Valley Tour Spring 2014 (pt 3) Stockton

I got to Delta College in Stockton early on that (5/1/14) Thursday morning.  Checked in with Tina, the Facilities Coordinator got a special parking pass and I was in.  My location, the Joe Serna Amphitheater is great!  It is in the shade; plenty of traffic; great brick benches all around; a koi pond; beautiful.  Sold several books; passed out GMO Action Alerts; and quarter sheets for the local Peace & Justice Network of San Joaquin County (P&JN); put up the fewest Panels yet, only 10.  I have observed that too many panels are overwhelming.  People don’t have a lot of time.  So from now on I’m making the exhibit just what can be seen in a few minutes.  It’s more approachable that way. 

I sold a copy of NVC to Marilyn, who was part of the team who just got a community radio station up and running.  She mentioned Leticia who is working on organizing a big Stockton Peace Festival.  She might want the Peace Panels there.

One guy, in a hurry, came up and bought one of every book I had! 

Sitting in the Amphitheater, watching the students walk by, it hit me.  I had forgotten my Advertising 101 rule number one, stress the benefit!  Here I was with panels that failed to headline the benefits.  What a great epiphany!  The Peace Panels are going to get so much better!  I started sketching and brainstorming right then.   I’m excited about a new generation of much more effective Peace Panels. 

After packing up from the Delta College exhibit it is just about a two block drive to the other side of campus to the P&JN Peace Vigil Thursdays 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm on Pacific Avenue near Yokuts Ave.  There I leaned up the “A LOT OF YOUR TAXES MAKE WAR” Panel on one tree and then the “HOW MUCH OF YOUR TIME MAKES PEACE?” Panel on the next tree; then, an equal distance south I held up the “SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL PEACE GROUP” Panel and had my own Burma Shave sequence of signs set up; visible to the southbound traffic on Pacific Avenue.  Smiling and waving I got a lot of drivers smiling and waving back.  Soon the P&JN regulars showed up and our ranks swelled to nine.  Sue invited me to their meeting that night, I offered her left over quarter sheets of P&JN and some Career Builders brochures I had been handing out and respectfully declined.  We made plans for future meetings but, after three days on the road, I was coming home tonight; having learned a lot and gained in inspiration