Peace Corps Community in the News (week of January 5, 2025)
Hove author uses his fascinating personal experience of evading the Vietnam-era draft as a basis for his latest thriller, by Sophie Morgan in Sussex News | January 3, 2025.
“Like my character, I was caught up in the Vietnam war draft lottery. Like him, I was going to go to Harvard Law School. Like him, I went to teach in a private school in Maine. Like him, I got a low number in the draft, meaning that I would be drafted and probably sent to fight in Vietnam. Like him, I had a humiliating medical examination. Unlike him, I took the exit route of joining the Peace Corps [considered national service in lieu of the military]. I was sent to a rural part of south India, where I learned the local language, which later led to my PhD and academic career. I was lucky. My character was not.” — Stuart Blackburn (India 1970-72).
Self-Care and Vision Care, by Linda Conlin, in 20/20 Magazine | January 4, 2025.
Alaffia is a common greeting and farewell originating from central Togo, Benin and Nigeria. Alaffia means a state of peace, health and well being. It’s also the name of a social enterprise company that handcrafts clean, green skin and hair care products with fair trade ingredients that support community empowerment projects in West Africa at women-led co-ops. Alaffia founder and CEO Olowo-n’djo Tchala grew up in Togo, West Africa, where he met Peace Corps Volunteer Prairie Rose Hyde (Togo 1996-98).
Meet the Lansing man who’s been making an impact for over 60 years, by David Andrews on WILX News 10 | January 6, 2025.
When he’s not dancing and singing, David Baur is busy volunteering. It all started in 1962 when Baur says he answered the call from President John F. Kennedy… ”Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.” What David Baur did was join the very first group of U.S. Peace Corps volunteers to be deployed overseas (Liberia 1962-64).
Vallejo’s New Mayor, Andrea Sorce, Wants to Turn ‘Potential Into Progress’ by Ericka Cruz Guevarra, Jessica Kariisa, Alan Montecillo, on KQED | January 6, 2025.
On Tuesday, Vallejo will swear in its new mayor. Andrea Sorce (El Salvador 2013-14), chair of the city’s Surveillance Advisory Board and co-founder of the ACLU’s Solano County chapter, won by running as a political outsider promising change. Today, Ericka sits down with the mayor-elect in Vallejo to discuss what barriers she sees to fulfilling Vallejo’s “potential,” the Vallejo Police Department, housing and homelessness and more.
White Castle names Anthony Joseph new president | PR Newswire | Columbus, Ohio | January 7, 2025
Joseph is the first non-family member to step into the president role of the 104-year-old fast-food chain and CPG company. Prior to joining White Castle, Joseph spent over 15 years at food and beverage company Concessions International, serving as general counsel and later president. A former member of the Peace Corps, Joseph graduated from Yale University and received his law degree from Columbia Law School.
Democrats retain majority in General Assembly, by Brandon Jarvis in The Virginia Scope | January 7, 2025.
J.J. Singh earned the nomination during a firehouse primary in December. He was born in Northern Virginia after his parents moved from India in 1970. He graduated from the University of Virginia and worked for the Peace Corps in Bolivia (2002-04).
WCMA Announces Industry Leaders to be Honored with 2025 Recognition Awards, by Grace Atherton in WCMA News | January 8, 2025.
Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association Distinguished Service Award: Kent Keller is President of Keller Technologies Inc., launched in 2000 and focused on developing new technologies to process whey and produce novel proteins. A graduate of the University of Arizona with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, Keller began his career at Dow Chemical Company and followed that with positions within the Peace Corps and Cargill.
Who is Jason Carter, the grandson of the late President Jimmy Carter? by Greg Heilman in AS | January 9, 2025.
Jason Carter, the eldest grandchild of Jimmy Carter, will delivery one of the eulogies at the 39th US president’s state funeral service in Washington DC….Upon leaving Duke, he joined the Peace Corps, following in the footsteps of his great-grandmother, Lillian Carter. Jason spent two years from 1998 to 2000 in the Peace Corps in South Africa, an experience which he later wrote a book about titled ‘Power Lines’.
A naturalized U.S. citizen serves with Peace Corps Response, by Tamryn Sainten on PeaceCorps.gov |January 9, 2025.
While serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer is all about fostering intercultural relationships, one Peace Corps Response Volunteer discovered that service also allowed her to give back to the United States, the country that provided refuge to her family decades prior. Photo: Neneh is currently serving as a Peace Corps Response Volunteer in Fiji.
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