An Afternoon with Mary Reynolds Powell

Mary will discuss A World of Hurt: Between Innocence and Arrogance in Vietnam, an account of her experience as an Army nurse in Vietnam that includes the stories of several friends who served with her. It describes a war “winding down” while thousands still died.

"There were no women in Vietnam." When Mary returned home to the United States, many Americans, including Vietnam veterans, believed this to be true. In fact, the Department of Defense initially provided inaccurate numbers leaving the country unaware that some 10,000 American military women were stationed in Vietnam. Like Mary, most were nurses.

This year marks the 50th anniversary since the last American helicopter lifted off the roof of the U.S. Embassy in Saigon. “It never leaves you,” Mary said, referring to her Vietnam experience.

Guests will learn more about the mission of P.E.O. and its impact on women's education and will be invited to participate in a moment of giving. Please to donate online in support of women's education. Checks are also welcome - payable to Chapter Q P.E.O. Checks may be brought to the program or mailed to Jan Wilkens at 6472 State Rd., Apt J12, Parma, OH 44134.

Don’t miss Mary’s inspiring story. The program is free. Livestream is available. Registration and donations are encouraged. All funds raised will support women’s education. Following the program, book sales provided by Mac’sBacks and refreshments will be available.

A graduate of Columbia University, Mary Reynolds Powell served as a Captain in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps at the 24th Evacuation Hospital at Long Binh, Vietnam in 1970-71. Since her return from Vietnam, she has worked in community health and on community issues in four different states. She received a Master of Arts in Urban Sociology from the University of Colorado. Mary was inducted into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame in November 2009.

Well received by academics and the public, A World of Hurt: Between Innocence and Arrogance in Vietnam, was nominated for a 2000 Northern Ohio Live Magazine Award of Achievement in Writing. In early 2005, it was released in Israel, becoming only the second book on the Vietnam War to be published in Hebrew. Mary and her husband, Doug, whom she met in Vietnam, live in the Shaker Square area of Cleveland.

P.E.O. International, organized in 1869, is a nonprofit philanthropic educational organization where women celebrate, educate, and motivate other women to achieve their highest aspirations. P.E.O. maintains six educational projects in the form of grants, scholarships, awards, loans, and stewardship of Cottey College. P.E.O. has helped more than 128,000 women pursue educational goals by providing more than $457 million in educational assistance. Learn more at www.peointernational.org.

Host or Publisher Chapter Q, Ohio, P.E.O. International