Helen Risom Belluschi (El Salvador 1966-68) reports that tomorrow night (March 1, 2011) the Empire State Building in midtown Manhattan will be lit up in Red/White/Blue colors to honor the  50th Anniversary of the Peace Corps.

Opening night panel, reception
and library exhibit viewing

Wednesday - March 2, 2011 at 7 p.m., Royce Hall

This evening panel (co-sponsored by UCLA’s Burkle Center for International Relations and James S. Coleman African Studies Center), “Peace Corps: The Next 50 Years”, examining the legacy and future of the Peace Corps will be moderated by Chris Matthews, MSNBC host and returned Peace Corps volunteer (Swaziland), and will include the following panelists:

• Frank Mankiewicz ‘47; former regional Peace Corps director for Latin America; former director of National Public Radio; and former press secretary for Sen. Robert F. Kennedy
• Maureen Orth M.S. ‘69, Vanity Fair special correspondent, returned Peace Corps volunteer (Colombia) and founder of the Marina Orth Foundation
• Haskell Sears Ward M.A. ‘67, SEACOM senior VP government relations and returned Peace Corps volunteer (Ethiopia)
• Aaron S. Williams, Peace Corps director and returned Peace Corps volunteer (Dominican Republic)
• Francoise Castro ‘01, State Department program analyst and returned Peace Corps volunteer (Mozambique)

Dessert reception immediately following and UCLA-Peace Corps exhibit in Powell Library open for viewing. The exhibit takes a look back at the 1960s, when the Peace Corps first started and more than 2,000 young recruits were trained on UCLA’s campus. (Exhibit to remain open through the end of April.)

RSVP by Friday, February 25, 2011 to www.specialevents.ucla.edu/peacecorps or by calling 310.794.3272. Click here to view or print formal invitation (PDF).

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UCLA-Peace Corps International Festival

Thursday - March 3, 2011, 11am - 2pm, UCLA Bruin Plaza

Students and the public are encouraged to attend to learn about Peace Corps from returned volunteers and enjoy music and international food from a gourmet food truck.

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Screening of documentary “A Small Act”

Thursday - March 3, 2011 at 7:30 p.m., UCLA James Bridges Theater

Melnitz Movies and the Documentary Salon, in association with the 50th anniversary celebration of the Peace Corps at UCLA, present a showing of a film by UCLA alumna Jennifer Arnold, the daughter of a Peace Corps volunteer. “A Small Act” is the story of Chris Mburu, now a human rights lawyer for the United Nations, who set out to find the woman responsible for funding his grade school education in Kenya, an act of generosity that changed his life. Inspired by his benefactor, Mburu starts a scholarship program of his own in her name. Tickets are first come, first served.

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Peace Corps-UCLA Volunteer Center project

Saturday - March 5, 2011, 9am - 1:30 pm, West Los Angeles Veterans Home

UCLA students and returned Peace Corps volunteers will come together to work on a community garden, horseshoe pit, mural, and other beautification projects at the recently opened West Los Angeles Veterans Home. No longer taking signups.

Celebrating 50 Years of Peace Corps
in Ashland, Oregon

March 1
“Peace Corps: Still wonderful after all these years”
A recruiting event at SOU campus
5 pm Rogue River Room, Stevenson Union, Ashland
Contact Sarah Kassel 503/720-7074

March 3
Celebrating Peace Corps — Open House no-host reception
A Grants Pass celebration for RPCVs friends and family
5:30–7:30 pm at TapRock Northwest Grill in Grants Pass
Contact Amy Wilson 541/218-7085

March 6
“50 Years of Stories: Peace Corps at 50″
No-host, open mike reception
A celebration for RPCVs friends and family
2–5 pm Standing Stone Brewery
Contact Sue Crader or Leslie VanGelder 541/488-4208

July 4
Fourth of July parade, Ashland Oregon
RPCVs will go all out with country of service costumes, regalia, flags, etc

Summer
Music on the Half Shell — Peace Corps gathering
A special invite for RPCVs and friends to gather at a world music concert
as part the outdoor concert series hosted in Roseburg
Contact Sue Crader asetu@q.com

Fall
Possibility for a benefit concert
Contact Leslie VanGelder to offer help planning 541/488-4208

This program will be presented on March 1.

