45. 5/16/2007
Found! Dr. Wm Fox -- Check under People --> Contact Info for email..etc.

Date: May 16, 2007
From: William Fox
Subject: Bolivia!!!!

WOW!! Great to hear from everyone!!!. I'm working at the Children's Hosp of Phila (Since '71)

Bolivia was best 2 years of my life!! I went back in 74, 83 and almost every year since 92...going in late July this year. I'm really attached to the Country and have sent about 6 Residents from CHOP to there for electives.

Was climbing there until 6 years ago then down in the Chapare where we found a big lost Inca City (1 mile square). We're mapping it now. I lecture in Coch and La Paz Med Schools every trip.

Re married 17 yrs ago and my 12 yr old daughter is going with me this year. My oldest is Will -39 yrs and he's been there 3 summers...born in LaPaz in 68. PLEASE send me an email!!

---Bill I remember very many of you fondly!!!!

44. 5/15/2007
Check out Bolivia Web Radio

Check out Bolivia Web Radio stream... continuous Bolivian music and radio.... with URL that even lists what is current selection.

43. 5/16/2007
Check out New Pics in Photos Section

From Jim Kauppi come nine pictures from training, service in the Southern mines and then in Santa Cruz.

Thanks Jim!!

42. 5/12/2007
DesPUES #3

Date: May 12, 2007
From: Don Beck

Planning continues for the Reunion.

(1) The Reunion section (Check it out!) online has been expanded and will be carrying more information about the reunion as it emerges.

(2) There is a revised list (62 PC and 22 guests) of those signed up to attend the Reunion now listed Alphabetically and also by Groups.

(3) If you haven't sent in your bio... please take some time and fill in the bio form attached and send back to Don BEck... who will put it online...

(4) IF YOU HAVENT ALREADY.... be thinking of your best 10 -15 slides pictures of Bolivia to bring and share... Also any artifacts you might want to show to remind us of service...

(5) Bob Pruitt is hot on the trail of Jim Baltz and Kevin Lynch...

(6) Tom Gale: remind Scott Reed to send in his contact info!!!

PS to all.. the contact info is now available... not password protected any more..

41. 5/2/2007
Thanks Bill Baedke.

Date: May 1, 2007
From: Bill Baedke, Bolivia-ChichaPCVs group

This site has some music from Bolivia that you can listen to: boleadora.com (see Links, here)

Bill Baedke

40. 4/29/2007
Thanks Jim and Tom for sharing. Read their journal account.

Date: April 29, 2007
From: Jim Wright

Tom Gale and I have been in contact over the last month, sharing memories from our time in Santa Cruz. Most of all we have reminisced about the Great River Trip that we took on the rivers from near our sites all the way to Trinidad. I had kept a journal that I have recently resurrected and edited it. Tom has seen it and we both think it might be interesting to the rest of the group if you want to post it on the web page.

Tom is very busy now and has not had time to add some of his own recollections. He may do so in a month or so. If so, you could substitute Tom's revised version for this one.

Jim Wright

39. 4/25/2007
Thanks Jim for Pic(s) and offer to help!

Date: April 24, 2007
From: Jim Kauppi
Re: Hello Don

I've found most of my PC pictures (mostly slides), and am doing a quick edit after scanning and will place them on a CD or two and mail to you. I have perhaps a hundred or so that I think could be of general interest, maybe. Are there any particular kinds of photos (subjects) that are most needed. Let me know. Also, I may send a few to you via email with the hope of you identifying people, not so much the volunteers, but others. I think I have a few of our group at the Ambassador's home (or Gino's). I notice that someone asked what the Ambassadors name was, I think he's the one in the yellow shirt in a few of my photos.

Let me know your mailing address, and any suggestions regarding the photos.

Thank you.
Jim

PS. Just a thought ... how about doing a photo composite of our Bolivia 29 Mines Group. As a commemorative, etc. an 8x 10 (maybe larger) pictorial with 15-25 images (or something), minimal text as all have their own story. I work in Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator and have done a number of similar things over the years. I have enough photos myself to do such a thing, but I'm sure it could be better if a photo selection could be made of a broader selection than mine. You've probably thought of this! I still am not sure about making the reunion, but I've certainly been thinking about it.

I think this photo is our first meal at the hotel in LaPaz. I have always remembered the tongue.

38. 4/23/2007
DesPUES #2 (News flash)

Hello Again!!
(0) Anyone else able to join us in August?
Contact Lee Arbuckle or Ed Stoll about it...
Something can be worked out!!!
Deadline for Estes resort rooms full deposit is by June...

