Fifty years ago today – September 22, 1961 – the United States Congress passed the Peace Corps Act, establishing one of the most remarkable programs in U.S. History. The Peace Corp was the brainchild of President John F. Kennedy, who understood the needs of the world’s poor, and believed that personal American generosity and love could make a difference.
The Peace Corps is an independent government agency that provides Volunteers for countries requesting assistance throughout our world. The average Peace Corps Volunteer is 28 years of age. In the past fifty years more than 200,000 Americans, young and old, have helped educate, house, heal, protect the environment, and grow needed food for the poor in 139 nations across the globe.
Without question, the Peace Corps is the finest American foreign policy effort of the past half century. Instead of sending bullets and bombs we sent committed Americans to work on the ground, helping build schools and libraries, vaccinating children, providing safe drinking water, and sharing the very best of what makes our nation remarkable. From War to Peace congratulates and thanks these 200,000 American “Veterans of Foreign Peace.” You have done us proud!
We are particularly proud that four members of the From War to Peace family have served in the Peace Corps: Rachel Ogren Clark in the Philipines; Betsy Haskell Park and Mel Park in Senegal; and Shana Ogren Lourey in Malawi. They helped the poor, they made a difference, and they are each the better for it.
From War to Peace was chosen by the National Peace Corps Association to cast its Peace Corps 50th Anniversary pendant out of Peace Bronze, the remarkable material created from disarmed and recycled nuclear weapon systems.
More American Peace Corps volunteers and fewer American bombs in foreign countries will make us stronger as a nation, and will make our world a happier, healthier place.
Paul Ogren
Founder of www.FromWarToPeace.com
info@fromwartopeace.com
