May 25, 2005: Headlines: COS - Thailand: Tsunami: Crisis Corps: Peace Corps: Roger O. Parent, of South Bend, Indiana departs for Thailand - Six Americans left on May 25 to to help victims of December's tsunami in South East Asia
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May 25, 2005: Headlines: COS - Thailand: Tsunami: Crisis Corps: Peace Corps: Roger O. Parent, of South Bend, Indiana departs for Thailand - Six Americans left on May 25 to to help victims of December's tsunami in South East Asia
Roger O. Parent, of South Bend, Indiana departs for Thailand - Six Americans left on May 25 to to help victims of December's tsunami in South East Asia
Roger O. Parent, of South Bend, Indiana departs for Thailand - Six Americans left on May 25 to to help victims of December's tsunami in South East Asia
Peace Corps' Second Crisis Corps Team to Depart for Thailand
WASHINGTON, D.C., May 25, 2005 – Bringing a wealth of experience from occupations that include the former mayor of South Bend, Ind., to a public relations and media account specialist, six Americans will depart on Wednesday, May 25 to travel to Thailand as Crisis Corps volunteers.
The second Crisis Corps Thai team includes volunteers working in the fields of carpentry to youth activities. All will be putting their career skills to use to help the survivors rebuild and focus on the future. Specifically, three carpentry volunteers will work to build furniture for citizens in the displaced persons camps, as well as provide construction training for camp residents and other volunteers. One small business development volunteer will work with tsunami survivors to find markets to sell their goods and handicrafts, as well as teach small business training. A volunteer camp project advisor will help to coordinate volunteer projects through the Tsunami Volunteers organization, working in the displaced persons camps. One youth activities volunteer will work in a displaced persons camp to provide youth recreational activities in sports, art and crafts, and music — to help youth deal with the tragedy and also to provide positive activities to focus their energy. And, in June, a water systems engineer will depart to facilitate and oversee engineers and local authorities as they construct and maintain a water system to bring clean water to residents.
Roger O. Parent, of South Bend, Indiana is a member of the second Crisis Corps Thai team. As one of the first Peace Corps volunteers to serve in Thailand more than 40 years ago, Parent will return to help the Thai people once again. Parent, 66, will serve in the Crisis Corps as Camp Project Advisor for the organization Tsunami Volunteers, which works to coordinate programs for citizens in the displaced persons camps. Working with the group, Parent will help coordinate volunteer work activities, serve as a liaison between the project leaders and outside organizations, design and implement volunteer organization and training programs, and assist in developing program ideas for camps and villages. Because he previously served in Thailand, Parent will be an instrumental part of the Tsunami Volunteers group by addressing cross-cultural and communication issues between camp staff, residents and volunteers.
Parent originally served from 1961 to 1963, as a carpentry teacher, followed by a position as coordinator of technical training at the University of Hawaii Peace Corps Training Center for volunteers headed to Thailand, Philippines and other Southeast Asia countries. He was elected mayor of South Bend, Ind. in 1980 and served until 1988. Afterward, he returned to the Peace Corps, first as country director of Haiti from 1988 to 1990, then as country director of Bulgaria from 1993 to 1994. Parent also worked as an adjunct lecturer at Indiana University and served as Director of Development at the Priests of Holy Cross. Currently, Parent works as a fundraising consultant and writer. He received a bachelor's degree in economics from Xavier University and a master's degree in education from Notre Dame
More than 550 returned Peace Corps volunteers have taken the opportunity to use their invaluable skills and experience to address ongoing community needs in over 30 different countries since Crisis Corps’ inception in 1996. Crisis Corps volunteers work on short term projects, utilizing the skills they learned as Peace Corps volunteers and in post service careers. To find out more about the Peace Corps' Crisis Corps program, please visit the Crisis Corps page.
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This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Thailand; Tsunami; Crisis Corps
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