Riverhead peace pole honors longtime Rotary member Mary Ellwood
The Riverhead Rotary Club dedicated its seven-foot peace pole Wednesday in memory of Mary Ellen Ellwood, a longtime member and past president who died May 7.
Installed July 30 along River Walk, the pole bears the message “May peace prevail on Earth” in four languages spoken in Riverhead: English, Spanish, Polish and Ukrainian.
“Mel embodied the true spirit of Rotary through her service, kindness, and unwavering generosity,” said the Rev. George Dupree, the club’s immediate past president. “Her legacy of love and compassion continues to inspire us all.”
The Rev. Dupree first pitched the idea to the Town Board in January, and it took several Rotary presidencies to bring the project to fruition, he said.
“May this peace pole serve as a beacon of hope for generations to come, reminding us every day that peace begins with each of us, right here at home,” the Rev. Dupree told those attending the ceremony.
The Peace Pole Project began in Japan in the 1970s. Today, more than 200,000 multilingual peace poles have been planted globally, becoming a highly recognized symbol — and worldwide movement — of spreading the message of peace on Earth.
Southold Town installed a peace pole on the front lawn of its Town Hall in 2024. That pole reads “May peace prevail on Earth” in eight languages spoken on the North Fork: English, Hebrew, Greek, Polish, Spanish, Ukrainian, Arabic and the Mohawk language indigenous to New York State.
The Greenport School District installed one of its own between the school garden and tennis courts in May.
