By Lynda Mae Taylor, Vanuatu 2014-2016 (Mere-Sauwia Village, Nguna Island)
On Sunday, March 1, 2026, I had the privilege of attending a truly memorable afternoon at the Peace Corps: Kentucky Exhibition, hosted at the University of Kentucky’s W. T. Young Library. The event marked the 65th anniversary of the Peace Corps’ founding, with individual exhibits honoring volunteers from across Kentucky who answered the call to serve abroad. Walking through each display brought a rush of memories from my own time serving in Vanuatu – the people, the places, the challenges, and the moments of unexpected joy that made it, without a doubt, the toughest job I ever loved.
The turnout was wonderful, with returned volunteers spanning generations – some reaching all the way back to the early 1960s – all gathered to celebrate the program’s legacy. The event also included a meaningful acknowledgment of March 1 as “Peace Corps Day” in both Lexington and Louisville, a fitting tribute to a movement that has touched communities around the world and right here at home. Being in that space, surrounded by people who truly get it, was a powerful reminder that the bonds formed through service never really fade – they just keep growing.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who made the exhibition possible, especially those who have worked so hard to collect, preserve, and share the stories of Kentucky’s Peace Corps volunteers. Those stories deserve to be told. They remind us that what we experienced – whether in Vanuatu, or anywhere else around the globe – wasn’t just a chapter in our lives. It was a defining one. Reconnecting with fellow volunteers who carry that same sense of purpose was a beautiful reminder of why we keep showing up for each other, long after service ends.