GREENSBORO – The Greensboro Free Library hosted a Peace Corps panel presentation, Friday, May 16, where three area returned-volunteers joined UVM’s Peace Corps Strategic Campus Recruiter, Arminda King, to share stories from their time abroad.
courtesy photo
King is a two-time volunteer, serving in both Madagascar and Zambia. Her first stint of service was abruptly brought to an end when Covid-19 disrupted operations around the globe. Volunteers uprooted from their service countries were forced to return home and quarantine for two weeks. She was later able to fulfill her full 27 months of service in Zambia.
The Peace Corps is a volunteer program funded by the U.S. government that sends American citizens overseas to work in international development efforts for 27 months. The program was created by President Kennedy in 1961 and is open to all citizens over 18 who possess the skills necessary to qualify for service and are able to pass thorough medical and dental exams. Peace Corps promotes world peace and friendship through investments in education, health and cross cultural exchange.
photo by Hal Gray
Corinne Pelletier served 58 years ago in Senegal, which was a French colony until it gained independence in 1960. She was an English major in college at a time when women were discouraged from leadership roles; she joked that most of her girlfriends were determined to earn their Mrs. She felt aimless and knew she wanted more than to rush into marriage. She wanted to do something significant, and serving in the Peace Corps allowed her that opportunity.
Travis Reynolds, son of library trustee Carol Reynolds, served in Senegal more recently. French is the official language of Senegal. He credits French Canadian Sesame Street, one of the two channels of television he could access at home, with his initial interest in other languages. Reynolds grew up in Stannard learning how to sugar. He mentions applying skills learned at home on the farm to his service. “I went from making maple syrup to grafting lemons,” emphasizing how important it was to plant trees to fight drought in Senegal. The local youth were empowered by working together to accomplish the job. Reynolds described the Peace Corps as being one of three faces America shows the world (the others being our military and economic powers) and described the many ways that his service shaped the trajectory of his life.
Ruth Brown grew up in the 1960’s in Manchester, N.H. She said unapologetically: “I was never going to be exceptionally pretty or smart, and girls were discouraged from participating in sports at the time.” Similarly to Pelletier, she felt she didn’t quite fit in, but she had a curious mind, and knew there was value in that. When she heard President Kennedy talking about the Peace Corps, she was inspired to apply. Brown served in northern Namibia where she taught English to children. She mentioned her enduring pride at having served and said the connections she made during her time stayed with her. Brown’s service took place in a very remote part of the country, and she spoke to the importance of planning ahead for groceries and sundries.
Other Greensboro community members, including Hal Gray, Nancy Hill and Chris Cogswell shared stories of their Peace Corps service, which speaks to the nature of the Greensboro community.
