Peace Corps Community in the News (ICYMI)

International Volunteer Day—Implications for an accidental volunteer, By Dianne Hambrook in South Seas | December 16, 2024.

“There are no Peace Corps in the Solomon Islands now. We’re not sure why exactly, some directive at a government level. But the Western Province holds particular significance for their organisation, it’s where JFK was marooned during World War II after his patrol torpedo boat was run over by a Japanese destroyer. If he hadn’t survived, the Peace Corps wouldn’t have come into existence.”

NASA Astronaut Joseph M. Acaba shares life insights at BRAC, The Daily Star | December 16, 2024.

“Without my teacher, I wouldn’t be an astronaut.”

(Editor: Mr. Acaba served in the Dominican Republic, 1994-96, not the Bahamas, as the article states).

Defendant Pleads Not Guilty in Connection to Murder of Peace Corps Worker, By Adriana Marroquin in DC Witness |December 16, 2024.

Dearay Wilson, 29, is charged with conspiracy, first-degree premeditated murder while armed, and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, for his alleged involvement in the fatal shooting of 53-year-old Jeremy Black. The incident occurred on June 29, 2021, on the 1400 block of R Street, NW in Washington, D.C.

Billion-dollar donation from Netflix’s Reed Hastings leads 2024’s list of biggest gifts, By Maria di Mento of The Chronicle of Philanthropy | December 17, 2024.

Topping the list is a gift from Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings, whose net worth Forbes estimates at more than $5 billion. Hastings and his wife, Patty Quillin, gave 2 million shares of Netflix stock valued at $1.1 billion in January to their Hastings Fund at the Silicon Valley Community Foundation.

Lesotho welcomes Peace Corps for education, health support, By Thoboloko Ntšonyane in Informative News | December 18, 2024.

“Thank you for volunteering, and thank you for your willingness to come to this far flung inner of the world and serve Basotho people. I am sure you know that you follow the footsteps of giants; those who have served before have served and represented the United States, represented the Peace Corps with honour and dignity, serving with dedication, diligence, kindness and compassion and this is what we expect from you to follow in that example.”

One Man’s Vision Transforms Kenyan School, By Rob Lasson in North Carolina State University Articles | December 18, 2024.

“At the time I had to make a decision about what to do after graduating, I was slightly turned off from culture in America and wanted to avoid working in a corporate industrial environment if I could. Although my primary job is to teach, the tools I learned for my degree have been most applicable in designing and managing the computer lab project at our school.”

Reflecting on 24 Years of Crisis Care at Direct Relief — Thomas Tighe Leaving Santa Barbara–Based, Globally Impactful Nonprofit Aid Agency, By Matt Kettmann in the Santa Barbara Independent | December 19, 2024.

“There’s no one lower on an organizational chart in Washington, D.C., than a Peace Corps volunteer, but it’s a great job. It’s different from being a tourist. It’s different from being there to do business. It’s really there to work alongside people, and that was very enriching and rewarding. I saw many of the same dimensions in Direct Relief. But it had the flexibility of being a private organization. You could move faster. You could make quicker decisions.”

ICYMI (In case you missed it) Peace Corps Community in the News is published each Saturday by Peace Corps Worldwide.