hardest Hits” (His PeaceTag has slipped inside his jacket but it's there!)It's amazing how many people are talking about, thinking about and working for peace!!! We are living in complex and challenging times. That's for sure. But nothing can hold back peacemaker momentum! Thank you Emily for introducing the PeaceTags community to these fantastic peacemakers!!!!

Who creates more peace in your world? Shouldn’t they be wearing a PeaceTag?…….