special issue: inauguration 2009 - National Peace Corps Association

Hardy onlookers warmly greet the Peace Corps marchers along Pennsylvania Avenue.
Ed Crockett
It was just awesome.
President Obama seemed to exchange
glances and gestures with one of the leaders
of our contingent, Harris Wofford, a former
senator from Pennsylvania and a key player
in the establishment of the Peace Corps. It
was clear from President Obama’s reaction
that these men shared a personal connection
and a mutual respect for one another.
John Riggan
Kenya 65-70
Chad 71-72
The pleasure of marching in the parade
was more than doubled for me because
my daughter Jennifer, a three month-old
when we arrived in Chad and later a Peace
Corps Volunteer in Eritrea 1, marched
two rows behind me…. We were the only
representatives of Eritrea and Chad and the
only parent/child so we marched with extra
pride. Jen declared it one of the best days
of her life!
The spirit of the Inauguration event
was amazing. The Peace Corps marchers,
with our colorful flags, were greeted all
along the route with shouts and applause.
Immigrants would shout out their native
country’s name when they spotted
their flag. My daughter swears that she
heard someone yell “Chad!” Even law
enforcement and security people were
calling out, “Good job!”
Rajeev Goyal
Nepal 01-03
There are three moments that will stay
with me forever.
Sen. Harris Wofford showed up wearing a
Peace Corps cap, with his two grandsons, one
of whom was wearing the red AmeriCorps
Zimbabwe RPCVs Lica Tomizuka and
Julie Lee.
Erica Burman, NPCA
jacket. I looked back and saw some of the
older Peace Corps volunteers point at Harris
and tear up and it was because decades ago
Harris, who was the special director to Africa
and personal advisor to President Kennedy,
had come to their villages, trained them,
shown them the way. And he was here again
to show us the way through this cold.
The second moment came later when I
saw Mark Shriver, who was standing with
the children in the Special Olympics group
about 100 meters ahead, looking back at us.
The expression on his face was full of so much
emotion. Because of my angle, I could see it
very clearly. He was overwhelmed by the sea
of flags. The Peace Corps was marching again.
I think Mark wanted to keep the image of the
flags in his mind forever. It was an image of
how one person had changed the world and
the inner world of all of the marchers—and it
was his own father.
The Obamas and Bidens were in a giant
heated white cube with a poster on it that
said “President of the United States” in
cursive letters. It was getting darker, and the
crowds were getting bigger and bigger as we
approached the reviewing stand—louder too.
Then it happened—the third moment I
will never forget. As we came closer, I saw
the new President and First Lady and the
Bidens. They looked so beautiful and happy.
When they saw us, they seemed warmed.
But then, President Obama spotted Harris
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