Desert Doves

Click here to view the June 2009 Newsletter (PDF)

Note that you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this file. If you do not want to install Acrobat Reader, you can use Google’s online document viewer.

June’s RPCV Desert Dove ethnic dinner is actually a weekend summer extravaganza at RPCV’s Chris Kraft’s Mt. Lemmon, primitive cabin, i.e.,no running water and outhouse. Bring your own everything– food, water (for drinking and washing), sleeping bag, and TP. There is room on the floor or deck for 20 people Friday night (June 12) and 20 people Saturday night (June 13) with a third of spaces already reserved.

Chris will lead a hike departing from the cabin at 9,000 feet at 12:30 Saturday (June 13) starting up the Aspen Trail. The ethnic dinner is also on Saturday at 4 p.m.–bring a dish from your country of service or your favorite ethnic dish. Those not overnighting will want to depart the mountain before dark. Weekend concludes at 12 noon Sunday (June 14).

There is currently room for overnight for both Friday and Saturday evening on a first reserved basis. If you want to overnight please call Social chair, Rich Roth, 520-398-2562.

Here are Chris’s direct directions to the cabin:
Catalina Highway to Summerhaven. Right on Turkey Run – at the bottom of the hill as you enter Summerhaven (next to the new visitors center). Up Turkey Run to Guthrie Road, about 1/2 mile. Left on Guthrie - over a small creek. Up Guthrie and around the mountain to just past Caprock Road, about ¼ mile. Up a steep incline, cabin on your left.  Guthrie is a very steep, winding, eroded and challenging “road” to drive - with no easy places to turn around. There are only two available parking space on site so let’s try to carpool. You may need to drive-up and drop off your gear then drive back down to Turkey Run to park, then walk back up. It’s worth it.

Here is the tentative agenda for this Saturday’s RPCV general meeting.  Please note that RPCVs in attendance will have the opportunity to participate in a Peace Corps Partnership Project vote.

AGENDA

6 pm – Potluck social

7 pm – General meeting

1.      Officer reports: Review of March General Meeting outcomes (President); Street Fair – Spring recap, the fundraisers’ future (V.President); Update on account balances, membership (Treasurer); Ethnic Dinner (Social Chairs); Feedback on community service projects (Community Service Coordinators); Thank you from funded PCV (PC Partnership Coordinator)

2.      Peace Corps Partnership Project Vote - $1200 to allocate. (See “Desert Dove Guidelines” .)

3.      Member announcements

Looking forward to seeing you at 6 pm, this Saturday, at Pam and Phil’s (1421 N. Camino de Juan)!

Click here to view the April 2009 Newsletter (PDF)

Note that you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this file. If you do not want to install Acrobat Reader, you can use Google’s online document viewer.

Ethnic Dinner – April 18th at 5:30 pm

The April ethnic dinner is scheduled for Saturday, April 18th at Ali Baba, 2545 E. Speedway. The evening dinner time is 5:30 pm. Please let Rich Roth know if you plan to join the group for the dinner (unless you signed up with Mary Ann at the March meeting). Leave Rich a message at: 520-398-2562. Ali Baba was voted Best in Tucson for Middle Eastern Food in 2007 and 2008 by the Tucson Lifestyle magazine. Please note, if you wish to drink alcoholic beverages with your dinner, it is a BYOB establishment.

General RPCV Meeting Information – May 9th at 6:00 pm

We will be meeting at Phil and Pam Lopes’ home Saturday, May 9 at 6:00 pm for our next general meeting. Bring your family, friends, and a dish of food to share to 1421 N. Camino de Juan. To get there, drive west on Speedway, until you pass Greasewood. Then, just as the road merges into one lane, you will come to Camino de Juan. Take a right and the Lopes’ house is the last on the left side. Meetings are part business, part potluck socials. Watch for an agenda for the evening’s business to come out the week before the meeting.

The July general meeting is tentatively scheduled for July 11^th.

Click here to view the 2008 Annual Report (PDF)

The group’s 2008 Annual Report was submitted to the National Peace Corps Association. For your review, the document is also attached here.

Note that you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this file. If you do not want to install Acrobat Reader, you can use Google’s online document viewer.

February 2009 Newsletter (PDF)

Note that you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this file. If you do not want to install Acrobat Reader, you can use Google’s online document viewer.

Ethnic Dinner – February 28th

The February ethnic dinner is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 28th, to start at 5:30 pm at Maya Quetzel, 429 N. Fourth Avenue. Please let Rich Roth know if you plan to join the group for the dinner. Rich can be reached at by phone: 520-398-2562 (no need to call if you signed up at the January meeting). The Tucson Citizen has this to say about Maya Quetzel: “Tasty, well-prepared food has been a defining characteristic of this little Guatemalan restaurant since it opened 16 years ago.”

General RPCV Meeting Information – March 7th

We will be meeting at Phil and Pam Lopes’ home Saturday, March 7 at 6:00 pm for our next general meeting. Bring your family, friends, and a dish of food to share to 1421 N. Camino de Juan. To get there, drive west on Speedway, until you pass Greasewood. Then, just as the road merges into one lane, you will come to Camino de Juan. Take a right and the Lopes’ house is the last on the left side. Meetings are potluck socials.

Agenda:

1. Welcome

2. Officer reports

3. Desert Doves’ guiding principles

a. Is the group’s purpose still applicable and/or appropriate?

b. Protocols for funding projects

4. Member announcements

The following general meeting is tentatively scheduled for May 9^th.

Film Screening

The general public is invited to a film screening of the documentary “Death of Two Sons” on Monday, February 23 at 7:00 pm at the Gallagher Theater (UA Student Union Memorial Center, 1303 E. University Blvd, Tucson). Following the life of a Peace Corps volunteer in Guinea and a Guinean immigrant in New York City, “Death of Two Sons,” explores the commonalities of humanity shared by two men whose dreams led them to each other’s home countries. This film looks at the religious, social and political implications of Jesse Thyne and Amadou Diallo’s untimely deaths while raising painful questions about race and global disparities of justice. This screening will be extra special because of the featured speaker: Madame Kadiatou Diallo (Amadou’s mother).

Peace Corps Fair

This year’s Peace Corps Week Fair will be held on Wednesday, February 25th from 4-7 pm in the North Ballroom of the UA Student Union Memorial Center (1303 E. University Blvd, Tucson). RPCVs are invited to set up small display tables (photos, memorabilia, clothing, etc.) and share their experience with students, other RPCVs, and community members. Do not let this task intimidate you – the event will be fun and the display does not have to be fancy!

Service Project

Peace Corps Week will culminate with a service project. This year we will be volunteering with Humane Borders to do a trash pickup on heavily travelled migrant routes in Southern Arizona. Meet at the First Christian Church, 740 E. Speedway on Saturday, February 28, by 7:30 am. Please wear long pants, sun screen, and closed shoes and bring water (we will be in the desert where there are rocks, cactus, etc.). Gloves and trash bags will be provided.

We will be meeting at Phil and Pam Lopes’ home on Saturday, January 31st at 6:00pm. Bring your family, friends, and a dish of food to 1421 N. Camino de Juan. To get there, drive West on Speedway, until you pass Greasewood. Then, just as the road merges into one lane, you will come to Camino de Juan. Take a right; the Lopes’ house is the last on the left side. If you drive into the wash, you’ve gone too far. Meetings are potluck socials with some informal wine tasting.