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Peace Corps fellow joins development team
BY PAUL GALE STAFF WRITER Published: Monday, June 23, 2003
ROCK FALLS, ILLINOIS — A Nebraska man who earned his way through college on a baseball scholarship is excited about working in Rock Falls as a Peace Corps fellow.
Shawn C. Kaskie began his work as a regional planner-Peace Corps fellow-intern with the Blackhawk Hills Economic District of Northwestern Illinois about three weeks ago.
"If this internship is anything like the Peace Corps, I will learn more than I can hope to repay," said the Papillion, Neb., native who pitched as a closer for the Hastings College, Neb., team.
Although he attended a couple of Scout camps, Kaskie said he didn't pitch hard enough to land a job in professional baseball.
Kaskie threw in the 80s (mph) while baseball teams sign pitchers who throw at least in the lower 90s.
Expecting to receive his master of arts in geography from Western Illinois University next May, Kaskie is working on a certificate in community development.
Caption: Shawn Kaskie worked in Papua, New Guinea, for two years with the Peace Corps. In New Guinea, Kaskie helped plan, secure funding and complete several community projects. Besides facilitating more than 30 workshops, he coordinated with more than 300 volunteers on the construction of three village water supply systems, six elementary schools and a rural health clinic.
On his way to Rock Falls, Kaskie made stops in Papua, New Guinea, for two years with the Peace Corps, and at Father Flanagan's Boys Home with his wife, Jessica.
In New Guinea, Kaskie helped plan, secure funding and complete several community projects.
Besides facilitating more than 30 workshops, he coordinated with more than 300 volunteers on the construction of three village water supply systems, six elementary schools and a rural health clinic.
At the boys home, Kaskie and his wife worked with four teenage girls as a family-teaching couple.
He also worked as an intern for the Hastings city administrator.
After he completes his service with Blackhawk Hills, Kaskie hopes to get a job with a state or the federal government in the economic development or conservation field.
"My heart is in the rural area," said Kaskie, whose grandparents farmed and mother grew up on a farm. "I like the opportunity to help rural areas."
Blackhawk Hills Economic Development Director Steve Haring said the agency is extremely fortunate to have Kaskie joining its staff.
"His knowledge and Peace Corps experience will help him and our organization to better serve the communities of our economic development district in the area of strategic community planning. We have seen first hand, in a positive way, what the internship program has meant to the city of Rock Falls, as well as Polo, and we feel Shawn will be a vital asset in our regional community and economic development efforts," Haring said.
Blackhawk Hills covers the six-county region of Whiteside, Ogle, Lee, Jo Daviess, Carroll and Stephenson.
Kaskie will be helping update the district's five-year regional Comprehensive Economic Development Strategies plan, work on transportation issues, regional business retention and expansion programs, work force development and grant writing.
Because Kaskie's wife is attending WIU's Quad City campus, Kaskie is commuting from Colona. They have been married for four years with no children yet, but they have a dog.
For more information about the Blackhawk Hills district and the Blackhawk Hills Resource Conservation and Development, logon to www.blackhawkhills.com or call 625-3854. Communities interested in obtaining more information on the strategic community planning initiative are encouraged to call.
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This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Papua New Guinea; Fellows
