The department's park naturalist, Ralph White (RPCV Thailand), was named "Best Trail Guardian"



The department's park naturalist, Ralph White (RPCV Thailand), was named "Best Trail Guardian"

James River Park named Best Urban Park

Richmond, Virginia's James River Park System, which is managed by the city's Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities, has been selected "Best Urban Park" by the readers of Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine.

The December issue of the publication features the 2004 Readers' Choice Awards in the categories of Athletes, Destinations, Happenings and a collective category of unique awards called Trail Mix.

In recognizing the James River Park, the magazine calls it "a treasure chest of natural beauty" and "a candy basket of outdoor recreation." The 450-acre city-owned park spans the city along both banks of the James River from the Huguenot Woods at its western edge to Ancarrow's Landing at its eastern edge.

In addition to receiving the readers' award for Best Urban Park, the department's park naturalist, Ralph White, was named "Best Trail Guardian," and the XTERRA East Championship was chosen "Best Triathlon." The XTERRA competition is held in the city's James River and Forest Hill parks. Forest Hill Park consists of 119 acres between 32nd and 41st streets just south of James River Park. It offers hilly wooded areas, a lake, and landscaped grassy knolls along with tennis courts, a tot lot and picnic shelters. The park, along with its old Stone House, was recently designated a state and national historic site.

The magazine refers to the XTERRA East competition as "one of the most revered" in the national series. Richmonder Becky Bashron, the 2004 women's champion, is quoted saying, "The best thing about the race is that the course has so many different types of terrain and obstacles to tackle all while the Richmond city skyline is in the distance. … It's … quite an accomplishment to finish."

Of White, the magazine says, "he's revamped Richmond's old persona as a tobacco town and put it on the outdoor map…." "None of this surprises me," says Richmond City Manager Calvin Jamison. "We know the James River Park is an incredible jewel in the heart of the city, and we're delighted that the people who use our parks recognize this too."

With approximately a quarter million readers, Blue Ridge Outdoors is distributed free at more than 1,000 locations between Atlanta and Washington, DC. Around Richmond you can find it at sporting good stores, coffee shops and grocery stores.

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


Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers

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 500 categories, this is the largest collection of Peace Corps related stories in the world. From Acting to Zucchini, you can find hundreds of stories about what RPCVs with your same interests or from your Country of Service are doing today. If you have a web site, support the "Peace Corps Library" and link to it today.

---

---

Crisis Corps arrives in Thailand After the Tsunami in Southeast Asia last December, Peace Corps issued an appeal for Crisis Corps Volunteers and over 200 RPCVs responded. The first team of 8 Crisis Corps volunteers departed for Thailand on March 18 to join RPCVs who are already supporting relief efforts in Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and India with other agencies and NGO's.

---

This Month's Feature Stories - only on PCOL Dream Come True - Revisiting India after 34 years The Coyne Column: Read Winning Vanity Fair PCV Essay Tomas Belsky's paintings inspired by service in Brazil RPCV reunites with friend after 40 years RPCV reviews "Los Heraldos Negros" by Cesar Vallejo Photo Essay: Taking it to the Streets

---

March 26, 2005: This Week's Top Stories PCVs in Kyrgyz Republic Are Safe 25 Mar The Coyne Column: A Good Friday Message 25 Mar Frederic Zenhausern developing "biometric bodysuits" 24 Mar Robert Blackwill calls for US co-operation with India 23 Mar Margaret Krome promotes alternate crops 23 Mar Al Kamen says allies disappointed in World Bank 23 Mar Ambassador Randall L. Tobias speaks at PC 22 Mar Becky Binns helps organize 30-hour fast 22 Mar Fred Poses meets with Vice-Premier in China 22 Mar John Hoff unionizes substitute teachers in Hawaii 21 Mar Bill Moyers takes time to "sit and vegetate" 21 Mar Tony Hall says Ethiopia may need more food aid 21 Mar Taylor Hackford's 'Ray' wins four NAACP Image Awards 21 Mar PCV seeks tap shoes for students in Moldova 20 Mar Adam Donaldson learns to believe in Baltimore 20 Mar Allen Andersson builds libraries in Central America 19 Mar Senator Sarbanes' quiet leadership will be missed 15 Mar

---

March 26, 2005: RPCV Groups in the News Houston RPCVs sponsor "Around the World in a Day"on April 6 25 Mar Minnesota RPCVs need Photos for Exhibition 24 Mar Vasquez to visit DePaul University on April 6 22 Mar New Jersey RPCVs host exhibit in Maplewood on April 2 20 Mar Maryland RPCVs eat crab cakes in Annapolis 17 Mar Connecticut RPCVs held fundraiser on March 5 3 Mar RPCVs: Post your stories or press releases here for inclusion next week.

---

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.

---

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.

---

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.

Read the stories and leave your comments.