RPCV Gulf Coast, Florida awards Project Light Manatee

Thanks to a ‘heads up’ from Leita Kaldi Davis (Senegal 1993-96) about the RPCV Gulf Coast, Florida group which has made great strides during the past few years fulfilling the Third goal of Peace Corps.

The RPCVs have done a number of community projects: box gardens for children at a Sarasota library,  highway clean-up, sharing their Peace Corps experiences with library displays in Manatee and Sarasota Counties, making presentations to schools and colleges in the area, and a radio program of RPCV interviews.

Their latest milestone was the presentation of an award of $800 to Project Light Manatee for exemplifying the spirit of the Third Goal, helping people in our community to become full-fledged and thus contributing members of the community.  Project Light teaches English to immigrants, mainly Hispanic and Haitian. It has been providing this important service to thousands of immigrants and others for twenty years or more.  Project Light was extremely pleased to be recognized a partner organization.

During the award luncheon, a keynote address was given by Dr. Brendan Goff, Assistant Professor of History at New College, Sarasota. He spoke about the history of Peace Corps and his personal history with Harris Wofford.

(l tor)Ann Griffin, Founder, Project Light, Betty Bruquetas, President, RPCVGCF, Phil Yoder, RPCVGCF.

Here is a photo of our RPCV representative giving the award to the founder of Project Light.  From left to right:  Ann Grillin, Founder, Project Light, Betty Bruquetas, President, RPCVGCF, Phil Yoder, RPCVGCF.