Peace Corps recruits older volunteers

Another midlife volunteer, Carrie Parsi, had been widowed for about 10 years when she joined the Peace Corps. "This is something I would have liked to do when I was younger," she says. "Now the time was right." She sold her house and car, put her furniture in storage, and turned her financial affairs over to her daughter. "It took me a full year to get all of that off the ground," she says.

In October 1999 Ms. Parsi traveled to Kiribati in the Gilbert Islands, part of Micronesia. Based on one of the outer islands, Abaiang, she lived in a native house she describes as "wonderful," made from the spine of branches of coconut trees. "It was wide open," Parsi says with a laugh. "Everything crawled in and out."

As a teacher of health education, she became acquainted with those in her village. "They adopted me," Parsi says. "When I left, somebody said, 'You've been a grandmother to the village.' They're wonderful, hardworking people."

Her rewards came with sacrifices. One of the biggest was the lack of communication with her family. Mail could take anywhere from five weeks to three months. There were no phones on the outer islands. Although the main island had telephone service that was "sort of up and running," she says, "you could call and call and not get through." E-mail was possible on the main island – if the electricity worked.

Parsi's first grandchild was born while she was away. "He was a year old before I got to meet him. That was very hard."

Even so, Parsi, now of Gloucester, Mass., calls the Peace Corps "a real blockbuster of an experience." She adds, "Had I done it when I was younger, I know I would have valued it. But doing it as an older person I truly treasured it. I felt very honored to be there in that setting and to be so accepted by the people."

Beyond the aid 50-plus volunteers give to people in their host country, they also offer a listening ear and helping hand to young volunteers. As Parsi recalls, "Many of the younger ones would come to us when times were tough."

Ask Tschetter who should not apply and he says, "A person who needs all the comforts and conveniences of a penthouse suite in the city. It's a mission. You have to have the desire to serve."

Gallagher lists other qualifications. "You have to have a sense of adventure, you have to be able to roll with the punches, and you have to be able to turn on a dime." A sense of humor is essential.

Two weeks ago Gallagher, now an archivist at Boston University's Gotlieb Archival Center, received a presidential volunteer service award, the highest award for volunteer service.

Summing up the advantages of reaching out to others, she says, "People over 50 years of age have so much to give, so much to teach."

Offering reassurance that the Peace Corps is inclusive, Tschetter says, "Older people say, 'I didn't know you wanted me.' We want you dearly."

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