National Service in the News for Tuesday, April 4, 2017
AmeriCorps teams will be recognized for their help since the floods of 2008
KCRG-TV (IA), April 4, 2017
A team recently spent almost a month at Ushers Ferry cleaning up the camp and restoring historic artifacts. A lot of these artifacts were stored away as everyone prepared for last year's September Flood. A group of eight AmeriCorps members are cleaning, painting, and re-organizing displays around Ushers Ferry. Some members are documenting artifacts that have been kept in storage. Some of the items are old books and dinnerware. Many of these historic items are used to help teach young kids about the history at Ushers Ferry. One AmeriCorps team member told me this project is important to help preserve history. “History is you know easily lost and for it to not be forgotten about, it has to be maintained and protected and that's part of our work here is making sure that its available for future generations,” says Christopher Watt, an AmeriCorps member.
Mayor Lindon signs Mayor and County Recognition Day proclamation
The Hazard Herald (KY), April 4, 2017
Hazard Mayor Jimmy Lindon signed a proclamation naming March 31 as Mayor and County Recognition Day for National Service. The Corporation for National and Community Services, National League of Cities, National Association of Counties, and Cities of Service are leading the initiative. Lindon met with AmeriCorps and Senior Corps members at 10 a.m. in the city chambers to sign the proclamation naming March 31 as Mayor and County Recognition Day for National Service. Perry County Judge-Executive Scott Alexander was out of town and could not make the signing. Buckhorn Mayor Dennis Wooton could not attend due to falling ill. Lindon was recognized for his dedication to improving Hazard and Perry County. “Being recognized for some the things that have happened in Hazard and Perry County, it’s great,” said Lindon.
Land
Bank thanks volunteers
The Observer (NY), April 4, 2017
Many volunteers do what they do simply because they love to do it; they see a
need, and they rush to help. That is the case for AmeriCorps volunteers Miranda
Strek Greco and Amanda Mick, who are helping the Chautauqua County Land Bank
improve efficiency and better connect with the community. Today is the 2017
Mayors and County Day of Recognition for National Service, which, as Chautauqua
County Executive Vince Horrigan explained in this week’s Monday Morning
Memo, “highlight(s) the impact of national service and thank(s)
individual volunteers.” Horrigan highlighted the Chautauqua County Retired
Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) and the Foster Grandparent Program, which are
sponsored locally through Lutheran, but Gina Paradis, executive director of the
Chautauqua County Lank Bank Corp, wanted to share the gratitude she feels for
Strek Greco and Mick, women she calls “valuable members of the (CCLBC)
team.”
Mayor
and County Recognition Day set
The El Dorado News (AR), April 4, 2017
Volunteering and civic engagement are the cornerstone of a strong nation. To
spotlight the impact of national service and thank those who serve, Mayor Frank
Hash will join mayors across the country in participating in the annual Mayor
and County Recognition Day for National Service today. This day is sponsored by
the Corporation for National and Community Service. The Corporation for
National and Community Service annually engages millions of Americans in
service at more than 50,000 locations through Senior Corps, AmeriCorps and
other programs. RSVP, part of the Senior Corps, was launched in the spring of
1971, and is America’s largest volunteer network for people age 55 and older
with nearly 500,000 people participating every year, according to a news
release from El Dorado Connections.
Day to recognize service is Tuesday
The Charleston Express (AR), April 4, 2017
On Tuesday, mayors and county officials across the country will thank those who serve and recognize their impact on their communities and their country during the Mayor and County Recognition Day for National Service. The Arkansas County recognition will be conducted by Norma Strabala, director of Southeast Arkansas Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), which covers Jefferson County, Pine Bluff and Stuttgart. As the federal agency for national service and volunteering, the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) annually engages millions of citizens in service at more than 50,000 sites across the country. This is possible through AmeriCorps, which includes VISTA and NCCC Senior Corps, providing programs such as Foster Grandparents, Senior Companions and RSVP and other programs, according to Strabala.
Mayor
honors AmeriCorps group for work in city
The West Plains Daily Quill (MO), April 4, 2017
West Plains Mayor Jack Pahlmann signed a proclamation Thursday afternoon
marking March 30, 2017, as AmeriCorps Day and presented it to an AmeriCorps
team that has spent the last three months working in the West Plains community.
