Tue Oct 01 03:00:39 UTC 2024: ## Peace Corps Volunteers Return to Hawaii for 60th Anniversary Reunion
**HILO, HAWAII** – A group of former Peace Corps volunteers, who trained on the Big Island in 1964, reunited in Hilo this month to commemorate the 60th anniversary of their service. The cohort, numbering around 100 individuals, trained in Waipio Valley before deploying to Malaysia as teachers, nurses, and other vital roles, united by their shared desire to make a difference in the world.
“The Peace Corps was at its peak, a couple years after President Kennedy started it,” shared John Knopp, a former volunteer who taught biology and chemistry. “We were part of a massive positive response to that idea. We were all recent college graduates, brimming with adventure and idealism, ready to go anywhere.”
The volunteers reminisced about their month-long training on the Big Island, which served to acclimate them to the tropical climate. While the island has undergone significant changes since 1964, the memories of their training remain vivid.
“I don’t remember any hotels at all,” said Priscilla Luders Garcia, who taught third grade in Malaysia. “We stayed in former nurses’ quarters by Rainbow Falls and I did my student-teaching at Hilo Elementary School.”
The volunteers recalled arriving on the island from Honolulu by DC-3 propeller plane, a mode of transportation now largely absent from Hawaiian skies. Their training included learning Bahasa Melayu (Malay), survival skills, and even adapting to local culinary practices.
“They taught us how to eat with our hands and use chopsticks,” said Dan Hallgrimson, who later taught in Waipahu, Oahu. “We prepared meals below the longhouse, which was built on stilts.”
Despite the differences between Hawaii and Malaysia, the volunteers found their time on the Big Island invaluable. The reunion served as a platform for reminiscing about their shared experiences, from navigating the jungle to coping with unexpected encounters with snakes.
“We had a cobra shed its skin about three feet from my bed,” recalled Knopp. “After that, I didn’t move at night.”
The volunteers also recalled a farewell luau, a highlight of their training, where they were introduced to the delights of Hawaiian cuisine, like poi and pineapple.
The 60th anniversary reunion proved a special occasion for these former Peace Corps volunteers, many of whom have stayed connected over the years through regular reunions. Their return to Hilo served as a poignant reminder of their shared journey, their time spent on the Big Island, and their enduring dedication to service.
First Piper 