Philippines RPCV Katie Kaskey is completing her time in Liberia, West Africa as a principal in a school with the Peace Corps Response, a group that reacts to a crisis



She's had some great high points. She loved working with the people and children in the various countries. She started a nutritional cooking class. She built a library at her school, taught college courses, including forestry and hosted a radio slot called "rockista."

Philippines RPCV Katie Kaskey is completing her time in Liberia, West Africa as a principal in a school with the Peace Corps Response, a group that reacts to a crisis

OLMSTED FALLS DATES & DATA: Falls grad returns from Peace Corps

Published: Wednesday, June 16, 2010, 2:07 PM Updated: Thursday, June 17, 2010, 9:14 AM

Joanne Berger DuMound, Sun News

A Bulldog grad will return home this month after Peace Corps stints in the Philippines and Africa.

Olmsted Falls' Katie Kaskey is completing her time in Liberia, West Africa as a principal in a school with the Peace Corps Response, a group that reacts to a crisis.

Prior to that, the Miami University 2007 grad spent 27 months in the Philippines. Her environment has been a bit different from what we enjoy here.

She's done laundry by hand in the river where the wild goats weren't always too friendly. At one Philippine locale, women cannot leave the house after 6 p.m. That included Kaskey.

She rented a house that used to be a junk yard and spent hours four to five hours a day cleaning it. That also included clogging a giant hole in her bathroom with a rock to stop snakes from entering. Katie had more than 75 children per class. She became accustomed to the 102-degree weather - without air conditioning.

But she's had some great high points. She loved working with the people and children in the various countries. She started a nutritional cooking class. She built a library at her school, taught college courses, including forestry and hosted a radio slot called "rockista."

Katie also was filmed for the national news under a Chika Minute special while she went to a New Year's street party. She met the mayor and ran on stage to sing with Hallelujah by Bamboo, a Tagalog rock song.

"The foreigner rocking out in my 1980's garb was apparently very entertaining and I wound up being the 12 midnight slot shown on TV across the country," Katie wrote in an e-mail. "My school and shelter have been teasing me since I got back to site last week."

Readers may want to check You Tube or MTV for Katie at a TV near you. Welcome home, Katie.

Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: June, 2010; Peace Corps Philippines; Directory of Philippines RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Philippines RPCVs; Peace Corps Liberia; Directory of Liberia RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Liberia RPCVs; Crisis Corps/Peace Corps Response

When this story was posted in January 2011, this was on the front page of PCOL:




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

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Support Independent Funding for the Third Goal The Peace Corps has always neglected the third goal, allocating less than 1% of their resources to "bringing the world back home." Senator Dodd addressed this issue in the "Peace Corps for the 21st Century" bill passed by the US Senate and Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter proposed a "Peace Corps Foundation" at no cost to the US government. Both are good approaches but the recent "Comprehensive Assessment Report" didn't address the issue of independent funding for the third goal at all.

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Nov 8, 2010: The 50th Begins University of Michigan commemorates 50th 16 Oct Wittenberg University also has claim on 50th 31 Oct Historical Marker Unveiled to Celebrate 50th 15 Oct Directors Discuss Impact of Service 13 Oct Mary Morgan writes: Some thoughts on the 50th 16 Oct Colombia I Holds Reunion at Rutgers 31 Oct Remembering the Early Program in Ghana 23 Oct George Packer writes: Meaning of the Mid-Terms 2 Nov Steve Driehaus Defeated for re-election 2 Nov Michelle Obama's Uncle was PCV in India 1 Nov Chic Dambach writes "Exhaust the Limits" 31 Oct Alrick Brown Directs Documentary on Rwanda 31 Oct Rajeev Goyal writes: Obama Does Nothing for Peace Corps 31 Oct Dr. Paul Frommer Created Language for 'Avatar' 20 Oct Cy Kukenbaker Directs Movie about Soccer in Malawi 15 Oct Peace Corps has no Institutional Memory 14 Oct Kristof and Stacia Nordin demonstrate permaculture in Malawi 9 Oct Volunteer Stephanie Chance dies in Niger 8 Oct Peace Corps volunteer Census hits 40-year high 4 Oct Malaysia PM wants Peace Corps to Return 25 Sep Volunteer Thomas Maresco Murdered in Lesotho 4 Sep Johnathan Miller launchs Airborne Lifeline 26 Aug

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July 20, 2010: Nita Lowey Pushes Expansion Nita Lowey pushes $46.15 million PC funding increase 1 Jul Anne Goddard helps lead ChildFund 12 Jul PCVs Safe after bombing in Uganda 12 Jul PCVs Evacuated from Northern Burkina Faso 7 Jul Ben Masters promotes bamboo bicycles 6 Jul Danny Dunbar is a fan of Brazil soccer 2 Jul Christopher Hill leaves Iraq Embassy For Academia 2 Jul NPCA holds YouTube contest 2 Jul Larry Palmer nominated as Ambassador to Venezuela 30 Jun Laurence Leamer writes: America Looks Like a Fortress 29 Jun Ed Reed writes: Troops' service in Korea not in vain 28 Jun Mary-Denise Tabar finishes tour in Iraq 24 Jun Carrie Hessler-Radelet Sworn in as PC Deputy Director 24 Jun PC Releases Comprehensive Agency Assessment Report 22 Jun Michael Burden writes: The dilemma on your dinner plate 18 Jun Safety at risk for Peace Corps volunteers? 17 Jun PCVs in Southern Kyrgyzstan evacuated safely 15 Jun Steve Harpt helps dropouts reconstruct their lives 11 Jun Biden Meets with Peace Corps/Kenya Volunteers 11 Jun 19 Americans Sworn-in as PCVs in Indonesia 4 Jun PC Celebrates Volunteers Return to Sierra Leone 3 Jun John Coté makes cross-country walk for US Troops 16 May

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Memo to Incoming Director Williams PCOL has asked five prominent RPCVs and Staff to write a memo on the most important issues facing the Peace Corps today. Issues raised include the independence of the Peace Corps, political appointments at the agency, revitalizing the five-year rule, lowering the ET rate, empowering volunteers, removing financial barriers to service, increasing the agency's budget, reducing costs, and making the Peace Corps bureaucracy more efficient and responsive. Latest: Greetings from Director Williams

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Join Us Mr. President! "We will double the size of the Peace Corps by its 50th anniversary in 2011. And we'll reach out to other nations to engage their young people in similar programs, so that we work side by side to take on the common challenges that confront all humanity," said Barack Obama during his campaign. Returned Volunteers rally and and march to the White House to support a bold new Peace Corps for a new age. Latest: Senator Dodd introduces Peace Corps Improvement and Expansion Act of 2009 .

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