Introducing the Sam Farr Challenge: Help us get Sam Farr’s name on the plaque

July 5, 2026

Introducing the Sam Farr Challenge: Help us get Sam Farr's name on the plaque

Dear Supporters,

Yesterday, as our nation turned 250 years old, Sam Farr celebrated his 85th birthday with a call to action: instead of gifts, “Mr. Peace Corps” asked his loved ones to help him build a permanent tribute to the agency in Washington, D.C. with a donation to Peace Corps Park.

If you don’t know about Sam, you should: During his 44 years in elected office he was a tireless advocate for the Peace Corps, co-authoring key legislation that improved volunteer health and safety policies, and protecting the agency’s budget the numerous times it came under threat.

Sam also introduced the Peace Corps Commemorative Works Act in 2009, launching the effort in Congress to authorize the construction of Peace Corps Park and advocating tirelessly to get the legislation passed in 2014.

To put it plainly, Peace Corps Park is where it is today because Sam fought for it.

Yesterday, I joined Sam and his family, friends, and colleagues as they gathered in Big Sur to celebrate his birthday. I gratefully announced that they had already contributed more than $20,000 to the project he has so long championed.

Glenn Blumhorst with Sam Farr and assembled guests for Farr's 85th birthday in Big Sur, California on July 4th, 2026.

But that's not the end of this story. Inspired by the generosity of Sam’s network, we now invite everyone in the Peace Corps community: volunteers, staff, and all those who share our values of global peace and partnership, to carry it forward. If we can meet our goal of raising $250,000 in his name, we can recognize Sam’s key role in this effort by including “Friends of Sam Farr” on the on-site pedestal honoring the Park’s major donors for a period of 10 years (the maximum allowed under National Park Service guidelines).

No single person has done more to make sure this Park could exist in the first place. This is our chance, together, to say thank you. (All gifts, as always, will also come with their own recognition on our digital donor wall.)

Yours in service,