Local initiative brings ‘Peace Pole’ to Paradise’s Billie Park with global peace, Paradise, California-USA

March 13, 2025

PARADISE, Calif. — A Peace Pole reading ‘May Peace Prevail On Earth’ has been installed at Billie Park in Paradise to honor various communities, including Ukraine.

The Peace Pole, which celebrates peace in English, Spanish, and Ukrainian, was initiated by the Paradise Rotary Club.

“I think in our rebuild it’s a really neat opportunity for us to increase the diversity in our community, and this Peace Pole is a symbol of that,” said Kelli Gordon, Vice President of the Paradise Rotary Club.

Sonny Ventimiglio, President of the Paradise Rotary Club, said the idea originated from the Rotary International President, who aimed to create Peace Poles in every community with a Rotary Club. He further explained once they knew delegates from Ukraine would be visiting the town, they had to honor them by adding the saying in Ukrainian.

“You can get knocked down, you can lose everything, but you can build it back as long as you work together, you stay united in peace,” Ventimiglio told KRCR.

Photo of Ukrainian delegates viewing a Peace Pole placed at Billie Park in Paradise, Calif. for the first time. (KRCR)

The unveiling of the Peace Pole is part of the ‘Open Word Tour,’ where delegates tour Paradise to learn about recovery and rebuilding efforts following the 2018 Camp Fire. The knowledge gained is intended to be applied in Ukraine as they begin their post-war recovery.

Peace Poles are internationally recognized symbols, and Paradise’s Peace Pole was crafted from a redwood tree that survived the Camp Fire.

by Hannah Gutierrez