Greetings from the Chicago Regional Peace Corps Office!

We are looking for RPCV support for the Annual FFA Conference in Indianapolis,
IN.  If you love talking about your experience and are available for a bit of
time between October 21-23rd, we would appreciate your help recruiting people
with an interest in agriculture.   The conference is at the Indiana Convention
Center.



Agriculture Career Show Exhibit Hours

Wednesday, October 21, 2009 11:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Thursday, October 22, 2009 8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Friday, October 23, 2009 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.



If you can help out, even for a few hours, we'd be extremely grateful.  Please
contact koconnor@... to let us know you are interested.



Best regards,

Katie O'Connor

Acting Regional Manager, RPCV Nicaragua

Peace Corps-Chicago Regional Recruiting Office

55 W. Monroe, Suite 450, Chicago, IL 60603

312.353.9093 direct line, 312.353.4192 fax

www.peacecorps.gov

Sorry if this is a duplicative message from the evite or yahoo group posting.

Local RPCVs and friends are gathering on Tuesday, October 20th at Eduardo's
(Charlie Biggs Chicken) at 6:30 pm for dinner.

If you want invited on the evite then please email me at ombili9@...

Cheers,
Debbie
Namibia 00-02

Thank you to those who were patient to look at my images last night as I
struggled with technical difficulties during the CIPCA gathering. To those
who missed the gathering you missed some good food and conversation as
usual.

For more information and how to support my work visually documenting Peace
Corps volunteers please read:

"Making Peace with the World" needs you!

"Making Peace with the World" is a photo documentary project by
Photojournalist RPCV Richard Sitler (Peace Corp Volunteer Jamaica
2000-2002, Crisis Corps Volunteer Jamaica 2006).

As posted by the National Peace Corps Association, "In 2011, the Peace
Corps community will be marking 50 years from when President Kennedy asked
us to give two years of our lives to travel abroad, help others help
themselves, and bring our experiences home in ways that serve the
country."  The "Making Peace with the World" documentary will serve
the Peace Corps in marking its 50th anniversary by the production of a
documentary project, photo/essay book and blog that will give an intimate
view of the everyday life and service of a cross section of today's Peace
Corps volunteers.  This project will help the viewer obtain a feeling of
ownership of and participation in the Peace Corps.  This documentary will
advance the essential work of Peace Corps by promoting the work of
today's volunteers in order to encourage viewers of the project to
support Peace Corps.

Richard is seeking publicity and funding for the project.  In the Peace
Corps spirit of "the power of individuals to make a difference" you can
provide the necessary assistance to make possible the completion of this
project.

Please help by donating as little as $5 to
"http://www.thepoint.com/campaigns/making-peace-with-the-world"
http://www.thepoint.com/campaigns/making-peace-with-the-world
Help with publicity for this project by telling your friends, family and
colleagues to check it out!

Visit the following web sites for a sample of project photographs and to
find out more about the project:

"http://www.thepoint.com/campaigns/making-peace-with-the-world"
http://www.thepoint.com/campaigns/making-peace-with-the-world (The Point
includes fund raising for the project and also posts and announcements)

"http://www.smalltownphotojournalist.com/"
http://www.smalltownphotojournalist.com/ (Richard's small town
photojournalist site includes a slides show of various small town photos,
essays on his recent travel experiences, a slide show of Paraguay photos,
previous posts and photo archives)

"http://glimpse.org/accounts/facebook_789907501/profile/"
http://glimpse.org/accounts/facebook_789907501/profile/ (Richard's
"Glimpse" blog: Glimpse –Your Stories from Abroad – Supported in
part by National Geographic Society).

"http://www.lightstalkers.org/richard_rutledge_sitler"
http://www.lightstalkers.org/richard_rutledge_sitler (lightstalkers site
includes Richard's bio and photo galleries)

"http://www.richard-sitler.com/" http://www.richard-sitler.com/
(Richard's web site includes Richard's resume, contact information,
portfolio and licensing and sales information)


"http://community.peacecorpsconnect.org:80/profiles/blog/list?user=2c4oktw9v8mpv\
"
http://community.peacecorpsconnect.org:80/profiles/blog/list?user=2c4oktw9v8mpv
(Richard's Peace Corps Connect blog)

Accomplishments to Date:

Richard has begun documenting the service of Peace Corps volunteers in
Inter-America and the Caribbean.  He has shadowed volunteers in the
following countries: Jamaica, Belize, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama,
Paraguay, Peru and Ecuador.

