Orion's Peace Camp & Learning Center: a Global Movement

Written for Susan Strong Morgan (Orion’s Grandmother) and Kharma Strong (Orion’s Mother)

“Together, we can make a difference” was Orion Strong’s motto. His grandmother Susan Strong Morgan says, ‘Supporting my daughter, Kharma, as birth coach, I watched him emerge, wide-eyed, into the light and felt an energetic transmission that blew my heart wide open, deeply and forever expanding my capacity for love.’ Orion was a champion hugger, lover of animals, voracious reader, deep thinker, and friend to all mankind. Naturally empathetic, he would comfort anyone who appeared to be in distress and could always elicit a genuine smile.

Taking action when he saw injustice, a friend shared that when Orion saw two boys bullying another child at school he took the bullies aside and spoke to them in a calm and friendly way. The target of the bullying told her, “I don’t know what he said, but they never bullied me again: That kid made a difference!”

Orion also made a difference volunteering to help behind the scenes, setting up for school events, serving or making food for the homeless, and participating in school and community cleanup days. At his eighth grade graduation ceremony Orion experienced the proudest moment of his life: He was presented with the Lincoln Stewart Award by the Russian River Fire Fighters Association, given to the student who best exemplified selfless service, typically being the first in his school and community to raise a helping hand when someone needed it, and for dedication to being drug and alcohol free.

On November 10, 2014, at age 16, Orion got his angel wings after a 17 month battle with leukemia. Before he transitioned, Orion asked those who wanted to honor and remember him to do something to uplift community.

Inspired, Orion’s family sought to fulfill his request by building upon his legacy of helping and empowering others. In 2005, while working as an advocate for victims of domestic violence, Susan had a vision of teaching children skills of peace and how to become peaceful leaders as a means of breaking the cycle of violence. Her vision was brought to fruition as Peace Camp, held in the projects of Peacedale, RI. Visiting for the summer, Orion had the opportunity to attend the program, which fueled his own desire to become a peacemaker. The children learned about famous peacemakers, such as Martin Luther King, Jr., practiced random acts of kindness, and learned how to be good stewards of the planet. Susan facilitated another Peace Camp in 2010. On the final day of that program the children were invited to describe one thing they didn’t like about Peace Camp. The only response, given after much deliberation: “The day I couldn’t come.”

To honor Orion, Susan, Kharma, and Susan’s husband, Roger, determined to expand upon the transformative power and success of Peace Camp. Incorporated as a nonprofit, Orion’s Peace Camp & Learning Center’s mission is to teach skills of peace and promote the development of peace camps and programs worldwide. To succeed, they have partnered with Global One to One (formerly known as Project PeacePals), a nonprofit agency located in Albuquerque, NM whose mission is to help build peace by cultivating cross-cultural understanding and communication between children across the globe by connecting students in the U.S. with counterparts at schools around the world. Over the course of a year they become “PeacePals,” exchanging handwritten letters, videos and Skype calls. Together, the agencies envision PeacePals from other countries connecting in person during the summer months with PeacePals from the U.S. at Orion’s Peace Camp & Learning Center.

Programming includes a residential camp for children/teens during the summer months, with year round programs providing outreach such as workshops on dealing effectively with bullies and dating violence for school age children, positive parenting classes, mindfulness trainings, online workshops, and much more. Orion’s Peace Camp staff and participants will learn nonviolent communication, which they will practice and hone during camp. In learning these skills, future leaders will be empowered and their message of peace will ripple far and wide, helping to spread peace over a planet in desperate need of experiencing heaven on earth.

The universe conspired on their behalf when they were given a tip about a property perfectly suited to become the permanent location for the headquarters and residential component of Orion’s Peace Camp & Learning Center. On 256 mostly wooded acres in rural New Mexico, the property includes a huge outbuilding with over 5000 square feet of empty space, ready for the addition of a commercial kitchen, dining hall, activities rooms and staff housing; the perfect environment in which to nurture a vision of peace.

The final step to bringing this plan to fruition is funding necessary to purchase and develop the property. A Kickstarter campaign was launched on Tuesday, Oct. 11, and will run for 30 days, ending at 6 a.m. on November 10th, Orion’s two year angel anniversary. To learn more about Orion’s Peace Camp & Learning Center and how you can become a beacon of peace, helping to bring this project to light, please click here or visit our web page at www.peacecamporion.com

Kharma Strong is the proud mom of Orion, Bodhi, and Ivie and bonus mom of Lydia, Brian, and Coraline. Kharma holds a B.A. in Holistic Health, is a Reiki Master and Clinical Herbalist. The owner of Phoenix Rising Healing Arts in Sonoma County, CA she believes that through healing ourselves, we can heal the planet. www.sonomacountyreiki.com

Susan Morgan is a former high school English teacher. Sue has devoted most of her professional life to working with children and adults who have been marginalized due to a number of different factors. She lives in Sebastopol, California with her husband Roger.