November 1999 CAPCA Newsletter

November 1999; vol. v, no. 3 November 1999 CAPCA Newsletter CAPCA NEWSLETTER November 1999 Chicago Area Peace Corps Association P.O. Box 1149 Chicago, IL 60690 http://www.capca.org

Message from CAPCA’s New President

Greetings! As you will read in the minutes of last month’s CAPCA Board meeting, it is my
privilege to be the new President of CAPCA. As my first order of
business, I am eager to share words of sincere thanks to Maxine Gere
for her past service as CAPCA’s President. Fortunately for us all, Maxine is staying on the Board for at
least another year, and I look forward to having her “looking over my shoulder” as we proceed into the new
millennium. Please know that I welcome all your ideas for CAPCA undertakings, including new venues for our
monthly dinner meetings—especially if you’re willing to take responsibility for arranging the logistics and
receiving replies! Call or send an e-mail anytime to my coordinates as listed in the Board of Directors
list.

CONGRATULATIONS to recently returned Paraguay PCV and new CAPCA Board member, Helen Haugsnes, for her
wonderful presentation to the Oak Park Council for International Affairs! She accomplished Goal Three
with style and enthusiasm, and represented the Peace Corps well! Thanks, Helen. For their part, the Oak Park Council celebrated their 36th consecutive year of
supporting Peace Corps Partnership Programs through their School-to-School initiative. Thank you, OPCIA!

Happy Thanksgiving!
Leslie

CAPCA NEWS CAPCAEducational OutreachCAPCA

The CAPCA Board is forming an interest group/committee to look at the possible educational activities in
which CAPCA RPCV’s can participate. Some possibilities include: World Wise Schools, Peace Corps Day, and
Global Teach Net. The idea is that the committee would explore all sorts of possible partnerships,
programs, and piggyback opportunities. After research and discussion the committee will present ideas to the
Board and membership.
If you would like to get
involved, contact Mary Collins, 847/733-1853.

CAPCA Website

The CAPCA Website was founded in 1995 by CAPCA member Christopher Patzer. CAPCA was the second RPCV group
to go online— Pittsburgh was the first. What was the initial
impetus? Says Patzer, “some people doubted there would be any audience for this Internet thing, but it
seems to be more than a passing fancy. The board decided to give it a try so we would have a web
presence if it took off. The billion dollar capca.org IPO is still a ways off though.” Patzer generously
donated his time and creative energy to the initial creation of the site, not to mention the hosting
service costs of $18/month.

The site gets about 100 hits (distinct users) per day, most of which come for the link page. The link
page is the most complete and best organized Peace Corps directory on the web. It has it’s own listing
onYahoo!. Says Patzer, “I created it to attract more visitors to the site and publicize CAPCA.” Recent
Additions to the site include a new quiz feature, through which visitors can create their own quizzes
that are automatically posted to the site for others
to take.

Point your browser to capca.org and give it a try—rumors have it that Patzer’s quizzes have stumped
even the most well-read PC veterans. Todd Guren and Greg Nessinger are taking over and are
planning big things for the site’s future, including an updated CAPCA membership list, with clickable
e-mail addresses. If you’re not sure if the capca.org webmasters have your correct information, send a
message to capca_org@yahoo.com.

CAPCA Holiday Party
Monday December 13,1999
Corinthian Yacht Club/Montrose Harbor
Lake Shore Drive and Montrose
(Near the Bait Shop—ample parking available)
6:00pm–10:30pm

This is a family event to celebrate the holidays. It will be a Pot Luck Dinner. Come with dishes from your
country of service, or your favorite Chicagoland takeout. Bring friends, family, and ethnic CD’s or
Tapes. Try your luck in a Raffle to benefit Peace Corps Partnership Projects.

Please contact Nancy Kramer 773/725-6944,
or Helen Haugsnes 630/355-3916 to reserve space and indicate what you
will bring. This is BYOB and a maintenance fee will be collected.

