August 2019 Newsletter

Aug 15, 2019 | Uncategorized

Dear Friends of The Sunny Center,

Our new home, the new Sunny Center 

We are delighted to report that we have moved into the new and permanent home of the Sunny Center! When we lay our heads down at night, it is with the peace of mind knowing that we are home, in our own place, where we belong. We can feel confident and secure that we can continue to work, uninterrupted or unimpeded, towards our mission of helping to heal those many others who were wrongfully convicted, as ourselves. 

The sunset reflected in the windows of our new home, pictured above, is as beautiful as it seems. And we believe this is a perfect place for us to reflect back to the world all the beauty that there is within the human spirit for resilience, love and peace. We truly feel inspired here and we thank you, from the bottom of our hearts and souls, for helping to make that happen and supporting us along this journey. 
We want this home – our home – to be as warm and welcoming as it can be to all our future exoneree guests. We want them to feel comfortable and at home. We believe it is the best way for exonerees to reclaim themselves in their healing journey. 

In this move, we have discovered that there are some insulation repairs and water system upgrades needed to make this be the cozy, comfortable home we hope to share with our guests and visitors. To that end, a new GoFundMe campaign has been created here

If you would like to support these needed improvements, please consider making a donationtoday. Or, if you would like to become a patron of the Sunny Center on an ongoing basis, please especially consider a recurring donation. That recurring donation, no matter how small, will literally keep us going! 

We have long known that our lives would be committed to helping others like ourselves, but never in our wildest dreams did we imagine that we might, some day, share our own home with others. Thank you, dear friends, for your steady support. We are thrilled beyond words that our dreams have been realized and we now have a home to call our own, but it is a special home. It is one whose front door is open to those many others seeking peace of mind, too. 



OUR EXONEREE GUESTS AND VISITORS

Now that we are settling into our new home, we are ready to welcome new exoneree guests from around the globe. We are finalizing our upcoming exoneree guest calendar but are also accepting applications for future guests. If you are an exoneree or someone you know is, applications can be made here
And, as always, in the meantime, we are still reaching out to exonerees all over the world. We are never more than a phone call, Skype visit, or Facebook message away. We remain committed to offer support and healing to those in need. 

OUR VOLUNTEERS

Our volunteer Caitriona and Sunny.
Barney helping Peter and our volunteer Tom unload furniture from the van. 

We have been so fortunate to have so many volunteers to help us boxing up and moving our things, cleaning the old house, readying the new house, and finding the odd bureau or table set we need to make our house our home. We could not have made this move without their enormous energy and help. Moving can be overwhelming and exhausting, but our incredible corps of volunteers have made it go smoothly! Thank you dear friends and supporters!!!


OUR FURRY AND FEATHERED FRIENDS

Hen in the window.
Millie headed out on her first adventure guided by Peter. 

Of course, it isn’t just us moving to new quarters. It is also all our furry and feathered friends! So we have been very mindful of creating plans for their moves in order to minimize stress and disruption and make for as seamless a transition as possible. So far, everyone seems happy with their new surroundings!  


OUR ACTIVISM 

Much of our focus this last month has been on laying the groundwork for future Sunny Centers and future Sunny Center communities, like the one we launched last fall in Tampa, Florida. The exoneree community residence in Tampa is the first of its kind in the world. It is not yet a year old and we have learned much along the way. We believe that there is great value in creating exoneree community residences as a place of belonging, inclusion and healing. We are working to create a manual to share with others so that they might replicate our model elsewhere. And we have also been working with local authorities to increase exoneree access to support services and resources. We are hopeful that all this will enhance the lives of those who have already lost so much. 

STAY CONNECTED 

Blister getting comfortable in the new sitting room. 

Everyday, in our daily meditation practice, we feel more grounded. But since our move, we are finding that we now feel grounded in a whole new way. We have our own home, our own corner of this beautiful Connemara to call our own. Thank you to our wide network of family, friends and supporters who have helped to make this our reality. We are profoundly grateful. 
And to those of you who would like to see our work continue, please consider making a donation to our daily operations. 

There is still so much more work to be done! And we can only accomplish this because of You – our caring community. 

Peace and Love, 

Sunny and Peter 

Remembering Peter

My dear Peter is gone.
We sang him home on the last day of the year, gathered around his bedside as we had done for so many days before.

‘Send them green.’ A special message from a Sunny Center supporter!

“I had the wonderful opportunity to be a guest at the Sunny Center this past July. My first trip to Ireland, it always is a magical moment to visit friends who live overseas…”

Exonerees are succeeding, thanks to you!

Helping people exonerated of crimes they did not commit, setting them back on the path to a fulfilling life, is a monumental task that we depend on the dedication of volunteers, both near and far, to achieve.

Even in summer, the work doesn’t stop

We’re in midsummer now, with its long days that stretch until 11 in the evening here in Ireland. It’s a busy time for everyone and everything.

The power of art to heal and renew

Did you know that Peter was a woodworker and an artist? He created so many things. But more importantly, he taught those skills to other Exonerees when they visited the Center.

Looking for green shoots

Photo by Samantha Bookman. Peter and I chose to situate the Sunny Healing Center here in this beautiful location in the west of Ireland. A newcomer may at first see only a barren, rocky, windswept landscape. But, put your hand on the earth here, and you can feel the...

A message from Sunny about Peter

The time has come to say farewell to our dear Peter, who is in the process of transitioning from this body and this plane.

Finding Peace, Joy and Hope

The events in Ukraine over the past several days have been ever-present in all of our lives through the daily news and constant social media. These times can be especially difficult for Exonerees because of the traumas they are working to overcome.

Love Is Always the Answer

Winter is always a little bit quieter than the rest of the year. After a long day spent maintaining the Sunny Healing Center and getting it ready for visitors, it’s time for us to cuddle up with the kittens and, of course, Barney, on chilly winter evenings with a warm fire in the hearth.

A Happy, Healthy and Healing New Year to All

Love has no barriers and no limits. And neither does our gratitude for your continuing support and friendship. Know that you are never alone, because you are part of our family.

Happy Holidays to Our Friends Near and Far!

These are extraordinary times. And you’ve all been extraordinary supporters. Thanks to you, we’ve been able to keep helping Exonerees in the midst of a global emergency.