<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;">Occupy Mendocino Celebrates International Peace Day<br class=""> <br class="">International Peace Day is celebrated annually on September 21st. For the last several years, Occupy Mendocino has recognized local peace advocates for their work at a ceremony in the Peace Garden at the FB Senior Center. In the past, we have honored Howard Ennis, Zac Zachary, and Women in Black. This year, we are proud to recognize Phil Ebert.<br class=""> <br class="">You've seen Phil on Highway One outside Caspar. You may have waved and honked as you drove past him. You may have wondered why, for almost fifteen years now, every Sunday from 11-1, rain or shine, summer or winter, Phil has stood on the east side of the highway surrounded by peace flags.<br class=""> <br class="">Phil Ebert hails from a military family. His father and three brothers were all in the military. His dad spent 33 years in the Marines and was a Veteran of three wars. His older brother was Corpsman who spent 34 years in the Navy. His two younger brothers were also Corpsmen in the Navy, and Phil enlisted in the Navy during the Vietnamese War, hoping to make a career for himself in the military. After losing an eye and a hand to a hand grenade, Phil reflected on what he'd seen in Vietnam during his protracted convalescence. The destruction, the death of children, the horror, the madness of war transformed Phil into an advocate for peace.<br class=""> <br class="">We talked to Phil on a recent Sunday afternoon as cars and bikes sped by, drivers honking and flashing peace signs, and asked him if he's had any negative reactions. He said he occasionally gets the finger and responds by waving his stump at the driver. I asked why he's worked for peace week after week, year after year, and he told me he hopes to convince people there's a better alternative than war. "Besides," he said, "it's fun. When little kids lean out the window of their parent's car and flash a peace sign back at me, it lifts my spirit and energizes me."<br class=""> <br class="">He invites everybody to join him. <br class=""> <br class="">Have your spirit lifted in these dark days by joining us for snacks and songs as we celebrate Phil Ebert, Mendocino's Peace Man, from 1:30-3 p.m., on Thursday, September 21st, in the Peace Garden adjoining the Senior Center on Harold St. in Fort Bragg.<br class=""> <br class="">For more information, contact ...<img height="640" width="479" apple-width="yes" apple-height="yes" apple-inline="yes" id="236ED899-BE75-4176-87B7-A896BF4C495E" src="cid:6DC0B2E0-4A7B-49C9-9952-ED08743F6FD9@hsd1.ca.comcast.net." class=""><br class=""><div class=""><br class=""></div><br class=""></body></html>