[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 28 (Tuesday, March 2, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E274]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      CELEBRATING THE 49TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PEACE CORPS AND THE 
                CONTRIBUTIONS OF SENATOR HARRIS WOFFORD

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. CHAKA FATTAH

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 2, 2010

  Mr. FATTAH. Madam Speaker, March 1 to 7 is Peace Corps Week, a time 
to officially celebrate one of the greatest ideas and most beloved 
international initiatives in our nation's history--49 years of hands-on 
good will by nearly 200,000 volunteers dispatched to 139 countries.
   It is also an opportunity to pay tribute to my fellow Philadelphian 
Harris Wofford, the Father of National Service, who developed, nurtured 
and led the Peace Corps as it grew to reality from then-Senator John F. 
Kennedy's challenge to college students to serve in the cause of peace.
   Harris Wofford has devoted his life and his creative energies to the 
civil society, civil rights and service to humanity. In addition to his 
seminal work in founding the Peace Corps, he served as Chief Executive 
Officer of the Corporation for National and Community Service--our 
domestic Peace Corps--which followed an all-too-brief and highly 
principled four years as United States Senator. He has continued his 
bipartisan advocacy for responsible and caring citizenship on behalf of 
America's Promise, Youth Service America, the Points of Light 
Foundation, and Experience Wave.
   The 49th anniversary of the founding of the Peace Corps by President 
Kennedy on March 1, 1961, is a great cause for celebration. But it's 
also a time to recognize that the reason we are celebrating is that, 
for the past 49 years, every week has been Peace Corps Week--over 2,500 
Peace Corps Weeks.
   Today, more than 7,600 volunteers in 76 nations are carrying out the 
vision of President Kennedy, Senator Wofford and so many other great 
and little known Americans who have made the Peace Corps synonymous 
with American service and sharing, American teaching and know-how, 
American compassion and peace work. I congratulate all these fine 
young--and not so young--men and women for their selfless efforts.
   The Peace Corps has been the experience building and jumping off 
point for many prominent Philadelphians--including one notable alumnus 
from my hometown, ``Hardball's'' Chris Matthews. Today, I want to 
commend a dazzling dozen current Peace Corps volunteers who have 
traveled from their homes in the Second Congressional District of 
Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia and Montgomery County, for two years of 
service abroad.
   They are Kaye Bullemeier, Darline Dameus and Noel C. Kuck, now in 
Malawi; Lauren J. Mcilhenny and Benjamin J. Stollenberg, in Albania; 
Emily F. Haimowitz and Daniel R. Merin, Costa Rica; Cara A. George, 
Guatemala; Imani D. Hulty, Mozambique; Nancy Morisseau, Turkmenistan; 
Joo Weon J. Park, China; and Danielle Porreca, Jamaica.
   I salute these men and women and join with all Americans in 
extending thanks to entire Peace Corps family, past, present and 
future. You do us proud.

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