November 4, 2017
Dear Friends,
This is our annual report of activities, and an appeal for funds for Ground Zero. Thank you for your past contributions and for keeping us in your thoughts.
We especially appreciate your support at Ground Zero events throughout the year. Please join us whenever you can.
Nonviolent direct action is the tool that harnesses the light within us. When we act, we inspire ourselves and others to join us. In these times of constant noise and confusion, we can break through the noise when we stay focused and stay on point with our message. Please stay strong and hold your light for all to see.
In 2017, we witnessed a growing awareness of the Bangor submarine base in the Pacific Northwest, due in part to our first King County Metro bus ad in 2016, declaring that Bangor is the site of the “largest concentration of deployed nuclear weapons in the U.S.”
Following up on last year’s success, we again ran a bus ad on 26 Metro buses which stated, “CONGRESS WANTS $1 TRILLION FOR NUKES. What will be left for our children?” Ground Zero paid for the bus ads to run from mid-July to around the first week in October, but some ads are still on buses at this time.
On October 6, 2017, the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of its role in achieving the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Ground Zero is one of over 460 partner organizations with ICAN. Graciously, ICAN credited all of us working for nuclear abolition:
…This prize is a tribute to the tireless efforts of many millions of campaigners and concerned citizens worldwide who, ever since the dawn of the atomic age, have loudly protested nuclear weapons, insisting that they can serve no legitimate purpose and must be forever banished from the face of our earth.
It is a tribute also to the survivors of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki – the hibakusha – and victims of nuclear test explosions around the world, whose searing testimonies and unstinting advocacy were instrumental in securing this landmark agreement…
This year Ground Zero celebrated its 40th anniversary. While many members were preparing for August events, Sallie Shawl and others organized an event on July 30, featuring seven panels of speakers from different historical periods. Mike McCormick made videos of the presentations which can be seen on YouTube. Many early members of the group spoke at Ground Zero, including Shelley and Jim Douglass, Caroline Wildflower, Marya Barr, Karol Shulkin, and others. Bob Aldridge sent a letter to members at the gathering, commending us for our work and urging us to prepare for upcoming global political-social challenges of the 21st century.
In 2017, Ground Zero members spoke against Trident nuclear weapons in courtrooms, classrooms and workshops, public meetings, radio and video interviews, newspapers, and in demonstrations in Seattle and Kitsap County. We continued with our informative and acclaimed Ground Zero newsletter, Ground Zero website, monthly leafleting at the Trident base, a campaign against the Trident replacement submarines, work to build a Peace Pagoda at Ground Zero, and local community outreach.
Ground Zero works to stay an effective and sustainable organization in these efforts. We are an all-volunteer organization where members are not compensated for time, travel or other personal expenses. All of our decisions at Ground Zero are made by strict consensus, meaning that one person can block a decision. We try our best to work together. When we reach agreement, we move forward together.
We would be remiss not to mention the loss of Ground Zero member Mira Leslie. Mira was a steady hand and encouraged all of us to continue our work for peace and justice. She attended her last Stewardship Council meeting less than a week before passing. Mira’s love and sensibility are sorely missed.
To all Ground Zero supporters, we promise to remain true to our Mission Statement, which reads:
Founded in 1977, Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action offers the opportunity to explore the meaning and practice of nonviolence from a perspective of deep spiritual reflection, providing a means for witnessing to and resisting all nuclear weapons, especially Trident. We seek to go to the root of violence and injustice in our world and experience the transforming power of love through nonviolent direct action.
Please join with us when you can. 
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EDITOR’S NOTE: We are still in the process of finding a donation hosting site that is in keeping with our mission and values. We are sorry for the inconvenience this has caused some donors. For now, we welcome your donations by mail (the old fashioned way). You may donate to one or both entities:
- Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action (GZCNA) for core work and expenses.
- Ground Zero Community, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization established for the educational work of GZCNA.
Please send your donations to Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action, 16159 Clear Creek Road NW, Poulsbo, WA, 98370
