Peace Corps USA

EPACHA Foundation

Celebrates 50th Anniversary

of the

1961 - 2011

http://www.peacecorps.gov/

__________________________________________________________________________________________

A Special Tribute

SARGENT SHRIVER

1st Director of the Peace Corps

November 9, 1915 - January 18, 2011

“The Peace Corps represents some, if not all, of the best virtues in this society.

It stands for everything that America has ever stood for. It stands for everything we believe in and hope

to achieve in the world.”

Courtesy, Wikipedia - Source, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library & Museum - Boston

Author, Rowland Scherman, Peace Corps

[Photo taken in 1961]

Sargent Shriver served as first Director of the Peace Corps

(to which this picture relates). He was also US Ambassador to France,

and US Vice-Presidential candidate in 1972

The work of Sargent Shriver

Continues . . .

Peace Corps

A Legacy at Home and Abroad

Video Courtesy,peacecorps

http://www.peacecorps.gov/

History of the Peace Corps

Photo Courtesy, the Peace Corps

Read article on the Peace Corps by Samuel AS. Farr of NDU Press at:

http://www.ndu.edu/press/civilian-response-corps.html

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The Peace Corps is an American volunteer program run by the United States Government, as well as a government agency of the same name. The mission of the Peace Corps includes three goals: providing technical assistance, helping people outside the United States to understand U.S. culture, and helping Americans understand the cultures of other countries. Generally, the work is related to social and economic development.

Each program participant, (aka Peace Corps Volunteer), is an American citizen, typically with a college degree [or non-college degree citizen], who works abroad for a period of 24 months after three months of training. Volunteers work with governments, schools, non-profit organizations, non-government organizations, and entrepreneurs in education, hunger, business, information technology, agriculture, and the environment.

It was established by Executive Order 10924 on March 1, 1961, and authorized by the Congress on September 22, 1961, with passage of the Peace Corps Act (Public Law 87-293). The act declares the program's purpose as follows:

To promote world peace and friendship through a Peace Corps, which shall make available to interested countries and areas men and women of the United States qualified for service abroad and willing to serve, under conditions of hardship if necessary, to help the peoples of such countries and areas in meeting their needs for trained manpower.

Since 1961, over 200,000 Americans have joined the Peace Corps, serving in 139 countries. Many former volunteers have risen to national prominence, not least the four who have served as Peace Corps Directors.

Peace Corps History - Courtesy, Wikipedia

Read more about the Peace Corps at the following website:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_Corps

P E A C E C O R P S

Colleges & Universities

Peace Corps Director Shriver Sarg ent Shriver, Dir. of the Peace Corps announced

talks to trainees at a Peace Corps Training Center at the Univ. of Ohio

Rutgers University, 1961 in 1960s. Univ. Pres. V. R. Alden [L]

Courtesy, University of Michigan Union - October 14, 1961

SARGENT SHRIVER'S LEADERSHIP

-c

I n s p i r e d A m e r i c a n

COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES

With a Unified Effort of Volunteerism to

Promote World Peace, Friendship

and

D E V E L O P M E N T

THROUGH THE PEACE CORPS

The "Challenge" Set

Forth by

Senator John F. Kennedy

University of Michigan Union

October 14, 1960

At 2:00 a.m. on October 14, 1960, Senator John F. Kennedy

addressed students on the steps of the University of Michigan Union.

In his speech, he challenged the students to give two years of their lives

to help people in countries of the developing world.

Courtesy, University of Michigan Union

at-

Hear the "Challenge" . . .

tCourtesy, University of Michigan

at-

Read the Transcript . . .

"I want to express my thanks to you, as a graduate of the Michigan of the East, Harvard University.

I come here tonight delighted to have the opportunity to say one or two words about this campaign that is coming into the last three weeks.

I think in many ways it is the most important campaign since 1933, mostly because of the problems which press upon the United States, and the opportunities which will be presented to us in the 1960s. The opportunity must be seized, through the judgment of the President, and the vigor of the executive, and the cooperation of the Congress. Through these I think we can make the greatest possible difference.

