Saturday, November 1, 2008

TODAY'S TWD: THE PEACE CORPS

November 1, 1960 - While campaigning for President of the United States, John F. Kennedy announces his idea of the Peace Corps.

Here's the scoop from Wikipedia:

The Peace Corps is an independent United States federal agency. The Peace Corps was established by Executive Order 10924 on March 1, 1961, and authorized by Congress on September 22, 1961, with passage of the Peace Corps Act (Public Law 87-293). The Peace Corps Act declares the purpose of the Peace Corps to be:

“to promote world peace and friendship through a Peace Corps, which shall make available to interested countries and areas men and women of the United States qualified for service abroad and willing to serve, under conditions of hardship if necessary, to help the peoples of such countries and areas in meeting their needs for trained manpower.”

Since 1960, more than 190,000 people have served as Peace Corps volunteers in 139 countries.

There have been a few in Toobworld as well, not that all of them made it.......
As Thanksgiving approached in 1963, Elizabeth Walton of Walton's Mountain, Virginia, was inspired by President John F. Kennedy to join the Peace Corps. ("The Waltons: Thanksgiving Reunion")

The following year, Patty Lane also considered joining the Peace Corps. She lied about her age on the application and was accepted to work in Africa. ('The Patty Duke Show')

After marrying Dr. Bruce Gaines in 1986, Edna Garrett turned over the management of her shop Peekskill gourmet shop to her sister so that she could go to Africa to work with the Peace Corps. ('The Facts of Life')

In the early 1990s, Harrison Mills met his future wife Celia, a former Olympic cyclist, while they were both working in the Peace Corps. ('Beverly Hills 90210' - new version)

In the late 1990s, an idealistic hippie named Barney Stinson was planning to go to Nigeria to work for the Peace Corps with his girl-friend Shannon. But when she dumped him on the eve of their journey, the experience transformed him into the heartless, soul-less, but very funny womanizer he is today. ('How I Met Your Mother')

Anybody know of any other Peace Corps volunteers in Toobworld?

BCnU!
Toby O'B

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