Secretary Shaun Donovan — Welcoming Remarks

Pres. Kevin Quigley, NPCA — Salute to All Who Have Served

Peace Corps Director Aaron Williams — Letter to HUD

Roger K. Lewis (Tunisia 1964–66), Fellow/American Institute of Architects, Washington Post Design & Urban Development Columnist

 [ It takes place at HUD HQ, Metrorail Stop "L'Enfant Plaza," on Tuesday., March 1, 2011 starting at noon. Everyone is welcomed to attend.  Non-Feds who plan to do so have to provide their names so that can  pass  HUD Security. Email:  Tino Calabia:   tino.m.calabia@hud.gov]

Even those born decades after the 1960s know who said, “. . . Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”  Since President John F. Kennedy spoke those words 50 years ago, over 200,000 Peace Corps Volunteers were inspired to answer his call, going on to serve in 139 countries around the globe.  Some three dozen former Volunteers now work in HUD.

Professor Roger K. Lewis will discuss his service as a young Volunteer, fresh out of M.I.T., assigned to Tunisia, a coastal country with an architectural legacy from Rome and, later, from 12 centuries of Arab-Islamic tradition.  But Tunisia was a country left desolate after several decades of colonialism and the hard-fought battles of World War II.  Upon arriving, Professor Lewis found no school of architecture and almost no Tunisian architects.  The vacuum seemed almost a dream to a newly-minted architect eager to practice his profession.

After returning to the U.S. and M.I.T., he earned an M.A. in architecture, helped to start the University of Maryland’s school of architecture where he began teaching.  He also designed and built homes, multi-unit housing developments, schools, art institutions, and commercial buildings, while winning many local and national awards.  Since 1984, his column, “Shaping the City,” has regularly appeared in the Washington Post.

Peace Corps at 50: Celebrating the Journey
A weekend of stories, music and food March 4 - 6, 2011

For those who have served as Peace Corps Volunteers, the journey only began when you completed your service.  To honor the past 50 years of Peace Corps and to celebrate its future, the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Colorado invite you to a weekend of stories, food and music. All Saturday and Sunday events will take place on the University of Denver (DU) campus.

Saturday, March 5th  Panel Discussions - 1:00pm to 5:15pm Reserve your spot via this invitation to listen to discussions on the following topics: • ”Peace Corps through the decades” or “Peace Corps and politics”• ”I was there when…” or “How the Peace Corps change our lives”• ”Future of Peace Corps” or “Adjusting to different cultures” Location: Sturm Hall - 2000 E. Asbury Ave., Denver, CO 80208

Interlude - 5:30pm to 6:45pm Appetizers and drinks 3rd Goal Showcase Location: Driscoll University Center- 2050-5 E. Evans Ave., Denver, CO 80208

Celebrating the Journey Gala - 7:00pm to 10:30pm

Please join us for an evening of food and music, as we celebrate Peace Corps! Musical guests will be Brazilian Samba/Bossa Nova/Villa Lobos pianist Thais Nicolau AND Kissidugu:  West African Percussion and Dance (visit their website HERE). Listen to live music, and if you haven’t had your 2 drinks - now is a time to indulge. We invite guests to dress in attire from their country of service, or whatever you want to wear to celebrate! Location: Driscoll University Center- 2050-5 E. Evans Ave., Denver, CO 80208

All proceeds of from Saturday’s celebration will go towards supporting the Clean Cookstove Project in El Salvador

