Rutgers Event a Runaway Success

Dennis Grubb

Weeks before the unveiling of the Colombia 1 plaque at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ on Friday November 5, members of Colombia 1 voted to donate the excess proceeds of the event as the initial “kick start” contribution to the FOC Scholarship project. It is hoped more funds will follow from individual RPCV’s and FOC members of Colombia, joined by a groundswell of contributions from all former Colombia RPCVs.

Members of Colombia 1 struggled with “how to make a legacy contribution” to our work in Colombia so many years ago. We watched others make important contributions including many mentioned in this issue of the newsletter, and others—such as annual support given to maintain the Colombia archives at American University, started by Librarian Emeritus Patricia Wand.

After a personal appeal by FOC president Arlene Cheston five years ago at a fund raiser organized at the Washington waterfront by Ned Chalker aboard the Parajo Jai, 11 of the remaining 52 survivors of Colombia 1 joined FOC as Life Members. John Montoya, who was 19 when he joined the Peace Corps, now a retired civilian employee of the Air Force and a retired Colonel in the Air Force Reserve, wrote to Rutgers President McCormick suggesting the university consider placing a plaque at the residence hall site where Colombia 1 stayed during their training in the Summer of 1961. Almost a year went by before McCormick answered. The project was assigned to Rutgers’ Community Affairs Office, which contacted the Peace Corps, who said Colombia 1 wasn’t first (because although we were the first group selected and trained, Ghana I was the first group in the field). (Tanganyika started training two hours after we did, at Texas Tech.)

Immediately, Colombia 1—from the anthropologist, Dr. Ron Schwarz, living in France and researching and writing a book, entitled Kennedy’s Orphans; Dennis Grubb and Ned Chalker in Washington, D.C.; Darrel Young, retired economics professor at University of Texas; Buster Lewis, a County Commissioner in Virginia; Phil Lopes, Arizona State Senator; Buck Northrup, retired CARE Program Officer; and Martin Acevedo in Boston–organized the “junta de Rutgers pachanga” and sprang into action, convincing the new PC administration that indeed Colombia was the first Peace Corps country (then-President Lleras Camargo, former head of the Organization of American States, personally called JFK and requested Volunteers) and Colombia 1 was the first group. The Community Affairs office remained unconvinced until Ron Schwarz forwarded copies of the New York Times and Time magazine, attesting to the fact, and Darrell Young procured and forwarded a Pathé News (UK) newsreel of the first day of training to YouTube.

In September, Chalker and I traveled to New Brunswick by train and were joined by Northrup to negotiate the wording of the plaque with Rutgers. After an all-day session an agreement was made. Rutgers would make a plaque conforming to University signage requirements and would place the order for Colombia 1. The price, $2,750, would be paid on delivery of the plaque.

We had one more request. Did the Community Affairs Office know a Colombian caterer in the area? They didn’t think so, as Colombians live mostly around Hoboken, not New Brunswick, but they would inquire. Northrup talked to the Rutgers Club, the faculty dining club, and they said “no problema” as they are closed on Fridays and would be willing to rent us the entire club. We paid a visit and decided that this was the place for the banquet and pachanga, where we could be by ourselves, play loud music, baile, baile, tell tall tales and lies, and drink lots of Costeña.

Martin Acevedo jumped in, opened a new account, managed the incoming checks and made spread sheets. Meanwhile, Chalker proposed the plan to donate the excess funds to FOC as an initial contribution to a scholarship fund for Paso a Paso.

We didn’t plan it to be a Colombia 1-only event. We put the word out and were joined by Pat Wand, representing FOC and NPCA; Maureen Orth, who was in NYC on business and came down to talk about her foundation; Paul Arfin, Colombia promoting his book Portrait of a Peace Corps Gringo; and John Muccifori from Colombia VI, who as a Rutgers student witnessed the training and subsequently joined the Peace Corps. Gordon Radley, the retired President of Lucas Films and our late comrade Larry Radley’s brother, joined us. Gordon was a Volunteer in Malawi and his sister Leni was a volunteer in Colombia XIII.

The dignitaries include Kevin Quigley, President NPCA, and Carrie Hessler-Radelet, Deputy Director of the Peace Corps and RPCV, along with her husband. Carrie’s grandmother, at 80, served in the Peace Corps, as did her aunt, brother, and sister.

A 1970 Rutgers alumnus, Glenn Noland, funded the University’s reception and party for Colombia 1 and 400 students, alums, and interested persons on Thursday night. Noland has no family connection with PC; he’s just a good guy.

We all concluded that after 50 years, Peace Corps is still around, and is as needed and vital as ever. President Kennedy, in bidding us goodbye at the White House, said “We don’t know how this will turn out, maybe you guys will mess up, so give it your best shot. Remember you represent the people of the United States and me!”

Former volunteers can be counted on to plan a good party, laugh at themselves and “leave a little on the table” for others.