The Love Boats Are Coming to Gaza to Get Some Love!

Tweet The lovable and loving people from Washington going on the AUDACITY OF HOPE:

DAVID K. SCHERMERHORN was born in New York City (1929), graduated from University of North Carolina, and served in US Army infantry during Korean War. He worked for 35 years as a film producer primarily of TV commercials based in New York and California. He retired in 1996.

David shipped out on oil tankers during college vacations. He spent much time on boats and cruises into Canada on his own boat.

He made over a dozen trips to the arctic from Siberia to Greenland by dogsled, skis, kayak. Canoe. In 2006 he traveled by ski and dogsled to the North Pole, arriving with 4 broken ribs and pneumonia.

He served on numerous professional and civic boards and committees.

He has worked with the Free Gaza Movement. Free Palestine Movement, ACLU, Amnesty International, and other groups. He is active with Palestinian activities in the Seattle area.

He was on the first three voyages of the FGM that reached Gaza in 2008. In 2009 FGM’s boat, the Free Gaza, was not allowed to leave Cyprus. In 2010 he was captured aboard Challenger 1 traveling with the Gaza Freedom Flotilla. David will be part of the crew of The Audacity of Hope during FF2.

David has been married for 50 years to Joan. Two children. 3 grandchildren.

KIT KITTREDGE resides in Quilcene, WA. Here is her statement:

I am a 53 year old mother, grandmother, peace activist working with CodePink, Seattle MidEast Awareness Campaign, VFP, Ground Zero Center for Nonviolence. I have helped lead six delegations to Gaza in the last two years. We made it five times! I work as a massage therapist and volunteer as an EMT/Firefighter and have an organic garden where I play with my grandkids. I am passionate about Peace and work in the schools and communities to help educate and promote social justice. I look forward to continuing this process aboard The Audacity of Hope and believe all our efforts contribute to justice for Palestine and the world!

Megan Horan

MEGAN HORAN resides in Seattle, WA. Here is her statement:

We are all called many things by many people, and I am certainly no exception. I am called “daughter” by my parents and “sister” by my nine brothers and sisters. I am called “aunt” by my fourteen nieces and nephews and “friend” by the people I have been fortunate enough to get to know all around the globe. All of these are who I am to others, and I am equally proud of each and every one, but the one I personally feel is most accurate is “global citizen.” I am fully dedicated to not only bringing aid to Gaza with the help of everyone else involved in this undertaking, I am also committed to bringing what I learn from the experience back to everyone I know who is less than aware of the persecution and oppression being carried out on a daily basis against the Palestinians. I have always been a person with an unwavering focus on what I believe in and there is nothing I believe in more passionately right now than freedom and justice for the Palestinians, and I vow to do my part to make those things and more happen. I am Megan Horan, and I stand in firm solidarity with the Palestinian people.

RICHARD LOPEZ, 46, a music graduate of The Evergreen State College, lives in Olympia, WA with his hero wife and 5-fun kids. He is a jazz musician and currently performs jazz Latin music with Momenti Rubati and reggae with the Planetary People. He conducts the Bob Nixon Tribute Big Band and enjoys playing his alto flute on the sidewalk in front of Radiance Herbs & Massage. Richard also performs on trombone and is a King Artist endorsed by the Conn-Selmer musical instruments manufacturer.

Richard has served on the board for both the Interfaith Works and the Parents Organizing for Welfare and Economics Rights (POWER) organizations. After completing his MA in Spiritual Formation at Northwest Nazarene University, he worked as a chaplain for the Olympia Fire Department and now continues his crisis work with the WA-1 DMAT team based in Seattle. Richard was recognized by the Red Cross for his work with the Waveland, Mississippi disaster zone survivors after Hurricane Katrina in Sept. 2005.

He continues to be active in local forums and peace vigils where challenging environmental, social and economic issues are met with understanding, truth and love. Richard is new to the heartbreak in Palestine and wants to be a witness to the dreadful circumstances these beautiful people experience so that the world may know their truth.

http://ustogazawest.org/