In the proclamation, Pahlmann highlighted the fact that since AmeriCorps
inception, more than 820,000 men and women have taken the AmeriCorps pledge,
serving more than one billion hours and improving the lives of countless
Americans. The current AmeriCorps team arrived in West Plains on Jan. 6 and has
enjoyed the three months they’ve spent in West Plains. The team has 12 members
from all over the United States, and one from Sweden. Most have graduated from
college, several from high school and a couple others who had gained work
experience prior to AmeriCorps. AmeriCorps is a 10-month commitment and this
team will have one more project in Kansas City before graduating from the
program in July.
Community members honored for service in Genesse County
WJRT-TV (MI), April 4, 2017
Hundreds of community members have been honored for their service in Genesee County. It's all part of National Mayor and County Recognition Day. The funding for Americorps and Senior Corps could be completely stripped under President Donald Trump’s budget. These programs are at the local, state and national level, including in Flint and Genesee County. Basically, the programs support projects nationwide - everything from disaster services, education, economic opportunity, environmental stewardship, health services and veteran and military affairs. Jamie Gaskin, with United Way of Genesee County, says programs like this are vital to the overall welfare of communities.
Recognition
Of National Service To Honor Employee Efforts
The Yankton Daily (SD), April 3, 2017
Mayors across the country will recognize the Annual Mayors Day of Recognition
for National Service on April 4 (today), where mayors and county officials
unite in support of national service across the nation with one common message:
National Service Works for America. Mayors Day is a nationwide, bipartisan
effort to recognize the positive impact of national service in counties, to
thank those who serve and to encourage citizens to give back to their
communities. City of Yankton employees were a great example of volunteerism by
packing food packs for the Sack Pack program, which will feed 380 children who
are at risk of hunger on the weekends. Several City of Yankton officials and
staff also volunteered in activities at The Center in March.
AmeriCorps, Senior Corps Members Honored for Community Service
Utah Department of Heritage & Arts (UT), April 4, 2017
Local leaders throughout Utah will celebrate the impact of those serving their communities through the national service programs AmeriCorps and Senior Corps during the annual Day of Recognition. The nationwide, bipartisan Mayor, County, and Tribal Recognition Day for National Service allows community leaders to thank those provide service and organize volunteers to address a wide variety of social needs. In Utah, 71 towns, cities, and counties will hold events to honor the 5,100 national service members serving in the state. The initiative is being led by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the federal agency that administers AmeriCorps, Senior Corps, and other volunteer programs, in partnership with the National League of Cities, the National Association of Counties (NACo), and Cities of Service.
Mayor
to Recognize National Service Participants
City Hall (LA), April 3, 2017
Tomorrow, April 4, 2017, Mayor Mitch Landrieu will honor four local volunteers
with the Joseph Massenburg Memorial Award as part of the Mayor and County
Recognition Day for National Service. Joseph Massenburg was an AmeriCorps
member who was killed in 2013. The four award recipients are Danielle Metz
(AmeriCorps Direct Service), Eugenio Wilson (AmeriCorps Vista), Sylvia Pierre
(Senior Corps) and Dana Wooden (Tornado Response AmeriCorps). The Mayor and
County Recognition Day for National Service includes over 4,000 participating
mayors and local leaders standing together to spotlight the impact national
service has on cities across America.
Nez
Perce Tribe Declares Tuesday as National Service Recognition Day
The Daily Fly (ID), April 3, 2017
The Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee recently approved a resolution
declaring tomorrow "National Service Recognition Day." The day will acknowledge and thank all of
those individuals who serve their communities and to also encourage others to
become involved in service to their communities as well. The Nez Perce Tribe
has benefited from the work that has been done throughout the Nez Perce
Reservation by groups such as AmeriCorps and intends to use the day to
spotlight the positive impact of these types of national service. “Volunteer
service is a true example of a symbiotic relationship where both the volunteer
and the community benefit,” according to Mary Jane Miles, Chairman of the Nez
Perce Tribal Executive Committee. “Participants in programs such as AmeriCorps
provide tangible, positive benefits to communities and in return those
individuals gain valuable education, experience and skills that will be with
them their entire lives,” continued Miles. “I have always been impressed with
the commitment, dedication and patriotism of these volunteers.”
City and county to recognize national
service
Area Info, April 3, 2017
Mayor Chris Beutler will join more than 4,000 city and county leaders across
the U.S. Tuesday, April 4th to
recognize the impact of AmeriCorps and Senior Corps on local challenges.
