GET TO
T H U R S DA Y, MA R CH 2 1 , 2 0 1 3 V OLU M E X I X, IS SU E 3
THE POINT TH E
N E WSL E T T ER O F
T H E N C CC A TLA N T I C R EG IO N
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT:
PICTURES FROM THE FIELD:
BURSTING THE AMERIBUBBLE:
PETER DONOVAN, CLASS XVII ATLANTIC REGION ALUMNUS
SIGNS OF TEAMWORK & LEADERSHIP APPEAR AS TEAMS DIG IN TO ROUND 1
NEWS TO KEEP YOU PLUGGED IN TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD
On the Cover: (Top) Raven 2 works with members of AmeriCorps VISTA during an AmeriCorps Week service event in Newburgh, N.Y. (Right) Phoenix 1 member Jahari Barker stands in “the black,” or burnout area, following a 45 acre prescribed burn at Antioch Pines Natural Area Preserve near Zuni, Va. (Left) Josh Bracken and Brittany Castellon of Moose 3 at the Big East Career Fair in New York City. Top Left: Members of Buffalo 1 pose wit h Taoiseach Enda Kenny (center), the Irish Prime Minister, during his St. Patrick’s Day visit toBreezy Point, N.Y., a predominantly Irish-American community that was greatly affected by Hurricane Sandy. Top Right: Delano Jenkins of Moose 3 removes debris left behind by Hurricane Sandy while working with World Care Centers in New York City.
MEMBER STATEMENT I’m a member of the Natio nal Civilian Community Corps, an AmeriCorps Program. N-Triple-C members are 18 to 24 and spend 10 months getting things done for America while develo ping their own leadership. We serve on teams to help communities prepare for and respond to disasters, build homes, and help the environment. To learn more or apply, visit AmeriCorps.gov/NCCC or call 1.800.942.2677
INTHIS
ISSUE 3
Teams in the News
CONTACT THE ATLANTIC REGION COMMUNITY RELATIONS OFFICE
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Alumni Spotlight
Sam McKenzie, Community Relations Specialist (CRS) Phone: 202.528.3755 ● Email: smckenzie @cns.gov
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Bulletin Board
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Bursting the AmeriBubble
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AmeriLife Lessons
Ben Dillon, Community Relatio ns Support Team Leader (CRSTL) Phone: 443.995.7940 ● Email: bedillo n.guest@cns.gov
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Team Shout Outs
Get to the Point is a weekly newsletter edit ed and designed by Ben Dillon, CRSTL
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Round 1, Week 2 Pictures
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Round 1, Week 2 Proje ct Map
Mona Hillstrand, Assistant Community Relations Specialist (ACRS) Phone: 202.815.4259 ● Email: rhillstrand@cns.gov
“Like” us on Facebook: Facebook.com/AmeriCorpsNCCCAtlanticRegion
GET TO THE POINT / MARCH 21, 2013
Day of Service in Rockaways Wraps Up AmeriCorps Week From the Serve.gov Blog By Samantha Jo Warfield The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) wrapped up AmeriCorps Week with a day of service in Rockaway, NY. This event honored the effort of relief workers so far, and highlighted the work that still needs to be done. Director of AmeriCorps Bill Basl joined local representatives and volunteers to clean up a damaged beach, repair a daycare center, and help area residents get back on their feet. These efforts build on AmeriCorps' long-standing commitment to helping communities use service to spark local solutions to local challenges. The service projects were made possible by Time-Warner's contribution to the AmeriCorps recovery efforts. Other attendees include Gary Bagley, Executive Director of New York Cares; Diahann BillingsBurford, Chief Service Officer for the City of New York; and Susan Stern, Chair of NY Volunteers at the New York State Commission on National and Community Service. “National service bolsters disaster relief efforts,” said Spencer. “It brings together businesses, nonprofits and community groups, federal agencies, state and local government, and everyday citizens to help communities that need it most. AmeriCorps members have been at the forefront of
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ATLANTIC REGION TEAMS IN THE NEWS Media Representatives assisted in generating the following media coverage for AmeriCorps NCCC
Volunteers to help fix roofs of needy area residents With many roofs in critical conditions, Roncolato looked into additional resources to meet the needs of area elderly and residents with limited income, otherwise eligible for MADD services. That‟s where AmeriCorps‟ National Civilian Community Corps came in. “Unlike other programs, this is a mobile crew that comes in for a period of time and does relief work,” Roncolato said. „We expect this influx of labor for a period of about five weeks.” Full article at MeadvilleTribune.com
the Hurricane Sandy recovery, and are helping people respond, rebuild, and recover every day.” More than 2,400 AmeriCorps members have been part of the federal response to Hurricane Sandy, including the first class of AmeriCorps NCCC members serving with FEMA Corps. In NY alone, AmeriCorps members have: Mucked and gutted 1,270 homes, Mobilized 16,000 volunteers for 128,000 hours of service (valued at $2.68 million), and Touched the lives of nearly 30,000 New York residents. Read the full article on the National Service Blog at Serve.gov
Volunteers will supplement programs that support National Guard With dignitaries, community advocates and at least 90 enthusiastic volunteers looking on, the Corporation for National and Community Service and the National Guard Bureau announced an agreement to provide AmeriCorps/VISTA volunteers to supplement wellness programs in the nation‟s 53 Guard bureaus, with Delaware leading the way. Locally, CNCS will commit National Civilian Conservation Corps members to help renovate and restore the former Guard armory in Smyrna, now home to a Boys & Girls Club that serves militaryconnected families. Full article at DelawareOnline.com
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MARCH 21, 2013 / GET TO THE POINT
Spotlight on Peter Donovan, Class XVII Alumnus Peter Donovan is an alumnus of Class XVII from the Perry Point Campus. He was part of the Raven 3 team and was a Corps Ambassador Program Representative. At the time of his interview, he resided in his hometown of Barrington, R.I.
