VOLUME: 5 linear feet
ACCESS: This collection is open to the public upon request.
COPYRIGHT: Please consult the archivist for information about duplication or publishing of any materials from this collection.
RELATED COLLECTIONS: Peace Corps Community Archive, Friends of Colombia, Friends of Nigeria, and Friends of Ghana
Administrative History
On May 18, 1979, Charles Cox, Brian Moore, and Paul Smolen met with approximately one hundred people to discuss the possibility of establishing an organization for Peace Corps volunteers and staff in the Washington, DC region. The positive response led to the formation of the Action Alumni Association of the Greater Washington Area (AAAGWA), which held its first meeting on July 20, 1979. AAAGWA's purpose was to support the humanitarian goals of the Peace Corps by organizing cross-cultural events and providing assistance to domestic and international communities. Members voted to change its name on June 11, 1982 to the Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Washington (RPCV/W). Its updated purpose was to foster a community of RPCVs and friends in the Washington, D.C. area through social events, service projects and professional development programs that embody the spirit of Peace Corps. One project of note was the Peace Corps Partnership Program, where RPCV/W members chose a specific project from the Peace Corps' program's list and provided funding to overseas communities for community projects. RPCV/W incorporated in 1990 and remains an active member of the Peace Corps community.
RPCV/W holds a variety of activities throughout the year including an annual wreath laying ceremony at John F. Kennedy's tomb, speakers series, happy hours, and issues forums. RPCV/W advocates for the Peace Corps through Congressional testimony and participation in its own Committee to evaluate the Peace Corps budget. RPCV/W works closely with the National Peace Corps Association to honor and recognize the work of Peace Corps volunteers. RPCV/W has participated in all of the major Peace Corps anniversaries.
Scope and Content Note
This collection documents the formation and management of the RPCV/W through anniversary planning materials (1980 - 2002), board/steering committee minutes (1979 - 2013), bylaws (1979 - 1990), correspondence (1979 - 2003), financial records (1982 - 2006), membership records (1979 - 2005), newsletters (1979 - 2001), and partnership program materials (1994 - 2003).
Provenance
The Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Washington donated this collection in 2016.
Processing Note
The archivist organized this collection alphabetically and put material in archival folders for accessibility.
Box 1
Action Alumni Association of the Greater Washington Area (AAAGWA)
- 1974, 1981
- Affiliates with (NCRPCV), undated
- Bylaws, undated
Action Input Committee 1979
Action Policy Committee 1979 - 1980
Advisory Council nominees 1986
Annual meeting 1991
Annual Reports 1991 - 1995, 2002 - 2005
Annual retreats 1986, 1998 - 2003
Articles 1978 - 2002 (2 folders)
Ashoka 1984 - 1996
Board/Steering Committee
- 1979 - 1983
- Articles of Incorporation 2003 - 2004 See also: Financial Records
- Contact list 2003 Restricted
- Information 2000 - 2001
- Meeting minute resources 2003
- Minutes
-
1979
- 1980 (2 folders)
- 1981
- 1982 - 1983
- 1983 - 1984
- 1985 - 1986 (2 folders)
- 1986 - 1987
- 1987 - 1988 (2 folders)
- 1988 - 1989
- 1989 - 1990 (2 folders)
- 1990 - 1994
- 1994 - 1999
- 1999 - 2000
- 2000 - 2001
- 2001 - 2002
- 2002 - 2003
- 2003 - 2004
- 2005 - 2006, 2013
- Retreats 1998 - 2003
Box 2
Brochures, undated
Bulletin 1984 - 1986
Bylaws
- 1979, 1990, undated
- Incorporation 1987 - 1990
Calendar 1996 - 1997, 2005 - 2006
Candidate statements, undated
"Celebrating Peace" conference 1999
Community Bridge Project 2001
Congressional Liaison Report 1990 - 1991
Congressional testimony 1981
Correspondence
- 1979 - 1991, 1997 - 2003 (2 folders)
- Donations 1991 - 1994
- Rogers, Carol 1996 - 1997
DC master list 2002
Donation drive 1992
Events 1985 - 2006
Financial Records
- Annual budgets 1984 - 2006
- Bank statements 1982 - 1989
- Budget 1987 - 1988
- Budget Committee 1982 - 1985
- Budget criteria 1999
- Certificate of deposit 1995 - 1997
- Exemption info 1983, 1990 - 1996
- Incorporating 1987 - 1995
- IRS 501-C-3 application materials 1990
- Membership dues statements 1988 - 1989
- Monthly statements 1987 - 2003
- Suggested budget, undated
Foreign VIP 1990
Founder's Day wreathe laying 1992 - 2006
Group Leader's Digest 1990, 1999 - 2000
Happy hour sign-in sheets 2004 - 2005 Restricted
Inaugural parade 1985 - 2001
Information sessions and issues forum 1985 - 1986
Introductory meeting 1979
Issues forums 1981 - 1994 (3 folders)
Keefer, Karen (1st president of RPCV/W) 1980 - 1982
Long range plan 1986
Loret Miller Ruppe Award 1989 - 2000
Membership
- 1985 - 2002
- Committee 1980
- Database 2003 Restricted
- Director questions 2004
- Directory 1984 - 1990, 1993 - 1994 (2 folders)
- Information 1979 - 2005 (2 folders) Restricted
- New and renewals 1981 - 1985, 2001 - 2005 Restricted
- Recruitment 2003
Box 3
Memorial Bridge (40th anniversary) 2000 - 2002聽聽 See also: Peace Corps Anniversaries
Monthly specials 1992
Newsletter editor 2000
Newsletters
- 1979 - 1981
- 1982 - 1984
- 1985 - 1990
- 1991 - 1994
- 1995 - 2001
- 2001 - 2005
- About, 1997 - 2001
Peace Corps anniversaries
- 1980 - 2002
- 40th anniversary 2000 - 2002 (3 folders)
- 41st anniversary 2002
Peace Corps Partnership Program
- 1996 - 2001 (2 folders)
- Bulgaria 2002 - 2003
- Correspondence 1997 - 2001
- History of Support, undated
- Program 1994 - 2001
- Program Committee 1997 - 1998
- Reception, Ghana 1998 - 1999
Permission and questionnaires 1979
Photos 1990 - 1994, undated
Reception 1998 - 2001
Senate Appropriations Committee 1985
Seven Ways to Change the World: Lessons from the Peace Corps, undated
Shriver Award 1997
Submission deadlines 1996 - 1997
Surveys and statistics 1987, undated
Take a volunteer to dinner, undated
Testimony of Mark D. Gearan 1998
Volunteers 1991 - 1994, 2001 (2 folders) Restricted
Website 2000 - 2001
Workshop proposals 1998 - 2001