(1) PUES: we have obtained copies of 6 issues of PUES.
Dont know if there were any more. Got these thru Gino, who had his papers on file at LBJ Library in Austin TX.
Also got a copy of White Paper. (now posted online in messages)

(2) Bob Pruitt is at work on tracking down Jim Baltz and Kevin Lynch.
Thanks Bob... go for it... and we are glad you will be at the Reunion as well..

(3) Tom Gale is working on contacting Scott Reed
to see if he wishes to connect with us or not. Be great if he would be able to join us in CO.

(4) Slide show -- pictures -- CD of pics:
Dwight Steen has offered to work on pictures and slide show... SO if you want to submit any send them to me or him...
Jim Kauppi has offered to help as well... he's an experiences Photoshop user...
Jules Beck also offered sharing his slides.
Sue Bowman (Kauppi) and Jeff Fletcher have both shared more pics online too!
Thanks!!

(5) Share your bios with us all!
Those turned in are great... MORE would be even better!
Amazingly diversity of experiences and stories-to-share in this group!!!

(6) Lee Arbuckle is calling for all willing to help organize to emerge... for what needs to be brought together beforehand.
See his messages #36 & #37 and #22-24 below.

Peace
Don Beck,
Ass. Ed -- DesPUES

37. 4/23/2007
Reunion Organizing: Any MINERS who can help??? (see end)

===========
Date: April 23, 2007
From: Lee Arbuckle
Re: Hi Carol (Romey)

Thanks for offering to help. I have a couple of other offers and waiting for more. Sign up for what suits you best... Possibilities...to consider. Each activity would involve working with at least one and perhaps as many as three other people depending on the load.

1. Program committee. Policy One: have a mix of structure and unstructured time, perhaps 50/50. Policy Two: provide space and time for small group meetings for those groups that have several in attendance. This sounds corny, but is a remarkable experience...underlining how intense the Peace Corps experience was. A good technique to break through shallow banter and old hierarchies is to use the 'talking stick'. It works well in groups up to about 25. Each person talks when they get the stick with no interruptions. Policy three. The program committee should have at least three people at most five and work back and forth on-line. No group grope here…if you try to involve all who are signed up, all through the process nothing will get done. Come up with something and then put it out on Google groups for discussion and go from there. Other possibilities who may yet offer to help are: Peggy or Dwight Steen and Jerry Perkins. Paul Fisher has offered to help. Gender balance? Edie McAlpin? Barb Belden Field? I still haven’t seen anyone come forward from among the rural electrification, the credit union, the nurses, or anyone else from Antioch.

I think Walt Higgins is willing to be one of the people on the program committee. He’s a delightful guy with a firm opinion that there should be structured and unstructured time and lots of experience organizing large groups. You would provide a great balance. Another who may be willing is Don Beck who has been the ram rod for the Mines group. It seems to me that two more email-literate people would be helpful.

2. Music: Arranging a selection of music in whatever format. Some Bolivian as a mix of highland and lowland. Some other Latin. Rock/jazz/R&B from the 60s. karaoke with some of the best known songs from the above?

3. Arrange for Slides and photos: The Notre Dame group had each person bring 12-15 slides and then narrate. Avoided “shaggy dog” slide presentation. Very fast, powerful. How to collect the slides? How to keep track of them and return them? Slide projectors and screens? When to schedule? Put them into digital format?

Lee: Dwight Steen and Jim Kauppi have both offered to help organize pictures/slide/cds of pics for the mines group and can help probably with more ---I shall ask them.. Don Beck

4. Some sort of Memorial poster board with pictures and a couple of comments from other that knew them well. I’m hopeful Jerry Perkins will want to work on this activity. I have a short list of those who have passed away. The list would be added to by inquiring of the Google groups list. Other

5. Display of shards and momentos, especially a now and then pairing of photos for all who sign up

Don Beck Could you help?
Glad to put up bios, pics etc. for folks in other groups. But have had no requests except for Patricia Edwins whose info is displayed.

I am planning on a display of the in-country (Oct 1968-Oct 1969) Volunteer Newspaper PUES, of which we have obtained copies. We can work on putting together a then and now for our group and more if others will help gather them...--Don Beck. Contact Don Beck

Any other Miners that might be willing?
Lee Arbuckle
Contact Lee Arbuckle

 

36. 4/22/2007
Reunion Organizing Part 1...

===========
Date: April 22, 2007
From: Lee Arbuckle
Re: Hello All

I’m sending this to all of you as I know you are people who will come through if you commit. Time is approaching when we will know how many people will register for the reunion. At that point, about June 1, a program committee can go to work. So who will be on the program committee? Wally Higgins has a wealth of experience in organizing large events and a clear grasp of the need to have a balance between structured events and free time for people to spend reconnecting. I know Don Beck has a lot of ideas and can speak for the Mines group. Paul Fisher volunteered to help in any way he can. I know Pat Edwins is organized and effective and hopefully be willing to help. I have already asked via googlegroups if there are others who will volunteer to help. Don, perhaps you can get that message out via your Mines Group list serve.

