Peace Corps Programs to be Highlighted at Santa Fe Folk Art Market Kick-Off Event

Press Release: Peace Corps Programs to be Highlighted at Santa Fe Folk Art Market Kick-Off Event

Washington, DC — June 30th, 2011 — One of nine events across the country to highlight five decades of service

The Peace Corps and 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, announced today an Around the World Expo will be held in Santa Fe, N.M. on Thursday, July 7. The expo is one of nine regional events nationwide to highlight the contributions of Peace Corps volunteers and celebrate the program’s 50th anniversary and also serves as a kick-off event for the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market, which begins the following day.

“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 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.

The expo in Santa Fe will be held on July 7 at 5 p.m. at Railyard Park at SW Paseo de Peralta and Guadalupe Street. Scheduled speakers include Kevin Quigley, president of NPCA and Erica Gannon, director of the Peace Corps regional office in Dallas.

“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.”

Learn more about the expos.

To learn more about the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market, visit: http://www.folkartmarket.org.

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About the National Peace Corps Association (NPCA)

Founded in 1979 and headquartered in Washington, DC, the National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) is the nation’s leading 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization supporting Returned Peace Corps Volunteers and the Peace Corps community through networking and mentoring to help guide former Volunteers through their continued service back home. It is also the longest-standing advocate for an independent and robust Peace Corps and its values. To learn more, visit: www.peacecorpsconnect.org

Media contact:
Alison Beckwith
Media Consultant
Phone: 301-699-0148