Author - Joanne Roll

    https://www.peacecorpsdocumentary.com/screenings-event/2020/3/1/john-f-kennedy-presidential-library “In Celebration of the Anniversary of the founding of the Peace Corps, please join us at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum on Sunday, March 1st for a free showing of the documentary film “A Towering Task: The Story of the Peace Corps.” Watch the trailer at: https://vimeo.com/363392905. This event is free to the public, co-hosted by the Boston Area Peace Corps Volunteers (BARPCV), the National Peace Corps Association (NPCA), and the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. Please reserve a ticket here in order to attend. We are also raising funds to offset the costs of the film showing.  If you are able to make a donation you can do so here.   Schedule of events: 1:00 pm – Free admission to JFK Library and Museum, including Oral History Project 2:00 pm – A Towering Task Documentary Showing 3:30 pm – Q&A panel session hosted by Alan Price, . . .

This information is in response to FOIA 20-0042. The numbers are for the annual census  done in September of 2019.  Marian Haley Beil’s 3 by 5 cards are probably no longer in Peace Corps archives.  But, her legacy of maintaining accuracy  in data remains!  If contacting your Congressional Representative and Senators, it would be good to mention how many PCVs, as of 9/30/2019,  from your state are being evacuated.  This is an election year!https://peacecorpsworldwide.org/number-of-current-pcvs-per-state-and-total-number-of-pcvs-per-state/   Peace Corps also published the top 20 states:   https://www.peacecorps.gov/news/library/peace-corps-announces-2019-top-volunteer-producing-states/     C  

     “A Towering Task” producter Alana de Joseph asked that question as we tried to decipher how many actual Volunteers were serving from Colorado when Peace Corps did its annual count September 2019. Was this the simplest of requests?  Not exactly.  Only the top 20 states with serving Volunteers were listed on the Peace Corps home page. And then, only certain of these states were awarded an actual number. Colorado was not among them. Instead, Colorado was listed as having 4.1 Volunteers for each 100,000 in population, prompting Alana’s question. (https://www.peacecorps.gov/news/library/peace-corps-announces-2019-top-volunteer-producing-states/)   If I could have decoded that statistic, I would have majored in Physics and not Political Science. Using my Poli Sci degree, I realized we could just ask our Senator.  Within a day, Senator Gardner’s office reported Colorado had 192 serving Volunteers as of September 2019.  But all of this  reminded me of Peace Corps Worldwide’s publisher, Marian . . .

Peace Corps describes  efforts to make sure all serving Volunteers and Staff are safe as the Coronavirus Outbreak continues.  Here is the latest press release: “https://www.peacecorps.gov/news/library/peace-corps-monitoring-coronavirus-outbreak/ “WASHINGTON – Since the outbreak was first reported in early January, the Peace Corps has been closely monitoring the coronavirus with the State Department Bureaus of Medical Affairs and Diplomatic Security, as well as the Centers for Disease Control and World Health Organization, to safeguard volunteers and staff at Peace Corps posts around the world. Peace Corps medical officers are communicating with volunteers on how to mitigate the risks of exposure, and an interdisciplinary working group is working closely with overseas posts to track and analyze the impact on the agency and to ensure an effective and timely response. Each Peace Corps program has developed specific protocols for the coronavirus that have been included in their Emergency Action Plans. Volunteers are thoroughly trained in . . .

February 5, 2020 WASHINGTON – Due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak and related school closures and travel constraints, all Peace Corps China volunteers were safely evacuated out of the country, the Peace Corps announced today, February 5. The 139 volunteers will close their service. The evacuation of current volunteers follows a recent decision by the Peace Corps to graduate its China program. Since Peace Corps China began in 1993, approximately 1,300 volunteers have worked alongside educators at more than 140 Chinese colleges, universities and technical schools to strengthen English language learning. “My heart goes out to the extraordinary volunteers and staff who are participating in the Close of Service conference and preparing for the next steps in their lives,” said Peace Corps Director Jody Olsen. “I am proud of their hard work and strong commitment to this program, which brought our two countries closer together and gave Chinese students and . . .