Without asking I put Judy Costlow, Carol Romey and Barbara Belden Field on this email hoping one of them will offer to help. I know they can effectively represent the women’s perspective that has been sorely under-represented on the googlegroups site so far. I’ve also added Dwight and Peggy Steen to this email as they are both competent, connected, and effective at programming.

So all of you this is not a railroad. It’s just a request to help if you can. Ed Stoll and I are topped out through the summer months.

Email back an let me know if you can help and what sort of way you would prefer to help.

Abrazos,
Lee Arbuckle
Contact Lee Arbuckle

P.S. I believe Tere Perkins and Pat Stelzner are putting together an email network of ex-staff. As you know it’s best to let staff work out things on their own.

35. 4/19/2007
PUES & The White Paper

We have obtained xerox copies of the six issues of Pues, the in-country Bolivian PC Volunteer Newsletter, from December 1968 to October 1969. If you would like a copy an issue(s), let us know. Each page is two pages xeroxed. Five issues have 8 newspaper size pages or 16 pages xeroxed. One issue only had 4 pages for 8 pages xeroxed. Total of 88 pages for all six issues.

Ambassador Interview is Issue #2; with response from Peter C Valence in issue #3.

Much news about what PCVs were doing is covered, as well as PCV concerns.
Let me know if anyone wants copies.

The White Paper is in as well, though it seems tamer than what I had remembered. BUT, it was the result of a group wanting more to be done about getting workable, useful work for Volunteers asking for more Volunteer say in determining program content.. Download the White Paper.

-Don Beck

34. 4/18/2007
Coming to the reunion!

===========
Date: April 20, 2007
From: Trish Modugno-Furman
Re: Hi everyone!

just wanted to let you know that i have been off-line for about two months now. i am using jaime's computer. also broke my finger at the desert museum last friday and had it operated on today so i am using my left hand to type. please excuse me for not answering any e-mails you may have sent. hope you all are ok and enjoying life. take care. i will let you all know when i am back on the net and hopefully able to use two hands again to type.

peace,
patty, trish, patrish

33. 4/18/2007
Coming to the reunion!

===========
Date: April 18, 2007
From: Bob Pruitt
Re: Read German?

No, I don't even read English.

But Ernie Greishaber does. I am sure you could send him stuff and he would help translate.

I have reserved a hotel room in Loveland Colorado, which appears to be about thirty miles from Estes Park. I will drive up to Estes Park during the day and down to Loveland later in the evening. The reason is that I have Congestive Heart Failure from The Big One in 1995, and have difficulty breathing if the altitude is much higher than one foot above sea level. I think staying at 5000 feet will be more conducive to breathing than staying at 8000 feet at Estes Park at the Y camp. I will let Ed Stoll know that I will be coming to the reunion, but staying off site. I checked with the Y and they said I could purchase meals at the Y site if I want. I may be coming with a member of the family or with a friend.

So there you have it! I will load up the old Toyota Corolla and head west to arrive on August 17th. I prefer to drive, rather than fly, because I figure I have a better chance of surviving if I fall out of a motor vehicle than if I fall out of an airplane. Had some practice in Bolivia.

Stay in touch.
Bob

32. 4/17/2007
Anyone read German?

===========
Date: April 17, 2007
From: Don Beck
Re: Bounty for Kevin Lynch & Anyone Read German?

You betcha!... Big bounty... but you have to come to Colorado to get it....!!!
Peace Don

ps. I have been reading some more of the pages sent by Gino. Titled "International Name Dropping." they are in German, so its slow going for me. But Gino has certainly been around and is leftist. socialist... Evidently Kevin Lynch told him some secret about Che's cohorts that Kevin knew of supposedly from priests in Siglo Viente...

Do you read German?
Don

31. 4/11/2007
finding Jim Baltz

===========
Date: April 17, 2007
From: Bob Pruitt
Re: Jim Baltz

I talked with Teresa Baltz, Jim's former wife, who lives in Lansing, Michigan. Teresa said she has not been in touch with Jim for 15 years. They were divorced about 35 years ago. Jim remarried and lives in Wayne, Michigan, but she has no way to contact him and doesn't know of any way I can reach him.. His number and address are unlisted. They had a son, but I have not been able to contact him either. Teresa remembers the PC in Bolivia, especially her wedding to Jim. She says to say hello to Doug, Patty, Alan and Julie (Judy). Teresa is a teacher in Lansing, and she gave me permission to give her address and phone number to anyone who wishes to contact her.