Pre-Party

Friday, March 4th  Dine Around Denver - 5:30pm We invite you to join your fellow RPCVs from your region of service to dine at ethnic restaurants around Denver beginning at 5:30pm. (We encourage you to join the group with whom you served- ie, you served in Peru, you eat with the South America group.) To RSVP, please email the contact person listed below by February 28, 2011. Locations: Throughout Denver

Regions of Service Caribbean- Please contact Jenni Stanford at stanford.jenni@gmail.com Central America and Mexico- Please contact Sue Golding at goldingjs@comcast.net

South America- Please contact Dan Taubman at daniel.taubman@judicial.state.co.us

Eastern Europe and Central Asia- This dinner is now FULL, but please contact Arianne Burger at aburger@gmail.com if you want to be added to the wait list.

North Africa and the Middle East- Please contact Jon and Becky Bringewatt at jbringewatt@hotmail.com

Africa- Please contact Evan Roth at evanmroth@gmail.com Asia-Please contact Randy Monson at randall.monson@gmail.com The Pacific Islands- Please contact Casey Burnette at caseandcoop@gmail.com

Film “Shriver: An American Idealist” - 8:00pm Make it an evening on the town! We invite you to a screening of “Shriver: An American Idealist” showing at 8:20 at the Denver Film Society’s Colfax Film Center.  To purchase a discounted ticket, please visit the event site here. Location: 2510 East Colfax, Denver, CO 80206

Post-Party

Sunday, March 6th  Meditations on Peace - 9:30am The celebration continues on Sunday for all members. Please join your fellow RPCVs as University Chaplain, Rev. Gary R. Brower, Ph.D, leads a non-denominational service for peace. Location: Evans Chapel 2199 S. Vine St., Denver, CO 80208

Farewell brunch The DU Peace Corps Community will host a free brunch immediately following the Meditations on Peace service in the same location as the service. Location: Korbel school building- 2201 South Gaylord Street, Denver, CO 80208

Here is the link to make reservations and buy tickets:

http://www.rpcvcolorado.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=66&Itemid=73

Thursday, March 17, at 7 p.m.
William G. McGowan Theater
The Early Years of the Peace Corps
In commemoration of the agency’s 50th anniversary, the National Archives will present a discussion on the creation and early history the agency. Chris Matthews (Swaziland 1968-70-will moderate. Panelists include Bill Moyers, former U.S. Ambassador Jack Hood Vaughn; and Senator Harris Wofford-all of whom held leadership roles during the agency’s early years. Aaron Williams will introduce the panel.

During the month of March, 2011, The National Archives Experience will also exhibit Executive Order 10924 by President Kennedy.

This program is a joint project of the Peace Corps and the National Archives and Records Administration, with promotional support by the Foundation for the National Archives.

For more information, go to www.archives.gov/dc-metro/events/

I’m told that there will also be a panel discussion at the Peace Corps office during the day with Bill Josephson, C. Payne, Mary Ann Orlando and Charlie Peters.

There are really four key people in the development of the agency. Mary Ann was the only person that Shriver brought with him from Chicago. She was, as they were called in that day, an executive secretary, and now would be an administrative assistant. But Mary Ann was much more than that with Shriver’s office. If you couldn’t get by her, forgetaboutit! you couldn’t see Sarge.

Josephson, as chief counsel, was also a ‘gatekeeper.’ Shriver sent everything to Josephson to be ‘cleared’ before it became policy or law or anything at all. And if Josephson didn’t like you,(and there were many, many people he didn’t like) he would eat you alive.

Charlie Peters was (and is) one of my heroes and after all these years you wanted to pick a person who ‘make a difference’ in the success of the Peace Corps, I would pick Charlie.

C. Payne Lucas (CD in Niger and Peace Corps/Washington, (authored with Kevin Lowther (Sierra Leone & PC/HQ1963-68) Keeping Kennedy’s Promise: The Peace Corps Unmet Hope of the New Frontier,) was an early CD in Africa and then returned to HQ. Later C. Payne founded Africare. Lucas and Lowther wrote in their 1978 book that the Peace Corps was developed too rapidly, that the whole ‘idea’ of developing the agency quick and big was a BIG mistake by Shriver. But the Peace Corps has a big tent, as the Republicans like to say, and after all of these years there is still room for C. Payne and Kevin. Kevin is actually a good friend.