    FEB 22 12:00 PM Minnesota History Theatre St. Paul Saturday, February 22, 2020 12:00 PM 3:30 PM VIEW EVENT → 0 Likes Share FEB 27 4:00 PM American University Thursday, February 27, 2020 4:00 PM 7:00 PM VIEW EVENT → 0 Likes Share MAR 1 4:00 PM John F. Kennedy Presidential Library Sunday, March 1, 2020 4:00 PM 7:00 PM VIEW EVENT → 1 Likes Share MAR 3 6:30 PM University Of Wisconsin, Madison Tuesday, March 3, 2020 6:30 PM 9:00 PM VIEW EVENT → 0 Likes Share MAR 7 1:00 PM Corazon Cinema And Café St. Augustine Saturday, March 7, 2020 1:00 PM 4:00 PM VIEW EVENT → 0 Likes Share MAR 8 12:00 PM University Of North Florida Sunday, March 8, 2020 12:00 PM 3:00 PM VIEW EVENT → 0 Likes Share NOV 17 7:30 PM Reston Community Center In Reston, Virginia Tuesday, November 17, 2020 . . .

http://www.lettersofnote.com/2013/09/you-must-not-worry-about-santa.html   In 1961, immediately after overhearing her parents discuss the possibility of Soviet nuclear tests at the North Pole, 8-year-old Michelle Rochon grabbed a pencil and wrote a letter to U.S. President John F. Kennedy, in which she asked him to prevent the tests for one particular reason. Her letter, and the reply she soon received from Kennedy, can be read below. (Source: The Letters of John F. Kennedy, published by Bloomsbury Press on October 29, 2013; Photo above: 8-year-old Michelle holding Kennedy’s letter.) Dear Mr. Kennedy, Please stop the Russians from bombing the North Pole because they will kill Santa Claus. I am 8 years old. I am in the third grade at Holy Cross School. Yours truly, Michelle Rochon ————————– THE WHITE HOUSE October 28, 1961 Dear Michelle: I was glad to get your letter about trying to stop the Russians from bombing the North Pole and . . .

    For future information: https://www.peacecorpsdocumentary.com/screenings-event       Chicago Cultural Center  78 E. Washington St Wednesday, December 11, 2019 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM (map) VIEW EVENT → Clinton Street Theater  — Portland 2522 SE Clinton Street Sunday, December 15, 2019 2:30 PM 5:30 PM VIEW EVENT →    Williwaw Restaurant — Anchorage, Alaska 609 F  Street Anchorage, AK — 99501 Thursday, December 19, 2019 5:30 PM 8:00 PM

RPCV Alana deJoseph, producer of  “A Towering Task” reports:” Our special limited edition DVDs have arrived. Once these are sold out, DVDs won’t be available until after our theatrical run, because we want to qualify for the Oscars!” Purchase those DVDs here: https://www.peacecorpsdocumentary.com/buydvd. Find information about hosting a screening here: https://www.peacecorpsdocumentary.com/hostascreening

RPCVs are working with Refugees, individually, with NPCA organizations, and with local communities.  The National Peace Corps Association has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Rescue Committee to further support this work.  Here is the link to the MOU: https://bit.ly/2CYzyRl  

Peace Corps has hit the Big Screen!  Thanks to the efforts of talented, persistent and dedicated RPCVs, the Peace Corps story is now being told in film. RPCV Alana deJoseph, (Mali 92-94) and RPCV Allen Mondell(Sierra Leone 63-65) are the producers.  Here is the current schedule, first, for screenings of RPCV Alana deJoseph’s A Towering Task and then the  PBS presentation of RPCVAllen Mondell’s Waging Peace. It is also important to recognize Academy Award Dominated RPCV Alan Toth Documentary, Posh Corps and his website continues to show important videos. http://www.poshcorps.com/film   Here are the schedules for A Towering Task and a PBS presentation of Waging Peace __________________________________________________________ A Towering Task Link: https://www.peacecorpsdocumentary.com/screenings-event Denver Film Festival Sunday, November 10, 2019 11:15 AM 1:15 PM VIEW EVENT → 0 Likes Share NOV 18 7:00 PM Gannon University Screening Monday, November 18, 2019 7:00 PM 9:00 PM VIEW EVENT → 0 Likes Share NOV 19 . . .