How many of you who are going to be doctors, are willing to spend your days in Ghana? Technicians or engineers, how many of you are willing to work in the Foreign Service and spend your lives traveling around the world? On your willingness to do that, not merely to serve one year or two years in the service, but on your willingness to contribute part of your life to this country, I think will depend the answer whether a free society can compete. I think it can! And I think Americans are willing to contribute. But the effort must be far greater than we have ever made in the past.

Therefore, I am delighted to come to Michigan, to this university, because unless we have those resources in this school, unless you comprehend the nature of what is being asked of you, this country can't possibly move through the next 10 years in a period of relative strength.

So I come here tonight to go to bed! But I also come here tonight to ask you to join in the effort...

This university...this is the longest short speech I've ever made...therefore, I'll finish it! Let me say in conclusion, this University is not maintained by its alumni, or by the state, merely to help its graduates have an economic advantage in the life struggle. There is certainly a greater purpose, and I'm sure you recognize it. Therefore, I do not apologize for asking for your support in this campaign. I come here tonight asking your support for this country over the next decade.

Thank you."

President John F. Kennedy

October 14, 1961

Courtesy, University of Michigan

http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=about.history.speech

_____________________________________________________________________________

Learn of the . . .

Historic Event

Executive Order 10924:

Establishment of the Peace Corps.

March 1, 1961

Signed by President John F. Kennedy

Courtesy, www.ourdocumenta.gov

View enlarged image of Executive Order 10924

at the following website:

http://www.peacecorps.gov/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_Corps

_____________________________________________________________________________

Join the

50th-Year Celebration

of the

P E A C E C O R P S

Courtesy, University of Michigan - um

Meet the Peace Corps

Current and Past Directors

who have endeavored through the

years with the same spirit

and determination of

Sargent Shriver . . .

Aaron S. Williams

Current Peace Corp Director

Mr. Williams was sworn in as

the 18th Director of the Peace Corp

on Auguat 24, 2009

Past Peace Corps Directors

Ronald A. Tschetter Gaddi H. Vasquez Mark L. Schneider Mark D. Gearan

9/26/2006-1/16/2009 1/23/2002-9/7/2006 12/23/1999-1/20/2001 4/11/1995-4/11-1999

Carol Bellamy Elaine Chao Paul D. Coverdell Lauret Miller Ruppe Richard F. Celeste

7/7/1993-5/1/1995 8/8/1991-11/13/1992 4/20/1989-1/1/1991 4/11/1995-4/11/1999 4/27/1979-1/20/1981

Carol R. Payton John Dellenback Nick Craw

11/11/1977-12/18/1978 4/28/1975-5/13/1977 1/1/1973-9/1/1974

Donald Hess Kevin O'Donnell Joseph Blatchford Jack Vaughn

11/1972-9/30/1972 7/1/1971-9/30/1972 5/1/1969-7/1/1971 3/1/1966-4/30/1969

R. Sargent Shriver

1st Director of Peace Corps

March 22, 1961 - February 22, 1968

Invest in Your World!

Donate to a Volunteer's community

project today

at the following website:

http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=donate

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Reminder,

The Peace Corps Partnership Program

applies 100% of your tax-deductible

donation towards a specific Project,

Special Fund or Country Fund.

