February Newsletter: Now is the time to show our strength in unity
Dear Supporters,
One thing I have always appreciated about the Peace Corps community is how the values that unite us go deeper than any that could divide us. President John F. Kennedy referred to “our great common cause” of solidarity and global partnership as the path to world peace, and the Peace Corps was an embodiment of that vision.
Today, our nation’s longtime commitment to that common cause is being severely tested, and our individual and collective challenge as a community is to strengthen our dedication to promoting peace and improving the human condition for people everywhere.
Peace Corps Park represents a cornerstone of this commitment, and we are resolute in our efforts to enshrine our shared values of service and partnership into the bedrock of our nation’s capital.
Everyone who contributes to the Park is investing in a project that represents the best of America, one that symbolizes the ideals and values of Peace Corps service: That we are stronger when we work together, and that it’s better to be friends than enemies. It represents an historic past – JFK’s bold vision for a nation under threat – and a hopeful future. We are writing the story of our nation in Washington, D.C., and building a legacy to inspire future generations to serve.
The time is now to build this lasting symbol of hope and solidarity, and we invite you to join our community of supporters, whose generosity has helped us achieve all of our design and planning milestones so far. Every contribution makes a difference, and I can’t think of a better community of difference-makers to partner with in this important project.
Yours in service,
Glenn A. Blumhorst
Chief Advancement Officer
Peace Corps Foundation
President and CEO, National Peace Corps Association (2013-22)
RPCV Guatemala (1988-91)
An audience with Peace Corps’ new CEO
PCCF Chief Advancement Officer Glenn Blumhorst recently accepted an invitation to meet with the Peace Corps’ new Chief Executive Officer Allison Greene at the agency’s Washington, D.C. headquarters to learn about our project.
CEO Greene, the Acting Director of the agency, expressed her support for Peace Corps Park and underscored its potential to inspire and motivate future generations to serve. The conversation also included a discussion of plans for the Park's digital companion, which will tell the Peace Corps story and remind all Americans that our shared values of compassion and partnership are a vital, enduring part of America’s ethos and history.
While Greene’s focus as Acting Director is to help the agency and its
programs transition to the priorities of the new Administration, she shared the positive news that Volunteer application rates have been increasing in the new year, a trend that we all hope will continue.
New exhibit puts Peace Corps on display
Our partners at the Museum of the Peace Corps Experience celebrated the opening of a new exhibit hosted at the International Peace Museum in Dayton, Ohio last month. Ubuntu in Action: Exploring the Peace Corps and Shared Humanity features artifacts, photographs, videos, and interactive exhibits representing the many facets of Peace Corps life.
The centerpiece of the collection, Patchwork of Peace (1990), is a nearly 30-foot-long community quilt made from individual panels that narrate a volunteer’s experience with fabrics and messages from around the world. The massive work is a living tapestry of collective memory and cultural expression, and a powerful embodiment of social cohesion that has resonated loudly with the exhibit’s visitors.
The Museum team marked the opening with an event on January 31 and are excited to receive anyone in the Dayton area throughout the duration of the show, which is scheduled to run until April 27.
Senator Chris Dodd joins advisory board
The Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation’s Advisory Board serves as a champion for Peace Corps Park and a valuable source of strategic insight. Members provide their professional expertise, diverse knowledge of community perspectives, connections to local, national, and international resources and many other forms of assistance. This month, we are honored to welcome Senator Chris Dodd to our team.
Senator Chris Dodd
Senator Chris Dodd, who served 36 years in Congress representing the state of Connecticut, was a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Dominican Republic from 1966 to 1968. Like so many other volunteers, he worked in a rural community development program in the village of Benito Monción.
After returning to the United States from the Peace Corps, Chris Dodd served in the Army Reserves and received his law degree.
He first ran for the U.S. House of Representatives in 1974 and was reelected twice before winning a seat in the Senate in 1980, representing Connecticut for five consecutive terms.
During his three decades in the Senate, Dodd made a legislative impact that continues to affect the lives of millions of Americans. Among others, he authored the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Act for Better Child Care, the Help America Vote Act, and the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.
Please join us in welcoming Senator Dodd to the team; we are honored to have his leadership.
Fundraising Update
With contributions from diverse supporters connected to the Peace Corps community, we are inspired by the coalition of support that this project has mobilized so far. This month we highlight both the group and individual donations that continue to propel this campaign, and invite everyone in our audience – and the friends and family you mobilize on our behalf – to join us in accelerating our fundraising and bring us ever closer to breaking ground.
RPCV Group Campaigns
At the center of our effort to build this lasting symbol of Peace Corps values is the generous and passionate community of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers that are making it possible. We have said that this project is of and by the many people who have been directly touched by the Peace Corps experience, and organized RPCV groups continue to rise to the challenge to give Peace Corps Park a true foundation of grassroots support.
