PLAINVIEW, Minn. (KTTC) — A park to promote national service is currently in the planning stages. The Peace Corps Legacy Association (PCLA), along with other state, military, national and public volunteer organizations, are planning a National Service Park with construction set to begin in 2026.
“There is nothing like it in America today,” said PCLA President Ken Flies. “It is a very unique novel.”
According to the non-profit organization, the project aims to raise awareness of all forms of national service and inspire the next generation to pursue this profession.
“Volunteerism is at an all-time low,” Flies said. “The idea was to bring together the military, Peace Corps, AmeriCorps and people like that to encourage national service. We took that idea and decided to create this park.”
The association said the project includes a foundation with bricks bearing the names of Peace Corps volunteers, the countries they served in and the dates. PCLA Secretary and Treasurer Amy Earle said, “It should be a place where they can walk around and learn about the Peace Corps’ areas of service and its contribution to the nation and the world.”
Flies said Plainview was the intended site not only because of its proximity to Rochester, but also because of its historical ties to the Peace Corps. He said when the federal agency began operations, four of the first 3,000 volunteers were from Plainview.
“In the first 50 years of the Peace Corps, there were a dozen volunteers from this town,” Flies said. “That may not sound like a lot, but per capita, that’s quite a lot when you think of all the cities in America with a million or thousands of residents.”
“It doesn’t all have to happen in Washington DC. It’s important to have a presence there, but seeing it in the middle of America is unique, and most of us have served in the Peace Corps in smaller, more rural communities.”
The association said there are currently no estimates on when construction will be completed or how much the project would cost. For more information about the park, visit the PCLA’s website and social media.
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