Kitsap residents will form human peace sign

Ten years ago, in March of 2003, 500 people assembled at Evergreen Park in Bremerton for a group photo. Dubbed “Kitsap Wants Peace,” the event was organized by a group of volunteers as a way to protest the launch of the Iraq war.

Bremerton resident Wendy McNeal had a poster of the original photo-taking session and wondered if anyone would be interested in recreating the photo for the 10-year anniversary.

She posted the idea on Facebook in January and garnered enough “Likes” to proceed. People interested in participating in “Kitsap Still Wants Peace: Human Peace Sign Photo” can gather at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 9, at Evergreen Park in Bremerton.

Seattle photographer Alex Garland will take the shot at noon.

“It takes longer than you might think,” McNeal said, of corralling hundreds of people into a recognizable symbol.

In 2003, a photographer on scaffolding took a photo of participants crowded together.

“Once the amoeba-shape shots were taken, I busted an ‘executive’ decision-making move (against the wishes of some) just to see what we could do with a mass peace sign,” said Hap Bockelie, who participated in the original photo and is helping with the anniversary. “Somehow, someway we pulled it off!”

Like the original photo, this year’s image will be made into postcards.

After the photo session, participants can listen to the band Dharma Sound and peruse information tables.

 

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