I will continue to try to find the missing persons from our group. If I find Kevin Lynch, is there a bounty you can pay me?

30. 4/11/2007
We sent Gino a printout of the site and bios, as he doesn't have computer access at home. We will assemble a bio and post it shortly from the things he submitted. As well we have ordered materials (PUES) from LBJ Library in Austin.

He wrote back this message as well...

===========
Date: April 11, 2007
From: Gino Baumann
Re: Hello to All!

Fascinating the Bio data of Mines Group! PC was a great outfit of the USA, better than Vietnam, Iraq, etc.

I will be a Estes Park with wife Sara and 13 year old grandchild. I am 81 today and my memory is not what it ...

Included find data referring to me, a hodgepoge of various things, excerpt cuttings, clippings, and throw aways. In reference to Pues, see LBJ Library in Austin. They should print it out for you. My PC papers went there, except what students stole, destroyed. They might have a copy of White paper.

Ask Ferraro to show up. Look for Kevin Lynch.

Someone insulted me in their bio info. I believe I am one of the best Altiplano drivers there are and one of the fastest to boot. They apparently did not!

Take care and look forward to talking to all at the reunion.

Gino B.

29. 4/111/2007
Hello...

===========
Date: April 11, 2007
From: Al Ferraro
Re: Hello to All!

Hi,
Sorry I haven't gotten back to you sooner, but I've been having trouble with my internet. I won't be able to make it to Colorado. After I left Bolivia I went to The Philippines as Assoc. Director. From there I went back to PR and worked in the PC training center for about six years.

I then returned to the States and couldn't adjust to Gringolandia. I returned to PR in 1982 to work for a cable tv company and I retired in 2002 and am living in PR. I have nothing from my Peace Corps days. My ex threw everything out.

Tell Gino and Dr. Keck that I said hi. Give my regards to all in the mines group. Keep in touch.

Ciao Al

28. 4/7/2007
Memories from training...

===========
Date: April 7, 2007
From: Jeff Fletcher
Re: Sending pics in for photo gallery

Looking at both my pics and the chronology, two things occur to me.

As part of our in-country training,

• We took a bus trip to Tiahuanacu and Lake Titicaca.
• And as part of in-country training, (at least some of us) also went and visited a guy at his site in the Yungas.
• After that, I think we did some visits to the southern mines.
• I'm sure we returned from our training to La Paz in time for the 4th of July, because I remember an egg-catching event at the ambassador's residence.
• I also remember setting off bottle rockets from the top of the hotel we were staying at in La Paz. I remember this pretty clearly since I burned the hell out of my finger (see visiting a tin mine photo whole group ready to enter, which I think was taken in the July 5-15 period.)

---Jeff

27. 4/6/2007

===========
Date: March 18, 2007
From: (Bill) McCabe Coolidge

Hi Don,
The wood fire is blazing; the temp is till 19 and snowing, setting new records up here. Here are some updates for you...

So began a long letter, the rest of which is posted in his bio... So, check it out--McCabe Coolidge's Bio

Thanks McCabe!!!
Posted bio from McCabe Coolidge.

26. 4/5/2007
Posted bio from Peggy Steen.

Thanks Peggy!!!

25. 3/31/2007
MORE PICTURES POSTED

Thank you Sue Bowman (Kauppi) for sending us some 18 19 (missed one) new pictures... of your family (under your bio) and from training and service (in Photos). They came out great...

--Everyone and anyone...
--Check them out and add more info to put with the pictures...
--Where and when, more specifically.
--There was some party... in country evidently...
--Pictures processed in Coch...

Peace
Don Beck
ps.. more pictures and bios, always welcome!!

24. 3/28/2007

=================
From: Dwight Steen
Date: March 28, 2007

I saw the e-mail that Lee Arbuckle sent in response to your request. ... I attended the Notre Dame group reunion that Lee refers to that was held at ASILOMAR a couple years ago. ASILOMAR wanted an exorbitant sum of money for any type of audio visual equipment, so the slide presentations were reminiscent of what we had to work with in Bolivia. Since I live close, I am planning to make a trip to Estes Park to scout out the place and to see where or what kind of facilities will be available.

I have done a lot slides shows of my grandchildren and other important events on DVD that can just be displayed on any TV. I would volunteer to put everyone slides into a show assuming people have them in digital form and would be willing to send them to me. I am not able to scan slides (you need a real high resolution scanner), but I can scan photos (many of the ones I have were very small (like 2.5 x 3 inches) so they do not come out great. However, they are viewable and they can tell the story. If people have their own show or sequence of slides in digital form, I can also make a number of separate slide shows on a single DVD. Probably for a few bucks we can even have copies made for everyone.

