October Newsletter: Final design approved by the CFA!
Dear Supporters,
We are so delighted to share with you a major milestone in the development of Peace Corps Park, as both the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts and the National Park Service have approved the final design!
Representing an effort 10 years in the making since the project received Congressional authorization, these critical stakeholders in the final approval process have given us the green light to build this lasting symbol to values of service and partnership in Washington, D.C. The National Capital Planning Commission comes next, and we expect to secure their approval by the end of the year.
Achieving this step marks a huge milestone on our journey, reflecting the tireless efforts of a dedicated staff and team of volunteers, and we couldn’t have done it without the support of this impressive community. We also could not have done it without the passionate and devoted leadership of Roger K. Lewis, our longtime president and the driving force behind the progress of the past years. We will miss Roger deeply, and remain more committed than ever to seeing his vision become a reality under the leadership of Tony Barclay and Aaron Williams, who have stepped into new roles this week.
With the blessing of our primary stakeholders in government, the next major step toward putting shovels in the ground is fundraising. This is where you come in: The generosity of this community has gotten us this far, and it will be your leadership that gets us to the finish line. Whether that’s by including Peace Corps Park in your ongoing giving plans or by helping us get in touch with people in your network who share our commitment to inspiring future generations around the values of peace and partnership, every contribution helps.
Raising the remaining funds needed to build the Park and endow its future maintenance by the National Park Service is now our top priority. With nearly $5 million raised from our 1,000-plus donors so far (thank you all!), we are well on our way to meeting our target and bring this meaningful project to life.
We invite everyone in the community to join this effort, and together we will make this happen!
Yours in service,
Glenn A. Blumhorst
Chief Advancement Officer
Peace Corps Foundation
President and CEO, National Peace Corps Association (2013-22)
RPCV Guatemala (1988-91)
Leadership update
For 16 years, our President Roger K. Lewis built a world-class team to make Peace Corps Park a reality, both in the design expertise that continues to drive the artistic vision of the Park, and in the administration of the Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation itself. We are fortunate to benefit from the skills and experience of such an accomplished board of directors, and we are pleased to announce that they have elected Tony Barclay, the Foundation’s vice president, to complete Roger’s current presidential term, with former Peace Corps Director Aaron Williams finishing out Tony’s term as vice president.
As we move into the construction planning phase of the project, the Foundation will also be evaluating project management partners, to bring on board critical skills around planning and operations, and to ensure the highest standards are met in the construction of Peace Corps Park.
Tony Barclay, President
"Having served on the Board of Directors with Roger for the past 12 years, I know full well how passionate he was about Peace Corps Park. We could not have reached this stage in the project without his expertise as an architect/planner and his unique perspective on the national capital's landscape. Everyone on our team is redoubling their efforts now to achieve Roger's vision."
Aaron Williams, Vice-President
“It’s been my pleasure to serve on the PCCF board for several years, and we were fortunate to have Roger as our president. We have lost both a visionary and passionate leader, and a Peace Corps legend. We are determined to complete Peace Corps Park in honor of his brilliant vision.”
A long journey to the National Mall
The journey of the Foundation, and the commemorative work that came to be called Peace Corps Park, goes back 23 years and reflects the mobilization and dedication of dozens of leaders in the Peace Corps and volunteer service community. From securing legislation after an advocacy effort that spanned three sessions of Congress to assembling a world-class design team, the Foundation has accomplished so much already thanks to your support. See the full timeline here.
Phase 1: Congressional Approval (2001-2014)
Founding directors Susan Flaherty and Kevin Quigley created the “Peace Corps Museum and Memorial Foundation” with Tom Roha in 2001, raising seed funding and awareness in Congress, and exploring a partnership with various sites in Washington, D.C., including the U.S. Institute of Peace, Kennedy Center, and Newseum.
The organization was renamed in 2008 to Peace Corps Foundation, dba Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation, and began an advocacy campaign on Capitol Hill in partnership with Jonathan Pearson at the National Peace Corps Association that mobilized dozens of supporters around the goal of establishing a commemorative work to the Peace Corps. Legislation authorizing the project was first introduced in the House of Representatives by Sam Farr (D-CA) in December 2009.
Bills in both the House and Senate were introduced in 2011 but not passed before the end of their respective congressional sessions.