Richard states, "I have photographed volunteers in the sectors of youth
development, small business and economic development, health, environment
and agriculture. Although the volunteers' main projects are in specific
sectors, volunteers become involved in a myriad of projects and activities
as they become immersed in their communities. The volunteers I have
photographed have been from all over the U.S. States - represented so far
are volunteers from Indiana, Iowa, Virginia, Washington, California, New
York and Colorado. The volunteers also represent the racial and cultural
diversity of the United States.  The sites and host country people also
have been diverse. I have photographed volunteers in different settings,
from a highland coffee growing region of beautiful mists and sudden rain
showers in Nicaragua to a volunteer in a sleepy Belize village near a Mayan
temple."

Needed for Completion:

In order to complete the project, Richard is seeking funding via the web
site The Point.   He is currently back in the United States to raise funds
to document volunteers in Africa, Europe and the Mediterranean, Central and
East Asia and the Pacific.  Please help this project come to fruition by
providing support via The Point  (
"http://www.thepoint.com/campaigns/making-peace-with-the-world"
http://www.thepoint.com/campaigns/making-peace-with-the-world).  Or, you
may send a donation directly to Richard by contacting him at  HYPERLINK
"mailto:RichS85@..." RichS85@... for details.

Hi everyone,

The 2009 International Festival is this week (Nov 19-22, Indiana State
Fairgrounds, http://www.indyinternationalfestival.org/) and will have
ethnic music and dances, authentic food, and cultural exhibits.

It's always a fun time and if you would like to go as a group, please
contact Lawrence Jay Cevelo Jr at jaysweep@.... Thanks!

Good evening,

It is with deepest sorrow that I pass along news that Mike Cupp passed away. He
served in the Peace Corps with his wife, Patricia, from 68-70 in Ethiopia. He
was a great friend of our local RPCV group and will be missed. For anyone who
knew him and would like to attend the memorial service the details are below. My
husband and I will be in attendance. Let me know if you will be attending.

Thanks, Debbie (Anderson) Pidgeon

Michael "Mike" W. Cupp
67, Indianapolis, passed away December 20, 2009. A memorial service will be held
at 1:30 pm on Sunday, January 10, at North Central High School in the
auditorium. Parking will be available on the west side of the building. Please
enter through door 32. The family will greet guests in the foyer one hour prior
to service.
In lieu of flowers, please send memorial contributions to the Michael "Mike"
Wade Cupp Scholarship Fund, c/o North Central High School, 1801 E. 86th St.,
Indianapolis, IN 46240.
To view online condolences and extended obituary visit
www.flannerbuchanan.com.

Full Obituary is at:
http://www2.indystar.com/cgi-bin/obituaries/index.php?action=show&id=111497

Job Listings Now at Peace Corps Worldwide

Peace Corps Worldwide ( http://peacecorpsworldwide.org/ ) is now accepting job postings from organizations looking for RPCVs or Returned Staff - for both domestic and international work.

If your organization recruits RPCVs, you can post jobs for free, including full-time, part-time, volunteer positions or internships.  Current employers registered with us include Save the Children, HealthNet TPO from the Netherlands, CDM, Abt Associates, Transparency International and others.

If you are an RPCV or Returned Staff looking for a job, you can visit the site and search current postings, or register with us and create a profile so employers can find you.   Also, registered RPCVs and Staff can search the employer profiles to find organizations who match your interests even before jobs are posted.

View current jobs at: http://www.cambridgedata.com/search_jobs.htm

Post Jobs, Search Jobs, Register at http://peacecorpsworldwide.org

Hi all,

My coworker in Lafayette is adopting a little boy from the Ukraine.

Her and her husband will be flying into Kiev and staying  in Kiev in an
apartment for about one month. They will have an adoption liason and travel
guide to help them.

But who better to give advice than a RPCV who has lived in the Ukraine :) Travel
and culture tips are very welcome.

Please send me your tips and advice for traveling/living in the Ukraine and I
will pass it on to my coworker.

What to pack?
How to be safe?
How to grocery shop
gifts/ items to buy for the child to give to him as he grows up to remind him of
his culture

Also, advice for when the child arrives is very welcome.
What kinds of things will make the child feel welcome  etc...
things to buy in Ukraine for the child

Thank you in advance for your advice
Laura
RPCV 2006-2008
San Victor, Dominican Republic
-----------------------------------------------------------------

Good evening,

On Thursday, July 22nd at 6:00 p.m. I will host a meeting at my home for those
who are interested in becoming active in managing the Central Indiana Returned
Peace Corps Association. To learn more about PC affiliate groups go to:
http://www.peacecorpsconnect.org/resources/member-groups/

Please RSVP to me at ombili9@... or 317-627-8982. I will provide
directions to my home (close to downtown) after you RSVP.

