Tag: south Charlotte

Thousands of people lined sidewalks and filled the lawn of a south Charlotte recreation center Wednesday night to greet Buddhist monks walking for peace from Texas who traveled through Rock Hill earlier in the day.

People held signs with different messages and yelled “thank you” as the monks, some of whom wore shoes and winter hats, walked by them toward a row of chairs in the middle of the crowd on the turf.

“We don’t want a peaceful moment and then that’s it,” one of the monks said. “We want a long-term peace.”

The crowd listened as one monk spoke about their journey from Texas to Washington, D.C. He said they have walked over 1,600 miles in 81 days, and have sustained many injuries. But they pushed through those injuries, he said, because they don’t want to stop.

The monk encouraged the crowd to spend more time with loved ones and connecting with people. He also said it was important for people to continue pursuing peace even after the monks completed their journey.

The monk joked that once their journey was done, they planned to take a bus back to Texas.

Many unable to see the monks listened closely, holding family members close or sitting on the ground with their eyes closed.

The monk said they appreciated the gifts people have given them throughout their journey.

“We received your heart,” the monk said. But he asked that, beginning Thursday, as the monks make their way to Raleigh, that people don’t try to walk alongside them.

It can be stressful to have people crowding them and can create an unsafe environment, he said.

“Please understand and forgive us,” he said. A member of the crowd yelled, “We’ll respect your request.”

Crowd arrives hours before

Hundreds of people showed up to the recreation center hours before the monks arrived. People stood, sat on blankets or in lawn chairs from home. Kids chased each other. Many brought gifts for the monks, including dog treats for the monks’ dog, Aloka the Peace Dog, and snacks to munch on in the cold.

The Marion Diehl Recreation Center on Tyvola Road would be the last stop in North Carolina for the monks. .

“This is a distraction from all the chaos,” said Jessica Wells, who was with her mother, Denise Scheidt. “I hope the message they’re carrying revitalizes Charlotte.”

Wells, who stood near the front of the crowd with Scheidt, said the monks’ journey resonated with her in multiple ways. She’s originally from Texas, and said her father would share many of the same messages with her as a child.

Her father, who died recently, encouraged her to promote unity and be active and informed politically. He would have loved being with them to see the monks, Scheidt said.

“We’d probably have been here hours earlier if he was here,” she said.

Wells said she felt like her dad was present with them spiritually at the event, helping make sure they could get a decent parking spot.

Monks’ message of peace resonates

Lynne Williams, who had been at the rec center since 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, said she hoped the monks’ journey and message would resonate with people.

“We need more peace in this world,” Williams said. “We need people to stop all the othering.”

Williams also said she hoped people would greet the monks with prayers and bows, rather than with phones in hand.

The group is using a live map through Google Maps to help visitors locate and greet them.

“It’s just really beautiful to see somebody not just saying, ‘Oh, be peaceful,’” Williams said. “But actually putting their physical bodies on the line for that purpose.”

This story was originally published January 14, 2026 at 5:58 PM.