1995 Annual Report
Summary of Activity for the West Cascade Peace Corps Association - Eugene, Oregon
JULY 1994 - JULY 1995
The highlight for this past year was our first annual Eugene Peace Corps Festival! The several hundred people who attended savored curry chicken and danced the night away to salsa music. Over $1200 was raised through ticket sales and dollar and silent auctions. Funds were used to help support a Peace Corps partnership project of a Eugene volunteer in Romania. Costs for this event were underwritten by the Peace Corps Recruiting Office in Seattle and several local businesses. Plans are well underway for the Second Annual Festival to be held in November.
Since 1986, total donations from West Cascade to Peace Corps partnership projects exceed $16,000!
West Cascade continued its long tradition of active participation in the Eugene Celebration. 30 volunteers again marched in the Eugene Celebration parade, wearing clothes from their host country and carrying flags as well. West Cascade has been in every parade since the Celebration began in 1984. In addition, we staffed a booth to disseminate information and to promote our products. New to this year's activity, was the creation of a 15 x 30 foot world map. Funds were raised by asking Celebration participants to paint a country or two. The map is now finished and is being used by local schools.
Funding for this year's celebration has been reduced by the City of Eugene. West Cascade has taken it upon itself to help promote continuation of this great event by donating $100 to the City and by challenging all service organizations to meet or beat this pledge!
In April of this year, we participated in a very successful Nomination Party on the campus of the University of Oregon. The party was highlighted by keynote speakers Jack Hogan, Peace Corps Associate Director of International Operations, and Dorothy Culjat, Peace Corps Area manager for the Seattle Office. 40 plus West Cascadians attended the ethnic potluck, along with a host of nominees.
For the past several years. West Cascade has been an active participant in the Oregon Special Olympics held in Eugene. Last summer, 22 members of our organization volunteered in some capacity during the two day event.
Since 1993, West Cascade has taken on the responsibility to maintain a one mile stretch of bike path that runs along the Willamette River in Eugene. Three work parties were held during the past year on this project.
In addition to all of our other activities, we found time to fill a barrel of food during Hunger Awareness Month and we contributed $100 to the City of Gresham as part of their effort to buy books for a sister city project in Nigeria.
During the course of this time, we also managed to hold six potluck meetings, each with at least one outside presenter. In October, we also held our Annual Meeting, which was attend by about 50 members. Representative Peter DeFazio from the Fourth Congressional District spoke to the group and responded to questions on his vision for American foreign policy, its goals and funding and investing in sustainable development.