Roger K. Lewis became president of the Foundation in 2012, and a refreshed Board that included directors Bonnie Gottlieb, Gordon Radley, and Ellen Lewis began pursuing a dedicated, standalone site for Peace Corps Park while ramping up the advocacy campaign on Capitol Hill.
The Peace Corps Commemorative Works Act was introduced again in February 2013 by Sen. Portman, with companion legislation in the House introduced by Rep. Joe Kennedy III (D-MA).
This time, the advocacy effort was successful, the bills passed and authorization for the Foundation to build Peace Corps Park was signed into law by President Barack Obama on January 24, 2014.
Phase 2: Design Selection (2014-2018)
With the legislation secured, the design process for Peace Corps Park could begin in earnest. The Foundation worked closely with the National Park Service to select a site among 16 different locations in Washington, D.C., choosing the triangle of land at Louisiana Ave. in November 2014.
PCCF Chief Advancement Officer Glenn Blumhorst at the future site of Peace Corps Park on Louisiana Ave., with the U.S. Capitol in the background.
The Foundation then launched an online design competition in March 2015, with more than 180 proposals submitted. While the many creative visions that were presented impressed the panel of judges, none were accepted as meeting the ambitious goals for the symbolism and functionality of the project, and the Foundation’s Board of Directors decided a more targeted approach was necessary.
What followed was a two-year process of soliciting design proposals from other noted architects and sculptors, with the ultimate selection of Larry Kirkland and Associates to conceptualize the artistic vision of the Park in April 2018.
While Kirkland and landscaping partner Michael Vergason worked with their creative teams to plan the optimal layout for the half-acre site, a parallel effort sought to extend the authorizing legislation in Congress beyond its original 2021 deadline. Rep. Joe Kennedy III introduced the Peace Corps Commemorative Extension Act on December 17, 2020, which was quickly and unanimously approved in the House and Senate, allowing until 2028 to complete construction.
Phase 3: Design Development (2018-2024)
Starting from the initial concept sketch, Peace Corps Park’s design went through numerous reviews by the Commission of Fine Arts (CFA), National Park Service, and National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC), with significant milestones coming from CFA approvals in September 2020 and November 2021 and NCPC approval in September 2022.
Major evolutions to the Park’s design during this process included landscaping solutions using native plants and trees to replace the initial concept of a glass-and-steel canopy over the site, and the change from a more abstract form for the stone benches, which will be carved from Silver Cloud granite sourced near Atlanta, Ga., to a more realistic approach with three subtly different hand positions.
The team also worked with our design partners to select the best treatment for the world map in the Park’s central plaza to ensure accurate sizes of landforms and a projection that wouldn’t favor any single continent. Because the map will differentiate landmasses from oceans using different textures in the pavers–made from a lighter Virginia Mist granite–the team refined those textures to ensure accessibility for visitors with mobility impairments so that it would be comfortable for wheelchair users but also a deterrent to skateboarders.
Concerns with storm water drainage led to a modified approach to the three granite benches encircling the plaza, ensuring enough clearance below the benches for leaves and debris to be washed out. An impact assessment was conducted in October 2023 to ensure that no historical artifacts or city services would be impacted by the site’s construction.
With the team’s consistent dedication to addressing any concerns from our stakeholders in government, securing approval of the final design from the CFA on October 17, 2024 and the Finding of No Significant Impact by the National Park Service on October 18 have moved us ever closer to the final sign-off needed from the National Capital Planning Commission.
We now focus our energy on the final push to groundbreaking.
How you can make a difference
We are pleased to be at this pivotal point in the long journey of Peace Corps Park, which has also included non-stop fundraising efforts that have raised almost $5 million raised toward our campaign goal. While advancing the Park through the design process, the Foundation’s board of directors has demonstrated exemplary financial leadership, having collectively raised or contributed more than $1.5 million even before our capital campaign began in earnest in 2023.
Significant donations, including a $500,000 contribution from philanthropist Jacqueline Mars, a $250,000 grant from the PepsiCo Foundation, and other notable gifts from organizations like the Sargent Shriver Peace Institute and the Jones Day Foundation, have laid a strong financial foundation for Peace Corps Park.
To put shovels in the ground though, we must “close the gap” and raise the remaining $5 million to build Peace Corps Park and to endow its future maintenance by the National Park Service. Just as the efforts of thousands of members of the Peace Corps community have ensured strong support for the Peace Corps over the decades, you can help ensure that Peace Corps Park will be a part of the 65th anniversary of the agency in 2026.
