Each spring, the Interfaith Center for Peace and Justice honors some members of our community who best embody our organization’s mission: to promote respectful dialogue on peace, social justice and equity, multiculturalism, and environmental sustainability.
The Lifetime of Peacemaking Award is given to a local resident who, over a long term, has made significant contributions to peace, justice, or environmental sustainability, either locally or on a broader scale. The 2025 winner of the award is Peter Boving, who will be a familiar face to many around town. Peter has worked closely with organizations, including Manos Unidas, the Adams County Community Foundation, Project Gettysburg León, and the Adams County Human Relations Council. He is dedicated to social justice and diversity and also to environmental issues through his work with Gettysburg Green Gathering and the DFA Taskforce on Energy and Sustainability. Even in his professional life, working in safety and security at the National Cancer Institute and other organizations, Peter embraced diversity by serving on committees and being recognized for his dedication with the Leading Diversity award.
The Peacemaker of the Year Award is given to an individual or group who has made a significant achievement in the past year. This year, we are recognizing the Pathways to Racial Justice group. Originally growing out of the ‘Pledge to End Racism’ efforts at the Unitarian Universalist Gettysburg church, this group has now taken on a life of its own and is co-chaired by Bettye Baker and Angela Sontheimer. Over the past year, they have sponsored several events, including screenings of a film, “The Underground Railroad in South Central Pennsylvania,” a concert performance, and several community potlucks bringing people together to discuss difficult issues around race and racism.
We will celebrate all these winners on Tuesday, May 6th, at 7 p.m. in the auditorium in Valentine Hall at the United Lutheran Seminary. There will be a brief ceremony followed by catered refreshments to help build community and celebrate the great work that so many people are doing to make Adams County a better place. The event is open to the public, and we hope to see many of you there. ICPJ will donate $250 worth of books or other materials to the Adams County Library in each honoree’s name. We put out a call for nominees each January, but are always interested in having suggestions submitted to us at our email address icpj@icpj-gettysburg.org.
Well deserved, Peter Boving, Dr. Bettye Baker and Angela Sontheimer! Your tireless efforts for social justice are much needed and appreciated!