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National Peace Corps Association > News > Community News > Honduras, India, Moldova, Nepal, Paraguay
Honduras, India, Moldova, Nepal, Paraguay
By JoAnna Haugen on Wednesday, September 17th, 2008
HONDURAS
The Central Honduras Educational Fund was founded in January 2005 by Aaron Banas, Dave Burke and Mike Mazza. The CHE Fund provides Honduran students with educational support. Banas recently began his master’s degree in Latin American studies at the University of Tucson, Burke is a second-year dental student at the Arizona School of Dentistry and Mazza is earning his master’s degree in landscape architecture at the University of Arizona.
INDIA
Though not a performer, Keith McCleary (68-70) has been creating marionettes since serving in the Peace Corps. He collects scrap pieces from his career in interior design, and he spends many hours meticulously defining character in each of the marionettes. In 2006 McCleary displayed his collection in York, Pennsylvania’s, CityArt Studio Gallery.
MOLDOVA
Texas A&M University has named Breanne Svehla as director of its internship program that focuses on agriculture and natural resource management. She will head the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences’ Agricultural and Natural Resources Policy Internship Program as well as the Office of Undergraduate Programs and Academic Services’ Public Policy Internship Program. Prior to joining the staff at Texas A&M, Svehla served as a program assistant with the USDA, an agricultural consultant with the National Farmers’ Federation of Moldova, and a youth development specialist and project manager with an international youth development organization in Moldova. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M in agricultural development in 2003.
NEPAL
Author Nick Cibrario (62-64) recently published a new novel, Secrets on the Family Farm. He taught English and Latin for many years before retiring in 2000. A member of The Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets, the American Classical League and the Chicago Classical Club, Cibrario’s poetry has been published in a variety of publications. This is his second book.
PARAGUAY
Adam Goodman (98-00) has launched Kombucha Botanica, a fermented tea drink brand. He earned a loan through the Local Producer Loan Program from Whole Foods Market Inc. which has allowed the production of his brand to grow significantly. An advocate of fair trade, Goodman purchases Fair Trade Certified sugar from Paraguay and Fair Trade Certified tea from various parts of Asia. His business also gives back one percent of its annual net revenue to the community through the 1 Percent For The Planet program. Goodman currently sells Kombucha Botanica at Whole Foods stores in Northern California, and before the end of his year, Kombucha Botanica products will be available in all parts of California, Arizona, Southern Oregon, Nevada and Southern Utah.
