Sherry's Special Interests
 

Since 1981, Rev. Sherry has been a student and teacher of Metaphysical studies and meditation.  Since the mid-1980's, Rev. Sherry has lead classes on: 'Meditation', 'Crystals and Stones', 'Chakra Balancing',  and 'Soul Mates'.  Sherry has written articles on these and other Metaphysical/New Age topics for a variety of publications. 

Since 1995 Rev. Sherry has been a student and participant in Native American studies.  Her Native American Teachers are a Ute Pueblo Medicine Man, Beautiful Painted Arrow (Joseph Rael),  a part-Cherokee Medicine Woman, Spirit Medicine (Sally Perry) and other wonderful teachers of different traditions including Cherokee and Lakota.  Sherry and her husband have been made honorary Elders of a Peace Sound Chamber in Swannanoa North Carolina.  Sherry and her husband have also danced in the Sun/Moon dance (a 4 day ceremonial dance), and the Drum Dance (a 3 day ceremonial dance), as well as supported and drummed for these and other dances.

In 2007, A Turtle Lodge, (Prayer Lodge) was built at The Peace Chapel
with Rev. LakotaHasie Frazier. Monthly Prayer Lodges are held on a
rotating schedule. You can learn more about this by visiting
the Events or Calendar page.

As part of their spiritual journey in this life time, Sherry and her husband were blessed to spend a month in India in 2001, as the guests of Acharya Yug Purush Swami Parmanandji staying in his ashrams in Delhi and Haridwar.  During this journey they were able to dip in the blessed Ganges River and to visit Rishi Kish in Northern India. 

Since 2001, Rev. Sherry and her husband, Rev. Altazar Smith have returned for 3
more month long journeys to India,
Traveling with His Holiness, Swami Parmanand Maharaj Ji
visiting his ashrams, schools, and other charitable projects.
In 2003 they were able to visit one of the projects they support,
Vatsalyagram (Affection Village) in Vrindavan India.
This inspirational project is run under the guidance of HH Swami Parmanand
Maharaj Ji and Swami Rhitambri Ji (affectionately known as Didi Maa).
In Affection Village, 3 women without family are matched with 5 to 8 orphaned
or abandoned children to create an "Affection Family".
The 3 women raise the children as 'Mommy', 'Aunt', and 'Grandma'.
The children in the 'Affection Family' become brothers and sisters for life.
This 'Affection Family' is a life long bond.
The Affection Village (Vatsalyagram) is housed on 50 acres in Vrindavan
and includes housing for each Affection Family, schools, hospitals,
gardens, ayurvedic gardens, orchards, play grounds, guest houses for
visitors, and their own water treatment facilities.
Children can recieve education all the way through the college level.
Education is provided in alleopathic, ayurvedic, naturopathic and
homeopathic medicine.
Additionally the students can recieve degrees in agriculture, animal husbandry,
technology, tailoring, accounting, and other vocational skills.
These children, once abandoned or orphaned, will now become well loved,
productive members of society.
As the children become adults, and the Mommy, Aunt and Grandma age, the
children will care for them in their old age, just as they would for
their own birth parents.
This amazing project has now become a model for other programs all across
India!

As part of Rev. Sherry's commitment to her community, she volunteers her time and skills to a variety of projects. In the past she has volunteered with Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America,  and participated in fund raising events such as walkathons with  The March of Dimes, The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and several others. 

Sherry has donated her time and reading skills to fund raising events for The Boarder Baby Foundation, Hospice of Washington, Project Graduation, and The Andre Cherkey Salon's Salonathon for Children's Hospital of Washington, DC.
For over 7 years Rev. Sherry has donated food, and volunteered her time at the Interfaith Relief Food Bank, and for 4 years with the Daily Bread Hot Meal Program.  For 5 of those years, Rev. Sherry has been a team leader for a wonderful group of dedicated friends that have volunteered their time to run the food bank and the hot meal program one night per month for each program.  (The average is over 1,700+ lbs. of food handed out in each evening, to those in need, and an average of 70 meals served on hot meal night.). 

