Blog
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.
An incredible opportunity to support The Sunny Center
We are so excited to announce that our board member, artist Peter Tunney, is auctioning two of his masterpieces. You can go directly to usatoday.com/nft to get all the details.
It Takes A Community to Help Exonerees Heal
What an amazing summer this has been. We’ve been at home, raising a litter of kittens in our polytunnel and collecting eggs from our hens. And at the same time we have been able to reach out into the world and continue helping Exonerees.
Have you seen Sunny on YouTube?
Yoga and meditation are so central to our life and work at The Sunny Center. We meditate each morning to help us approach the day with a calm, clear mind (and some extra energy)!
For Exonerees, life’s little legal challenges can be huge
Exonerees face many challenges as they rebuild their lives after a wrongful conviction. One of the things that takes a backseat, as they struggle to access essentials like a place to live, medical care, and work, is thinking about how they will be cared for if they get sick.
Sometimes, it takes a (small) army
Terry Wanzer fought for more than 20 years to have his record cleared, even though he was exonerated in 1996. Our friend and volunteer Carrie is working to stop injustices like this.
How to Avoid Toxicity
At a time when it seems so many people in the world are expressing so much anger and hatred, how do you maintain your balance? Watch my latest video and share with us on social media!
About Our Wish List Program
One of our most impactful programs that arose during, and because of, the Covid-19 pandemic is the Wish List program. Through this, people who want to help an Exoneree directly can do so.
Wishing You a Summer of Healing, Hope and Joy
While the start of summer certainly feels much calmer and more certain than it did last year, plenty of activity is going on at The Sunny Center!
More Than 2,700 Exonerees Need Your Help
The need for resources and change within the system is immense. But together, we can start making a difference right away!
You Can Make A Difference for Exonerees Right Now
We are happy and hopeful that we can soon return to working in person with fellow Exonerees. But you can help us right now, even from far away.
You Are Beautiful
It doesn’t matter what shape you are or what size you are. It matters how you feel inside. You are who you are. That’s you. The beauty comes from the energy that you radiate from within.
Exoneree Terry Wanzer, In His Own Words
Terry Wanzer was exonerated in 1996. But it took more than 24 years for the state of Georgia to clear his record. Read Terry’s story.
Celebrating Spring With Our Furry & Feathered Friends
With spring well underway, we thought it a great time to update you on how all of our friends at the Healing Center are doing!
Our Activism: Moving the Needle for Exonerees
March was another great month for activism. We got the word out about the struggle that Exonerees face after being freed, and raised awareness of the need for housing, counseling, medical care, and more – all the things that humans have a right to, and that have been denied to Exonerees for so long.
Watch: Dealing With Grief
It seems these days there is more and more to grieve about: the loss of our normal way of life, the inability to gather together. And sometimes we have to grieve over the emotions that we have to put aside until another time.
One Year On, A Silver Lining During the Time of Covid
Finding a connection even during social distancing. Connection is at the heart of what we do at The Sunny Center. And the pandemic, while making it harder to connect for everyone, made things especially hard for Exonerees. Whether they were recently released or have...
Finding Happiness in the Darkest Times
I planned to talk about grief this week. But instead, I decided to talk about happiness. Because they are connected. The more happiness you have with someone, the more you grieve when they’re not here anymore.
In Memory of Angela, Who Knew All the Milking Songs
Recently, we lost a dear friend and devoted volunteer. Angela helped us here at the Sunny Healing Center in Ireland. I wrote a small piece to memorialize her, because she did so much to make our lives easier and help us create a beautiful healing space for Exonerees.
Watch: A Day With Death Row Survivors
This is a must-see interview that we wanted to share with you. We sat down (virtually) with YouTube influencer Anthony Padilla to talk to him about our experiences on death row.
The Wisdom to Know the Difference: Focus On The Positive
January is normally a quiet month for most of us, as we rest from the busy time of Christmas and visiting family and friends. But this is not a normal January.
Joy and Celebration In The Time of Covid
What a year this has been! We have faced, together, challenges that none of us have seen before in our lifetime. Now, we are finishing this year together, and looking ahead to the bright hope that new vaccines are soon going to bring an end to the time of Covid and that we can all travel and be together again.
November 2020 Newsletter: We Are Thankful For You!
This is a very special time of year. For some, it is the beginning of a new year. For others, it is a time for honoring our ancestors and dressing up to trick or treat. It is also the season for gratitude.
October Newsletter: A Time to Heal
Autumn is the time to harvest what we’ve sown. And this year, The Sunny Center is harvesting some wonderful things. Especially, healing and community. Welcome to the October newsletter!
We Got a Makeover!
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center, Our online presence has undergone a makeover! Since we can’t meet in person these days, we decided to put more of our personality and our energy into our online presence. where we can all meet and share news, hopes, dreams, good news...
