December 30, 2005: Headlines: Crisis Corps: Headquarters: Peace Corps: Peace Corps Leaves Its Mark around the Globe – and at Home – in 2005, volunteers deployed domestically for first time
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December 30, 2005: Headlines: Crisis Corps: Headquarters: Peace Corps: Peace Corps Leaves Its Mark around the Globe – and at Home – in 2005, volunteers deployed domestically for first time
Peace Corps Leaves Its Mark around the Globe – and at Home – in 2005, volunteers deployed domestically for first time
"This has been a truly exceptional year for us here at Peace Corps. Our volunteers have demonstrated their flexibility and eagerness to respond, particularly in times of crisis. Now, as our dedicated volunteers strive for sustainable development throughout the world, Peace Corps is also gearing up for the agency’s anniversary in 2006 — as we recognize 45 years of achievements to the global community," said Peace Corps Director Gaddi H. Vasquez.
Peace Corps Leaves Its Mark around the Globe – and at Home – in 2005, volunteers deployed domestically for first time
Peace Corps Leaves Its Mark around the Globe – and at Home – in 2005
WASHINGTON, D.C., December 30, 2005 – Peace Corps marked 2005 with a series of firsts and notable accomplishments, as the agency rounded out the year with a 30-year high in the number of volunteers in service.
"This has been a truly exceptional year for us here at Peace Corps. Our volunteers have demonstrated their flexibility and eagerness to respond, particularly in times of crisis. Now, as our dedicated volunteers strive for sustainable development throughout the world, Peace Corps is also gearing up for the agency’s anniversary in 2006 — as we recognize 45 years of achievements to the global community," said Peace Corps Director Gaddi H. Vasquez.
Some of the significant achievements and highlights of the 7,810 volunteers serving in 77 countries around the globe this past year include:
# Peace Corps Deploys in U.S.: For the first time in history, through the Crisis Corps program, returned Peace Corps volunteers were deployed domestically to assist in the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. To date, 272 volunteers have engaged in various projects, and most recently helped open a new disaster recovery center in the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans, the area most damaged by the hurricane.
# Crisis Corps Offers Post-Tsunami Relief: Crisis Corps teams were sent to Southeast Asia after the tsunami hit the region. Twenty-seven volunteers have been sent to Sri Lanka and another 27 to Thailand. In Sri Lanka, volunteers assisted in reconstruction efforts, coordination among non-governmental organizations, and provided recreational and educational activities to residents in displaced persons camps. In Thailand, volunteers assisted in the construction of a potable water treatment plant, as well as serving in the areas of mental health, information technology, and community development.
# Peace Corps Volunteers Meet President and Mrs. Bush: During a visit to the American Embassy in Panama, President George Bush and First Lady Laura Bush met with volunteers working in the country. The President and First Lady reaffirmed their support for Peace Corps, particularly for the agency's work in the field of HIV/AIDS, assisted by funding from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. President Bush also met with Peace Corps staff during his visit to Mongolia. Additionally, Mrs. Bush met with volunteers in Jordan, and in May, she recognized the winners of a Peace Corps volunteer-sponsored essay contest, known as the "Writing Olympics," in the Republic of Georgia.
# Peace Corps Receives 2005 Medgar Evers Award: Honoring the Peace Corps' commitment to humanitarian work among people of all races, the agency was the recipient of the Honorary Committee's 2005 Medgar Evers Politics and Peace Award. It was the first time that a federal agency has received the award.
# Volunteers Key Support to Guatemala Relief Effort: Peace Corps volunteers responded to the devastation in Guatemala caused by mudslides related to Hurricane Stan. Volunteers began reconstruction efforts by working with disaster relief officials on damage assessments, assisting with relief operations, volunteering at temporary shelters, and helping families repair houses and schools.