In addition to donations to a variety of Animal Rescue organizations, Sherry has taken in numerous 'rescue' animals over the years that have greatly enriched her life with their love and presence. 

Rev. Sherry encourages others to find ways in which they can contribute to their communities either financially or with their time and efforts.  We can all make the world a better place for all living things.

In 2002, two  special projects that Rev. Sherry participated in was helping to collect library books and school supplies for 250 children on the Crow and Cheyenne reservations in northern Montana.  Sherry and her group of friends donated  almost 400 lbs of school supplies, and 300 lbs of books for the new children's library that was built by the non-profit organization, Red Feather Development Group.  

The second project in 2002 was collecting and shipping 6 large boxes weighing almost 300 lbs, of Christmas gifts to the children of the Lakota Reservation in Pierre South Dakota through a program sponsored by Mary Thunder each year.  

THAT PROJECT HAS GROWN IN LEAPS AND BOUNDS IN THE ENSUING YEARS!
NOW AVERAGING OVER 1/2 TON EACH HOLIDAY,
AND 1/4 TON EACH SEPTEMBER FOR THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR!

Since then, Rev. Sherry and The Peace Chapel have collected and
shipped over 2,000 lbs of holiday gifts, school supplies, warm coats,
sweaters, jackets, and hygiene items to the Church of The Tipi Wakan
(Rev. Boots Marsh and his wife Jackie Partin) EACH YEAR.
They collect items and shop sales all year long to help supply the
children with school clothes, school supplies and other basic necessities.
The annual Holiday Project takes over 2 to 3 rooms of Rev. Sherry's home
each year as the collection of holiday gifts and warm winter clothing
begins each September as soon as the school supply and school clothing
project is finished.
Rev. Sherry and The Peace Chapel collect holiday gifts, supplies, warm
clothing, dried fruits, nuts, candy, sugar free candy, sweaters, coats,
blankets, jackets, toys, games, soaps, candles, baby clothing and more each
holiday season.

Collection, boxing and shipping of basic supplies and other items
continue all year as the need arises.
We also send DVD's, Videos, art and craft supplies, educational games and other items to be used at The Church of the Tipi Wakan for their
after school programs for the children.

The Church needs a continuous supply of basic necessities that they
can share with their community all year long: Soap, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, combs, brushes,
toothbrushes, toothpaste, baby supplies, aspirin, tylenol, cold medicines
creams, lotions, band aids, socks, t-shirts, underwears (boys and girls all sizes,
ages), diabetes supplies, etc.
If you or someone you know works for a company that can donate and ship
any of these items, PLEASE CONTACT Rev. Sherry for shipping information
directly to the church in North Dakota.



































  

The next project was for the Holiday Season of 2003, Sherry and her group of friends from The Church of Peace, Love and Blessings, collected and shipped boxes weighing over 1,000 lbs, of Christmas gifts, books, toys, clothing, coats to the children of the Standing Rock Reservation in Cannonball North Dakota through a program sponsored by Rev. Boots Marsh and Jackie Partin, from the Church of the Tipi Wakan in Cannonball, and Mary Thunder.
Additionaly, Sherry and her group had the joy of adopting an Elder and her family, and a local Northern Virginia family with 3 children that needed holiday help. Sherry continues to send new and 'newused' clothing and supplies to The Church of the Tipi Wakan throughout the year, as their needs continue year round, and are not limited to the holiday season.
Sherry is deeply touched by Rev. Boots Marsh, and his wife Jackie Partin for their deep dedication to their entire community, and most especially the children of the Standing Rock Reservation. year.  

The generosity of everyone involved in these projects is truly inspiring.  Complete strangers donated toys and supplies when they learned of these projects, including one check out clerk at the grocery store where Sherry was going every week while collecting school supplies for the first project.
Sherry's friends have already started their collections of gifts and school supplies for the coming holiday season.
Sherry and her friends now buy school supplies, clothing, toys and games year round in preparation for the holiday seasaon.

 

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