September 2020 Newsletter: Gratitude Comes From the Heart
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center, A shady place to relax and be grateful at the Tampa Living Center. “Gratitude is a powerful catalyst for happiness. It’s the spark that lights a fire of joy in your soul.” – Amy Collette In this tumultuous year, we have found so many...
August 2020 Newsletter: A Time of Transition
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center:Hello from The Sunny Center! August has been a month of change and transition as many countries are easing their way out of lockdowns and people are finding ways to resume an almost-normal life. The experience of the entire world right...
Dear friends
Picture yourself sitting on the bench looking out at this beautiful view. Dear Friends of The Sunny Center: This is what our guests see when they come to stay at the Sunny Center healing hub in Ireland. The bench was designed and built by Peter. Life has changed for...
Video: If You Can Breathe, You Can Do It!
In addition to our monthly newsletter, we occasionally post video logs to offer support and encouragement to exonerees and our supporters. I hope you enjoy this vlog post! Life is filled with challenges. There are times when there is no help and no way out and it...
June 2020 Newsletter: Love Is An Action Word
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center, This week, we completed the Love Bridge at The Sunny Healing Center! Peter constructed this bridge to make it easier for Sunny to move between the house and our garden. "Love is an action word." Exoneree and Sunny Center U.S....
May 2020 Newsletter
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center, We are all learning new ways to live in the strange world in which we now find ourselves, but we continue to remain connected, bonded by our humanity. This is particularly true for our network of supporters – those men and women...
April 2020 Newsletter
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center, Beauty - and hope - abounds.Spring has arrived at the Sunny Center both indoors and outdoors. To be greeted by the sunny yellow daffodils on our windowsill and the rising sun on the horizon inspires both hope and joy! And it goes...
March 2020 Newsletter
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center, Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Today is the one day of the year when everyone is just a little bit Irish! It is that special time of the year to honor St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, who, himself, experienced wrongful...
February 2020 Newsletter
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center, February is the Love Month and it's one of our favorite months of the year! We believe it's the perfect time to show how much you cherish your loved ones and just spread more love in the world! Who doesn't love to be loved!?!?!?!?!And...
January 2020 Newsletter
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center, We wish you a Peaceful New Year! It's 2020 and we can barely believe it! Since our dream of offering a sanctuary of healing and hope to exonerees was launched five years ago, we have attempted to assist scores of wrongly-convicted men...
Year in Review 2019
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center, This has been a year of milestones! 2019 has been an outstanding year for the Sunny Center in both significant and meaningful ways. Here are just some of the benchmarks we achieved this year: We marked our fifth year in operation,...
Giving Tuesday Newsletter 2019
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center, Peter and his grandchildren enjoy getting together. Many of us think of Thanksgiving as the holiday of sharing and generosity. We gather with friends and loved ones, share our bounty and offer our gratitude. But there is a new...
October 2019 Newsletter
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center, Our cat makes herself at home on the wall.There is no place like home. – especially when that home is the Sunny Center! Our dream of offering a center of healing and hope for exonerees was realized five years ago when we opened our...
September 2019 Newsletter
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center, Our new home, the new Sunny Center, and our old home in the distance As you can see in the photo above, this is our new home in the foreground, and the old Sunny Center in the distance – which makes us think about perspective and the...
August 2019 Newsletter
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...
July Newsletter 2019
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center, Last month we talked about how friendship begins at home, but it’s important to note that peace begins at home too and we are thrilled to announce that the Sunny Center now has a permanent home. Our friends, family and supporters saw...
June 2019 Newsletter
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center, Here’s looking at you, kid! It’s all about perspective and from our point of view, our supporters and friends around the globe are an important and integral part of a worldwide movement for human rights and social justice! It is...
May 2019 Newsletter
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center, True friends at the Sunny Center. Friendship begins at home. And here is what friendship looks like at the Sunny Center. We are grateful to have a network of friends and supporters that stretch from Australia to Atlanta to Italy to...
April 2019 Newsletter
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center, Even the cows know the grass is always greener at the Sunny Center. Spring is here and we are inspired to feel hope, inspired by all the daffodil blossoms and primroses that grow everywhere here. We at the Sunny Center see them as...
March 2019 Newsletter
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center, Happy St. Patrick's Day!It is coming up on St. Patrick’s Day – the one day of the year when everyone is just a little bit Irish! But it’s also the one day that we honor St. Patrick himself, who at the very young age of 16, was...
February 2019 Newsletter
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center, Happy Valentine's Day!Do you HEART the Sunny Center? It’s Valentine’s Day - the one day of the year set aside to celebrate all things LOVE. But for us, we like to celebrate love all year round at the Sunny Center. It is our mission to...
