We’re continuing this month to feature short bios for some CAPCA board members...I hope you’ll start submitting yours, especially if you’re looking for a job, looking for volunteers, or you think CAPCA members could benefit in some other way from knowing about you.

The deadline for submissions to the next newsletter is Wednesday, February 2, 5 p.m. Please submit your articles and announcements via e-mail <capcanews@yahoo.com>; if you don’t have access to e-mail, call me at 773/275-6503. Please do not send submissions by mail or FAX.

-Hannah

Message from the President

Happy New Year! Now that we’ve managed to cross the millennial divide without suffering any of the over-anticipated technological havoc, I am hoping to see many of you at our monthly dinner meetings this year.

I also welcome your participation in CAPCA by your offers to coordinate service activities in CAPCA’s name. In the past, Lee Losey has coordinated a day of service with H.O.M.E., painting and fixing-up for senior citizens in CHA housing. The Greater Chicago Food Depository is always eager to have groups (on an ongoing or one-time basis) help them sort and pack food. I’m sure each of us knows other groups that could use our help from time to time. So ... with the unofficial theme, "It’s your CAPCA, too!" I invite you, each and all, to contact me or other Board members with your ideas and action plans.

Finally, let me say a public ‘thank you’ to the people who made our holiday potluck such a great success: our host, Eric Kerlow; our coordinators, Helen Haugsnes and Nancy Kramer; and each and every one of the 60 or so of us who brought wonderful food and drink and good cheer to the dinner. I hope to see you all again on the 25th!

-Leslie

Nell Todd, PCV in Mafi-Dove, addressed a letter on November 18, 1999 to CAPCA and other sponsors, to report that the construction of the junior secondary school that CAPCA provided financial support for has been progressing rapidly. The site for the school was cleared thanks to the efforts of village men and women cutting grass and trees and children removing roots.

Sand was brought from land owned by the village to prepare for con-creting. Villagers decided to divide the communal labor to allow more time for villagers to spend at their farms. Eight "clans" are responsible for one day of work each week (with smaller clans working together).

The village has shown great enthusiasm for the project, of which Ms. Todd says "we couldn’t have made this vision a reality you, and I thank you for your efforts." Visit the CAPCA website later this month to see pictures of the project taken by Ms. Todd. Photos and complete Report For more information on the Peace Corps Partnership Program, call 800/424-8580 x2170.  

By Todd Guren

I returned from service in Paraguay this May quite pleased with my ability to have mastered hotmail. Everyone else, however, was talking about the wondrous things that could be done on the World Wide Web. I decided that I was not going to react to this influx of information the same way most of us reacted during the first three months in our sites to the new language, nodding blankly at the few key words we knew, understanding nothing, and shaking our heads with gaping mouths.

Chris Patzer, who very capably designed and ran the CAPCA site, took up my offer to maintain his carefully created site. Evan after I told him that I had a lot of free time and the computer savvy of an overripe mango. The CAPCA website is changing as rapidly as this e-world around us. We’ve received some requests to post various information from RPCV’s, and adopted the Guestbook to handle them. Posted on the Guestbook are entries from worthy, non-profit organizations looking for volunteers, potential PC applicants looking for advice on the recruitment process, people looking for worthy non-profits to volunteer at, and a few RPCV’s just wondering who from their training groups is out there.

The "sign Guestbook" and "view Guestbook" options on our home page work best when people do just that—sign and view them. Which is why I’m writing this article—to encourage people to further the use of the web page as a tool for the Peace Corps community to communicate with one another.

I am offering these suggestions to the Chicagoland community as I leave for a job in Charlottesville, VA. I encourage all to visit the site. You can continue to send compliments and criticisms to <capca_org@yahoo.com>.

The CAPCA Board (on behalf of CAPCA members) thanks Todd Guren for his work as he leaves CAPCA. Though his career at capca.org was short, Todd stepped in quickly and made many small changes, such as updating the membership information, and making e-mail addresses clickable, that made the site more useful and easily navigable. Fortunately for CAPCA, Todd has already started working with Gregory Nessinger to make the transition smooth (see his bio p. 5). Greg is enthusiastic about updating the site and open to suggestions. Contact him at <gregory.nessinger@ssmb.com>.

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Plan on coming to Wisconsin with us January 21–23, 2000 to enjoy a weekend of fun, skiing, midnight sledding, and great food! The group, of RPCVs and friends, travel to Camp Vista every year. The location is near Dundee, only 2½ hours away! No experience necessary; downhill skiing is also available in the area.

All are Welcome!

The cost of lodging for the weekend is $40 plus ski/equipment rental.

Bring a sleeping bag or bedding; carpooling is encouraged.

Call Ralph Maffucci for details or directions

(773/248-4354)

See you on the trail!

