After reading at Lit Crawl tonight I headed over to the Fairmont Hotel for the annual dinner in support of The Shanti Project, now celebrating its 40th year. It began in SF as an outreach program of volunteers who offered companionship - the kindest versions of themselves and their hearts - to those suffering from AIDS. Shantis founder, Dr. Charles Garfield, told us of his being the first Shanti volunteer when he began to visit someone who had a debilitating illness that caused paralysis and was beginning to be treated like an object in his life, a thing. He needed, more than medicine at that point, some human compassion, some company. He needed a neighbor. Thats all. He needed kindness. It was then I realized the power that exists in the difference between 0 and 1. He just needed one other person to honor his existence. Shantis has now expanded to accepting clients with breast cancer and other forms of the disease. From its website: Shanti has been at the forefront of a growing national movement to enhance the quality of life for persons living with life-threatening or chronic illnesses by providing volunteer-based emotional and practical support. Shanti is a Sanskrit word meaning inner peace or tranquility. It is an appropriate name since, ultimately, all of Shantis direct service and educational programs are aimed at easing the burdens and improving the well-being of people in difficult life situations Key to the success of Shantis mission is the Shanti Model of Peer Support, which is both a philosophy and a set of techniques that are used throughout our work. It is a way of being with another person that frees both parties to be fully who they are and communicate their feelings to one another. It is a way of being which allows two persons to meet as equals. It is a way of relating to others that is characterized by certain values and attitudes. Its Nancy Pelosi Lifetime Achievement award tonight went to Rev. Curtis Williams and his wife Janice Mirikitani who are celebrating 50 years of service at their Glide United Methodist Church in the Tenderloin, which has come to serve as a kind of heart of San Francisco with over 11,000 members and 87 outreach programs. The church is by its own definition in its mission statement, radically inclusive. They were presented the award by the Honorable Willie Brown. Here are some photos from the evening. Sister Roma and I. Jennifer Raiser and I. Ken Fulk and I. And Mayor Brown and I. Thanks, Ken, for inviting me.
Posted on: Sun, 19 Oct 2014 06:00:43 +0000
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