More about the Peace Corps State Department Party and why we aren't invited!
Thought you might be interested in a story we did on PCV Walter Poirier of Lowell, MA, missing for 10…
About 6 months ago Marian Beil, the publisher of this site, met with one of the top organizers at the Peace Corps for the 50th celebration to share some ideas on how the Peace Corps might mark the occasion. One of Marian’s suggestions was to have an evening of dancing for PCVs and RPCVs to music played by bands from around the world — the kind of music that gets us up out of our seats — with a partner or not — to bask in the joy of having been able to embrace the world through our Peace Corps service.
The response from the non-RPCV Peace Corps employee was 1) Peace Corps was being looked at closely by the GAO about expenditures from the Chicago 45th and they needed to be very careful [as far as I know the NPCA paid for that event in Chicago, not the Peace Corps]; 2) All events that the Peace Corps would present must be to further the Peace Corps mission — not to entertain RPCVS; and 3) imaging how “un-Peace Corps” it would be for the Peace Corps to throw a party with a bunch of RPCVs standing around “drinking white wine.” Well, she was right there: We drink beer!
So now we have this State Department event and guess what, we are not invited to this Peace Corps celebration. How does this event not fit the ‘image’ if we are having a good time?
But who will be invited? And what will they be drinking? Black Russians?
This is the Peace Corps, exactly the way I remember it.
What happened to touch football on the elipse?
It all used to be fun. Idealistic, fun. A sense of purpose.
John, my hunch is that this is for the “diplomatic community–especially since it’s with Hillary. For quite a while there has been a mysterious item on the PC list of 50th annviersary activities that said “Diplomatic Community” The invitation seems to focus on Shriver, though, rather thant he 50th, so ,as yous ay, who knows??/
John,
The decision by the State Department underscores why Shriver, Moyers, LBJ and others created the Peace Corps as an independent agency.
The Smithsonian Institution will celebrate the Peace Corps 50th for a week in June and July. It will feature music, food and crafts on the mall. I suggest RPCVs send invitations to Secretary Clinton and others at the top of Foggy bottom.
hmmm, maybe we should throw our own dance party?!
Yeah for the Smithsonian.
Beer for the purists! It was our first alcohollc drink, because everything else was too expensive, both in school and in the Peace Corps. and Thunderbird Wine was a killer! Seriously, who cares? We are unique, and freguently misunderstood. Remember Richard Nixon said that we were the most over-advertized travel club in the world! If the Inspector General at the Peace Corps is still looking at the 45th, that is typical of their failure to catch up. I wonder how many years it will take them to investigate, if they ever will, the violence committed against the PCVs because of the failure of Peace Corps staff to ensure their safety and take complaints seriously.
Remember, remember, remember David, who is there now, it not who was there for the 45th….
There is no real Peace Corps/Washington. There is a loosely connected conglomeration of political appointees and civil service short timers.
Thought you might be interested in a story we did on PCV Walter Poirier of Lowell, MA, missing for 10 years from Bolivia. Part 2 publishes tomorrow. http://www.lowellsun.com/ci_17551220