Information about an August picnic will be posted soon.

Thanks, Debbie

Hi all,

The next reunion of us former PCVs in Indiana has been set for August 26th from
6:30 to 9 p.m.  It will be held at Ben Eddy's new home, located at 2422 E.
Northgate Street, Indianapolis.

It will be a potluck.  Feel free to bring a standard picnic/cookout side dish. 
Alcohol is also welcome.  If you want to bring something to grill out, whether
meat or veggies, feel free to give Ben or myself a heads up so we can work that
out by emailing us at benjamineddy@... or nicolettemendenhall@.... 
We will work you in for some grill time on Ben's grill.

As there are a few vegetarians in the group, side dishes or main dishes without
meat would be especially appreciated, but we will try to make sure that there
are some main dishes with meat for the meat lovers of the group.

Jonathon, from the National Peace Corps Association, will be driving to Indy to
be a guest at the event.  As the Central Asian RPCVs were put in charge, you can
expect to suffer through long-winded toasts every few minutes to our having long
lives and good health...as well as bad disco music and vodka that has been
watered down and freezes.

Can't wait to see you all there.  Feel free to rsvp to Ben at the above email
address, especially if you want to get a sense of what foods may already be
taken care of for the event so you can pick out what to bring.

Thanks,
Nicky Mendenhall
Turkmenistan 2002-2004

Ben Eddy
Kyrgystan 2002-2004

Connect to classrooms through Speakers Match
Schools are back in session and we are heading into Peace Corps' 50th
anniversary year, so it's a perfect time to bring the world back home by
visiting schools and classrooms to talk about Peace Corps.  How?  Register for
Speakers Match!

The Peace Corps' Speakers Match program provides a fascinating way to introduce
students to other cultures and to share your inspiring stories of service
through photographs, artifacts, music, language and stories.  To help you
effectively share your work, Peace Corps developed the Speakers Match Handbook,
with teaching suggestions, tips for communication with the teacher and ideas for
pre- and post-visit activities to extend the learning beyond your visit.

Read about recent classroom visits on NPCA's Education blog:
http://www.peacecorpsconnect.org/news/education/

Learn more and register for Speakers Match today: 
http://www.peacecorps.gov/wws/speakersmatch/

Visit Group Leaders Forum at:
http://community.peacecorpsconnect.org/groups/group/show?id=2683076%3AGroup%3A21\
588&xg_source=msg_mes_group

Debbie Gallo at Cathedral High School in Indianapolis, Indiana is looking for
local RPCVs to speak to students.  If you are interested, please contact her
directly at:

gallo.debbie@...

Also, if you present as an RPCV at this, or any other event, World Wise Schools
offers an online Speakers Match handbook to help RPCVs plan a third-goal
presentation: http://www.peacecorps.gov/wws/speakersmatch/handbook/rpcv.pdf.

Peace Corps' Third Goal office also has downloadable resources at
www.peacecorps.gov/thirdgoal, and RPCVs can register their presentation to
receive Peace Corps stickers, bookmarks, and a world map to hand out at the
event.

Let me know if you respond to Debbie, so that I know her request has been taken
care of.

Thanks, Debbie

Hello all!

It is that time again - time to get together with all your favorite people from
your Central Indiana Peace Corps Association! Dinner will be held  at the
wonderful Ethiopian restaurant, Major Restaurant, on the southwest side of town,
at 7pm, on Wednesday October 20th. Please plan on arriving between 6:30 and 7pm,
as dinner will start to be served at 7pm. There will be a buffet, with many
options for vegetarians and carnivores alike, for $10 (tip and drink not
included).  Delicious food, reasonable price, great atmosphere and stimulating
conversation - what more could you ask for!

Please RSVP to schuck_stephanie@... by Friday, October 15th so that we can
estimate the number needed for the buffet. I will also send out an evite
invitation (if you do not receive it and would like to be added to the list,
please let me know), and I will also post it on our Facebook page (if you
haven't joined our group on Facebook please do!). Directions can be found in the
evite invitation and on Facebook.  Hope to see all of you there!!

Stephanie

Major Restaurant
1150 S. Mickley Avenue
Indianapolis, IN 46241
317.240.2700

Hello everyone,

Just a friendly reminder that if you haven't rsvp'd a yes for the CIPCA dinner
at Major restaurant on Oct. 20th, now is the time!!  Don't miss out on some
great food and great company!!

