As PEP comes to a close, we want to thank all of the over 25,000 volunteers whose tireless work and dedication to CCI’s mission has made an enormous impact during PEP’s 11-year run. Our volunteers have trained 5,875 delegates on over 550 PEP delegations in over 700 communities across the United States. They have arranged for over 7,500 days of business-management training, found over 8,000 home hosts, arranged over 25,000 meals, and driven the delegation countless numbers of miles to and from training sessions and social events. More importantly, they have inspired both our delegates and all of us at CCI with their enthusiasm, spirit, and their amazing drive. So, on behalf of all of us at CCI, thank you for your commitment to PEP and CCI’s mission of citizen-to-citizen diplomacy.
Yours in service,
PEP Staff
In the words of the delegates…
“I appreciated the opportunity to interact with the local civic club and the local volunteers. It made a life-long impression on me. Through them I saw that leadership is not just about doing well for yourself, but also about social responsibility.”
- Aleksandr Meshcherskiy, St. Petersburg
“Thank you very much to everyone who organized the program and who volunteered to help us adapt. The participation and interest of all of the volunteers was amazing. It was touching how the host companies took an interest in our work and in our questions. Thank you all! We learned a lot! Of course, many thanks to the families too! The attention and care that was given to us helped us make the most of our trip.
- Larisa Kotlyarova, Novosibirsk
“Thank you very much to the volunteers for their time, which I know is precious. I appreciate the way they helped me change the way I view others. I personally feel I have changed for the better.”
- Dmitry Mozgovoy. St. Petersburg
“Having the opportunity to stay with an American host family was one of the most positive aspects of the program for me. I am amazed and inspired by the openness, caring, and hospitality of the American people. The PEP program not only helped me learn about U.S. business practices, but also showed me the way of life in this country. You are all simply amazing people and I thank you all very much for organizing this program.”
- Olga Ukhova, Novosibirsk
“I greatly appreciate the warmth and courtesy of all the hosts, volunteers, and Rotarians. I felt very welcome in California and I am prepared, anytime, to meet them with the same friendly feelings in my own home.”
- Victor Zuev, Novocherkassk
“The hosts were very nice and kind. I appreciated that they had planned our social program in advance and always asked for our food preferences. They were very erudite and knowledgeable and taught me a great deal about American culture, history, and the state of Ohio. The experience changed my life and my perception of Americans. They are just like us!”
- Evgeny M. Valeev, Vladivostok
“I am grateful to the Americans for their warm welcome and kind souls. We developed a friendship and understanding that I will always be grateful for.”
-Sergey Utkin, Gulkevichi
“I am grateful to all the volunteers that dedicated their time to ensuring our stay was interesting, comfortable, and a wonderful learning experience. I most appreciated the kindness and hospitality you all showed us.”
- Nikolay Piskun, Ivanovskaya Stanitsa
“I really appreciated our hosts’ hospitality, openness, and willingness to make me feel at home. They were always ready to help at any moment. I would also like to express my gratitude to all of the Business Hosts for providing useful information! I admire the level of volunteering in the U.S.A.”
- Evgeny Shestakov, Ekaterinburg
“This program gave me a great opportunity to learn about the U.S. “from the inside.” It allowed me to better understand American traditions and way of life. I was very impressed with the generosity and openness of all our hosts and I’m leaving with many great memories and many new friends.”
- Ivan Gorkunov, Rostov-on-Don
“We came to this country with a lot of stereotypes and found out that almost none of them proved to be true. Had we come as regular tourists, we would have never perceived so vividly the real life situation as now, living in and communicating with the volunteers on a daily basis. We understood that Russians and Americans have so much in common: the same life values, hopes, affections, aspirations and goals.”
- Olga Orlova, Irkutsk