January 2019 Newsletter
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center, The daffodils and bushes are beginning to appear on the last day of 2018.It’s 2019 and we can hardly believe it! Here has arrived a new year full of promise and hope. As for us, our promise and hope is to help more exonerees achieve...
Year in Review 2018 Newsletter
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center, We could never have predicted the new and suprising ways our work would grow and evolve during the past year - from our increasingly international roster of exoneree guests to our newly-launched, first of its kind community residence...
Giving Tuesday November Newsletter 2018
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center, L to R, dear friend and supporter Justin Brooks, head of California Innocence Project, Peter and Sunny.One of our newest and most welcome traditions that embodies all that is good in the world is the idea of Giving Tuesday. The...
October 2018 Newsletter
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center, There is a gorgeous array of colors growing in our poly tunnel greenhouse.The days are growing shorter. The temperatures are getting cooler. And we are readying ourselves for the shortest days and longest nights of the winter season....
September 2018 Newsletter
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center, Sunny and Peter at the marketplace. It is a time of year when the summer is winding down and autumn is at the doorstep. It is also the time of year when we are reminded of how the seasons are changing and the year is heading into its...
August 2018 Newsletter
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center, Our summer vista. We are aware that this year is quickly unfolding and September is around the corner. When we look back at 2018 so far, we are pleased that we have accomplished far more than we had ever expected. For example, this...
July 2018 Newsletter
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center, Rosie and Easter sunbathing.We live in a country that is famous for its rain and scarcely knows how to behave when there are endless days of sun and warm temperatures, such as we’ve had this past month. Summer has arrived and she has...
June 2018 Newsletter
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center, Peter and his giant celery stalk.We have had a glorious string of sunny days and warm temperatures which has fooled everyone into believing they are in Miami, not Ireland. It really feels like summer here. Everything is growing...
May 2018 Newsletter
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center, Playtime on the rocks.Here in Ireland, May 1st is considered the first day of summer, although it’s not exactly been very hot or sunny yet. But, even so, we are still enjoying the longer stretches of days and floral blooms of warmer...
April 2018 Newsletter
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center, Photo courtesy of Angela Gay ByrneHappy 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...
March 2018 Newsletter
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center, Happy St. Patrick’s Day! We wish great blessings and good fortune to all from our cozy corner in Connemara. In spite of a surprise snow, Spring is coming to life here, so it is a time when we give rise to hopes of rebirth and renewal....
Freedom is an Attitude
We all need hope, even when the world seems darkest. This video will bring you to the light, step by step along Sunny Jacob's journey to freedom.Watch it here.
February 2018 Newsletter
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center, In Ireland, Spring arrives on February 1st, which is also observed as St. Brigid’s day. St. Brigid is one of Ireland’s three patron saints, along with St. Patrick and St. Columba but she shares her name with an important Celtic...
Féile Bríde with Afri Ireland
“Life has given me many challenges, which I choose to take as opportunities to learn and grow. This is my choice. I learned this on death row. I chose life, health, forgiveness, and love. That choice saved me from bitterness and hatred that would have destroyed me...
January 2018 Newsletter
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center, It’s 2018. A new year full of promise and hope. And among our promises and hopes is a commitment to help more exonerees achieve happy and productive lives. Of course, we need your help to reach this goal. In honor of 2018, please...
2017 Year in Review
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center, 2017 has been a wonderful, busy, and productive year at the Sunny Center! We are so grateful to be doing the work we do and be connected to all of you. And now, for some highlights from the year 2017. JANUARY A cozy January night...
Giving Tuesday November Newsletter
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center, One of our most recent traditions that embodies all that is good in the world, is the idea of Giving Tuesday. Although the concept originated in the US, Giving Tuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and...
October Newsletter
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center, A beautiful sun sets on the Center.The days are growing shorter. The nights are stretching longer. But we appreciate the change of seasons here in Connemara. We try to live in harmony with our surroundings and its seasons and we feel...
4th Annual International Wrongful Conviction Day on October 2nd
Join Sunny and Peter in a special observance for the 4th Annual International Wrongful Conviction Day on October 2nd. They will be featured on the Ray D'Arcy Radio Show at 3:20pm (IST) and, at the conclusion of the segment at 4pm, will invite listeners to join in two...
September Newsletter
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center, The last blossoms of summer! Daisies!!!We have had a wonderful summer filled with guests and visitors, and we are now getting ready for the winter months. We have lots of exciting events and plans under way, all part of our work here...
The Exonerated Still Needs Your Help
Photo by Matt Cetti-Roberts/Frontline PicturesThe Sunny Center has hosted scores of Exonerees since its founding in 2015. These are people who have suffered the worst of injustices. Most have struggled in various ways...first, to establish their innocence and win...