A proclamation from the Mayor will be read at the Mayor and County Day of
Recognition for National Service from 3 to 4 p.m. at Tower Square, 13th and “P” streets. The
effort is sponsored by the Corporation for National and Community Service
(CNCS), the National Association of Counties, the National League of Cities,
and Cities of Service. The program will include music from the Lincoln
High Pep Band and remarks from Todd Wiltgen, Chair, Lancaster County Board of
Commissioners; Constance Woods-Brown, former AmeriCorps member; Toni Rupe,
Program Officer, CNCS, Nebraska State Office; Cathy Plager, Director,
ServeNebraska; Lynn Johnson, Director, City Parks and Recreation Department;
and Randall Jones, Director, Aging Partners.
5th Annual Nationwide Mayors Day of Recognition
KAMR-TV (TX), April 4, 2017
A.I.S.D AmeriCorps members, 10 "Good Citizens" from Ridgecrest Elementary, and Amarillo Mayor Paul Harpole are all working together. It's for the 5th Annual Nationwide Mayors Day of Recognition for National Service and "Spruce up for Spring" project event. They're all sowing seeds of service figuratively and literally. Mayor Harpole joined nearly 3,000 Mayors across the country in issuing a proclamation highlighting the impact of AmeriCorps on city challenges. After the proclamation, AmeriCorps students will showcase their service in action by working on a soil amendment and planting project at the High Plains Food Bank Garden. The service-intensive AmeriCorps program provides pathways for young people to enter the workforce.
Preserving
Historic Beverly
The Inter Mountain (WV), April 4, 2017
Appalachian Forest Heritage Area AmeriCorps members and local volunteers begin
the arduous work of their brick sidewalk restoration project fronting the
Beverly Heritage Center and the historic Goff House on Main Street. Financed in
part through local donations of time and monetary contributions, the initiative
sponsored by Historic Beverly Preservation is expected to take several weeks to
complete. The Inter-Mountain photo by Cynthia Karelis Appalachian Forest
Heritage Area AmeriCorps members and local volunteers begin the arduous work of
their brick sidewalk restoration project fronting the Beverly Heritage Center
and the historic Goff House on Main Street. Financed in part through local
donations of time and monetary contributions, the initiative sponsored by
Historic Beverly Preservation is expected to take several weeks to complete.
Waterford
man pledges to perform 10 months of national service
The Oakland Press (MI), April 3, 2017
Dakota Deering of Waterford is one of 126 men and women pledging to perform 10
months of national service as part of the Atlantic Region’s 23rd class of the
National Civilian Community Corps, an AmeriCorps program. As a Corps Member,
Deering will spend 10 months getting things done for America while
strengthening communities and developing his leadership skills. Deering and his
team will work on a variety of projects and service areas, focusing on
infrastructure improvement, urban and rural development, energy conservation,
disaster response and recovery efforts, and environmental work. He may work
with such organizations as Habitat for Humanity, American Red Cross, The
National Park Service, and various state agencies and nonprofit organizations.
AmeriCorps
team assessing shelters, helping with fire prevention
The Times Telegram (NY), April 3, 2017
The Mohawk Valley region knows firsthand how devastating floods can be,
including in 2013 when emergency shelters opened throughout the area following
severe flooding that left a number of residents displaced. It’s not just
flooding that can lead to the opening of shelters, but it could be any sort of emergency
or disaster that will lead residents to having temporarily leave the comfort of
their homes and find shelter somewhere in the community until a situation
improves. Currently, a team of AmeriCorps volunteers are helping with how the
area shelters those in need during an emergency event. Amanda Otsuni, a corps
member, said the group has been preparing shelter assessment surveys for
schools, churches and other places that could provide shelter for the American
Red Cross in the event of an emergency.
NH
Crime Victims' Week kicks off with strong remarks, unveiling of Clothesline
Project
NH1 News Network (NH), April 3,
2017
New Hampshire’s Crime Victims’ Rights Week events concluded Monday morning with
a press conference, award presentation and the unveiling of the 2017 New
Hampshire Clothesline Project. The event, which was held at St. Paul's Church
in Concord, was meant to serve as a memorial and also a reminder that all
victims of crime deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. It was sponsored
by the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office, the United States Attorney's
Office - New Hampshire District, the AmeriCorps Victim Assistance Program, the
New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, and Victims, Inc.
Amherst
College's New Mascot: 'Mammoths'
New England Public Radio (MA), April 3, 2017
Amherst College said its new mascot will be the Mammoths. The selection
replaces Lord Jeff -- which the school's board banished from campus 14 months
ago. The search for a new mascot followed protests on campus last school year.
