Plenty.

RPCV's typically aren't the kind of people of just sit around whining and complaining.  We like to do things.  We like to do things that matter.

The Presidential Election of 2008 provides all of us with an incredible opportunity to help elect a President who really gets it; who understands what it is like to live in another culture, and knows from personal experience and family background that not everyone in the world lives and thinks like most Americans.

Here's what you can do to make a difference between now and November 4, 2008:

Learn more about Barack Obama

1. Read his books, Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance and The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream.  His stories of visiting Kenya and learning about his family will bring back memories of the families you knew when serving overseas.
2. Check out his website www.barackobama.com. 
3. In particular learn more about what he has planned for the Peace Corps at:
   Barack Obama's Plan for Universal Voluntary Public Service
   Obama Issues Call to Serve, Vows to Make National Service Important Cause of His Presidency
4. Search on Google.
5. Search on Yahoo.
6. Check out the videos on YouTube.
7. Check out the Barack Obama page on Facebook.
8. Check out the Barack Obama page on MySpace.

Dig out your Peace Corps Contacts

We all have contacts from our days in the Peace Corps.  Some we have kept in contact with, and others we haven't seen of spoke to in years.  Now is a great time to use this opportunity to make those connections again.  Use your own list of addresses and email addresses and then check out these sites to find the rest:

1. National Peace Corps Association
2. Peace Corps Writers
3. Peace Corps Yahoo Community
4. RPCV.info
5. Official Peace Corps Site

Make the Connections

Send an email - or even a snail mail letter - to your contacts. Let them know you are thinking about them. Let them know that you support Barack Obama for President and tell them why.  Send them the link to this page (http://rpcv4obama.wordpress.com) where they can get more information.  And tell them that they can make a difference.  Ask each one to talk to 10 voters between now and November 4 to spread the word.  We are part of a powerful community and we can use it to make a difference this fall.

Get Involved

Sign up at www.barackobama.com.  The Obama '08 Campaign is rewriting the rules on how campaigns are run in America.  Their web site is a great resource for information and a way to build relationships with others who want to make a difference.  Spend some time on their site to get to know all of the tools they offer, then use them.  The key to success in this election season is to get as many individuals as possible involved.

Find local RPCV's and others in your area who are working on electing Barack.  The campaign web site can be a great resource to find people close to you.  Part of the fun is working with others.  Once you have made the connections, use your imagination to spread the word.  You can plan meetings, discussions, and events geared towards spreading the word.

Find other people by searching on Google and Yahoo.  Type in RPCV and your city.  You will be amazed what you find.

Make a Contribution

A record number of contributors are putting their money on Barack Obama.  Through April 2008, the campaign collected over $260 million, and 47% contributed less than $200.  Here is the comparison with the other candidates:

Source: The Campaign Finance Institute

Check out these numbers closely.  In April 2008, Obama's campaign received 65% of their contributions in amounts of $200 or less.  This is compared to only 24% for John McCain.  This shows that there is a tremendous level of support for the Obama campaign across the country - and people are willing to put their own money into it. 

Start today and make a contribution, every dollar counts!

Use the Internet and tell others about your Peace Corps Experience. 

Read more.