Harper College 50^th Anniversary Peace Corps Event

Hosted by International Studies and
Programs at Harper College.

Featured guest speaker:
John Deever
When the World Calls:
Service as a Path to Success

John Deever taught English as a member of the first group of teachers sent by the Peace Corps to the newly independent country of Ukraine and is the author of Singing on the Heavy Side of the World.

Thursday, March 3, 2011
Reception begins at 6 p.m. 
Speaker begins at 6:45 p.m.
Wojcik Conference Center at Harper College
1200 West Algonquin Rd., Palatine, IL 

Please RSVP by February 25 to rjohnson@harpercollege.edu

March 3, 2011 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM

Former Peace Corps Volunteers Sarah Chayes, Chris Dodd, Elaine Jones, Joe Kennedy III and Paul Theroux share their memories of serving and how their experiences changed their lives. Stanley Meisler, author of When the World Calls: The Inside Story of the Peace Corps and Its First Fifty Years, moderates. http://www.jfklibrary.org/Events-and-Awards/Forums.aspx.

Peace Corps 50th Anniversary

In 50 years, more than 3,400 alumni of Berkeley have served overseas, ranking the campus #1 in the nation for producing Peace Corps volunteers. On the Peace Corps’ 50th anniversary, Cal reflects on this legacy of international service and renews the call for the next generation of Peace Corps volunteers.

Events

Peace Corps 50th Anniversary Symposium & Celebration 

Saturday, Feb. 26, 2011
International House at UC Berkeley
2299 Piedmont Ave, Berkeley, CA 94720

1PM - 6PM: Symposium on the Peace Corps’ past & future (Free - please register online)

6PM - 10PM: Peace Corps Reunion and Celebration ($15 or free for members of the Northern California Peace Corps Association)

Story Corps, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to recording, preserving, and sharing the stories of Americans from all backgrounds and beliefs, will visit the University of Wisconsin-Madison from March 24-26 as part of ”Peace Corps and Africa: 50 Years.” 

StoryCorps and the African Studies Program, will record three days of interviews with former volunteers.

Abby Lesnick, the project’s coordinator for StoryCorps, says,  ”the Peace Corps and Africa event is the perfect opportunity to capture powerful conversations about lives transformed.”

StoryCorps interviews are 40-minute conversations between two people who know each other well, or want to get to know each other better. A trained StoryCorps facilitator guides the participants through the interview process. At the end of each recording session, participants receive a complimentary CD copy of their interview.

With their permission, a second copy is archived at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress, and at the Oral History Program at the University of Wisconsin Archives. Segments of select interviews may also air nationally on NPR’s “Morning Edition.”

“The recorded human voice has the power to engage, to enlighten, and inspire. The stories we document with StoryCorps will provide a valuable archive of Wisconsin’s own voices to be shared with future generations, and also help trace Peace Corps histories spanning 50 years,” says Catherine Reiland, assistant director of the African Studies Program.

Other notable highlights of the “Peace Corps and Africa: 50 Years” program include talks and roundtables with Johnnie Carson, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs; former U.S. Ambassadors Mark Green, John Lange, and John Campbell; founder of Africare C. Payne Lucas; and award-winning poet Sandra Meek.

To register for the conference (and be considered for participation in StoryCorps’ Madison) you must do so by March 1.

Peace Corps and Africa is hosted by the African Studies Program in partnership with the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Madison and with support of the UW-Madison Division of International Studies, the Wisconsin Alumni Association, Global Studies, the International Institute, the Morgridge Center for Public Service, Wisconsin Public Radio, and the Chicago Peace Corps Regional Recruitment Office. The event is open to the general public. Registration is required.