One demand from protesters was to get rid of Lord Jeff, named after Lord
Jeffrey Amherst, a British General who suggested using biological warfare
against Native Americans. Mercedes MacAlpine was one of the student protesters.
Mammoths wasn't her first choice, but she likes it. "They're huge and
extinct -- sort of in the same way I hope systemic inequality will be,"
said MacAlpine, who graduated last year and works for an AmeriCorps program in
Hartford.
Guest opinion: Legal Services, Americorps
serve Montana well
The Billings Gazette (MT), April 4, 2017
As current and former justices of the Montana Supreme Court, we write to
express our deep concern with the proposal to eliminate funding for the Legal
Services Corporation and the Corporation for National and Community Service.
These programs are critical partners in ensuring that the Montana justice
system meets the Constitution’s command to “establish Justice ... and secure
the Blessings of Liberty” to all Montanans. For 50 years, the Montana Legal
Services Association has provided civil legal aid to Montanans with basic human
needs. MLSA helps protect domestic violence victims and obtain support for
their children; secure housing for veterans; relieve seniors from consumer
scams; and obtain access to justice in rural Montana where few, if any, other
legal services are available. And for nearly a decade, dozens of AmeriCorps
members have devoted a year or two years of service to Montana’s Court Help
Program, giving tens of thousands of Montanans legal information to help
understand and navigate the court system to resolve their own legal issues when
they cannot afford an attorney.
USDA’s
Kumar Chandran Joins FoodCorps as Policy Director
The Times Union (NY), April 3, 2017
FoodCorps announced today that Kumar Chandran has joined the organization to
lead the policy team for the rapidly growing nonprofit. Chandran comes to
FoodCorps with more than ten years of experience working in food and nutrition
policy. He will join FoodCorps’ Innovation and Strategic Partnerships team, and
will lead the organization’s newly opened Washington D.C. office. In just six
years, FoodCorps has grown from a startup to an established organization with a
$12 million dollar annual budget, with 215 AmeriCorps service members in 17
states and Washington D.C. The expansion of its policy team marks FoodCorps’
establishment of a daily presence on Capitol Hill, leveraging the
organization’s data and experience from over five years of work in schools to
make the case for reforming school food and nutrition education nationwide.
Rock Work, a
Stone’s Throw Away
Vermont Guide (VT), April 3, 2017
Rock Work, an exhibit opening at the Slate Valley Museum (SVM) on First Friday,
April 7, from 7 to 9 p.m., is a modern photo survey of what it is like to work
in the slate industry today. Photos include incredible portraiture of people
working in the quarries and mills and breathtaking landscapes of the massive
quarries themselves. The photographs were shot by local photographer Chuck
Helfer and two Green Mountain College students, Macaulay Lerman and Maggie
Parson. “The photographs in the Rock Work show are strong, powerful, and
beautiful at the same time. They highlight the amazing men and women proudly
working in the slate industry. It is an important body of work to add to our
museum’s collection,” says Krista Rupe, SVM executive director.
SuGo
Robotics tournament scheduled Friday at FMS
The News Tribune (WV), April 3, 2017
A SuGo Robotics tournament will be held on Friday, April 7, at 6 p.m. at the
Frankfort Middle School. The event is hosted by the Mineral County 4-H program, and is open to all
youths in the area. “The kids really get into the tournaments and enjoy the competition!,” says
Steve Kimble, a volunteer with the new 4-H robotics club, a former Energy
Express AmeriCorps member and an application developer with IBM. “In an age
where most kids are buried into their cell phones or computers, it’s refreshing
to see them become so engaged in team-driven projects,” says Kimble.
SuGO is building Sumo Wrestling Robots using LEGO MINDSTORMS. The goal is to
make the best Sumo Wrestling LEGO robot.
A
Globally Rare Ecosystem Lay Under It
National Recreation and Parks Association (VA), April 3, 2017
Consider it the perfect storm…but in a good way. Arlington County, just north
of Washington, D.C., is one of the most densely populated counties in the
United States. It has an amazing history: think colonial times, the Civil War,
industry, the Pentagon. Like many communities, it’s gone from agriculture to
suburb to bustling urban center. And, like many communities, it only recently
has embraced the importance of maintaining and preserving its natural
resources.
