Happy Spring!
Easter has come and gone. The daffodils have raised their sunny heads. And the warmer temperatures raise our hopes for longer stretches of days.
As 2018 unfolds and the work of the Sunny Center continues, we are reminded of our many friends and supporters around the world that make our work possible. We remain so very grateful for your help, without which, the suffering and injustice of exonerees would continue as they are not be able find the help and healing needed in order to transition to a happy, productive life of freedom on the outside.
OUR GUESTS AND VISITORS
We are completing our roster of upcoming guests who will enjoy respite and renewal at the Sunny Center in the months ahead. There was enormous interest on the part of many exonerees we met at the annual Innocence Network conference in March.
We also want to formally announce our new Exoneree Support Coordinator, Dorothy, who is providing on site support to our growing family of new and former guests. We are pleased to expand our reach to the many exonerees in need of continued support.
OUR VOLUNTEERS
Our corps of volunteers has been a great gift to us and we are grateful to each and every one of them for giving up at least a month of their time to help the Sunny Center to flourish and grow.
Our volunteers become part of our family and, in many cases, lasting friendships are developed between volunteers and guests. We encourage anyone who can TO VOLUNTEER! You can do so on our website.
OUR FURRY AND FEATHERED FRIENDS
Petal’s twins arrived on Good Friday, also the first night of Passover. So we named them, in Irish, Cásca and Císean, Easter and Passover. Rosie, our Nubian goat, had a single kid born on Sunday and named Easter. All are doing well! Here’s a video link.
Unfortunately for us, our last hen was taken by the fox while we were at the conference in Memphis. Good news for the fox and her babies though! It is springtime after all, the time for babies to be born! Peter has cleaned out the henhouse so we will be ready for more hens next month.
OUR ACTIVISM
We went to Memphis for the annual Innocence Network conference and accomplished so much in two days! We worked with our colleague Dr. Lloyd Lyter to establish a network of social work programs to assist in supporting exonerees, connected with many new and old exonerees, and participated in many important and meaningful sessions, including one presented by the children of exonerees. It was the largest Innocence Network conference, with the most exonerees, the most exoneree family members and the most fellow travellers. It is getting to be a very big tent!
Especially poignant was the fact that the conference was taking place in Memphis almost exactly 50 years to the day when Martin Luther King was assassinated there. The conference attendees took part in a march to the motel where MLK’s life ended, but his spirit undoubtedly lives on. The closing party was held in the Civil Rights Museum built there. And the Exoneree Band played in his honor.
Peace and Love,
Sunny and Peter