Let me know how I can help.
--Dwight

=================
Dwight: Jules Beck has also expressed an interest in working on this: perhaps together???

23. 3/28/2007

• Reunion Activities:
  1. Share your ideas HERE of things you might want to happen at the reunion.
  2. Can you help organize now and them something you enjoy doing?
  3. Sort of a potluck of ideas/activities...

==> Send comments/ideas to Messages to be posted here

22. 3/27/2007
There seems to be large number of people now coming to the reunion. Hooray!!..
Should help generate much good will and a great experience!
Undoubtedly more will decide to go as August approaches...

• Is it time to think about the reunion itself?
• What sorts of things "happen" at reunions?
  • What have other groups done?
• Many have said they would help with this...
• Certainly much can be planned once we are there
  • Some simple planning will help: eg, to bring slides or pictures....

=================
From: Lee Arbuckle
Date: March 27, 2007

I agree it is time to start thinking of program ideas.
Examples of some things that could be done:

1. Get someone to put together some music mixes.
There are some people with good music collections to play on some kind of music system. What do they have at Estes Park? I don't know, but someone on the committee putting the music program could find out. Could be some highland and lowland Bolivian music, some general Latin music, some American pop, rock, blues, and jazz from the time. Do you have anyone or can you find anyone? Dare I suggest you could pose the question on googlegroups or the Mines site, or both?

2. Explore the use of the "talking stick" as a group dynamics tool for the small groups.
It's said to be a Native American method of giving a voice to all, rather than just re-establishing old heirarchies and repeating old banter. There has been a lot of water under the bridge since the 60s and some would like to hear or tell about that. The talking stick assures that all get a voice for 5-15 minutes.

3. Organize a way for people to show some slides.
It seems Notre Dame II gave people a limit of 10 or 15 of their slides which they narrated. In an evening about 25-30 people showed all their slides. It seems to me that 3-4 slide projectors or screens can be found or rented. Would you or someone you identify take that on?

4. Organize a couple of panels.
Mike Hirsch is current Peace Corps Director in Peru. Marco Dolan is Peace Corps staff in Peru. His grandfather was one of the first ag agents in Bolivia in about 1940, and a sound supporter of the Peace Corps activities in Cochabamba (PIL, coordination with ag extension agents).
Topic: What should Peace Corps be in 2007? Is it still relevant? How should it be organized now?

5. Coordinate--expand--tweak a chat forum.
Don Beck, Dwight Steen, and Terry Linkletter could communicate to all how to make a more useful, user friendly chat forum, revising or replacing the Googlegroups approach. Bring in anyone who's interested in making a better forum.

6. Organize getting info out to Reunion attendees.
There will be a need to get some general communications out to all who are coming to the reunion or contemplating making a reservation. I'd be delighted if you come up with a better way of moving the canoe ahead.
-- Lee

21. 3/27/2007
From an RPCV who served in Bolivia and is now in San Diego and is coming to the Reunion!

=================
From: Patricia Edwins
Date: March 27, 2007

My name has changed twice since I last saw you at the office in La Paz 69-71 or at the conference in the Yungas (you probably didn’t see me much, most of the time I was pounding a typewriter in that little hotel room). I’d sure enjoy hearing from those of you who do remember me (Maggie, Fred, Gino, et. al).

My e-mail address is:

I’ll be seeing most of you in August, and will be adding a bio as soon as I can.

Hasta la proxima vez, mis saludos y abrazos,
Patricia/PCV Secretary/La Paz, Bolivia/69-71

20. 3/26/2007
UPDATED LIST REUNION ATTENDEES--as of 3/26 -- from Ed Stoll -- Rev 4/18 by D Beck
Programs by Group ......(Number attending in parentheses)

19. 3/25/2007
Spoke with John Giffith and his address is now posted in Contact Info .

=================
From: John Griffith
John says hi to folks. He was sent home early on a medical release and spent some time in the hospital in the states before being fully well. Eventually it was Bianca Bloom's dad who steered John to some jobs that were available. John ended up working with a Probation Department and has been retired now for several years.

He says more details coming in his bio when he gets to it.

Peace John. It's good to hear from you.

18. 3/23/2007
Spoke to Gino Baumann in Costa Rica

=================
Gino says hi to all and hopes to see as many as possible at the reunion in Colorado in August. He will be there with his wife. He says he is 83 now, but sounds as energentic as ever and ready to debate most any issue as needed.

He also has a lead to where we can get a hold of some copies of Pues, our infamous newsletter which so many remember fondly, well, perhaps or perhaps not.

He definitely rememberd the Pues situation well, and how the Blooms just happened to be on vacation at the time it got hot.

