Wis. Is 9th Per Capita For Peace Corps Volunteers

WHITEWATER, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin has made the Peace Corps' Top 10 list for number of volunteers per capita.

Peace Corps volunteers spend two years working in a developing country. Tasks might include teaching English, digging wells and tending gardens.

According to rankings released Wednesday, for every 100,000 Wisconsin residents, 3.7 join the Peace Corps. That's ninth best in the nation, just behind Minnesota (3.8). Vermont is No. 1 at 7.8 volunteers per 100,000 residents.

Many of Wisconsin's volunteers come from the Whitewater area, which was ranked No. 10 in metro areas per capita.

President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps in 1961 to foster a better understanding between Americans and people of other countries. More than 215,000 Americans have served in 139 countries worldwide.

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