Please rsvp to me, schuck_stephanie@..., and if you have any questions, I
will do my best to answer them!  Hope to see you soon!

Stephanie

Hi all,

Just to let everyone know, as it is a little tricky, The light that you need to
turn at has a big Cleaners and Laundromat sign - can't miss it. If you are
coming from the east on Washington, it is on the right (and you will be turning
rightish), just before the interstate. If you are coming from the west on
Washington (aka hopped off the Washington exit from 465) it will be on your left
(turn a hard left there, first light on your left). The Major Restaurant is on
the left right after that, in the small strip mallish-type thing with a sun
painted on the side. Can't wait to see everyone there!

Stephanie

You are invited to join us tomorrow at the IMA to discuss our involvement in
support of Peace Corps's 50th Anniversary. If you are have ideas and a desire to
support Third Goal, please feel free to join us. For more information on this
meeting and how you can get involved in the future, please contact LaVera Butler
at 903-522-3836 or by email at Lvbutler77@.... The anniversary activities
will be held Feb 28-March 6, 2011. Please save the dates so that you may
support.

We will be meeting at the IMA at Cafe Nourish from 5:30-6:30pm!

Thank you to RPCV's for their ideas and volunteering for activities leading up
to Peace Corps 50th anniversary. If you would like to get involved, please
contact LaVera Butler at Lvbutler77@... or call2serveafrica@.... I
would be happy to discuss with you about how you may wish to be involved using
your own profession, interests, talents, and skills to help us celebrate. Also,
thanks to those who sent our notifications to new RPCV's. We have an opportunity
to involve them in the 50th celebration and support their U.S. re-entry!

Also, we have 50th anniversary t-shirts on sale. They are great marketing tools
to help us connect with RPCV's not yet connected with our association. It is
also an opportunity to share our experience with those who may want to serve in
Peace Corps. Interested in a shirt? Please contact Colleen Turner at
colleenturner@....

Thanks,
LaVera

Hello and Happy New Year!

Are there any volunteers that served in Tonga?

I am considering a Peace Corps Response assignment in Tonga and would like for
some first hand knowledge about the country. Basically I'd like  to hear about
your experience and know what it was like living in Tonga.


thanks I appreciate your feedback

sincerely,
Laura

Dear all,
IUPUI is organizing many activities for February 28-March 6, 2011 in celebration
of the 50th anniversary of Peace Corps - artifact display, poster presentation,
Peace Corps culture hour, career fair, international festival, Jags in the
Street community service event, videoconference with 2 generations of Peace
Corps, videoconference with currently serving volunteers, and a house party.
Stay tuned!

If there are any other orgs that are organizing activities that week, let me
know and I can promote them together with ours. We are also promoting the IMA
event, and a documentary at the Earth House.

Thanks,
Alicia (1998-2000 Panama)
translations@...

Episode tonight on ABC's "20/20"..........
about the Peace Corps....
please watch this...

To Whom It May Concern:

            I was not sure how I should write to your organization, so please excuse me if this is not the correct way to do so.  My name is Alexandra Collins, and I am a Purdue graduate and Peace Corps Volunteer currently serving in Kirovograd, Ukraine.  I teach English and Country Studies at the Kirovograd Socio-Pedagogical Academy, an institute specializing in the training of future English teachers.  My school and I are currently working on a Partnership Grant Application to remodel and repair the largest room in the building.  Our goal is to turn this space into a professional conference room.  My school frequently holds academic conferences and seminars, and there is hardly enough seating and insufficient equipment to have effective meetings.  I am planning on having conferences on environmental issues (mainly on the subject of water quality), and human trafficking in the spring, so improving this conference room would be a necessary step in the process. 

In addition, my school’s Student Parliament would finally have an adequate place to hold their meetings, as well as a place for the students to meet for their after school English speaking and movie clubs.  We will be asking for $2200 to fully fund our project.  My school is contributing approximately $1000 in the form of a new conference table, adequate seating, and labor costs.  I have almost completed my Partnership Grant Application, and I was wondering if I could put your group down as a contact on the form.  This means, as I am sure you already know, that you will receive a copy of my grant proposal in full.    

Then, you and the rest of the group can decide if my project is something to which you would like to contribute.  Please let me know, and if you agree, I will just need the name of a contact person within your organization, as well as an address to add to my Partnership form.  I hope you are enjoying the holiday season.  Thank you for your time.

                                                Sincerely,

                                                     Alexandra Collins