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President Clinton appointed Mark L. Schneider to be the Director of the Peace Corps. In a brief ceremony presided over on December 23 by Deputy Director Chuck Baquet, Mark Schneider became the 15^th Director of the Agency.

Mark Schneider served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in El Salvador with his wife Susan from 1966–68, and is only the second RPCV in the agency’s history to serve as Director. Following his Peace Corps service, he served on the staff of Senator Edward M. Kennedy, and as Senior Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights from 1977 to 1979. He also served for 12 years as Chief of the Office of Analysis and Strategic Planning at the Pan-American Health Organization. Most recently, Mark Schneider served as Assistant Administrator for Latin America and the Caribbean at USAID, a position for which he was nominated by President Clinton, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate, in 1993.

Mark Schneider is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, and received a master’s degree from San Jose State University. He is the recipient of the Bernardo O’Higgins Medal for human rights work from the Government of Chile, as well as a Woodrow Wilson Visiting Fellowship at Reed College, and the Congressional Fellowship of the American Political Science Association.

Following is the statement that Mark Schneider issued today:

I want to express my gratitude and sincerest appreciation to President Clinton for the trust he has shown in appointing me to be the Director of the Peace Corps. As a former Peace Corps volunteer in El Salvador, this appointment constitutes the highest honor I can imagine receiving.... Since President Kennedy issued the executive decree creating the Peace Corps nearly forty years ago, 155,000 Americans have served as volunteers around the world, helping the people of developing countries improve their lives. The Peace Corps has enabled millions of people to learn about the U.S. through friendships and working relationships with volunteers who were their neighbors and co-workers. And on their return home, those volunteers have helped bring a new understanding and appreciation of other cultures to the American people.

For so many of those volunteers, the Peace Corps oath has meant a lifetime pledge of public service, of community concern and international awareness. The opportunity to follow so many distinguished men and women who preceded me as Peace Corps Director also carries a certain degree of humility. . . . I pledge to contribute to the best of my ability.

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Dinner, including tax & tip: $15

Ethiopian Diamond Restaurant

Our Host: Seisay Abebe.

Date: Tuesday, January 25, 6:30 p.m.

Place: Ethiopian Diamond is at 6120 N. Broadway, across from Walgreen’s on the west side of the street, one block south of the Granville red line "el" stop.

Early Warning for February:

Save Leap Day (Tuesday, February 29) for chicken and lamb kabobs, pasta, and baklava at Andie’s (1467 W. Montrose). Watch the February newsletter for details.

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By John Coyne

Before the Age of e-mail, you wrote some wonderful letters home from your Peace Corps country. You wrote letters home to your parents, friends, and old lovers. Where are those letters now? Up in the attic? Out in the garage? In some old file cabinet? In a special drawer tied in a bundle with a pink bow?

Would you be willing to donate one or two (or three) of the best of your letters to PeaceCorpsWriters.org? Because we think that your letters home are as interesting and insightful as any published in collections today, we would like to publish them in a collection entitled "Letters Home."

I am in the first stages of putting together a proposal for Letters Home, and looking for letters that describe the life you led as a Volunteer. I am interested in all aspects of your Peace Corps experience, from missing home to making a home. From doing your job overseas to traveling in the third world. Please send a copy (not the original) to:

John Coyne; 99 Reed Avenue; Pelham

Manor, NY 10803.

Watch upcoming issues of PeaceCorpsWriters.org

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By Wendy Kestner

I am an RPCV from The Gambia (93-95) and I’m writing to many RPCV Chapters in the U.S. Like you, I was changed in many ways by my experience overseas, and now am writing a book about cultural differences. But I need a little help from other RPCVs.

I’m looking for information on cultural differences regarding babies and children. For example, in The Gambia, when a baby is 14 days old he is taken out of the home for the first time, his head is shaved and he is given a name.

If you have any information of this type, please share it with me! Send it to

<thefattraveler@hotmail.com>. If you include an address and we use your fact, I will send a copy of the book.

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EPA Distinguished Lecturer Series: Consuming the Earth Every one of us has an impact on the planet. In order to live we consume what nature provides, but are we taking more than the Earth has to offer? How much land and water is necessary to sustain the lifestyle of an average North American?

On January 27, Dr. William E. Rees, Ph.D., co-author of Our Ecological Footprint: Reducing Human Impact on the Earth, will talk about "Consuming the Earth" and the barriers to ecological sustainability if we continue on the prevailing global development path. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 5 will sponsor the free lecture at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, 2430 North Cannon Dr., beginning at 7 p.m.

Dr. Rees, a professor at the University of British Columbia School of Community and Regional Planning, is an expert on the public policy and planning implications of global environmental trends. He believes that the first step in reducing our ecological impact is to recognize that the environmental crisis is less an environmental and technical problem than it is a behavioral and social one. He is a co-investigator in the "Global Integrity Project," which attempts to identify what is needed to preserve biodiversity.

