ABILENE, TX — Peace Corps volunteers are recognizing the organization’s 60th anniversary.
President John F. Kennedy signed an executive order to establish the Peace Corps on March 1, 1961.
Don Holly, West Texas regional recruiter and returning volunteer, served in Jamaica from 2018-2020. Holly said some of the skills he learned while serving include learning how to write a grant, run a business and more.
“Peace Corps is a wonderful way to get that international experience. Get that job experience and get that life experience that everyone really wants,” Holly said.
Big Country native, Tyler Mehaffey, is also a returning Peace Corps volunteer who served alongside 25 other volunteers in Myanmar, a country of more than 100 ethnic groups.
From teaching English to trying new foods, Mehaffey said he took on the culture of his service location while also honing life skills.
“I had to leave early cause I was evaluated. So, I left earlier than I was thinking. But even regardless of the news, you may have seen today, I have very positive memories of my Peace Corps experience. So, I’m really happy I had a chance to volunteer. I’m really happy I had a chance to contribute meaningfully to the lives of the people we served,” Mehaffey said.
For students interested in the Peace Corps, recruitment staff wants them to know it is a viable option for them.
While volunteer operations are currently suspended, recruitment staff said applications for volunteers are being accepted to go out into the field as early as 2022.