PC NEWS Peace Corps Day 2000

Mark your calendars! The Third annual Peace Corps Day will be held Tuesday, March 7, 2000, in honor of the
Peace Corps’ 39th anniversary. The Peace Corps is asking former volunteers from across the country to
once again become involved in this national celebration. Returned Peace Corps volunteers who are
interested in speaking to a class, or teachers who would like to host a volunteer speaker, should contact
the Peace Corps immediately to obtain a Peace Corps Day brochure. Call 800/424-8580 (option 2, x1961);
send e-mail containing your name and address to
pcday@peacecorps.gov; or write: Peace Corps Day ’99;
ATTN: Lisa Ward; 1111 20th Street, NW, Second Floor;
Washington, D.C. 20526

PC FELLOWS
The Peace Corps Fellows Program in Applied Community and Economic Development at Illinois State University
is now considering applicants for January and August, 2000 admissions. An early submission provides
applicants with an opportunity for a thorough review and interviews and gives applicants a greater chance
to receiving financial assistance. If you are interested in the program, please complete your
application quickly. RPCVs earn Master’s degrees by completing one year of full-time class work and a
second year of hands-on consulting work with urban and rural communities concerned about their own
development. Fellows receive a tuition waiver and assistantship stipend in their first year, and are
paid a salary their second year. The program is interested in RPCVs with general skills, but is
particularly interested in economics program applicants with demonstrated quantitative skills, or
backgrounds in math, business, or economics. For more information contact Program Director Mike Kelleher at
309/438-8685, e-mail fmkelle@ilstu.edu or regular
mail, Peace Corps Fellows Program; Campus Box 4200;
Illinois State University, Normal, IL 61790-4200. Or
visit the Website, which features online application
materials and a wealth of information about the
programs http://lilt.ilstu.edu/uced.

UPCOMING & ONGOING
Society for International Develoment
The Society for International Development (SID) is organizing in the Chicago area. Their most recent
meeting was Tuesday, November 9, in the Merchandise Mart. The group is working to determine what the
needs are of individuals interested and/or working in international development in the Chicago area, how
they can best benefit from collaboration, and what impact they, as individuals invested in international
development, would like to have. If you are interested in attending future meetings—held the
second Tuesday of every month—contact Aida Olkkonen

Opportunity for Youth of Color
The Chiapas Media Project (CMP), a bi-national organization that provides video and computer
equipment and training to indigenous communities in Chiapas, Mexico recently received a grant from the
US/Mexico Fund for Culture for two video productions to be shot in Chiapas in the Spring and Summer of
2000. The grant includes funding for four youth of color from the U.S. to work on these productions. The
youth from the U.S. will work on production teams with indigenous video-makers from Chiapas and Oaxaca. The
production trips will last 10 days, with two youth from the U.S. on each production trip. In the fall of
2000, the CMP will be organizing two tours, in Mexico and the U.S., to premiere the videos. One U.S. youth
from each of the production teams will be invited to participate in each of the tours. The youth who are
chosen must be willing to do public speaking about their experiences in Chiapas.

Interested youth of color are encouraged to submit an application by December 1, 1999. For additional
information, contact Chiapas Media Project; 4834 N. Springfield; Chicago, IL 60625. Or cmp@vida.com,
phone 773/583-7728.

CLASSIFIED

Are you looking for a temporary place to live? Kathi Seiden, a Mali RPCV (96-98) is seeking two roommates
to move in ASAP. It’s the first floor of a 3 flat in Roscoe Village at Roscoe and Seeley. The area is
tree-lined, safe, and full of restaurants, bars, and shops. The apartment is completely rehabbed with
hardwood floors, free washer and dryer in the unit, dishwasher, central air and heat, front porch and back
enclosed patio and screened-in back porch, 1 bath, 3 br. It’s an 8 minute walk from the Paulina stop on the
brown line.

I’m looking for a non-smoker, preferably a woman, who is responsible and not too messy. Rent is $450/month,
utilities not included. Call Kathi Seiden at 312/464-9899, x244, or (evenings) 773/832-9372.

Don’t forget to send job postings, volunteer opportunities, PC and international development
related news, country of service stories, international happenings around Chicago, and
compliments to capcanews@yahoo.com.

Next newsletter deadline: Monday, December 1, 1999, 5p.m.