Turning
the Tide on a Generation Left Inside
National Recreation and Parks Association (VA), April 3, 2017
oday’s children are growing up indoors. It’s estimated that they spend half as
much time playing outside as their parents did when they were kids. When asked
why, youth are likely to give you three reasons: no natural areas near
their homes, a lack of transportation to parks and open space, and discomfort
being outdoors due to bugs and heat. They’re spot on about the lack of close-to-home
access to parks. Transportation is not always easy to come by for kids and
families that need to travel to find safe places to play outdoors. Add to this
the fact that there are fewer field trips because of cuts to school budgets and
the indoors — once a virtual snooze fest — have morphed into a virtual
paradise. Kids spend more than seven hours a day on electronic media, where, in
theory, they can “experience the outdoors” without ever breaking a sweat.
Clothesline
Project, award mark Crime Victims Week
The Washington Times (DC), April 3, 2017
A project that highlights the pain and healing experienced by survivors of
domestic and sexual violence is returning to the State House lawn in Concord. The
New Hampshire Clothesline Project is organized by the state’s AmeriCorps Victim
Assistance Program. Survivors and their loved ones express what they have
experienced by writing messages on t-shirts. The display
will follow the presentation of the 2017 National Visionary Voice Award, which
rewards someone who has gone above and beyond in helping crime victims. This
year’s recipient is Emily Murphy, a violence prevention educator for HAVEN, a
program of the New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence.
Trail
expands access to the great outdoors
The Villages Daily Sun (FL), April 3, 2017
Get your hiking boots on. Park rangers describe the rugged, swampy terrain
along the new 0.3-mile nature trail at Lake Griffin State Park as “not for the
faint of heart or fancy of shoe.” It’s also the first trail built by the
Florida Conservation Corps’ AmeriCorps program as part of a statewide project
that involves building and maintaining hiking trails statewide. Members of the
conservation corps spent a week at the park, the closest state park to The
Villages, March 20-24. They quickly carved out the single-track trail’s path, which
runs from the picnic area to the western end of the park.
Roadside
Cleanup
The Hawk Eye (IA), April 3, 2017
An AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps team is seeking volunteers or
groups of volunteers to help with Countywide Roadside Clean-Up from 8 a.m. to 3
p.m. Saturday. The group is teaming with Louisa County Conservation Board. Crews
will clear county right-of-ways and roadside ditches of litter and trash.
Best
volunteering options in USA and In India
Mogul (NY), April 4, 2017
Volunteering the United States of America has grown at a steady rate
during the last six years, and many charitable organizations are responding to
the demand by increasing its service options, creating positions for volunteer,
and providing ideal opportunities to provide service to young people, baby
boomers, and retirees alike. The goal is to find the best alternative for
yourself, a cause that would really inspire you to help and commit, and there
is a broad range of opportunities, each one with its own challenges and
rewards. There are main categories of volunteering programs
in America and in India. If you become interested in helping
others, you should spend some time researching before finally choosing your
call. Some of this programs will require you to spend some resources, while
others are more suited for a smaller budget or a tight schedule.
Local
Seniors Support Veterans
Senior News and Living (OK), April 3, 2017
Every month, RSVP of Central Oklahoma volunteers put together Project Red,
White & Blue gift bags to be given to older veterans throughout Oklahoma
and Cleveland Counties. A single line from the insert included in the bag says it all. “Freedom isn’t
free…Thank you Veterans!” From toothbrushes to socks, snacks to tissues,
Project Red, White & Blue allows older adult RSVP volunteers in the
community to express their thanks to veterans for serving and protecting. RSVP of Central Oklahoma, Inc. is part of the Corporation for National and
Community Service and a United Way partner agency. Thanks to the Kirkaptrick
Family Fund, RSVP volunteers are able to assemble these bags and have them
delivered to deserving older veterans throughout our community. Kim Sanders is an RSVP volunteer who delivers the bags and is able to see
firsthand the impact Project Red, White and Blue has.
Wanted: More Grandparents
WIVB (NY), April 3, 2017
It’s an idea that was originally dreamed up by a woman in Florida. Facebook makes the match, setting up young kids who don’t have grandparents
with older adults who live in their area. But this “surrogate grandparent”
trend isn’t a new one here in Western New York. Bessie Robinson, 92, from
Buffalo, has been a part of the “Foster Grandparent” program for almost 25
years. Robinson and 100 other volunteers in the area develop one-on-one
relationships with children ages 3-18 by tutoring, mentoring, and offering
support to kids in the Buffalo Public School program. The foster grandparent
program is actually part of a growing trend: The surrogate grandparent.
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