    A Towering Task is the  documentary of the history of the Peace Corps. Sargent Shriver was the architect of the iconic organization.  On November 9th, the 104th Anniversary of Shriver’s birthday, Yale University, Shriver’s Alma Mater, will screen “A Towering Task”. Yale University Screening When: Saturday, November 9, 2019 3:30 PM – 6:00 PM Where:Edward P. Evans Hall – School of Management Zhang Auditorium, 165 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT 06511 Description: A screening of the film that tells the story of Peace Corps – A Towering Task! Directed by Alana DeJoseph with Associate Producer Dave Steinke, the film is narrated by Annette Bening. Founded during the Cold War, the Peace Corps stands as an icon of American idealism. From the beginning its mission of world peace and friendship proved to be a towering task. Imbued with the unbounded energy and vision of its charismatic leader, Sargent Shriver, and thousands . . .

  Cornell University describes their mission in Peru: “More than 50 years ago, a Cornell mission to a small village in the Andes introduced social changes that made a profound improvement in the life of the village. Today, echoes of that mission are still visible and may help the community again. From 1952 to 1966 Cornell had an active presence in Vicos (pronounced “vee-kos”), a peasant community in northern Peru…” In 2005, at the request of the Vicos community, Cornell  returned to evaluate the impact of those changes. Read the Cornell report here: http://news.cornell.edu/stories/2009/07/cornell-returns-small-village-andes From 1962  to 1974 ,Peace Corps also worked in Peru, including  in Andean communities.  Peace Corps returned in 2002 and is there, today. Evelyn LaTorre (Peru 1964-66)) described one incidence in her village in the Andes, in 1965.  Her observations are wonderfully accurate and relate to the findings of Cornell so many years later.  Read her . . .

National service: Rebuilding America’s civic fabric The Brookings Institution hosted a panel discussion among the member of the National Commission on Military Service, National Service, and Public service.  The video should be able to be viewed by clicking on the phrase” Continue reading” in the announcement or https://www.brookings.edu/events/national-service-rebuilding-americas-civic-fabric/   The wide ranging discussion included strong opinions in favor of making a year of “service” mandatory for graduating high school seniors.  If there was also discussion on how the government would pay for such a mandate, let alone enforce it, I missed it. Mark Gearan, former Peace Corps Director, is Vice Chair of the Commission and  spoke about the efforts of the Commission for National Peace Corps Association, here:  https://www.peacecorpsconnect.org/articles/national-service-an-interim-report-on-the-commission-hearings See also: https://peacecorpsworldwide.org/?s=National+Commission+on+Military%2C+National+and+Public+Service  

10/14/10 Update for Colorado:  The 50 tickets obtained by RPCV of Colorado were sold out, almost immediately.  They may have additional tickets, contact them at rpcvcolorado.org If no tickets are available via RPCVs of Colorado, tickets for  A Towering Task go on sale at 12:30 pm, today Monday, October 14, 720.381.0813  for non-members of Denver the Film Festival. __________________________________________________________   RPCVs of North Carolina will sponser the first SE showing of “A Towering Task”.The film will be shown on October 22, 2019, 6pm to 9pm EDT.  Here is the link for more information: https://www.ncpeacecorps.org/events/a-towering-task-the-story-of-the-peace-corps-film-screening-happy-hour From the website: “Meet us at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Raleigh for a movie night: the first southeast U.S. showing of “A Towering Task, The Story of the Peace Corps,” with a reception preceding the film from 6pm – 7pm. The screening starts promptly at 7, with no late admittance. This event is sponsored as a community service by . . .