National Service in the News for Tuesday, May 9, 2017.
Volunteers
help improve wildlife habitat on northern Michigan public land
The Outdoor Wire, May 9, 2017
Spring is a great time for worker bees to get busy on public lands. Recently,
volunteers of all ages pitched in for several events aimed at improving
wildlife habitat on public land in locations across Michigan's northern Lower
Peninsula. In Benzie County, near Thompsonville, fifth- and sixth-grade
students at Grand Traverse Academy spent a few hours getting dirty using
shovels and planting bars. Working with the Michigan United Conservation Clubs
On the Ground Junior program and the Department of Natural Resources, students
planted 91 trees while spending time outdoors learning about their local
forest. "The kids had a blast learning about the wildlife that will
benefit from their hard work," said MUCC wildlife volunteer coordinator
Sarah Topp.
Museum adopts neglected Camden memorial park
The Daily Journal (NJ), May 8, 2017
Weeds, trash and graffiti plagued a tiny South Camden park whose centerpiece is an imposing World War II memorial little visited by the public since the exodus of former residents to the suburbs. When the Camden Shipyard and Maritime Museum opened last year two doors away from the 8th Ward Memorial Park on Broadway, the museum trustees decided to do something to help and approached the city government, the park owner. That recently led Camden City Council and Mayor Dana Redd to approve the museum's adopt-a-park application. "We believe one of our roles is to help improve the neighborhood, so we are working with other organizations to bring some beauty back to the neighborhood," said museum executive director Jack O'Byrne.
Anti-hunger
project positions available
The Ellsworth American (ME), May 8, 2017
In partnership with Hunger Free America, Healthy Acadia is seeking two
full-time AmeriCorps VISTA service members to combat hunger and poverty in
Downeast Maine through the Anti-Hunger & Opportunity Corps project. These
one-year, 40-hour per-week service positions begin June-July 2017 and are based
out of Healthy Acadia’s Ellsworth and/or Machias office(s). The national
Anti-Hunger and Opportunity Corps is one of the largest anti-hunger AmeriCorps
VISTA projects in the country. Its main focus is to fight hunger and improve
nutrition, primarily by breaking down barriers to accessing the Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program,
expanding economic opportunity and ensuring healthy futures for all Americans.
Pendleton
Downtown Association hires executive director
East Oregonian (OR), May 8, 2017
In the span of about eight months, Molly Turner of the Pendleton Downtown
Association has gone from intern to director. According to a Saturday press
release, the association has named Turner its first executive director. A
University of Oregon graduate, the association brought Turner to Pendleton as
an intern from AmeriCorps’ Resource Assistance for Rural Environments program
in September, serving as the nonprofit’s program manager. “I am absolutely
blown away by Pendleton,” Turner said in a statement. “This area is gorgeous
and I see a huge potential. I am eager to continue the work we have started and
truly see an impact downtown.” Fred Bradbury, a downtown business owner and the
president of the association, heaped praise on the nonprofit’s only employee.
Literacy
program uses volunteers to help preschoolers get ready for kindergarten
Education Dive, May 8, 2017
On Mondays, a group of Boston preschool students at the Rafael Hernández School
are impatient. By mid-morning, they’re already asking how long it will be until
their classes are over. Not because they want to go home, but because they want
to get to their after-school literacy program run by Jumpstart in the school’s
basement. On Tuesdays, the students return to their regular teachers with fresh
excitement for literacy. They use words they didn’t know the day before and
when asked where they learned them, they smile proudly and say Jumpstart.
VISTA service to increase access to quality healthcare in Wisconsin
Wisconsin Health News (WI), May 8, 2017
Through service and volunteerism the Wisconsin Association of Free & Charitable
Clinics, Inc (WAFCC) is connecting passionate, driven individuals to
high-impact projects that will improve access to quality health care via
the WAFCC Standards of Excellence at FIVE Wisconsin free and charitable clinics
as AmeriCorps VISTA (Volunteer in Services to America) members. This
project is funded in part by the Advancing a Healthier Wisconsin Endowment of
the Medical College of Wisconsin. Katherine Gaulke, WAFCC Executive Director
explains, “WAFCC has been working on creating the Standards of Excellence for
Wisconsin’s 82 free and charitable clinics for the past year – we are excited
to be moving on to the implementation phase this summer.” WAFCC is currently
seeking passionate individuals for year-long service opportunities.
Too
old for summer camp? How to get your teen involved in a service project
NY Parenting (NY), May 8, 2017
It’s finally happened. The kids are no longer excited about summer camp. They
may be complaining that camp is for little kids or that none of their friends
are going. We parents may agree, but still want our kids to have a summer with
some structure. Thankfully, there are alternatives. One in particular can be
incredibly beneficial to adolescents — that is the summer of service. You may
have heard of “service learning.” It’s a current buzzword in education. The
idea is that students will engage in a service project as part of the regular
curriculum and reflect on what they learn as it relates to a class or classes.
More and more service learning is popping up in classrooms around the country,
particularly at the high school and college level. Instead of sending your
older teen to summer camp, a service project can give her summer structure and
engage the mind in an experience that might be different from how she learns
during the regular school year.
Franz’s
commitment does not go unnoticed
The Kansan (KS), May 8, 2017
It didn’t take much convincing to get retired Newton High School teacher Ken
Franz involved with the Harvey County Retired and Senior Volunteer Program.
Looking for something to do with his spare time, a simple request from his
sister (Betty Rhine) led him to offer up his assistance. “My sister asked me if
I’d be interested and I said I’ll give it a try, and that’s where I’m at,”
Franz said, “...and it’s good, it’s fun.” Currently, Franz helps with two
organizations in particular, volunteering his time at Newton Medical Center and
the adjacent surgery center. At the former, he mans the front desk during one
of three shifts, welcoming patients and lending whatever initial assistance
they may need (i.e. providing a wheelchair).
Noon
Lions hears about Central Iowa RSVP
The Times-Republican (IA), May 8, 2017
On Monday, the usual lunch and meeting rituals were presided over by
Marshalltown Noon Lions President Wally Paige. Allan Thoreson, program
director, introduced Linda Von Holten, volunteer coordinator of Central Iowa
RSVP. RSVP, a national program with units across the country, originated in
1971 with the inception of The War on Poverty. In each locality it oversees
efforts that connect older citizens with volunteer opportunities. Four counties
are linked in the Central Iowa chapter of RSVP. The programs offered
demonstrate that benefits accrue not only for those served but for those
providing the volunteer efforts. The Marshall County United Way is a supporting
organization.
Now
that you’re retired, how will you fill your days when you’re not visiting
grandkids?
The Bellingham Herald (WA), May 7, 2017
Retiring from work isn’t necessarily a time to sit still. Volunteering can
offer a sense of accomplishment, new friends and a chance to give back to the
community. In the past year more than 1,800 people have registered online with
the Volunteer Center of Whatcom County, and more have connected to
opportunities through their office at the Opportunity Council in downtown
Bellingham. The organization offers a way to pair volunteer skills with over
150 partner organizations in need of help. “Our website allows organizations to
post their volunteer needs online,” Volunteer and Event Coordinator Summer
Starr says. “We also do a weekly ‘Hot Sheet’ highlighting a few of the
positions available.
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