The Foundation is happy to welcome both the San Diego Peace Corps Association and Friends of Malaysia to the list of RPCV groups supporting Peace Corps Park in Washington, D.C. with dedicated fundraising campaigns, and we thank all of the RPCV groups whose combined efforts have raised more than $75,000 so far:
Colombia I
$18,233
Northern California Peace Corps Association
$12,057
Colombia VIII
$7,353
Friends of Malaysia
$7,185
Colombia II
$6,250
Colombia XIII
$5,000
Friends of Korea
$5,000
Guatemala III
$4,250
Colombia III
$3,603
India VIII
$2,973
Guatemala VII
$2,500
Venezuela UCD II
$2,475
Friends of Nigeria
$1,000
RPCVs of South Florida
$1,000
Kentucky Peace Corps Association
$1,000
Sacramento Valley RPCVs
$300
Inland Northwest Peace Corps Association
$100
Tanganyika I & II
$75
Charlotte Area Peace Corps Association
$50
If your group would like to partner on a fundraising campaign, or to support Peace Corps Park in any other way, connect with Ari Richard at arichard@peacecorpscommemorative.org to discuss further.
Individual Donations
We gratefully acknowledge the following donors, who have made generous new contributions or pledges since January 26, 2025:
* New gift in addition to prior gift
$50,000 - $99,999
Eleanor R. Lewis in memory of Roger K. Lewis*
$20,000 - $29,999
John Hoffman*
$10,000 - $19,999
Angene H. and Jack A. Wilson*
$5,000 - $9,999
Randolph Anthony Adams
$2,500 - $4,999
Kay and Kevin Dixon
$1,000 - $2,499
John and Jennifer Bost*
Tom and Marylu Gouttierre
Christine Hadsel
Klaus Heimburg
Charles Hirschman
Renice Jones
Nanette and David Magnani*
Patricia Matisz Smith
Robert A. Taft
Other gifts to $999
America’s Charities*
Carol Belanger
Harvey Botzman
Dona Boyce-Manoukian
Bill Britt
Rhoda K. Brooks
Michael Bruinooge
Julie Castillo
Charities Aid Foundation of America
Anne Arnold Dachs
Tom DeFayette
James DeHarpporte
John Dixon
Richard Drum
Catherine Fox
James Freeman*
Kay Frishman
Brian Gray
Michael Hayes*
Ann Hopkins
Rita Hurley-Chiles
Thomas Kajer
Mary Klein
Elizabeth Kok
Holly Larner
Barbara Lester
Frances Li
Anthony Lofaso
Nicholi Maillard
Jack McCord
Ken Millett
David Motoki
Paul Murphy
Donella Novak
PayPal Giving Fund
Dan Peed
Michael Pinkston*
Eric Prosnier
Kara Lynn Rankin
Janet Bente Romero
Betty Anne Scalise
Nancy Slade
Mallory Smith
Frances Smithwaite
Joan Swetz
Doris Vincent
Patricia Waak*
James Warren
Charles Wolf
James Wolter
Deborah Zavracky
PEACE CORPS PARK AMBASSADORS
(Donors making recurring monthly contributions of any size)
Sue Aiken
Linda Barnett
Matthew Baysden
Rick and Karline Bird
Anthony Carroll
Ellen Davis-Zapata
Elizabeth Downes
Greg Emerson
John Feighery
G David Hicks
Peter Hofman
Ann Hopkins
Laura Kettel Khan
Roni Lerner Love
Deborah Manget
Cynda H. McMahon
Marty Mueller
Bill Piatt
Jessica Rogers
Robert Smythe
John Sommerhauser
Penny Taylor
Kathleen Williams-Ging
Darrel Young
See our growing list of cumulative gifts to the Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation!
Where is Glenn?
Chief Advancement Officer Glenn Blumhorst continues to travel the country meeting with Peace Corps community stakeholders across all 50 states. Whether you or your group is visiting our nation’s capitol or hosting a meeting in your area, he is always happy to share our vision for Peace Corps Park in person, and would love to connect with you. Reply to this email and let Glenn know if you’d like to arrange a meetup! Up next:
Feb 28 Palm Beach, FL: RPCV Luncheon
Mar 2 Miami, FL: South Florida RPCV Dinner
Mar 8-11 Northern California
Mar 12-17 Southern California
Apr 11* Washington, D.C.: Cherry Blossom Donor Recognition Reception (date to be confirmed)
May 2-4 Albuquerque, NM: Bolivia All Staff and Volunteer Reunion (More info here)
Connect with us on social media
Whether or not you’ve been able to support the project with a donation, an easy way to amplify your impact is to give us a boost on your social media platform of choice!
Follow us on any of the following networks, and re-share our posts to help raise awareness among your own community.
@PeaceCorpsPark on Instagram
@PeaceCorpsPark on Facebook
@PeaceCorpsPark on LinkedIn
@PeaceCorpsPark on Twitter / X
PEACE CORPS COMMEMORATIVE FOUNDATION
Compassion Generosity Perseverance
Please note our new preferred mailing address:
5636 Connecticut Avenue, NW Ste 42143
Washington, DC 20015
The Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation is the trade name of the Peace Corps Foundation,
a District of Columbia 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
EIN: 01-0554700
