About WNC RPCV

The Western North Carolina Returned Peace Corps Volunteers is a group of RPCVs which:

· raises money to support projects being done by current volunteers overseas

· assists returning volunteers to readjust and settle in our community

· educates the public about the Peace Corps

· gets together for social events,.

Fund raising:

In the past few years we have raised money for three worthy projects

Our last fundraiser, Africa Night, took place October 28, 2007 and included a wonderful African dinner cooked by a Senegalese chef, entertainment and a silent auction. The proceeds from this event went towards funding a community library and HIV/AIDS resource center in Kenya. To read more about the project go to: http://www.wncrpcv.org/AFRICA-2007/AFRICA%20NIGHT%202007.htm.

The first Africa Night took place in March, 2006. The proceeds of this event were used to provide scholarships for young women in Senegal. The young women had lost loved ones in a tragic ferry accident that took the lives of nearly 1,900 people, most of them youth who were returning to schools in the capital city.

In September, 2004, the Western North Carolina RPCVs sent $600 to partially fund a loom to be used by a women’s cooperative in Sefrou, Morocco.

The Women’s Association of Sefrou, in the Atlas Mountains of northern Morocco, was founded to help the women of the region improve their lives and their roll in society. One of their ongoing projects is a literacy campaign aimed at helping the women function in the modern world. With the aid of government funds, the women run 15 literacy training groups for young women who were not able to finish their education, due to limited family resources. In conjunction with this program, the women in the association’s leadership recognized the need to provide skills that would permit these young women to earn money from their homes. They presented a proposal to the Ministry of Artisan Affairs to start a training program in weaving for wearable cloth. For the program to proceed, a loom was needed for training, one which could be replicated for use in the participants’ homes. This was the loom that the RPCVs of WNC donated $600 to help make possible.

Social Events:

A group of RPCVs meet on the first Tuesday of each month for what we call Beer ‘n Cheer. This takes place at Jack of the Wood tavern in downtown Asheville at 5:30 pm. Newly returned volunteers are invited so we may assist them in their readjustment to the area, as well as prospective volunteers who want a chance to talk with those “who have been there.”

An annual meeting is held in September, generally at Warren Wilson College in Swannanoa. Along with a short business meeting, we socialize and have a pot luck dinner.

Other events are scheduled throughout the year such as a July pool party and pot luck supper held at the condo of one of our members.

Listserv:

We use a listserv to announce our events and share pertinent information. If you would like to be on this e-mail distribution list, please click on “SUBSCRIBE TO WNCRPCV E-MAIL LISTSERV”

Check the web site regularly for information on upcoming events and sign up for the listserv!