Nepal RPCV Greg Beck is en route to Indonesia to aid residents stricken by last week's devastating earthquake and tsunamis



Nepal RPCV Greg Beck is en route to Indonesia to aid residents stricken by last week's devastating earthquake and tsunamis

Vestal couple's son to aid relief effort
BY JEFF MURRAY
Gannett News Service

Corning native Greg Beck is en route to Indonesia to aid residents stricken by last week's devastating earthquake and tsunamis.

Beck, who lives with his wife and children in Croatia, is a member of the International Rescue Committee, a New York City-based relief organization.

While he moved from the Corning area years ago, Beck still has ties to the Southern Tier. His parents, Don and Mary Beck, live in Vestal. His sister Deborah still lives in Corning and keeps in regular contact.

Beck is on his way to Jakarta, Indonesia, where he will direct the International Rescue Committee's relief efforts in the Aceh province, one of the areas hardest hit by tsunamis.

"We've got mobile emergency teams coming in. They're all experienced in responding to emergencies," said Beck, 44. "We have staff already there. We're able to respond very quickly. Our biggest challenge is logistics. Transportation is limited. There are a lot of bottlenecks. It's been slow going."

Beck, who is the Balkans and Caucasus regional director for the International Rescue Committee, has extensive experience helping refugees in Somalia, Rwanda and other war-torn areas. His penchant for helping others in need dates back to his early years growing up in Corning, he said.

"I think my family instilled in us a spirit of volunteerism. We used to volunteer in the Corning area as teenagers," Beck said.

"I had a cousin who joined the Peace Corps. I sort of followed in her footsteps. I joined the Peace Corps and went to Nepal. I've been doing this (for the International Rescue Committee) since 1990 or so. It has been an interesting journey. That's for certain."

Once in Jakarta, Beck will manage relief efforts that include transportation of more than 40 tons of emergency medical supplies, shelter material and water storage tanks to Aceh province.

In the initial phase, the emergency response teams will focus on increasing access to potable water and sanitation facilities, delivering urgent primary health care, distributing emergency supplies and providing psychosocial aid for survivors, according to the agency's Web site.

Beck showed an inclination toward helping society's neediest members at an early age, his sister said.

"He's always had a very caring and thoughtful personality. He's fun-loving, energetic and passionate about his work," Deborah Beck said. "He loves to travel, so it's an ideal situation for him. We're very proud of him. We've always been very proud of the work that he does and the energy he puts into it. He's just a great guy."

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

Peace Corps issues appeal to Thailand RPCVs Peace Corps is currently assessing the situation in Thailand, anticipates a need for volunteers and is making an appeal to all Thailand RPCV's to consider serving again through the Crisis Corps. Also read this message and this message from RPCVs in Thailand. All PCVs serving in Thailand are safe. Latest: Sri Lanka RPCVs, click here for info.

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January 1, 2005: This Week's Top Stories Lesotho RPCV starts "Touching Tiny Lives" 1 Jan Guatemala RPCV was grassroots veterinarian 31 Dec Reginald Hodges will head Durham Literacy Center 30 Dec Ed Seidel is Director of Marine Resources Aquarium 30 Dec PC wants happy, shiny faces without felony convictions 29 Dec Newspaper says PC could go to India and Indonesia 29 Dec Tom Johnson choses to spend Christmas in Sierra Leone 28 Dec Barry Rosen helps compile textbooks for Afghanistan 28 Dec Dorinda Dove learned to appreciate midwifery in Africa 28 Dec RPCVs host Exhibition at University of Rochester 28 Dec Mike Tidwell calls on Sierra Club Official to step down 28 Dec RPCV says we can express patriotism as we see fit 26 Dec more top stories...

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