National Service in the News for Tuesday, May 16, 2017.
Corps seeks local tutors
The Chaska Herald (MN), May 15, 2017
Chaska needs five literacy tutors and one math tutor for the 2017-18 school
year, according to a Minnesota Reading Corps and Minnesota Math Corps press
release. This is part of an AmeriCorps recruitment effort of approximately
1,700 literacy and 300 math tutors throughout the state. Both full- and
part-time tutors are being recruited to begin a year of paid service this fall.
By joining Reading Corps or Math Corps, individuals will be helping more than
35,000 students statewide. Minnesota Reading Corps and Minnesota Math Corps are
statewide programs to help every Minnesota student succeed in reading by the
end of third grade, and in math by the end of eighth grade.
Major
wildfire mitigation project headed to Manitou
KOAA-TV (CO), May 16, 2017
As wildfire season sets in, plans to protect Manitou Springs from possible fires
are moving in this summer. For seven weeks this summer, crews will be removing
vegetation for about a half mile stretch from both sides of the Intemann Trail.
Mile High Youth Corps crews will be getting ride of the dense trees, bushes and
shrubbery that are just too difficult for firefighters to get through in the
event of a disaster. News 5 was there as the devastating Waldo Canyon Fire was
just one change of wind away from heading toward Manitou in 2012. "This
area was identified as a very high risk area," Diane Delano, project coordinator
for land conservation of the Mile High Youth Corps said.
Teton
Science Schools celebrates AmeriCorps members
The Jackson Hole News and Guide (WY), May 16, 2017
Young AmeriCorps volunteers have spent the last five months helping our
community. Today, Teton Science Schools will celebrate their service. The
celebration includes presentations from AmeriCorps volunteers who have built
capacity for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math literacy at the Teton
Raptor Center, Teton Literacy Center, Jackson Hole Children’s Museum and field
education at Teton Science Schools. The presentations happen today at 9 a.m. on
700 Coyote Canyon Road. AmeriCorps is a civil society program supported by the
federal government and other donors to help others and meet critical community
needs. Teton Science Schools’ goal of hosting volunteers is “to empower
AmeriCorps members to build capacity of Teton Science Schools and other
nonprofits and government agencies in Jackson, Wyoming to increase scientific
literacy in the community.”
WVU Extension seeks mentors for Energy
Express
The Weirton Daily Times (WV), May 15, 2017
The West Virginia University Hancock County Extension needs mentors for the
Energy Express summer reading program. AmeriCorps Mentors are full-time college
students or college-bound students who make learning fun for small groups of
school-age children by creating a safe, enriching environment focused on
reading, writing, art and drama. In addition to the learning activities,
mentors eat nutritious, family-style meals with children, make family visits
and complete a community service project.
As green infrastructure pioneers,
Philadelphia is primed for workforce development
Brookings, May 15, 2017
Philadelphia is one of more than 800 municipalities across the United States
working to reduce sewer overflows that occur when large storms flood and
overwhelm infrastructure, resulting in a deluge of stormwater and diluted
wastewater that can harm rivers and streams. While having more pristine
waterways holds economic value, and complying with federal regulations to
protect the environment helps ensure cleaner, higher-quality water, many cities
are in a pinch: expanding wastewater treatment plants and centuries-old sewer
systems is expensive, and outside dollars for water infrastructure are
nonexistent.
Endangered
Species Day activities set
The Inter Mountain (WV), May 16, 2017
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Appalachian Forest Heritage Area AmeriCorps
program, U.S. Forest Service and West Virginia Division of Natural Resources
will host an Endangered Species Day event on Saturday. Endangered Species Day
is a national celebration to recognize endangered species and their habitats,
and to educate students and the public about their importance. There are more
than 2,054 species worldwide that are endangered or threatened, and more than
1,436 exist in the U.S. alone. The event will feature a day of fun, interactive
games and activities that demonstrate the importance of threatened and
endangered species and why they need our help. Participants can become
endangered species biologists, take a walk through a giant inflatable bat cave,
enjoy the artwork of young local students in an endangered species art show or
get their face painted like their favorite species.
Park
Service Recruiting Next Generation of Environmental Stewards
The Bay Net (MD), May 16, 2017
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is now recruiting 35 full-time
individuals, between the ages of 17 to 25, for the Maryland Conservation Corps,
an award-winning AmeriCorps program that engages young Marylanders in extensive
conservation and natural resource management projects that enhance Maryland’s
public lands and waterways. Maryland Conservation Corps crew members gain
valuable hands-on training and experience as they help restore the Chesapeake
Bay; protect forests by caring for and planting native trees; preserve wildlife
habitats; maintain park trails, picnic areas, campsites and playgrounds; and
partake in environmental education and interpretive programming. “The Maryland
Conservation Corps connects interested young adults with our state’s treasured
natural resources,” Secretary Mark Belton said. “Through service to our
citizens and our environment, crew members become knowledgeable stewards while
gaining valuable career, life and social skills.”
Community
garden plots available at Kump Center
The Inter-Mountain (WV), May 16, 2017
The Kump Education Center is once again offering Community Garden plots that
are available for rent. “All gardeners are asked to be organic and sign an
agreement so that the Kump House area will be treated respectfully,” Varchetto
said. The Community Garden began in 2009 in order to provide a resource to
those who don’t have the property for such a garden space. When the garden was
first established, a grant covered the cost for water, plowing and a
deer-fence. “This year we have eight to 10 garden plots available, with three
already rented,” Varchetto said. “There are usually 10 to 12 participants each
year. The plots are first come, first served.” The KEC, according to their
website, “is a non-profit organization formed to carry out the wishes of Mary
Gamble Kump – to promote educational purposes including improving student
achievement and supporting teacher excellence.”
