PEEL

PEEL was proud to support 12 Habits of Peacemakers at the Washington Wild Things baseball game this past Sunday for Mascot A Palooza!

It was a wonderful day that brought families, community, kindness, and fun together in one place. 12 Habits of Peacemakers is doing meaningful work by helping people of all ages learn how to lead with peace, understanding, respect, and compassion.

We were grateful to be part of a day that celebrated connection, character, and community spirit while enjoying America’s favorite pastime with the Washington Wild Things.

Thank you to everyone who came out, cheered on the Wild Things, enjoyed the mascot fun, and supported a mission that reminds us all that peace begins with each of us.


*Some photos taken from the Wild Things social media

Enter a world where fashion blooms, music moves through the glasshouse, and art comes alive among the botanicals.

Join The Green Voice and Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens for La Fleur, an unforgettable evening celebrating nature, creativity and culture.

Throughout the evening, discover models adorned in organic floral materials roaming the historic halls of Phipps, creating living works of art inspired by the beauty of the natural world.

The show is less than one month away. Get your tickets today!
https://my.conservatory.org/lafleuratphipps/june11

Today’s PEEL Motivation, Meaning and Momentum is written with a heavy heart and a grateful spirit.

This weekend, many gathered to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Brent Robbins. Brent was a son, husband, father, grandfather, professor, colleague, friend, mentor, and so much more. He was also the beloved son of our PEEL Champion, Kelli Robbins, and our hearts are with her and everyone who loved him.

At his viewings and funeral, what stood out most was not only what Brent accomplished, although he accomplished so much. What stood out were the stories.

Stories from students whose lives were changed because he saw something in them.

Stories from people who felt heard, valued, challenged, encouraged, and understood.

Stories from those who learned not just from what he taught, but from how he lived.

Brent’s legacy is not confined to a classroom, a title, a degree, or a program. His legacy lives in the people who will carry his words forward. It lives in the students who will become better professionals because of his guidance. It lives in the family who loved him deeply. It lives in the friends, colleagues, and community members who will never forget the way he made them think, feel, question, grow, and believe.

And that is the lesson for all of us today.

What are we leaving behind in the rooms we enter?

Are we teaching peace, kindness, strength, and positivity?

Are we helping people feel more capable, more courageous, and more loved?

Or are we becoming the mistake someone had to learn from?

Every conversation is a chance to leave an imprint. Every interaction is a chance to make someone feel seen. Every hard season is a chance to choose grace over bitterness, purpose over fear, and love over ego.

Brent reminded people that life has meaning, even in suffering. He reminded people that love matters. He reminded people that the way we show up becomes part of someone else’s story.

May we all live in a way that makes people speak of us with that kind of tenderness, respect, and gratitude.

May we teach peace.

May we choose positivity.

May we create meaning.

May we move with momentum.

And may we never forget that our legacy is being written every single day.

Take me out to the ballgame for a great cause.

PEEL is proud to support 12 Habits of Peacemakers through our upcoming Washington Wild Things baseball game fundraiser.

Tickets are only $10, and 50 percent of each ticket purchased through our dedicated link will go directly back to 12 Habits of Peacemakers.

It is also a Sunday game, which means kids get in free and eat free. Plus, it is Mascot a Palooza, so mascots from around the region will be there for fun photos and memories.

This is such an easy and meaningful way to support a local charity, enjoy a day at the ballpark, and spend time with good people.

Grab your ticket, bring your family, invite your friends, and help us reach our goal of 25 attendees. https://qrco.de/Play4Peace

PEEL Monday Motivation, Meaning & Momentum

The Kentucky Derby was incredible this weekend!

Golden Tempo was not the obvious pick. He was not the sure thing. He was not the one everyone had already crowned before the race began.

But he ran his race.

This wasn't his jockey, José Ortiz's first rodeo. But, it was his first Kentucky Derby victory, and sometimes that is the part we forget when we look at someone else’s success. We see the flowers, the trophy, the headlines, and the celebrations. We don't always see the years of showing up, the losses, the lessons, the patience, the preparation, and the quiet belief it takes to get there.

That is momentum.

Momentum is not always loud. Sometimes it looks like staying in the race when no one is watching. Sometimes it looks like trusting your pace. Sometimes it even looks like minutes away from giving up. Sometimes it also looks like waiting for the right opening and having the courage to take it when it comes.

And then there is meaning.

Golden Tempo’s win also made history with trainer Cherie DeVaux becoming the first woman trainer to win the Kentucky Derby. What a reminder that the thing you are building may be bigger than the finish line in front of you. Sometimes your win becomes someone else’s proof that it is possible. Do you know who's watching you?

So today, ask yourself this:

Why am I still in the race?

Why do I need to trust my pace?

Why have I been counting myself out just because I was not the obvious choice?

You do not have to be everyone’s favorite to finish strong. You do not have to be first out of the gate to have a powerful ending. You just have to stay focused, keep moving, and believe that your moment can still come. You just have to stay the course, and NOT QUIT!

Meaning gives the race purpose.

Momentum keeps you moving.

And sometimes, the most beautiful victories come from the ones who simply refused to stop running.

Monday Motivation. Meaning. Momentum.

We talk a lot about “the next generation”… but what if they’re already showing up as the example?

In a recent story shared by ABC News, a group of middle school students didn’t hesitate when a situation turned serious.
They didn’t freeze.
They didn’t look around waiting for someone else to take the lead.

They stepped in. Together. Quickly. Intentionally. And because of that, they quite literally changed the outcome.

