We had a great rest in Cape Girardeau at the Fairfield by Marriott Inn and Suites last night.
Some of the staff were so kind to us and enthusiastically wanted to share their goodwill and wishes for peace holding the Peace Torch outside their beautiful hotel.
Soon we were back on the road as several teams carried our Peace Torch to our next destinations.
Along the way we met very nice local people who wanted to share the Peace Torch with us. Fred and Reese in Rockwood were very happy to hear of our travels through all 50 States. Reese and his wife are on a cross-country walk which started in Delaware and is traveling to the West Coast mostly along the Discovery Trail system.
Homagni met a local woman who carried the torch a few blocks in her hometown of Chester.
Another happy local offers her smiles and wishes for peace.
Harita shows another kind local man our 50 state Peace Run route.
A local named Joe Gretzmache stopped his truck to hold the Peace Torch, offering his goodwill and kind wishes for peace.
We soon reached the town of Chester where the famous and classic cartoon character Popeye, and his friends were created by the famous cartoonist, E. Segar.
Some of our team share the torch with Debby, who along with her husband Mike, started collecting Popeye memorabilia over 30 years ago, and opened this very popular store and museum in Chester called 'Spinach Can Collectibles'.
The store is based on the theme of Popeye and friends with a vast array of gifts, collectibles and memorabilia.
Devashishu, while shopping for gift items, finds out that this town of Chester is a sister city to a city of Chester in England near where he is from.
Outside the store is a small park with some cartoon characters depicted on walls, statues and these funny 'live' posters.
After our excursion in the Popeye world we carried the Peace Torch to the St. John the Baptist School in Red Bud, Illinois.
We met with the students and teachers outside on the playground on this beautiful day.
We offered our introductions by having the students guess what countries we were from after offering them clues.
Many of the children displayed their beautiful artwork on the theme of peace.
After our introductions we sang a couple of Peace Run songs written by Sri Chinmoy, Founder of the Peace Run since 1987.
The children then participated in an exercise of feeling peace in the heart and imagining it spreading all around to everyone at the school and beyond.
We also offered a few short skits demonstrating behaviors that the children had to judge were either peaceful or not.
Everyone then had a chance to hold the Peace Torch and make a wish for peace and pass it on to the next person. This concept of spreading peace one person at a time is the basis of our Peace Run around this country and many other countries around the world.
Finally, we offered the children an opportunity to run with the Peace Torch around the school yard in a 'Peace Train'.
Offering a Certificate of Appreciation to the school as well as a colorful painting by Sri Chinmoy called: 'Imagine Peace Here and Now'.
We are very grateful to the students, teachers and staff at St. John's for their enthusiastic participation and creative expressions for peace and friendship. We will pass these gestures of goodwill on to others we meet along the way on our journey to share peace and harmony.
Sarankhuu from Mongolia and Homagni from Australia carry the torch to East St. Louis to meet Mayor Charles Powell III and some of his staff.
Mayor Powell kindly shares the Peace Torch after kindly offering our team a Proclamation from the City of E. St. Louis.
In the East St. Louis City Hall were some artistic reminders of some of the famous musicians from the area such as Miles Davis, famous jazz trumpet player.
Jennifer Crockett, one of the Staff members of the Mayor's office, offers a silent prayer for peace.
Before running to our last destination we wanted to offer once more our gratitude to Mayor Powell for his kindness and warm welcome to City Hall in E. St. Louis.
We are very grateful to Kakeesha Branigan, of Communications, LLC and the E. St. Louis Monitor who kindly covered our team running into E. St. Louis, offering her smile and good wishes for peace.
Troy Swanson, owner and photographer for the E. St. Louis Monitor along with Kakessha Branigan followed us through E. St. Louis enthusiastically taking phots and recording our journey to City Hall and Mayor Powell and his staff.
One of the police officers making sure we were safe as we ran out of City Hall to a viewpoint across the Mississippi River with a grand view of the St. Louis Arch, Gateway to the West.
Running up the multi-level ramp at Malcom Martin Park to get a grand view of the Arch in St. Louis.
Two of our women's team members sitting with Malcom Martin, designer of the park in E. St. Louis overlooking the Mississippi River and the St. Louis Arch.
Wherever we go we meet kind people who offer their wishes for peace with us while sharing the Peace Torch.
Troy Swanson made sure we could finish our run at this wonderful viewpoint in the park.
At dinner at the Balkan Treat Box restaurant in Kirkwood we met locals who were thrilled to share their goodwill and pass the Peace Torch to each other.
Edo, owner of this wonderful Balkan Restaurant, the Balkan Treat Box, offered his goodwill and wishes with our team after we enjoyed a wonderful meal here at the end of our day.
We are very grateful to Nayana, in pink, for treating us to this wonderful restaurant in Kirkwood, just outside of St. Louis, Missouri.
Making our way back to our hotel, we offered our gratitude to Sarankhuu, our dear Mongolian runner who has been with us from the beginning of our journey a month ago. He has to leave us for now and we hope he can come back to join the team again on our return journey from the West Coast back to New York.
Sarankhuu has been a most valuable and enjoyable member of our Peace Run Team here in the U.S. He has put in many quality miles running as well as preparing many great meals. He has offered us his friendly and many times humorous moments that we are very grateful for. His technical skills at photography and videography are also a great addition and asset to our team. Thank You Sarankhuu!!
