Dear Friends of The Sunny Center,
One of our most recent traditions that embodies all that is good in the world, is the idea of Giving Tuesday. Although the concept originated in the US, Giving Tuesday is a global day of giving fueled by the power of social media and the spirit of giving, when many focus on their holiday and end-of-year giving. So we are reaching out to all our friends and supporters in the US and around the globe to connect on this Giving Tuesday!
OUR GUESTS AND VISITORS
Floyd Bledsoe (Photo by Mark Schotte)
We are still in touch with former guests, working to relocate one of our former guests, and with a team of people, along with our Italian friends, to help another of our exoneree guests to improve his life. We have two more recently exonerated guests scheduled for December. And one of our exonerees has had a baby! Congratulations to Floyd and Amanda Bledsoe! We are hoping to have their little family visit us in 2018.
We are working with a man due to be exonerated in California. He is awaiting the final outcome of the negotiations on whether to retry him. We are expecting him to come to the Sunny Center in 2018. This is the first time we’ve had a chance to work with someone before being released. And we are very grateful to his attorney for his assistance, as well as to the Sisters of St. Joseph for the promise of accommodation for him upon his release. Everything is easier when we all work together!
We are still in touch with former guests, working to relocate one of our former guests, and with a team of people, along with our Italian friends, to help another of our exoneree guests to improve his life. We have two more recently exonerated guests scheduled for December. And one of our exonerees has had a baby! Congratulations to Floyd and Amanda Bledsoe! We are hoping to have their little family visit us in 2018.
We are working with a man due to be exonerated in California. He is awaiting the final outcome of the negotiations on whether to retry him. We are expecting him to come to the Sunny Center in 2018. This is the first time we’ve had a chance to work with someone before being released. And we are very grateful to his attorney for his assistance, as well as to the Sisters of St. Joseph for the promise of accommodation for him upon his release. Everything is easier when we all work together!
OUR VOLUNTEERS
Tress, Peter and our chicken friend!
We got a lovely Thanksgiving message from our former volunteer Tress, who said:There are no words to express how deeply thankful I am to have Sunny Omslice and Peter Pringle in my life. I have learned more in the short time I have known them than I ever thought possible. How to be thankful. When to let go. The strength to find compassion when I normally would choose apathy. And most surprisingly, when to celebrate.
Thank you both for being the most genuinely kind and good people I know.
We got a lovely Thanksgiving message from our former volunteer Tress, who said:There are no words to express how deeply thankful I am to have Sunny Omslice and Peter Pringle in my life. I have learned more in the short time I have known them than I ever thought possible. How to be thankful. When to let go. The strength to find compassion when I normally would choose apathy. And most surprisingly, when to celebrate.
Thank you both for being the most genuinely kind and good people I know.
OUR FURRY FRIENDS
Barney and Trixie standing guard.
The goats went away again, stayed away two days, two nights, and a wild male goat escorted them home again. More kids are in our future, we think! Trixie the cat now goes on walks with the dogs. She’s decided she wants to be a dog. But the important thing is all our furry friends are happy and bring great joy to us, our volunteers and, most importantly, our guests. k here to edit.
The goats went away again, stayed away two days, two nights, and a wild male goat escorted them home again. More kids are in our future, we think! Trixie the cat now goes on walks with the dogs. She’s decided she wants to be a dog. But the important thing is all our furry friends are happy and bring great joy to us, our volunteers and, most importantly, our guests. k here to edit.
OUR ACTIVISM
The cast of The Exonerated at the Town Hall Theatre.
In the past month, we did a program in the UK for Amicus, a small charity that trains young lawyers to come to the US to help death penalty cases. As a result of our participation in the documentary film “Fallout,” focusing on the after affects of wrongful conviction, we were invited to speak before the European Union Parliament. They were very interested in finding ways to help and there was much discussion about establishing exonerees as Torture Victims, with international status and entitlement to assistance. We also staged a one-day-only performance of The Exonerated at the Town Hall Theatre in Galway as a fundraiser for the Sunny Center. It was a very successful event, in which we were able to partner with African immigrant asylum seekers who play the parts of the African-American men in the play. It was a very meaningful partnership, which has developed into a number of friendships. We became aware that there is a parallel between being an immigrant seeking asylum and being an exoneree as both groups face similar difficulties.
One of the satisfactions of our work is when we hear back from people who have been touched in some way by our story. Here’s a message we got this month:
Hi Sunny and Peter,
I was touched by your stories as told through Wrongful Conviction with Jason Flom. I just wanted to leave a note for you both and say to you how inspiring you both are as beacons of light, love, peace, and forgiveness. Hearing your stories was encouraging that real forgiveness exist and shines through the most treacherous of circumstance. Thank you for sharing your stories.
Sarah
In the past month, we did a program in the UK for Amicus, a small charity that trains young lawyers to come to the US to help death penalty cases. As a result of our participation in the documentary film “Fallout,” focusing on the after affects of wrongful conviction, we were invited to speak before the European Union Parliament. They were very interested in finding ways to help and there was much discussion about establishing exonerees as Torture Victims, with international status and entitlement to assistance. We also staged a one-day-only performance of The Exonerated at the Town Hall Theatre in Galway as a fundraiser for the Sunny Center. It was a very successful event, in which we were able to partner with African immigrant asylum seekers who play the parts of the African-American men in the play. It was a very meaningful partnership, which has developed into a number of friendships. We became aware that there is a parallel between being an immigrant seeking asylum and being an exoneree as both groups face similar difficulties.
One of the satisfactions of our work is when we hear back from people who have been touched in some way by our story. Here’s a message we got this month:
Hi Sunny and Peter,
I was touched by your stories as told through Wrongful Conviction with Jason Flom. I just wanted to leave a note for you both and say to you how inspiring you both are as beacons of light, love, peace, and forgiveness. Hearing your stories was encouraging that real forgiveness exist and shines through the most treacherous of circumstance. Thank you for sharing your stories.
Sarah
DO YOU WANT TO SUPPORT THE SUNNY CENTER?
We are so grateful for the support we have received and continue to receive. Every donation, large or small, helps make our work possible. This Tuesday, November 28, is Giving Tuesday, a day of giving that starts off the charity season. In honor of that, if you would like to make an online donation, please use the Support The Sunny Center use this link.
Donations by check may be mailed to:
Sunny Center
332 Bleecker Street
G11
New York, NY 10014
United States
Donations by check may be mailed to:
Sunny Center
332 Bleecker Street
G11
New York, NY 10014
United States
DO YOU WANT TO HELP?
We always welcome the energy, enthusiasm and help of our volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering, please visit our website at thesunnycenter.com and write to us!
STAY CONNECTED
There are many ways you can assist our work at the Sunny Center:
Peace and love,
Sunny and Peter
- You can spread the word about what we do by talking to a friend, sharing on social media or inviting us to talk at your organization or University.
- You can volunteer here at the center as we always welcome an extra pair of hands and a generous heart.
- You can donate air miles so that we can bring Exonerees to stay with us.
- You can make a financial gift, which is our most pressing need at the moment.
- And lastly, you can continue to receive this newsletter, keep us in your hearts and offer whatever assistance you might to make this a just world.
Peace and love,
Sunny and Peter
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