"This year, the Peace Corps took 7,810 volunteers ??? the largest number in 30 years ??? from more than 11,500 applicants in 2005, up more than 20% over the year 2000 Volunteer rates hit record numbers Updated 7/7/2006 7:32 AM ET By Beth Walton, USA TODAY College graduates, shaped by such events as Sept. 11, Hurricane Katrina and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, are applying to service organizatio" . . . . . . .