August Newsletter
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center, Trixie, one of the resident cats here at the Sunny Center, is happy to share all of our good news with you this month! We have been enjoying visitors to our home as well as our own travels to America and back again. As we continue to...
The Sunny Center Visits Salem on the 325th Anniversary of the Witch Trials
Sunny Jacobs, Peter Pringle and Anne Driscoll were invited by Salem State University to be part of a special screening of The Exonerated, a public conversation and an audience Q&A on July 27th. The event was part of a series of events, which included a Summer...
July Newsletter
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center, Wild thistle.With summer under way, we are enjoying the fields of purple thistle, pink rhododendron and yellow buttercups that flower wildly in Connemara. We hope you are delighting in these beautiful summer months, wherever you...
The Sunny Center Welcomes Little Louie!
Our friends and followers know that our Sunny Center family includes friends of the furry kind. Our newest addition, named Louie, arrived this week and Louie's mama Lama is taking great care of her new kid. Peter captured these precious moments of 4-day-old Louie.
June Newsletter
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center,It is very sunny at the Sunny Center! And we want to spread that warmth to all our friends and supporters around the world! We hope this newsletter finds you in a happy place. We are so excited about the months to come, as we have...
Hear the Love and Courage Podcast with Sunny and Ruairi
About the Love and Courage podcastThe Love and Courage podcast series was launched by Ruairi McKiernan and features interviews with inspirational people who are making a real difference in the world today. Guests are typically people passionate about social justice,...
Curtis Gives Thanks For The Sunny Center and Its Supporters
Support the Sunny Center
Sunny, Peter and Amanda Knox say Good Morning to Seattle
Sunny and Peter, along with Amanda Knox, appeared on a popular morning news show New Day during a recent visit to Seattle. Check out this video to hear them share some of their most challenging and poignant moments with TV host Margaret Larson.
May Newsletter
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center, We send greetings to all our friends and supporters around the world! We are enjoying exceptionally fine weather and beautiful bright Irish skies here in Connemara. We feel truly blessed to be part of a worldwide community of people...
Sunny Speaks at Saoirse I Freedom hosted at Kilmainham Gaol by Trailblazery
Check out this new video of an Easter Monday talk on the subject of Freedom. https://youtu.be/iuSiWwd3YwA
Sunny and Peter Participate in Honoring Little John Nee
On Sunday, April 23rd, Little John Nee's Haiku plaque was unveiled as part of the Galway Poetry Trail during the 2017 Cúirt International Festival of Literature, by Sunny Jacobs and Peter Pringle. In keeping with the event, they created a number of Haikus about the...
Sunny’s Story is Recognized by the Innocence Project
The annual Innocence Network conference has grown from a handful of folks interested in righting wrongful convictions to a ballroom of 750 advocates, activists, defense lawyers, exonerees and their families gathered together as a movement. This year, the conference...
April Newsletter
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center, Black swan seen in the Claddagh.Greetings to our friends near and far. The sun and spring have all arrived here in Connemara - as has a special black swan! We want to thank you, as always, for your continued support. We are grateful...
March Newsletter
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center, Shamrocks from our local market. Happy St. Patrick’s Day! We wish great blessings and good fortune to all from our cozy corner in Connemara. As Spring comes to life here, let us all have hope for Peace and Joy in the world.We are...
In Honor of International Women’s Day and Women
In honor of International Women's Day and of women around the world, 100 extraordinary women were asked to choose a poem that moved them to tears. Those distinguished women included Judi Dench and Sunny Jacobs. The resulting book Poems That Make Women Cry was released...
Honor St. Patrick’s Day With a Gift to The Sunny Center
We are so fortunate to have so many friends and supporters around the world. We are so very grateful for their help because, otherwise, we couldn't do the work we do to help Exonerees heal themselves and transition to a fulfilling life on the outside. We hope that...
February Newsletter
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center,February is the month dedicated to love and so it is a wonderful time to express our gratitude for all the love and support we feel from our friends and supporters from around the world. It is also a fitting time to invite you to...
Valentine’s Day Special
Check out the BBC Three video sharing the love story of a very special couple who served years on death row before they found one another. It will make your heart happy!!!Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! bbc.in/2lusepI
New Year, New Beginnings
Dear Friends of The Sunny Center,This has been a month of looking back and looking ahead, a time of respite and renewal. And we are happy to share this newsletter and connect with our many friends and supporters around the world. We are grateful for your steady...
Peter Pringle discusses prison, painting and the power of freedom
I remember my Death Sentence from Northern Visions NvTv on Vimeo.
2016 Year in Review
JANUARYWe hosted two Exonerees in January who had been with us through the Christmas season, carrying that spirit into the New Year.Many of our Exoneree guests came to us with potentially serious medical and dental issues. Our local doctor and dentist donated their...