He does not have email or a computer but can be reached by phone and letter... so go for it if you wish.
[We have sent him printouts of the site including bios turned in, to date]

17. 3/23/2007
Spoke to Mary Isabel Rajcan in Coarsegold, CA.

=================
Isabel is definitely coming to the reunion in August. She now lives in Coarsegold, a place near Yosemite, California. She does much volunteer work caring for others, driving them places and so on. And is active with her church. She is now 84--and in talking to her, her emergy wore me out in the minutes we talked. She's as much of a dynamo as ever!

She has two phone numbers listed: one is a regular number in Coarsegold. The other is an 866 number which is actually a type of 800 number, which is at no expense to the caller. She does not have a computer or email, so has not seen our site [though we have now sent her a printed copy of it all--including bios done, to date]. She wants to hear from any and all... so call her on either number and catch-up. She is in and out but at home evenings usually. You can leave a message if she's not home.

16. 3/21/2007
Corrections to list of those attending reunion from Mines group:

=================
From: Sue Bowman (Kauppi)
I cannot attend due to prior committments, but want to hear from everyone and will respond to all email or letters.
--Sue Bowman

=================
From: Martin Bloom
Subject: Re: Hello Martin!
Date: March 19, 2007

Good to hear from some of the old PC folks. To set the record straight I haven't yet seen my way clear to commit to the reunion so I'm not sure of the accuracy of Lee's list.

Just thinking about those times and all the people brings back many memories.
--Martin Bloom

We hope Martin will be able to be there!!!

15. 3/17/2007

==============
From: Doug Langan
Subject: Re: Updates & Questions!
Date: March 17, 2007

I can only help with #2:
Who was ambassador when we arrived?:

The Ambassador was Douglas Henderson. It was, he told me years later, his idea to put a group in the Bolivian mines. He had joined the United Mine Workers as a young man, and I believe he kept his union card through his Foreign Service career.

His daughter, Lee Martinez. was later a civil servant in the State Department -- she ran the motor pool, among other things -- and was also an auxiliary DC cop. His son, Bruce Henderson, was president of CitiBank of Peru when I was DCM in Lima in the 80's. Our jobs brought Bruce and I together at lots of official events, and we would often reminisce about things Bolivian -- probably boring or annoying our Peruvian hosts, who of course regard Bolivia as part of Alto Peru...

Both Lee and Bruce recall being at a meeting in the Yungas with the mines group when they were little kids. Could that have been our one year conference?

As of last year, Douglas Henderson was still alive, and living in DC.
Doug

13. 3/16/2007

====================
FROM: Dr. Bil Keck
FOUND BY: Bob Pruitt
DATE: Friday, March 16, 2007
Dear Don,
Yes, you found me! Would you like me to respond to your bio question, or are you focusing on PCV’s rather than staff?

You might be interested in the fact that I have a “Che” story from the other side. I’ve been working with the Cuban health system for about 15 years and am part of a team that has just completed a documentary film about that system. With the election of Evo Morales, Bolivia is moving closer to the Cuban approach to providing health and social services. If you would like, I can bring a copy of the film to the reunion planned for August. You might want to check out the following websites:

http://www.saludthefilm.net

http://www.medicc.org

Best wishes,
Bill Keck
====================

Reply: YES YES YES to all questions!!! --Don Beck

====================
FROM: Dr. Bil Keck
DATE: (later) Friday, March 16, 2007
Dear Don,
Yes, the film is in DVD format and commercial copies are now available. It comes in both English and Spanish. It is for sale on the website to agencies and institutions. I’m one of three co-producers and I have copies I can sell for $30.00 (check made out to MEDICC) to individuals. I’d be delighted to bring one or more copies with me to the reunion, and even host a showing with discussion, if you and Ed would like that – yes, my wife, Ardith, and I are planning to attend and have signed up with Ed.

I’ll fill out a bio form for you as soon as I can. I’m a bit pressed now because we’re leaving next week for a two week cycling trip to Sicily, and work is pressing. In the meantime, I’ve attached my CV (sorry it’s so long) so you can see what I’ve been up to, and a recent picture (were we ever young?).

I’m in touch with Dr. Ronald K. St. John, my Peace Corps Doctor partner in La Paz for two years. He lives in Ottawa and has had a very distinguished career in public health from which he has just retired. I’ve let him know about the reunion, but apparently he hasn’t decided yet to sign up. I’ll be seeing him next month, so I’ll pester him about it. Because of his retirement, his e mail has changed, and I don’t have the new one on my office machine. I’ll get it to you later....

Dick Fuchs, a Tb volunteer from the 60s is back in the Peace Corps teaching English in Turkmenistan. He’s in his second year and won’t be able to make the reunion, of course.