The program will run from 7 to 9 p.m. The Nature Museum is located on Cannon Drive at Fullerton just west of Lake Shore Drive. Parking is available nearby. The Museum is also served by CTA 151 and 156 bus lines on Stockton Drive and by the Belmont Ave. bus connecting with the Belmont CTA Red Line station. It would be appreciated if attendees would RSVP by e-mail to cason.angel@epa.gov; or phone

312/886-4883.

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The Rogers Park Community Action Network (RPCAN) is a dynamic, action-oriented, grassroots membership organization made up of low and moderate income residents of Rogers Park. RPCAN members are fighting for social justice and community empowerment on issues such as gentrification,economic justice, affordable housing, and school reform. As a membership-based organization, RPCAN’s small, dedicated staff support dues-paying members in identifying issues, developing strategies and implementing action campaigns.

RPCAN is seeking an experienced community organizer with potential to become the lead organizer on RPCAN’s multi-faceted affordable housing and tenants’ rights agenda, as well as provide support to the membership on other issues and organizational development.

The community organizer will: build a grassroots membership base and develop leadership through doorknocking, organizing house meetings, and one-on-one recruitment; organize a network of tenant councils in multi-unit buildings; coordinate affordable housing campaigns and support other issue Work as needed; support grassroots membership fundraising efforts; and complete other duties as assigned.

Qualifications: 3–5 years direct organizing experience, preferably including work on housing issues; strong commitment to social and economic justice for low income families; excellent communication skills, in both Spanish and English strongly preferred; demonstrated ability to juggle multiple responsibilities and work effectively with diverse populations; ability to take initiative, work independently and practice creative problem solving; healthy mix of fear, arrogance and sense of humor.

Compensation: $28–31,000 depending on qualifications; excellent comprehensive health insurance.

Send résumé and cover letter to:

Search Committee;

Rogers Park Community Action Network

1545 W. Morse;

Chicago, IL 60626.

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Help Homeless Women Explore Careers at Deborah’s Place The Career Exploration Program of Deborah’s Place is seeking volunteers for their winter 2000 class. Deborah’s Place is a private, not-for-profit corporation that serves homeless women in Chicago. Food, shelter, and supportive services are provided by volunteers and staff to empower women to take back and maintain control of their lives.

The Career Exploration program includes classroom activities, independent study, paid internships and plenty of support for women returning to work after a lapse in employment. The program runs from January 18 through March 8. Many volunteer opportunities are available, including: assistance in teaching a seminar or class, working with an individual on her résumé or cover letter, speaking in seminars and sharing your work experience, discussing with your employer the opportunity to place an intern in your office, conducting mock interviews to prepare women for job hunting, or attending a networking luncheon.

Contact Kelly Nelson-Keaty (Thailand 90–92) at 312/944-8672, or 312/922-6726 (home).

The Chicago Christian Industrial League always needs volunteers, from teaching literacy and about your profession, to doing displays in our retail store. Contact Paula at the League at 312/491-2000.

Looking for something rewarding for your high school or college-age kids to do with their summer?

Latitudes International is a non-profit community-service program. For 3 to 4 weeks, students live and work in a culture different from their own. A Latitudes trip consists of three components:

1. a morning group work project allows students to cooperatively work with local residents in community-initiated tasks;
2. an afternoon apprenticeship that gives students the chance to choose an area in the community to volunteer;

3. cultural immersion through daily interaction with residents, and weekend sight-seeing excursions that expose participants to customs and traditions different from their own.

Latitudes International has projects in Botswana, Nepal and South Dakota (on a Lakota Indian reservation). Video, slides, and photos are available upon request.

For more information, contact Jonathan Pearce (RPCV

90–92, Eastern Caribbean) at: 800/398-4960;

<info@latitudesinternational.com>,

<www.latitudesinternational.com>.

December 2, 1999

The meeting was called to order by Leslie Wilson at 6:15 p.m. in the offices of the US Peace Corps-Chicago (55 West Monroe Street, 4th Floor). Minutes were taken by David Pope.

In Attendance: Anthony Bradford, Mary Collins, Maxine Gere, Helen Haugsnes, Nancy Kramer, Hannah Leiterman, David Pope, Carol Wilkerson, Leslie Wilson

Financial Report

We currently have $11,033.69 in the Bank.

Stephanie Arnold, CAPCA Board Treasurer, is in the process of upgrading our financial tracking and control practices.

Old Business

Memberhip List: CAPCA needs to re-establish its membership database. Efforts to retrieve meaningful information from the corrupted computer file containing CAPCA membership details have been unsuccessful. To re-establish the membership database, the following steps will be required: 1)Design Questionnaire, 2) Mail, 3) Design Database, 4) Input Data. Discussion of required software and hardware led to the conclusion that capturing the membership information in an Access Database file was the desired end state, but that any data entry activities could occur just as easily in Excel (with which more people are more familiar/comfortable). David Pope will take the lead in documenting the process that will need to be followed and setting up required templates that can then be used for data entry. Responsibility for managing the data entry process has yet to be assigned. A three to four month total timeframe (for completion of the entire effort) was agreed to.

