LGBT RPCV’s Celebrate 50th Anniversary in Washington DC
October 29, 2011 Leave a comment
– Edwin Patout, RPCV, Ukraine, 2005-07
DC’s famous U Street corridor was the site of a Happy Hour hosted by the LGBT RPCV Alumni group on Friday September 23rd. The setting was the rooftop bar at Nellie’s Sports Bar and the conviviality included about 50 RPCV’s who were in Washington DC for the Peace Corps’ 50th anniversary. The event was sponsored by the LGBT RPCV Washington DC area group. It was a no host bar, but a nice spread of bar food was provided by the national LGBT RPCV group.
The RPCV’s who gathered for this event reflected the diversity of our own RPCV LGBT community. Varied experiences were all shared, such as the lesbian couple who met as Peace Corps volunteers 30 years ago. What a story! Peace Corps staff, Ryan Derni and Stephen Chapman and former Peace Corps staff Craig Lamberton, David Ermisch and Ethan Taylor were also in attendance.
The Happy Hour was a great start for a weekend full of activities that included a baseball game, country of service meet ups; breakfast with the mad men and women of the Mayflower; conversations about the future of Peace Corps with thought leaders and global figures; a gala; and finally, the special program at Arlington Cemetery and walk of flags.
Edwin Patout can be contacted at edwinpatout@yahoo.com.