Elections

Voting ended 5/27/07 and the term is for two years so the next elections will be held in May of 2009

PRESIDENT

Raimi Bello, Benin national who worked a great deal with Peace Corps in Benin as well as with many ONGs and microfinance institutions. He is also married to RPCV, Emily (Kellerhals) Bello '02-'04 (FOB Membership Coordinator)

VICE PRESIDENT

Jessica Duke, RPCV Benin '89-'91. Jessica was an officer previously for FOB.

Greetings Everyone. I am pleased to be back in the saddle again, as a Friends of Benin Officer. I previously served as FoB "lots of things" a few years ago. As Vice President, I plan to help out where needed to keep FoB an active organization. I will also contribute good gris gris to Raimi so that he maintains good health as President!

I was a "Rural Community Development" volunteer in Houeyogbe Benin (Mono Province) from 1989 - 1991. I was 60 km from the coast and 20 km from the Togo border as the crow flew and as my bike traveled. If you've ever zoomed through Houeyogbe since, there is a Centre Social and a Nutritional Recuperation Center that were constructed under my watch. At the beginning of my service, we referred to everyone as "Comrade". By the end of my service, we didn't. My two years in Benin provided me with life-long lessons, endless memories and a better understanding of our larger world.

I would like to see FoB serve to keep members connected and to activiely contribute to organizations doing worthwhile projects in Benin.

Still, Prête pour la revolution...
Jessica Duke

Beth Whelan, RPCV Benin '02-'04; Parakou. Beth worked with Junior Achievement in Benin and also went to Sri Lanka for two years after the tsunami to help.

Tyson Roberts, RPCV Benin '95-'97. Tyson is also a FOB alumni and was/will be the producer of the Deadbeat.

Chris Starace, RPCV Benin '95-'97; Allada. Chris has been maintaining the FOB website throughout the last several years even when FOB wasn't very active. Chris also is the creator of the Fon is Fun website.

Chris Starace: I'm happy to continue as FOB webmaster because I want to promote the growth of FOB through this effective means of communication and because I enjoy web design. I have been the FOB webmaster for several years and I've enjoyed it. I have a good amount of basic web design experience under my belt with my site www.fon-is-fun.org as well as this site. If you have any suggestions or comments about the website, please let me know at cstarace@yaho.com .

I went back to Benin in 2004 with my wife for 2 weeks and I filmed a documentary video that I sell on my site. I give all proceeds to my neighbors in Allada. The money has funded dozens of children's education. It has also provided for medical treatment, mosquito nets and replaced the roofs on their houses. I was a Small Business Development PCV in Allada from 1995 to 1997.

Emily Bello RPCV Benin '02-'04; Bante and Houegbo. She is currently the membership coordinator for the National Peace Corps association, so this would be an extension of her day job.