You can’t make this stuff up! Among the group of 25 recently (and not so recently) returned Peace Corps volunteers and friends who gathered in Gainesville Monday night were local residents Torrey and Perry Peace.
It comes as no surprise that the Peace sisters are big believers in the MorePeaceCorps Campaign. Torrey (on the right) served as a Municipal Development volunteer in Guatemala between 2004 and 2006. Peace Corps was an eye opening and exciting experience. It was also very emotional. “One day would be the best day I’d ever had, and then the next day I might find myself missing home and feeling lonely.” While all Peace Corps volunteers experience the ups and downs of service, Torrey says in the end, leaving her community was one of the hardest things she’s ever done.
Torrey says her sister Perry was among her biggest supporters. This included visiting Guatemala prior to Torrey’s departure. That visit gave Perry a sense of the work of the Peace Corps. “I think it is really incredible to watch the work of a Peace Corps volunteer. The way they become integrated into a community plays a big part in their ability to make positive change.”
For her part, Perry serves the Gainesville community at the Alachua County Crisis Center. She also represents an important constituency of the MorePeaceCorps Campaign, as the call for a bigger, better and bolder Peace Corps will require the voices of not only RPCVs, but family members, friends, community leaders and others.
So, now that the Peace sisters are on board, how about you? Join the campaign today at www.morepeacecorps.org
Next Stop: Daytona Beach!
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