I have lots of pictures from Bolivia, but they are in 35mm slide format. Can you work with those.

Looking forward to seeing you all again.
Bill Keck

12. 3/15/2007

11. 3/14/2007
Bolivia Map has been added. Approximate locations of service sites by end of service.

Please check to see if your site has been located correctly. Help us locagte your site correctly! We used Google earth, which seemed to have most, but not all locales.

10. 3/13/2007
Tom Gale's email address has been updated. Please note and use the new address. Check out Contact Information (under People) for this change.

9. 3/7/2007
We are still looking for some people who served as PCV's in our group. In sharing experiences, most of us have lost contact with each other. Only a few have have kept in close contact. Some have met by chance–McCabe Coolidge told me he had met Kevin Lynch while camping in Maine!

8. 3/7/2007
Located Bill Coolidge, who now goes by his middle name: McCabe. He's in Virginia and is a potter. Welcome McCabe! He is a writer as well--as can be seen in the Links section, to some of the pieces he has contributed to PC Writers Group. (Check under People -> Contact Informaton to find out how to contact him.)

We were sorry to hear that Cathy passed away several years ago, but hope he will tell us a bit about her life after Peace Corps.

We look forward to hearing more about his exploits and perhaps seeing him at the reunion??

7. 3/6/2007
Some Emails from those who are "still writing their bios..."

====================
FROM: Jules Beck
DATE: Sept 13, 2006
Don:
It's good to hear from you; I'd love to consider going to a reunion.

It's got to be fascinating to track the lives of our group members. (The ambassador's last name was Castro, I forget his first name; he'd walk his dog around the formal Sunday plaza promenade in shorts.)

I taught high school in a town of 259 in South Dakota for one year after getting home (chemistry, US history, world history, Spanish I and Spanish II). I then went back to school for a Master of Social Work degree and codeveloped an inner-city community involvement program -- I ran the program as a community organizer for 10 years. After that I became a technical writer for a number of years (my science background led to that after Reagan's budget cutting dried up social services for a good while). I got back into the business as Associate Director of Hispanos en Minnesota, an outpatient clinic for chemical treatment and education -- our clients were Hispanics, Somalis, and Hmong with a rare Anglo thrown in. I did fund raising and ran the after-school youth-at-risk program.

I then got into the disaster planning business (the planning for recovery phase) and codeveloped a system in Spanish; I installed software and trained people in disaster planning (Mexico, Peru...).

Along the way I served on the board of the Minnesota Civil Liberties Union, eventually serving three terms as president, and battling with the National ACLU over a number of issues.

I taught at the Univ of MN for four years while working on my Ph.D.; I've been an assistant professor here in Fayetteville for two years and am entering my second year as tenure-track. My interests are in international Human Resource Development and distance education. Last year I facilitated some leadership development workshops in Honduras in October, in West Africa in February, and in Eastern Europe in April. I also have been fortunate enough to present some research at conferences here and abroad -- I'll be in Malaysia in November-December sharing some innovative distance education strategies (blended technology approaches).

I can't imagine what retirement would be like ... I'm having too much fun right now, although getting used to the Southern style of thinking and acting is like another incidence of culture shock.

Stay in touch now, hear!
--Julio "el Guapo" Beck

DATE: January 31, 2007
Don:
Karen and I developed a slide show that we took around to a number of civic/social organizations--including yours truly in front of el comidor and Scott Reed reclining in a hammock (I believe I also have a photo of Bob Pruit after he fell out of a pickup, and had to be stitched up by the doctor (in Cochabamba?).) One of our doctors might want to join the reunion... I do have a copy of that slide show somewhere.
--Jules

=============================
FROM: TRISH MODUGNO-FURMAN
DATE: FEB 18, 2007
Hi Don,

No, I had not seen the site. Thanks for putting my sketches up. Yes, I have a number of photos which I am willing to share, if anyone is interested. I do not have the Internet at my home at the moment. I need to replace the line from the telephone jack so it will be a week or so before this is completed (hopefully). I am using my daughter's computer to write this.

I am not sure I will be coming to the reunion. I have a problem of not feeling that I should come because I did not stay for the 2 years. I don't think I really belong. I have the same thought about anything related to the Peace Corps. I will let you know soon.

Take care.

Peace, Trish

======================
FROM: MARTIN ZONE
DATE: FEB 13, 2007
Don,

Thanks for all your work - I do plan to attnd the reunion. I'll be bunking with Jeff and John.

I'm also looking for old 8mm film I took around Lake Titicaca during training. I don't have a projector, but should I find it and any slides, including those I took when I visited Bolivia from Guatemala a few months before you all left, I will let you know.