You may also

Donate to the Peace Corps

50th Anniversary Fund

by clicking on the following web link:

Donate to the Peace Corps 50th Anniversary Fund

Courtesy,

http://www.peacecorps.gov/

Memorable Moments:

Sargent Shriver Promotes

Peace Corps

On National Televisionf

Video Courtesy, peacecorps

Meaningful Moments:

fReflections on Peace Corps Volunteers

Through the Years

Excerpt from Journal of M. Polly Scoville, ah

Peace Corps volunteer in Morrocco

In this review of her day, she reflects on

the people and places around her.

h-
h-

October 29, 1964

Courtesy, Presidential Timeline of the Twentieth Century

View enlarged image of journal excerpt written by

Peace Corps volunteer M. Polly Scoville

at the following website:

http://presidentialtimeline.org/html/record.php?id=204&view=1

Poem from a student in Nigeria to a

Peace Corps volunteer

A typed four-stanza poem written by a

student at St. Andrews Secondary Commercial

School honors his teacher, Miss Betty Coxon,

a Peace Corp volunteer

By Mark Chukwu - Nigeria - 1965

Courtesy, Presidential Timeline of the Twentieth Century

View enlarged image of four-stanza poem writen

to honor Peace Corps volunteer, Betty Coxon

at the following website:

http://presidentialtimeline.org/html/record.php?id=211

Letter from Mrs. Lillian Carter to her

daughter, Mrs. Walter Spann

Lillian Carter, Mother of Jimmy Carter [former

U.S. President], writes this letter on her 70th

birthday while she was serving as a

nurse with the Peace Corps. She reflects on

what serving in the Peace Corps has meant

to her and expresses her hopes for her children.

Auguast 15, 1968 - India

Courtesy, Presidential Timeline of the Twentieth Century

View enlarged image of four-stanza poem writen

to honor Peace Corps volunteer, Betty Coxon

at the following website:

http://presidentialtimeline.org/html/record.php?id=193&view=1

Condolence Letter to Jacqueline Kennedy

In this one-page handwritten letter dated four days

after President Kennedy's death, the director of a

high school in Malaysia extends his sympathy

to Mrs. Kennedy and expresses his gratitude

for the contributions of the Peace Corps

volunteers serving in his school.

Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia - November 26, 1963

Courtesy, Presidential Timeline of the Twentieth Century

View enlarged image of Condolence

letter to Jacqueline Kennedy at

the following website:

http://presidentialtimeline.org/html/record.php?id=180

It's hard to imagine the

world without the

P E A C E C O R P S

Thousands of volunteers over the past

50 yearshave made a positive

impact in terms of fostering peace and

friendship throughout

every place that the Peace Corps

made its humanistic imprint.

The generation of children and youth

who grew up during the early years

of the Peace Corps can yet remember

the excitement of having established an

"American" organization of volunteers

whose work

took them to the far reaches of the

world - to places that many had only

read of in books or dreamt of under

many starry, wishful nights.

Students at all levels of learning -

from grade school through

college level - were genuinely inspired

by, and aspired to the work of the

Peace Corps.

Achieving the fulfillment of meeting our

global neighbors and experiencing

different cultures as we advance our

sincere efforts to promote

peace, friendship and development

was then - and is yet today - the hope

and dream of many American children,

college students and even adults.

The work of the Peace Corps remains

a hallmark for peace, friendship and

development throughout the developing

world. Despite the many global

challenges which now appear as obstacles

strewn about the precious pathways that

lead to tranquility and lasting

relationships amongst peoples of

different cultures and regions of the

world, there is yet much more to be done

by Peace Corp Volunteers.

Needless to say, the Peace Corps is

synonomous with Sargent Shriver.

Without his vision and unyielding

spirit and determination to promote

global peace, friendship and

assistance to developing countries,

the Peace Corps would have been

relegated to the sound of words

never put into action.

Many Thanks to Sargent Shriver

and the Thousands of

Peace Corp Volunteers who have

made known to the world the

"Genuine Spirit of the True American!"

EPACHA Foundation

E P A C H A F o u n d a t i o n

P r o u d l y S u p p o r t s

And

Congratulates the

PEACE CORP S

on its

50th Anniversary

Learn more about the Peace Corps

at the following websites:

http://www.peacecorps.gov/

http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=donate

EPACHA FOUNDATION

"REBUILDING OUR WORLD BLOCK-BY-BLOCK"

Click on following link for complete list of EPACHA’s web pages:

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January 25, 2011

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