Apply now for Summer AmeriCorps positions
in Oswego County
Oswego News (NY), May 15, 2017
Back in 1997, when Oswego AmeriCorps began, Melissa Hull served as one of the
first members in the county. Now her daughter, Alyshia, has completed two terms
of service as an AmeriCorps member at the Pulaski Public Library. Alyshia Hull
is a published author and encourages aspiring authors in her community. She is
pursuing a degree in journalism. She currently attends Cayuga Community College
and will soon be transferring to SUNY Oswego. When Alyshia became an AmeriCorps
member, she said her life was quickly impacted by service. “I learned the
importance of helping those in my community and by giving assistance to those
in need,” she said.
Want student loan forgiveness? Here’s how
to qualify
CNN, May 15, 2017
It might sound too good to be true, but some borrowers can get their student
debt wiped away. At least in theory. The government’s Public Service Loan
Forgiveness Program promises to cancel any remaining student debt for those who
work for the government or non-profits and have been making continuous payments
for 10 years. It encourages people who have big student loans to stay in
lower-paying jobs that serve the public. Many teachers, public defenders, Peace
Corps workers, and law enforcement officers fit the qualifications. More than
400,000 people have applied for the program so far.
Senior Corps volunteers serve community
The Missoulian (MT), May 15, 2017
“It fills up my soul,” says foster grandparent Mary of her experience as a
Senior Corps volunteer at Missoula Aging Services. During Senior Corps Week,
May 15-19, we would like to thank our wonderful Senior Corps volunteers for
their immense service to our community! We also extend our thanks to the many
organizations with which we partner to facilitate that service. Senior Corps
volunteers are age 55 and over, putting their wisdom and experience to work and
dedicated to helping their community. Last year over 600 Senior Corps
volunteers served more than 100,000 hours from Condon to Lolo to Frenchtown!
Retired ticket sales manager stays involved
in community
The Mercury (KS), May 15, 2017
After she retired, Carol Adolph got to work. Adolph had a nearly 50-year career
in the K-State athletic department, and she has remained active by volunteering
all over Manhattan through the Flint Hills Volunteer Center. “I like to keep
busy,” she said. “I like to be around people.” Adolph retired about 14 years
ago. She had worked as the athletic ticket manager at K-State for 49 years. She
said she enjoyed being around the student athletes from all sports and said it
was fun to watch the Wildcat football program grow during her time in the
department, especially when she got to attend bowl games. “After coach Snyder
got here, we were selling a lot more tickets,” Adolph said. When she was no
longer working and after her husband died, she looked to volunteering to get
out of the house.
Senior
Corps delivers
The Times Tribune (PA), May 16, 2017
Senior Corps works to make communities stronger. Adult volunteers 55 and older
give back every day. In Northeast Pennsylvania, foster grandparents mentor and
tutor students, senior companions help the frail elderly remain in their homes,
and RSVP volunteers provide services such as preparing tax forms for low-income
and elderly individuals, counseling Medicare recipients, feeding the hungry at
food pantries and through Meals on Wheels and mentoring young people.
Foster grandparent program comes to Sauk
County
The Sauk Prairie Eagle (WI), May 15, 2017
Not everyone has a grandparent to spend time with. Some more people may soon
thanks to a new Sauk County program. The Southwestern Wisconsin Community
Action Program was recently awarded $27,000 to expand a national service
endeavor called the Foster Grandparent Program to include Sauk County. The
Foster Grandparent Program has been around for more than 50 years, and is one
of three programs of the National Senior Corps which taps into the skills,
talents and experiences of senior Americans to meet a wide range of community
needs.
RSVP
honors Montgomery County volunteers
The Montgomery News (PA), May 16, 2017
RSVP celebrated its Montgomery County volunteers and the contributions they
make to our communities daily with a celebration and recognition event May 10
held at Brittany Pointe Estates in Upper Gwynedd. Four RSVP volunteers who have
served more than 4,000 hours were recognized with the President’s Lifetime
Achievement Volunteer Service Award, thanking them for their significant
commitment to volunteering in our region. Volunteers receiving this recognition
include Judy Cressman, of Red Hill; Ron Gawel, of Schwenksville; Richard
Singer, of Dresher; and Mildred Weigner. of Royersford. Cressman and Gawel are
the recipients of both the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award (4,000-plus
lifetime volunteer hours) and the President’s Gold Award (500-plus hours of
service) in one year.
Santa
Cruz County supervisors to review $5.2 million budget for safety-net services
The Santa Cruz Sentinel (CA), May 15, 2017
On Tuesday, Santa Cruz County supervisors will see recommendations to award
$5.2 million to 44 nonprofits coming out of a new system to fund safety-net
services. The new approach for 2017-18, a three-year cycle of collaboration
between city and county officials, aims to allocate more than $15 million in
that time frame to nonprofits in four priority areas — children and youth,
health, homelessness and seniors — and track outcomes of these “core
investments.” That total figure includes both city and
An Aging Florida
Ballinger Publishing (FL), May 16, 2017
Florida: the land of sunshine, Disney World, and no state tax. The fourth
largest state in the union that is quickly catching up with third-place New
York, Florida is no longer the US’s best-kept secret. Diverse industries,
beautiful weather and an economic recovery that occurred quicker than most
other areas of the country, our state is quickly becoming a collection of both
influential metropolises and majestic rural areas. But, Florida is also home to
a secret weapon that could one day prove problematic if current trends
continue: Florida is graying.
|
