Dear Supporters,

If you stand at the future site of Peace Corps Park in Washington, D.C. and look toward the U.S. Capitol, you’ll see, directly between the two, a memorial to my late grandfather, Senator Robert Alphonso Taft. Known as “Mr. Republican,” he was honored for his honesty, courage as a statesman, and commitment to his principles.

Growing up as a member of the Taft family, I was always acutely aware of, and inspired by, the legacy of public service I was born into. I too was committed to doing what I could to make an impact on the world, but I knew as I completed my undergraduate degree in 1963 that I would take a slightly different path.

My parents wanted me to go to law school. I, on the other hand, wanted to experience the broader world, eager to learn as much as I could and bring it back home. The Peace Corps couldn’t have come at a better time.

So I joined and was sent to Tanganyika (now Tanzania), soon finding myself teaching and helping to run a school in the rural province of Mwanza. I was immediately blown away by the hospitality we received from locals, who, like us, were inspired by the words of JFK. But I was particularly inspired to see the direct impact of my work whenever a child I taught passed the exam that would allow them to attend high school. 

Riding my bicycle across dirt roads to visit students at their compounds outside of town, I felt the appreciation of every family who saw a brighter future in their child’s opportunity for further education. I saw first-hand how public service happens face-to-face, one person at a time.

That’s why the Peace Corps is such an important organization for the U.S., and it’s why I have supported the effort to build Peace Corps Park for more than 10 years now. I’m proud to have helped enlist Sen. Rob Portman to introduce and champion the bill authorizing its construction in 2013, and I am deeply committed to supporting the project well into the future.

I visit the Robert A. Taft memorial every time I go to D.C., and to have another stop just across Louisiana Ave. that is so meaningful reflects not just my personal journey, but also the impact of America’s commitment to service, both through our government institutions and through our direct engagement with communities around the world. They are two expressions of our shared dedication to making our world better, one community at a time.

Everyone reading this message has the opportunity to become part of Peace Corps Park’s ongoing legacy, to commemorate all of our personal journeys that led us to serve, and to inspire future generations to follow in our footsteps.

America needs us to tell our story, so please consider lending your support by making a donation at peacecorpscommemorative.org.

Thank you,