Let that sink in.

Middle schoolers.

At an age where people often assume they are distracted, immature, or not yet ready… they showed awareness, courage, and teamwork that many adults struggle to demonstrate.

And here’s the part worth reflecting on…

If we lined up that moment next to some of the behaviors we see from grown adults today the comparison might be uncomfortable.

Because leadership is not about age.
It is not about title.
And it is certainly not about waiting for permission.

It is about action when it matters most.

These kids didn’t just help.
They reminded us what it looks like to:
• Pay attention
• Care about others
• Step up instead of standing by
• Lead without being asked - When you see a Need, you fill a Need!

That is the future.

So today’s question is simple...

Are WE modeling the kind of leadership they just showed us?

Let’s be better.
Let’s be present.
Let’s be the kind of people who act when it counts.



Here's the video: https://abcnews.link/mhjK2k2

We are proud to welcome 12 Habits of Peacemakers as one of PEEL’s 2026 Charity Partners.

The project has its roots in a highly successful Rotary youth initiative developed between 2000 and 2008 by then club member Elaine Parke. Known as 12 Caring Habits, the program used engaging multimedia materials to introduce twelve monthly peace-based values in Pittsburgh area schools and communities.

First piloted in 1998 at Aliquippa Middle School under the leadership of Principal Dr. Melvin Steals, the Caring Habits initiative produced measurable results. Academic performance improved, bullying declined, and within two years the program earned the Pennsylvania State Violence Free Youth Award, presented by then Governor Tom Ridge.

A new half day workshop is currently in development, Informal Conflict Mediation, will teach practical mediation principles such as active listening, finding common ground, and reducing reactivity. Unlike formal mediation processes, this approach is designed for everyday situations where tensions are escalating and relationships matter.

At PEEL, our pillars of professional achievement, personal development, philanthropic endeavors, playful purpose, and meaningful connection align beautifully with this mission. We believe community matters, belonging matters, and creating safe spaces where people can build relationships and find purpose matters.

Throughout their partnership with PEEL, we will be highlighting their work, sharing their story, and supporting their efforts through our events and network.
We invite you to learn more about the incredible work they are doing and the impact they have and are making in our community.

Learn more:
https://www.12habits4allofus.org/12-months

Together we can create stronger, healthier communities.

Some stories don’t just inspire you…they remind you who we are at our core.

In 1978, a devastating crash along I 79 left first responders believing there were no survivors. Then, in the silence…a baby cried.

That baby was Memori.

Pulled from the wreckage by former state trooper Larry Maggi, her life was saved in a moment that could have easily gone another way. She lost her family, faced unimaginable odds, and was told her future may be limited.

Fast forward 47 years.

Memori is now a mother, a leader, and a woman who turned survival into purpose. And recently, she was reunited with the man she calls her angel on Earth.

Let that sink in.

Meaning is not always found in the moment. Sometimes it takes years, even decades, to understand why something happened and how it shaped who we become.

Momentum is built when we choose to move forward anyway. When we take what we have been given, even the hardest parts, and turn it into something greater.

And motivation?

It lives in stories like this. In people who show up. In moments that change everything. In the reminder that one act can ripple across a lifetime.

You never know whose life you are impacting.

Show up with purpose. Lead with heart. Keep going.



https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/channel-11-exclusive-woman-rescued-crash-baby-1978-reunited-with-man-who-saved-her/NSBJ62YD6JAG3OME6SZOSHIQJY/

We are proud to welcome 12 Habits of Peacemakers as one of PEEL’s 2026 Charity Partners.

The project has its roots in a highly successful Rotary youth initiative developed between 2000 and 2008 by then club member Elaine Parke. Known as 12 Caring Habits, the program used engaging multimedia materials to introduce twelve monthly peace-based values in Pittsburgh area schools and communities.

First piloted in 1998 at Aliquippa Middle School under the leadership of Principal Dr. Melvin Steals, the Caring Habits initiative produced measurable results. Academic performance improved, bullying declined, and within two years the program earned the Pennsylvania State Violence Free Youth Award, presented by then Governor Tom Ridge.

A new half day workshop is currently in development, Informal Conflict Mediation, will teach practical mediation principles such as active listening, finding common ground, and reducing reactivity. Unlike formal mediation processes, this approach is designed for everyday situations where tensions are escalating and relationships matter.

At PEEL, our pillars of professional achievement, personal development, philanthropic endeavors, playful purpose, and meaningful connection align beautifully with this mission. We believe community matters, belonging matters, and creating safe spaces where people can build relationships and find purpose matters.

Throughout their partnership with PEEL, we will be highlighting their work, sharing their story, and supporting their efforts through our events and network.
We invite you to learn more about the incredible work they are doing and the impact they have and are making in our community.

Learn more:
https://www.12habits4allofus.org/12-months

Together we can create stronger, healthier communities.

Monday Motivation, Meaning & Momentum

Some weeks are about checking boxes.
This is not one of those weeks.

This is a week to feel something.
To notice what inspires you.
To pay attention to the people who are creating, building, and showing up in ways that are bold and unapologetic.

Motivation comes when you allow yourself to be moved.
Meaning comes when you connect to something bigger than your to do list.
Momentum comes when you decide to lean in instead of sitting back.

So here is your reminder for the week:

Say yes to the experience.
Say yes to the room.
Say yes to supporting someone else’s vision.

Because when you do, something shifts.
Ideas spark.
Energy builds.
And suddenly, you are not just watching it happen.
You are part of it.

Let this be the week you step into it.