Activities aim to reduce violence

People, churches, businesses will take safety pledge

BY RUTH LIAO
Statesman Journal

October 14, 2006

How to do it: a simple yet effective pledge that originated as a grassroots movement in Salem in 1997. It's now chanted in schools and youth programs nationwide, in English and Spanish, and it's reaching other countries.

The pledge: I Will Not Use My Hands or My Words for Hurting Myself or Others.

Sunday kicks off the annual Hands & Words Are Not for Hurting Week with a series of events to infuse the message throughout the community.

Religious organizations have been asked to recite the pledge during worship or while teaching. Salem-Keizer schools and the Boys & Girls Club of Salem will participate in projects based on the pledge. Roth's grocery stores will tuck a flier into customers' shopping bags.

Project founder and Salem resident Ann Kelly said the week will help increase public awareness of nonviolence and personal empowerment.

"It's just a positive way to deal with the worst thing to happen to you," Kelly said. "Our ultimate goal is every home, a safe home; every school, a safe school."

Parent educator GayLynn Pack has seen the effects of the pledge firsthand. Pack leads a Marion County Sheriff's Office program for families of incarcerated parents, called Children of Incarcerated Parents Initiative. Pack introduced the pledge in the program's orientation and started saying the pledge with the adults every day.

"At first, I thought, they're going to think it's corny and it's for little kids," Pack said "But now they remind us if we forget, 'We gotta say the pledge.' They really take it to heart."

Gov. Ted Kulongoski, the Marion County Board of Commissioners, Salem Mayor Janet Taylor, the City Council and the Salem-Keizer School Board officially will proclaim Sunday through Oct. 21 as Hands & Words Are Not for Hurting Week.

rliao@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 589-6941

Upcoming events

Hands & Words Are Not for Hurting Week events:

Sunday: Congregations in the Salem area have been asked to incorporate the pledge into worship or education classes to honor the weeklong campaign.

Monday: Lee Elementary School will have a special assembly at 10:30 a.m.

Throughout the week: All elementary schools will participate in the pledge, and many middle and high schools will as well.

Oct. 21: All four branches of the Boys & Girls Club of Salem will host a Purple Pledge Party to help attract new members.