Sri Lanka RPCV Tucker McCravy to Report on Tsunami Reconstruction



Sri Lanka RPCV Tucker McCravy to Report on Tsunami Reconstruction

Peace Corps Volunteer to Report on Tsunami Reconstruction; Mason Continues Relief Efforts

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Thursday, March 10th, 2005

By Tara Laskowski and Megan McDonnell

Tucker McCravy, who spent several weeks in Sri Lanka on a humanitarian mission right after the December tsunami hit, will talk about his efforts, as well as the reconstruction and rehabilitation now taking place, in a presentation tomorrow from 4 to 5 p.m. in Student Union Building I, Room C. The Office of International Programs and Services (OIPS) is sponsoring the event, which is open to all faculty, staff, and students.

McCravy recently returned from Sri Lanka, where he was a Peace Corps volunteer for three and a half years. His passion for international education resulted in the formation of an organization called Serendib that gave rise to Sri Lanka's first-ever island-wide Residential English Education Camp. This program has continued annually with the support of Serendib, and has since spread to Thailand and Benin. McCravy will discuss his experiences working with children and refugees in Sri Lanka and his plans to help with the construction of schools and training of teachers to help the children affected by the tsunami.

Relief efforts continue at George Mason as well. In the months after the devastation, Sandarshi Gunawardena, assistant director, OIPS, has spearheaded the drive in conjunction with University Life. A few hundred dollars has already been raised, primarily through the penny drives that took place during the candlelight vigil and the Koran Power Drummers concert that the Hindu Students Council sponsored.

Other fund-raising events are planned for International Week in April. Two immediate events are a South Indian musical performance and a fund-raising social organized by the International Student Umbrella (ISU). There are also ongoing penny drives that will continue throughout the semester. ISU has a vision of raising $50,000 for an orphanage/school for the tsunami children. The Mason students will be meeting with the founder of a grassroots-level organization that is leading this project early next month.

ISU also sent more than 25 boxes of medical supplies, hygienic products, children's items, and school supplies to Sri Lanka a few weeks ago. ISU is still accepting donations, and a second supplies shipment will go to Banda Aceh, Indonesia, next month. Monetary collections will also continue.

"The overwhelming outpouring of support and concern by the Mason community right after the tsunami was remarkable," says Gunawardena. She plans to be in Sri Lanka over the summer to help with the rebuilding efforts, and will share stories and pictures of her experiences of working in the United States on the tsunami relief efforts.

For more information, e-mail Gunawardena at sgunawar@gmu.edu.

When this story was posted in March 2005, this was on the front page of PCOL:

The Peace Corps Library Peace Corps Online is proud to announce that the Peace Corps Library is now available online. With over 30,000 index entries in over 500 categories, this is the largest collection of Peace Corps related reference material in the world. From Acting to Zucchini, you can use the Main Index to find hundreds of stories about RPCVs who have your same interests, who served in your Country of Service, or who serve in your state.

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RPCVs in Congress ask colleagues to support PC RPCVs Sam Farr, Chris Shays, Thomas Petri, James Walsh, and Mike Honda have asked their colleagues in Congress to add their names to a letter they have written to the House Foreign Operations Subcommittee, asking for full funding of $345 M for the Peace Corps in 2006. As a follow-on to Peace Corps week, please read the letter and call your Representative in Congress and ask him or her to add their name to the letter.

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Add your info now to the RPCV Directory Call Harris Publishing at 800-414-4608 right away to add your name or make changes to your listing in the newest edition of the NPCA's Directory of Peace Corps Volunteers and Former Staff. Then read our story on how you can get access to the book after it is published. The deadline for inclusion is May 16 so call now.

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March 12, 2005: This Week's Top Stories The Coyne Column: Read Winning Essay by PCV 12 Mar Laura Germino helps Migrant Workers Advocacy Group 12 Mar Sam Farr impresses medical-pot advocacy group 11 Mar Fred O'Regan writes Op-Ed on Canada seal hunt 11 Mar Fern Holland remembered In Oklahoma 10 Mar Mountaineer Charles Houston receives honorary degree 10 Mar Elaine Chao led delegation for President's inauguration 10 Mar Chris Dodd wins Hispanic Capital Award 9 Mar Pat Waak is new Colorado Democratic Party Chair 9 Mar Chris Matthews withdraws from Florida Event 9 Mar Timothy J. O'Brien returns to Korea 8 Mar Tomas Belsky's paintings inspired by service in Brazil 7 Mar Christopher Hill to be Assistant Secretary of State 7 Mar Allen Moore is Sen Frist's Deputy Chief of Staff 7 Mar Jim Doyle heads trade delegation to Mexico 5 Mar Al Kamen says Narcissus Is Now Greek AND Roman 4 Mar Diana Gomez says to do something about Peace 4 Mar

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March 12, 2005: RPCV Groups in the News San Diego RPCVs host reception with Gaddi Vasquez on March 6 4 Mar Alaska RPCVs speak for dividend 4 Mar Western North Carolina's RPCVs sponsor Africa Night on March 6 3 Mar Maryland RPCVs lobby their Senators for Peace Corps 3 Mar Connecticut RPCVs hold fundraiser on March 5 3 Mar Charles Baquet speaks at Louisiana PC Breakfast on March 4 28 Feb RPCVs: Post your stories or press releases here for inclusion next week.

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March 1: National Day of Action Tuesday, March 1, is the NPCA's National Day of Action. Please call your Senators and ask them to support the President's proposed $27 Million budget increase for the Peace Corps for FY2006 and ask them to oppose the elimination of Perkins loans that benefit Peace Corps volunteers from low-income backgrounds. Follow this link for step-by-step information on how to make your calls. Then take our poll and leave feedback on how the calls went.

Make a call for the Peace Corps PCOL is a strong supporter of the NPCA's National Day of Action and encourages every RPCV to spend ten minutes on Tuesday, March 1 making a call to your Representatives and ask them to support President Bush's budget proposal of $345 Million to expand the Peace Corps. Take our Poll: Click here to take our poll. We'll send out a reminder and have more details early next week.

Peace Corps Calendar: Tempest in a Teapot? Bulgarian writer Ognyan Georgiev has written a story which has made the front page of the newspaper "Telegraf" criticizing the photo selection for his country in the 2005 "Peace Corps Calendar" published by RPCVs of Madison, Wisconsin. RPCV Betsy Sergeant Snow, who submitted the photograph for the calendar, has published her reply. Read the stories and leave your comments.

WWII participants became RPCVs Read about two RPCVs who participated in World War II in very different ways long before there was a Peace Corps. Retired Rear Adm. Francis J. Thomas (RPCV Fiji), a decorated hero of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, died Friday, Jan. 21, 2005 at 100. Mary Smeltzer (RPCV Botswana), 89, followed her Japanese students into WWII internment camps. We honor both RPCVs for their service.

Bush's FY06 Budget for the Peace Corps The White House is proposing $345 Million for the Peace Corps for FY06 - a $27.7 Million (8.7%) increase that would allow at least two new posts and maintain the existing number of volunteers at approximately 7,700. Bush's 2002 proposal to double the Peace Corps to 14,000 volunteers appears to have been forgotten. The proposed budget still needs to be approved by Congress.

Read the stories and leave your comments.