Update from Pete!
[The following should have been sent to everyone via email. If you did not receive the email, let Pete know (peter.nerone@gmail.com). Reminders of all events will be posted on the CARV website and on the CARV FB page.]
The days might still be short and light on sunshine but Spring is on the way and we have lots of events coming up to highlight and celebrate our Peace Corps experiences. We're working with our friends in the Southern Ohio Returned Volunteers to plan some events you might all enjoy,
Look for news of a happy hour and special tour of the Dayton International Peace Museum on February 23rd or 24th to kick off the Peace Corps week celebrations. We'll share more specifics as we finalize the details. The Peace Museum will be hosting an awesome exhibit on peace makers while highlighting Ghandi and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Enjoy an evening of tropical food and drink at Kealoha's Kitchen in Covington, Kentucky on March 3rd. Tickets are $75 (plus tax) to enjoy incredible food, drink, music and camaraderie. Val and Amy Abafo look forward to telling you about their kitchen, Amy's time in the Peace Corps, and the amazing but too short life of Val's brother that serves as the inspiration for the restaurant. This is a fundraiser to benefit CARV so we can continue to assist in funding projects related to the Peace Corps. (Tickets can be purchased at: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/cincinnati-area-returned-peace-corps-volunteers-carv-77881187663
May 3rd and 4th will be the next edition of the World A'Fair celebration of international food, dance, crafts, and beverages. The event will be in Xenia, Ohio again this year. We decided to just encourage attendance instead of trying to host a table. If you have never experienced the event, put it in high priority on your list. Those that have been there already know the benefit of making the excursion.
May 5th is a big day. Yes, it's Cinco de Mayo and also happens to be Easter Sunday but this year is extra special as it is the day to see thousands of pigs gleefully flying around the Queen City. CARV is seeking volunteers to help with the sunrise shift near the starting and finish lines. It will be like waking up as a volunteer but you won't have to sweep the dirt in front of your hut, instead you would join with several other volunteers to help set up the finish line amenities. This is another fundraiser for CARV. The opening ceremonies are amazing and the stampede at the start will restore your optimism about humanity. Our shift will run approximately four hours, long enough to see most of the half marathoners and the elite full marathoners reach the finish line. We have heard a few of our fellow Peace Corps alumni will be setting the pace in the race. Please message me directly at peter.nerone@gmail.com or 513-490-8259 if you are willing to volunteer. Spread the word to family and friends. I will gladly attest to the service hours for any high school students you bring along.
June 23rd will be a CARV family day at the picnic grounds at the Blue Ash Rec Center. This will be similar to our Oktoberfest event at Gorman Heritage Farm but with an earlier start and less vertical trails. Bring family and enjoy the hiking and playground amenities.
July 4th we are looking to march behind a Peace Corps banner at an Independence Day Parade. We're looking into the Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky event but would welcome your suggestions.
We'll kick off the second half of the year with the annual CARV/SORVO picnic on July 21st. SORVO will host the picnic this year at Delco Park in Dayton.
It's an important and wonderful time to celebrate our Peace Corps heritage as we work to reinvigorate the noble cause. As President Kennedy famously proclaimed, "Let us begin."