Martin

4. 3/1/2007

===================
From: Sue Bowman (Kauppi)
Date: March 1, 2007
Jim e-mailed me about the up-coming PCV summer reunion...sounds like a good time to me.

Jim and I divorced in 1984 and both of us have remarried. My husband and I moved to Tennessee about 5 years ago and love it. We live in a golf/lake community, golf regularly and have an old pontoon boat we take out on the dammed Tennesse River. Jim and my oldest son, his wife and two children live in Nashville, TN (her folks live close to us), so Jeff and family are here often. They bought a speed boat to take out on the lake and it's docked near our boat. We really enjoy swimming, fishing, skiing with the whole gang. I'm still working full time; my husband has retired....how'd that happen?! I'll probably work a few more years.

Anyway, stay in touch and keep me up to date on the summer reunion!

Date: March 5, 2007
After returning home from the PC, Jim and I had two children. Jeffrey David in 1970 and Phillip John in 1973. Both have grown up to be wonderful, productive, caring men. I worked throughout their childhood as an RN is Battle Creek, Michigan. During this time I earned my BSA degree. In 1984, Jim and I divorced. I continued to work and also went on to earn my MSN degree. In 1992, I remarried to Stenn Bowman. We moved to Detroit where I taught at Madonna University for a year, then worked in a Cardiology office as the nursing supervisor and cardiac rehab nurse. We tired of the big city, long, fast commutes, so moved to a lake/ golf community outside of Knoxville, TN. I continued to work as an MDS coordinator in a skilled nursing/rehab center. Outside of work I golf, boat, garden, read, knit, scrap book. My oldest son and his family (wife and two children) live in Nashville, TN and come often. Both of my sons are athletes...starting out in tri-athelons, marathons and now are doing Iron Men competitions...the last 3 they have competed in together and the whole family goes to cheer them on. I plan on retiring in 3 years.

That's it in a nutshell! I won't be able to attend the August reunion because we'll be cheering the boys on in another Iron Man in Louisville, KY. I'm so happy to have finally connected to some of my old PC friends. I have so many good memories of those times. By the way, I don't remember ever making bread, but I did make a mean pizza!
Sue

Sue's contact info and bio form have been added and when she sends her bio update to us we will post her full bio. Welcome Sue! Jeff still talks about your bread in Atocha!!! Will you bring some to the reunion???

3. 2/27/2007
Jeff reports he has contacted Jim Kauppi...

I received your note this pm. Thank you!

You have the correct address in Michigan, but we're currently in South Carolina and are having our mail forwarded. Sue and I divorced a number of years ago, am I'm remaired. My wife's name is Linda. I'll email Sue with the pertinent information, and most likely she'll respond. She's also remarried, lives in Tennessee, and is doing well. I retired a few years ago and we've been coming to South Carolina for a few months in the winter for the last couple of years.

I've gone to the site and am impressed. I really enjoyed looking it over. I've forgotten some of the camp details, etc. but remember most of the volunteers pretty well - and you much more than most ( when I saw the letter from you I thought it would be something like this). As you may recall my Spanish was stinko. I'm currently (37 yrs late) taking Intermediate Spanish, a Continuing Ed 8 week class via the USC. Six senior citizens and one younger girl! I can spit it out pretty good, but it's not pretty.

I am not sure about making the reunion, but we'll give it some thought. We've both been doing some part time work in our small town of Allegan (pop: 4,500). I've been working a couple of days a week at a hardware store, and Linda at the local hospital.
Jim Kauppi

Jim's contact info and bio form have been added and when he sends his bio update to us we will post it. Welcome Jim! Looking forward to your bio update

2. 2/26/2007
Tom Gale reports he has heard from Scott Reed ...

Finally, I tracked down Scott Reed. It was difficult and tricky, but I knew where he might reside from contacts in the early to mid-1980's. Scott and I had been in touch off and on from the end of our Peace Corps service - a long wild story through the service and after.

About a year after our PC tour ended (we both stayed in SA - Scott in Rio and me in Santa Cruz) we hooked up in California before I married. He was an usher at my wedding in New Jersey in 1982 and lived nearby in N.Y. west of the Hudson River, visited me subsequently here in Illinois a couple of times over several years after the wedding, but we did not communicate for the last 20 years.

Anyway, Scott says he will send his contact info and consider coming to the reunion - but I will leave that to him. He was really thrilled to see your website and have the chance to connect to our group. Both Scott and I were really thrilled to finally talk again after all these years (we owe that to your efforts), and I hope (and encourage) that he come to the reunion.

His bio form has been added and when he sends contact info, we will post it. Hey Scott! Looking forward to hearing from you!