Joyce Vandevere, president of Seaside's Peace Resource Center since it became a 501c(3) non-profit in 2005, is stepping down from her post. On Jan. 18, the board of the peace organization will hold their annual meeting, at which a new president will be voted in.

"[Joyce] is 80-plus years old now," says PRC member Helen Rose. "She needs to have a break."

Vandevere says she is proud of the relationships forged and progress made in the years she's been at the helm, including moving into the Fremont Boulevard space that allows them to "actually have events," she says. But she also says, "There should be some change from time to time. It's not like I'm disappearing; I'll go on volunteering. What will please me is not to have that overall responsibility."

And who will? His name is Steven Goings. He also goes by the name Quazar.

"We're wildly enthusiastic about [Steve]," says Rose. "He's smart, dedicated, he grew up in Seaside."

"We got acquainted with Steve," says Vandevere, "when he was president of the Student Peace Alliance, largely organized by him at CSUMB, and he was doing amazing things. Last spring he organized a tremendous Peace Week with activities every day. He got many faculty and students involved. After he graduated, we invited him to come on our board and he's been extremely thoughtful and thinks deeply about the issues."

Having studied social and behavioral sciences, he graduated from CSUMB this past summer (he's in his 40's), and has since sat on the PRC board and worked as a community representative for Americorp. His background includes colorful occupations in San Francisco, including as a karaoke host, singing waiter and children's theater performer, though he hasn't been on a stage since 2005, he says.

He elaborates on the Peace Week events at CSUMB that seemed to first catch the eye of PRC members: "In April we put on about 13 different events here, including hosting many members of the Peace Coalition, the National Peace Alliance's Northern California director and president. [We] had a gay Christian summit, showed documentaries, including one on Darfur."

Accomplishments aside, the fast pace of the PRC board's invitation to head the organization made Going feel dubious.

"They're looking for a younger generation," he says. "And I have a lot of relationships with students on campus. I had just joined the [PRC] board a couple of months ago. It sounds daunting but they assured me they would pitch in [and] things would be fine, so I'm willing to try it out. I'm honored by their trust in me, founded or not, and I do care about the peace movement and want to move things forward. Joyce's shoes I could not fill. I couldn't consider it if I didn't think she would be around to mentor me."

"He's hesitant about being the president," says Vandevere. "But we like him for his thoughtful approach and organizing ability. There's a consensus on the board."

Steven Going will be interviewed at about 9:30am Friday, Dec. 24, on Hal Ginsberg's Morning Show on KRXA 540AM, which runs 8-10am, as part of a series on the organizations of the Peace Coalition of Monterey County.