Bill Hammaker, one of Ventura Countys strong advocates for peace, will be honored for his 100th birthday with the dedication of a Peace Pole Sunday, June 8, and a birthday party Wednesday, June 11, at the Camarillo United Methodist Church.

The dedication of the Peace Pole will be June 8 at both the 9 and 10:30 a.m. services in the sanctuary. The birthday party honoring his centennial year will be June 11 from 3 to 6 p.m. in Brooks Hall. Both events are open to the public free of charge.

The eight-foot pole will be placed in the churchs Friendship Garden. It will be inscribed, May Peace Prevail on Earth, in eight languages English, Spanish, Chumash, Hebrew, Korean, Arabic, Japanese, and Hindi, plus a plaque in Braille. The pole will honor both his birthday and his years of advocating peace.

Bill, known to some as the Professor of Peace, has been a peace advocate for many years, saying, Its high time we have a Department of Peace. He lists his occupation as a retreaded volunteer.

Hammaker was born June 5, 1908 in Philadelphia, grew up in the Philadelphia area, and graduated from Lansdowne High School in the suburbs.

His educational credits include BS and BA degrees, respectively, in Agricultural Economics and Social Sciences from Penn State University and an MA degree in Christian Education from New York City Teachers College, Union Theological Seminary and Columbia University.

His work career started with Penn State Christian Association in 1930.

He retired in 1969 after serving 23 years as Director of the YMCA of Ventura County. I enjoyed the people; the YMCA is a people business, he summarized.

Bill and Twila Klein Hammaker were married 67 1/2 years before her death in 2002. They were founding members of the Funeral Consumers Alliance of the Channel Cities.

Hammaker has three daughters, Carol Stoughton of Sacramento, Sue Hammaker of Camarillo, and Sigrid Wong of Ventura, plus six grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

His advice to persons striving to reach 100 years 1) Hard work both mental and physical; 2) Naps I take them when I get a chance and when I need them; and 3) Im a non-smoker.

Bill is still active in the community as a member of the Camarillo Democratic Club, Camarillo United Methodist Church, Fellowship of Reconciliation, Amnesty International USA, FOOD Share of Ventura County, Wider Quaker Fellowship, and the American Association of Retired Persons, plus chairman of Go-Seek-Ask Tours of Ventura County.

For more information on the events, please call the Methodist Church Office at 805-482-4312 or go to the Church web site www.cam-umc.org. The church is located at 291 Anacapa Dr. in Camarillo, north of Las Posas Road.

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