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<div><br></div><div> <span style="mso-tab-count:14"> </span></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;mso-pagination:none; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">PRESS RELEASE<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;mso-pagination:none; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;mso-pagination:none; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Helvetica"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;mso-pagination:none; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Helvetica"><b>PENINSULA PEACE & JUSTICE<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;mso-pagination:none; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Helvetica"><b>TO CREATE IRAQ WAR DEAD MEMORIAL<o:p></o:p></b></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;mso-pagination:none; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Helvetica"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;mso-pagination:none; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">May 10,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>2010<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;mso-pagination:none; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Helvetica"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">BLUE HILL –<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>On Memorial Day weekend, members of Peninsula Peace & Justice will re-create the Iraq War Dead Memorial on Main Street in Blue Hill. Since 2005 this Memorial has been established as a remembrance of the lives lost in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. The field, which is located on the property of Rufus Wanning, is planted with white flags, each representing one US soldier killed. A sign in the field reads: “In This Place We Remember Those Lives Lost in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq.” The number of US lives lost is updated periodically. The memorial also represents “more than 1.3 million civilians.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Helvetica"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">According to Bonnie Preston, an organizer for Peninsula Peace & Justice: “When the project was begun, about 1800 flags were installed. This year we will be using almost 6,000, and the field is being redesigned to accommodate that many. It’s heartbreaking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>A 21-year-old soldier from Waterville was killed in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, just last week.” Blue Dirigo flags are planted for each of the 43 Maine military service personnel who have been killed since 2001.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Helvetica"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">The field is located between the Blue Hill Library and the Blue Hill Congregational Church. The event will take place on Saturday, May 29, from 10:00 to 12:00. Everyone is invited to participate. A rain date is planned for Sunday May 30. For more information, contact 326-4405.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Helvetica"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Helvetica"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;mso-pagination:none; mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Helvetica">##<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Helvetica"> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none"><span style="font-family:Helvetica"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana; ">Peninsula Peace & Justice, P.O. Box 1515, Blue Hill Maine 04614</span></span></p> <div class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></div> <!--EndFragment--> </div></body></html>