The Rotary Club of Newberg felt that a beautiful day in mid-September would be the perfect day to honor former city councilor Denise Bacon, who died last year from lung complications, with a statue commemoration and 5k run/walk — it’s right around United Nations’ International Day of Peace on September 21.
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Several people and organizations around town, such as City of Newberg and Newberg Rotary Club, said that if one thing stood out about Bacon’s impact on Newberg, it was her ability to find common ground and peace amongst a divided town. So, celebrating in conjunction with the International Day of Peace only feels right, said Newberg Rotary Club spokesperson Mike Caruso.
“Each year the International Day of Peace (IDP) is observed around the world on 21 September,” read the United Nations website. “The UN General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, through observing 24 hours of non-violence and cease-fire. Never has our world needed peace more.”
Who was Denise Bacon?
Bacon was a long time city councilor and community advocate when she passed away from lung complications in October 2022 at the age of 56.
According to a press release from the City of Newberg after her passing, “Denise was incredibly hard working and served on our council for 14 years. She was someone that the city staff conferred with every few days on a wide range of decisions, acting as a pole star to guide our actions.”
Newberg Rotary spokesperson Mike Caruso said Bacon is more than worthy of the dedication for her years of public service in government and outside of it (she was a longtime Newberg Rotary Club member), as well as acting as a community mediator when it was needed most.
In summer 2021, the Newberg School Board passed a controversial ruling on political signs in the classroom. While it divided much of Newberg across all spectrums of life, Caruso said Bacon stood as a beacon of mediation — someone who rose up to find common ground and stitch her broad social sphere back together.
Since her passing, the city has also found ways to honor her memory. For example, City Council meets every two weeks in the Denise Bacon Community Room at the Newberg Public Safety Building.
The Newberg Rotary Inagural Denise Bacon Memorial 5k Run/Walk for Peace
The Newberg Rotary Club has funded a kinetic sculpture created by artist Andrew Carson. This sculpture will be unveiled and officially dedicated following the 5k run/walk for peace at 11 a.m. Caruso explained that the run/walk will become an annual event, intended to foster community reflection on peace, bringing neighbors together to celebrate each other and their town.
Other than the run/walk and sculpture dedication, the event will feature food carts, music from the Portland Peace Choir and Aaron Nigel Smith, and comments by George Fox University President Dr. Robin Baker and Linfield University President Dr. Miles Davis.
To register for the fun/walk and learn more about the event, visit the Newberg Noon Rotary website: https://www.newbergrotary.org/event/2023-run-walk-for-peace/
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