CAPCA BOARD MEETING MINUTES

CAPCA Board Meeting
Monday, October 4, 1999
The October board meeting was held at the Chicago Regional Peace Corps Office. Present were Stephanie
Arnold, Anthony Bradford, Mary Collins, Maxine Gere, Helen Haugsnes, Laura Kochevar, Nancy Kramer, Hannah
Leiterman, Liz Thomas, Pat Thompson, Elizabeth Versten, Carol Wilkerson, and Leslie Wilson. The
meeting was called to order at 6:10 p.m. September board meeting minutes were reviewed. Wilson motioned
to approve the minutes. Arnold seconded, and the motion carried.

Treasurer’s Report: Arnold presented the Treasurer’s Report covering transactions from Sept. 10-Oct. 4,
1999. Transactions included Year 2000 calendar sales and a $2000 donation to the American Red Cross for
relief effort in Turkey and Kosovo. Gere moved to approve the report, Thompson seconded, and the motion
carried.

Newsletter: A meeting will take place to prepare the next newsletter for mailing. The meeting will be at
the Chicago Regional Peace Corps Office on Tuesday, October 12, at 6:00 p.m.

Old Business: Board elections were held on 9-27-99. Retained for another year on their 2-year terms are
board members Stephanie Arnold, Mary Collins, Wallace Goode, and Pat Thompson. Maxine Gere was elected for
one year to fill in an empty position. Elected for the 1999-2001 term are Anthony Bradford, Hannah Leiterman,
Liz Thomas, Carol Wilkerson, and Leslie Wilson. As of this meeting, presidential appointments for one year
positions are Helen Haugsnes, Laura Kochevar, Nancy Kramer, David Pope, and Elizabeth Versten.

New Business: Gere nominated Wilson as president of CAPCA. Wilkerson seconded, and the motion carried.
Gere and Wilson conducted the remainder of the board meeting in tandem. The membership database crashed
during the extended power losses. In the event that not all dues-paid members are included in the
recreated list, a notice will be placed on the CAPCA Website to address the method of responding to CAPCA
if anyone’s newsletter is not received by mail.

Arnold received thank you letters for CAPCA donations made to two causes. The first letter was from Nell
Todd, PCV in Ghana, for CAPCA’s donation toward the construction of the junior secondary school in
Mafi-Dove, Ghana. The second letter was from Mike Hayes, Partnership Program Specialist. He thanked
CAPCA for the donation toward the Santa Maria del Carbon Ecotourism Restoration in Honduras. The
donation consisted of a portion of the total amount CAPCA donated to the Hurricane Mitch Relief Fund.

Eric Kerlow suggested CAPCA have a pot luck dinner in lieu of a restaurant for the December monthly meeting.
Wilson solicited volunteers to organize food, plates/utensils, and planning details. Kramer and
Haugsnes volunteered for this endeavor. [The dinner will be held on Monday, December 13, from 6-10:30 at
the Corinthian Yacht Club, Montrose Harbor.]

The Oak Park Council on International Affairs will have a dinner to celebrate their annual fundraising
for Peace Corps Partnership Programs. This year’s dinner will be at Oak Park High School on Wednesday,
November 3, at 6:00 p.m. The dinner is open to the public and tends to be around $15/plate.

Wilson submitted CAPCA’s profile to the MacArthur Foundation database as an internationally affiliated
organization. CAPCA is considering producing a new membership directory. Arnold presented a T-shirt made
by a PCV-facilitated project in Ghana. The group works with textiles/clothing embellished with batik and/or
embroidery. Arnold suggested purchasing a quantity of the clothing products for a CAPCA fundraiser.
Collins suggested CAPCA initiate an awareness campaign for the World Wise Schools program. An interest group
was formed by Collins, with volunteers Haugsnes, Kramer, and Thompson.

The October monthly meeting will take place on Monday, October 25, at 6:30 p.m. The location is Mama
Desta’s at 3216 N. Clark St. Three students from Connections Program who went to Ghana in July will be
guest speakers, with Louis Wright, director of the program. The next board meeting will be on Monday,
November 1, at 6:00 p.m. at the Chicago Regional Peace Corps Office. Collins moved to adjourn the meeting,
Leiterman seconded, and the motion carried. The meeting was adjourned at 7:40 p.m.