Archive - March 13, 2010

Arriving for work on or before March 1, 1961, the day President Kennedy signed the executive order establishing the Peace Corps, were a few women who were early volunteer staffers and who would become famous in those first years of the agency. The majority of these women were well connected by family or friends to Shriver and eager to work at the Peace Corps, the shining star of Kennedy’s administration. The Peace Corps was the ‘hot’ agency and everyone, of course,  wanted to be connected to Kennedy–if they couldn’t be in the White House–they wanted to be with Shriver and the Peace Corps. The women at the time were mostly ‘second class’ citizens in the world-of-work. They were not, for example, sitting at the ‘big conference table” at Senior Staff meetings. Looking at old black-and-photos of Peace Corps HQ meetings, you might see that Elizabeth (Betty) Forsling Harris had wedged  herself into the group, but that . . .

[For those who want to contribute, here’s how] Contributions can be made online through the Benin Country Fund at “http://www.facebook.com/l/a08f8;www.peacecorps.gov“. Steps to donate: 1. Go to “http://www.facebook.com/l/a08f8;www.peacegorps.gov” 2. Click on “donations” 3. Click on “View all Country Funds” 4. Click on “Benin Country Fund” 5. Click on “Donate” 6. Please make your contribution, and in the comments section, it is IMPERATIVE to specify “Kate Puzey Girls’ Camp Commemorative Fund” in order for the funds to be routed to the appropriate account. The contribution process is anonymous. However, if you’d like, you can send an email to katepuzeyfund@gmail.com after you’ve donated and they will send an annual report once the camps have finished. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask at the email above.