Sponsored by the EPG program former Senator George McGovern spoke at a Berea College convocation on October 23rd.

Senator McGovern was elected to Congress in 1956 and reelected in 1958.  In his bid for President in 1972, he ran against Richard Nixon as an anti-war Democratic candidate. After McGovern lost his first bid for the U.S. Senate in 1960, President John F. Kennedy named him the first director of the Food for Peace Program and Special Assistant to the President. In this position he oversaw the donation of millions of tons of food to developing nations. McGovern was then elected to the Senate in 1962 and reelected in 1968 and 1974. As a member of the Senate committees on agriculture, nutrition, forestry and foreign relations, and the Joint Economic Committee, he led the way in expanding key nutrition programs. McGovern has authored several books, his latest of which is entitled Out of Iraq: A Practical Plan for Withdrawal Now.

Prior to the convocation Senator McGovern was the honored guest at a luncheon in the EPG offices.  Approximately 30 people attended the luncheon, and they found the ensuing conversation to be insightful and motivational. Senator McGovern spoke of the tragedy of losing his daughter to alcohol abuse, and stated that dealing with this grieving process inspired him to write a book entitled, Terry: My Daughter's Life-and-Death Struggle with Alcoholism.  Additionally, he founded a non-profit organization in her name to combat alcoholism.

McGovern also shared some of his experiences in the Second World War as a pilot of a B-24 Bomber.  Once, returning from a bombing run in Austria, it came to his attention that a 500lb bomb still remained on the plane.  Rather than risking a landing with this hazard still on board, the bombardier was forced to release it in a location that turned out to be civilian area. Bill remembered his great dismay as he saw the bomb destroy an entire farm, as well as the farmhouse.  Decades later, he happened to learn from the owner that the entire family survived, as they had retreated hours earlier to a bomb shelter. 

The luncheon proved to be a great success, with many insightful questions and inspiring answers.  Those in attendance said that it was an honor to socialize with a man who boasts such a fascinating career.  As the event drew to a close McGovern, the author of six books, spoke of his writing career. He is the editor of Leadership and Service: An Introduction, of which Dr. Dan Huck, EPG co-director, is the author of one chapter. Senator McGovern’s parting comment referred to the craft of writing: “If you want to be a good writer, write what you know”