# Peace Corps Advertising Campaign Takes It to the Streets: In an historic first, the Peace Corps' recruitment advertising campaign, "Life is calling. How far will you go?," went beyond the traditional borders of television, radio and print when the national campaign appeared on buses and trains in 27 markets around the country, including Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, San Francisco, Detroit and Atlanta. The campaign seeks to broaden Peace Corps' recruitment outreach to new markets and potential volunteers from all walks of life.
# Volunteer's Project Chosen as Finalist for World Challenge Competition: Peace Corps volunteer Chris Bartlett spearheaded the Rechargeable Battery and Reef Rehab Project in Vanuatu, which helps harness solar energy for electricity. Bartlett’s project was featured on BBC World and in the international issues of Newsweek. The World Challenge Competition aims to find individuals or groups from around the world who have shown enterprise and innovation at a grass roots level to help protect the earth.
# Peace Corps and NBA Help Relief Efforts in Grenada: Grenada volunteer Micah Strand and NBA player Etan Thomas, of Grenadian heritage, each wanted to make a difference in the wake of Hurricane Ivan, which destroyed thousands of homes and businesses on the island and caused $815 million in damage. Their efforts resulted in the donation of 14 basketball facilities to replace those destroyed by the hurricane. The donation, made by the NBA and Spalding, encourages positive activities for potentially at-risk youth.
When this story was posted in January 2006, this was on the front page of PCOL:
Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers
| Why blurring the lines puts PCVs in danger When the National Call to Service legislation was amended to include Peace Corps in December of 2002, this country had not yet invaded Iraq and was not in prolonged military engagement in the Middle East, as it is now. Read the story of how one volunteer spent three years in captivity from 1976 to 1980 as the hostage of a insurrection group in Colombia in Joanne Marie Roll's op-ed on why this legislation may put soldier/PCVs in the same kind of danger. Latest: Read the ongoing dialog on the subject. |
| PC establishes awards for top Volunteers Gaddi H. Vasquez has established the Kennedy Service Awards to honor the hard work and service of two current Peace Corps Volunteers, two returned Peace Corps Volunteers, and two Peace Corps staff members. The award to currently serving volunteers will be based on a demonstration of impact, sustainability, creativity, and catalytic effect. Submit your nominations by December 9. |
| Peace Corps at highest Census in 30 years Congratulations to the Peace Corps for the highest number of volunteers in 30 years with 7,810 volunteers serving in 71 posts across the globe. Of course, the President's proposal to double the Peace Corps to 15,000 volunteers made in his State of the Union Address in 2002 is now a long forgotten dream. With deficits in federal spending stretching far off into the future, any substantive increase in the number of volunteers will have to wait for new approaches to funding and for a new administration. Choose your candidate and start working for him or her now. |
| 'Celebration of Service' a major success The Peace Corps Fund's 'Celebration of Service' on September 29 in New York City was a major success raising approximately $100,000 for third goal activities. In the photo are Maureen Orth (Colombia); John Coyne (Ethiopia) Co-founder of the Peace Corps Fund; Caroline Kennedy; Barbara Anne Ferris (Morocco) Co-founder; Former Senator Harris Wofford, member of the Advisory Board. Read the story here. |
| PC apologizes for the "Kasama incident" The District Commissioner for the Kasama District in Zambia issued a statement banning Peace Corps activities for ‘grave’ social misconduct and unruly behavior for an incident that occurred on September 24 involving 13 PCVs. Peace Corps said that some of the information put out about the incident was "inflammatory and false." On October 12, Country Director Davy Morris met with community leaders and apologized for the incident. All PCVs involved have been reprimanded, three are returning home, and a ban in the district has since been lifted. |
| 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. |
| Friends of the Peace Corps 170,000 strong 170,000 is a very special number for the RPCV community - it's the number of Volunteers who have served in the Peace Corps since 1961. It's also a number that is very special to us because March is the first month since our founding in January, 2001 that our readership has exceeded 170,000. And while we know that not everyone who comes to this site is an RPCV, they are all "Friends of the Peace Corps." Thanks everybody for making PCOL your source of news for the Returned Volunteer community. |
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