Press Release: 50th Anniversary Regional Expo Held in Jacksonville to Showcase Peace Corps Programs

Washington, DC — February 9th, 2011 — One of nine events across the country to highlight five decades of service

The National Peace Corps Association (NPCA), the nation’s leading 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization supporting Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) and the Peace Corps community, and the Peace Corps announced today an Around the World Expo will be held in Jacksonville, Fla. on Sunday, Feb. 27. This expo is one of nine regional events nationwide to highlight the contributions of Peace Corps volunteers and celebrate the program’s 50th anniversary.

“Our goal is to highlight the accomplishments of the Peace Corps over the last 50 years while inspiring the next generation of volunteers,” said Kevin Quigley, president of the National Peace Corps Association (Thailand, 1976-79). “These expos will be a way for people who have only heard about the Peace Corps to come see it up close.”

A collaborative effort between NPCA, the Peace Corps and local member groups, the expos provide an opportunity for the general public and RPCVs to celebrate the countries where Peace Corps Volunteers have served. Attendees will be able to hear firsthand from former Volunteers about their experiences and projects around the world. Peace Corps and NPCA staff members will be on hand to lead workshops and answer questions on various recruitment and education initiatives.

The expos are timed to help commemorate the 50th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy’s creation of the Peace Corps in 1961. Free and open to the public, they are aimed at people interested in volunteering, teachers looking for new ways to engage students and RPCVs seeking to reconnect with former colleagues.  One panel will feature RPCVs from the Jacksonville area who continue to build on their Peace Corps experience in service to their own communities and around the world.

The first expo will be held Sunday, Feb. 27, in Jacksonville, Fla., at the conference center at the main public library at 303 North Laurel St. Registration opens at 1:30 p.m. Scheduled speakers include Kenton Ayers (Ecuador, 1979-81), regional manager for the Peace Corps in Atlanta, Ga.; NPCA Vice President Anne Baker (Fiji, 1985-87); and Michael Fackler (Poland, 1996-98), president of First Coast Returned Peace Corps Volunteers.

“The anniversary expos provide an opportunity for everyone to get a hands-on experience through story-telling, workshops and demonstrations,” adds Quigley. “In essence, we’ll be bringing the world home to help inspire a new generation of volunteers.”

To learn more about the expositions, visit: http://www.peacecorpsconnect.org/resources/peace-corps-50th-anniversary/50thexpos/

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About the National Peace Corps Association (NPCA)

Founded in 1979 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., the National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) is the nation’s leading 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization connecting and championing Returned Peace Corps Volunteers and the Peace Corps community. It provides service and education opportunities that build on the Peace Corps experience, and is also the longest-standing advocate for an independent and robust Peace Corps. To learn more, visit: www.peacecorpsconnect.org

Media contact:
Erica Burman
Director of Communications
Phone: 202-293-7728

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