Dinner December 13: For attendance at the CAPCA holiday party, more than 20 responses have been received as of the 2nd. Many others (including some of the Board Members at the meeting) are known to be planning to attend, though they have not yet responded. People will be receiving announcement postcards this week (in addition to the announcement that existed in last month’s newsletter).

Leslie will confirm with Stephanie that the check to reserve the venue has been provided. Helen, Nancy and/or Leslie will visit the venue.

Education Interest Group (Mary): Mary Collins provided an update on efforts to foster an education interest group within CAPCA. She had received inquiries from four RPCVs about participating. This group has begun to brainstorm ideas for education/outreach opportunities in the community/schools and welcomes additional participation from any other interested RPCVs.

Further activities will include setting direction and beginning to initiate specific education/outreach activities.

Founders Day: Place and date have been secured thanks to Carol’s efforts. The event will be held on June 3, 2000 in the same venue at the Field Museum as was used for this year’s Founder’s Day celebration. We will soon need to begin planning efforts including: naming Chairperson(s) for the event, identifying an auction coordinator, identifying a speaker, determining pricing of tickets, and considering event sponsorship.

Individuals interested in assisting with the planning effort will be welcomed with open arms (there’s more than enough to do).

New Business

Newsletter: A discussion took place around content for the newsletter. It was suggested that the newsletter could be a vehicle for helping bring all CAPCA members closer together by enabling each of us to learn more about one another. It was decided to begin to include profiles of CAPCA members and, to

kick the effort off, to begin with three new members of the CAPCA Board (Helen, Anthony, and David) for the next newsletter. A number of other suggestions were made for stories that should be incorporated in the newsletter. These will be passed along to Hannah Leiterman, CAPCA Newsletter Editor.

Secretary: It was agreed that, rather than having a single Board Member responsible for taking minutes, this responsibility would rotate. Web Site: The CAPCA Web site is back up and running.

Evanston YMCA Holiday Festival:

The Evanston YMCA holiday festival will be happening on December 11. It is an opportunity to share with many hundreds of children how the holiday season is (or is not) celebrated in countries all over the world. People set up booths/tables for different countries, and talk with the children who come to get their "passports" stamped and learn more about the lives and cultural practices of people from other countries.

Labeling: The next newsletter label-ing gathering will occur on Tuesday, Dec. 7 starting at 5:00 in the PC Office.

Monthly Dinner: Helen Volunteered to coordinate the February CAPCA dinner meeting.

Next Meeting: The next CAPCA Board Meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 4, 2000 at the PC Office.

Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 7:45 p.m.

Did you lose any utensils or dishes at the holiday potluck? Contact Leslie Wilson to be reunited with your kitchenware, 773/973-6560. 

Talk to Mary Collins, Anthony Bradford, or Carol Wilkerson (contact information is on page 3) for help in planning a school visit or other event

Nancy Kramer Small Business, Zimbabwe (96–98)

Single white woman looking for a way to get back to Zimbabwe. Enjoying living in Chicago and working on the CAPCA board. Overcoming the initial obstacles of seeing big trucks, and thinking things are cheap in the states. Finally landed a

Customer Service Manager position after a long job hunt.

Willing to do anything to get back. First must pay off VISA card. [Don’t you hate reality?]

Elizabeth Thomas

Prior to Peace Corps, Liz worked as a hospital administrator while obtaining a Masters of Science degree in Human Services Administration from Spertus

College of Judaica. As a Peace Corps volunteer she served from 1993–1996 in the Arab Republic of Yemen, and then in Morocco as a Health Educator. In addition to her primary assignment in Morocco, she participated in a qualitative study sponsored by USAID to learn about the perceptions of mothers regarding infant diseases. During the summer of 1996 she was cross-cultural trainer for the incoming Peace Corps trainees. Since Peace Corps she has traveled extensively throughout Asia and the Middle East.

Liz is currently a committee member of the Chicago Sister Cities

International Program with Casablanca. The program’s primary focus is to promote international exchanges in the areas of culture, trade, economic development, youth education, medicine, and technology. She enjoys reading, art, and the cinema. Liz has been a recruiter at the Chicago Regional Peace Corps office since August 1998.

Gregory Nessinger

New CAPCA Webmaster I was in Kenya (87-89) as a secondary school Maths and Physics teacher. I am now a Senior System Administrator for Salomon Smith Barney in the Sears Tower. I belonged to the Southern Arizona PC association when I was in graduate school in Tucson, AZ.