Thankfully, the effort is well underway, and we look forward to a successful end-of-year campaign with the participation of this remarkable community of stakeholders. Your continued leadership will be essential in this final phase of fundraising as we accelerate toward our goal.
We especially appreciate the many contributions we’ve received in memory of Roger K. Lewis, which has proved how impactful it is when a group of people mobilize in support of a cause that matters to them. In this vein, we have multiple partner campaigns underway with groups of returned Peace Corps volunteers, and more to come before the end of this year.
Now is the time to be a part of this landmark initiative by making a tax-deductible donation on our website, or by sending a check payable to “Peace Corps Foundation” to 5636 Connecticut Avenue, NW; Suite 42143; Washington, DC 20015.
There are many other ways to support our mission, including gifts of stock, donor-advised funds, qualified charitable distributions from your IRA, charitable remainder trusts, charitable gift annuities, and bequests. Learn more about how to support the project here.
Fundraising Update
As we begin our end-of-year giving outreach, we do so with $4.8 million raised since our campaign began. We gratefully acknowledge the following donors, who have made generous new contributions and/or pledges since September 26, 2024:
See our growing list of cumulative gifts to the Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation!
$5,000 - $9,999
Edie and Jonathan “Jeb” Eddy
$2,500 - $4,999
Paul Sack*
$1,000 - $2,499
Samuel Cabot III
Robert Graulich and Scotland King*
Nancy Hullihen
Michael and Pegi Touff*
Sam Lawson and Laurel Mayer*
Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Niskanen*
Jean O'Loughlin and Michael Walach
Vincent J. Radke*
Elizabeth Winkler
Other gifts to $999
Norma Abe
Martin Acevedo and Virginia Lockhart
America's Charities*
Bruce Anderson*
Thomas Appel*
David A. Baur
Sherrie Borden*
Gus Breyman
Lawrence Brown*
Jill Curry
Karen Dunne
Tamara England-Zelenski
John Ferrick
Jinnet Fowles
Francis Gaebler
Diane Shugrue Gallagher
Carolyn C. Gallaher
Nancy Gallant
Richard Gallivan
Chris and Rob Giallongo
Eric Gorovitz
Gregory E. Griffith
Charles and Judy Higgins
Gail LeBow*Steve Lowry
Sherry Manning
Elaine A. McDermott
Darwin Popenoe
William Stacy Rhodes*
Ann Sager
Thomas Sinclair
Richard Stiefvater
Virginia Winchester
* New gift in addition to prior gift
PEACE CORPS PARK AMBASSADORS
(Donors making recurring monthly contributions of any size)
Linda Barnett
Matthew Baysden
Anthony Carroll
Ellen Davis-Zapata
Elizabeth Downes
Greg Emerson
John Feighery
G David Hicks
Peter Hofman
Ann Hopkins
Nancy Kelly
Laura Kettel Khan
Phil Lopes
Roni Lerner Love
Deborah Manget
Cynda H. McMahon
Marty Mueller
Bill Piatt
Jessica Rogers
Robert Smythe
John Sommerhauser
Kathleen Williams-Ging
Darrel Young
Connect with us on social media
Whether or not you’ve been able to support the project with a donation, an easy way to amplify your impact is to give us a boost on your social media platform of choice!
Follow us on any of the following networks, and re-share our posts to help raise awareness among your own community.
@PeaceCorpsPark on Instagram
@PeaceCorpsPark on Facebook
@PeaceCorpsPark on LinkedIn
@PeaceCorpsPark on Twitter / X
Connect with us in person
As always, I continue to host small gatherings and meetings with key stakeholders around the country to build awareness of Peace Corps Park. I’d love to connect with you or your group to let you know about the project and our vision for how it will bring our community together. Reply to this email and let me know if you’d like to arrange a meetup!
Up next:
Oct 28-29: Washington, DC - Brazil XVI Reunion
Nov 20-25: Eastern Pennsylvania
Dec 6-7: Jacksonville, Fl. - First Coast RPCV Gathering
Dec 7-10: South Florida
Dec 13-15: Northern California - Liberia IX Reunion
PEACE CORPS COMMEMORATIVE FOUNDATION
Compassion Generosity Perseverance
Please note our new preferred mailing address:
5636 Connecticut Avenue, NW Ste 42143
Washington, DC 20015
The Peace Corps Commemorative Foundation is the trade name of the Peace Corps Foundation,
a District of Columbia 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
EIN: 01-0554700