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t is said that everybody knows everybody else in Rhode Island. This proved to be true as NCCC alumnus and native Rhode Islander Peter Donovan strolled into the local senior center and was immediately recognized by the receptionist at the front desk. As it turned out, she knew his grandmother. It was a slow day for our team, Moose 1, promoting the Rhode Island Special Needs Emergency Registry at the senior center, so we asked Peter about his experiences as a Corps Member. Peter was generally positive about his overall experience. His service year started off when his team, Raven 3, deployed to New Orleans to continue long-term recovery efforts for those affected by Hurricane Katrina. Recalling his team’s work with a local chapter of Habitat for Humanity, Peter said that other Corps Members were jealous that they were not chosen for such a rewarding project. For the second round of projects, his team was chosen to continue disaster recovery work. This time, they deployed to Tuscaloosa, Ala., which had suffered significant tornado damage shortly before. His team was initially stationed on Mound Hill, the primary campsite for NCCC members. However, a few lucky teams were selected to stay in
the dormitories at the University of Alabama for the remainder of the project. His team was one of them. Peter credited this round as his favorite of the year due to the rewarding, face-to-face work of aiding disaster victims.
“Although his service year inevitably came to an end, Peter carried on his commitment to help others.” After two rounds of disasterrelated projects, the pace slowed down for his team while on spike in Dartmouth, Mass. Although the project round proved to pale in comparison to previous rounds, Peter took advantage of unique Independent Service Projects (ISPs) in the area. One of his favorite ISPs
was FooFest, a festival which showcases all forms of local artists in the state of Rhode Island. This really resonated with members of Moose 1, because we completed an ISP with the same festival and thoroughly enjoyed our experiences. After Dartmouth, his team concluded the year working with youth in Baltimore. The team quickly discovered just how challenging and exhausting it can be to work with youth. Nonetheless, Peter enjoyed the unique culture and entertainment offerings of Baltimore, especially Baltimore Orioles baseball games. In fact, he enjoyed the games so much that he frequented the stadium at least once a week during the project round. Although his service year inevitably came to an end, Peter carried on his commitment to help others. After graduating from NCCC, Peter worked as a Personal Assistance Continued on Page 5
GET TO THE POINT / MARCH 21, 2013
STAFF & TEAM LEADER BULLETIN BOARD
“To give real service you must add something which cannot be bought or measured with money, and that is sincerity and integrity.” - Douglas Adams
Soa rin g to n ew h eights, th e R a ven s h ave su rp a sse d th e Moose to ta ke th e top u nit sp ot for ISP h ou rs!
nd family r frie nds a Ke e p yo u nings o f o n happe update d NCCC tic Regio n the A tlan 1,0 00 us re ac h and he lp k! A t this o o b e Fac d “like s” o n to 90 0 an e almo st time w e’r ur goal. c lo se to o
g ion Atla nticR e C C C /N m eb ook.co Visit Fa c
Alumni Spotlight: Continued from Page 4 Services and Support (PASS) worker. He assisted the families of children with special needs. The needs could range from physical disabilities, such as cerebral palsy, to issues with Down’s syndrome or autism. At the time of his interview,
Peter was working on the maintenance staff of the Rhode Island Country Club. He remained involved with disaster services through the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency (RIEMA), which just so happened to be our project sponsor. So it would seem that the saying “everybody knows everybody else in Rhode Island” is true, and now Moose 1 is included in that too.
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MARCH 21, 2013 / GET TO THE POINT
BURSTING THE AMERI-BUBBLE EXCERPTS FROM NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Vets Save NYC Dog Who Swallowed 111 Pennies New York (AP)—A New York City dog has undergone emergency surgery to remove more than 100 pennies from his stomach. The New York Daily News reports that a Jack Russell terrier named Jack swallowed 111 pennies last week and quickly became ill. The 13-year-old pooch's owner rushed him to a Manhattan veterinarian for emergency surgery. That's when dog doctors put Jack under anesthesia and methodically removed all 111 coins. The zinc from the coins could be lethal.
Bombings in Iraq Kill 65 a Decade After Invasion Baghdad (AP)—Insurgents sent a bloody message on the eve of the 10th anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion, carrying out a wave of bombings across the country Tuesday that killed at least 65 people in the deadliest day in Iraq this year.
The nearly 20 attacks, most of them in and around Baghdad, demonstrated in stark terms how dangerously divided Iraq remains more than a year after American troops withdrew. More than 240 people were reported wounded.
Could Global Warming Change Tornado Season? Oklahoma City (AP)—With the planet heating up, many scientists seem fairly certain some weather elements like hurricanes and droughts will worsen. But tornadoes have them stumped. These unpredictable, sometimes deadly storms plague the United States more than any other country. Here in tornado alley, Oklahoma City has been hit with at least 147 tornadoes since 1890. But as the traditional tornado season nears, scientists have been pondering a simple question: Will there be more or fewer twisters as global warming increases? There is no easy answer. Lately, tornado activity in America has been Jekyll-and-Hyde weird, and
scientists are unsure if climate change has played a role in recent erratic patterns. In 2011, the United States saw its second-deadliest tornado season in history: Nearly 1,700 tornadoes killed 553 people. The Joplin, Mo., twister was the single deadliest in American history, killing 158 people and causing $2.8 billion in damage.
GET TO THE POINT / MARCH 21, 2013
MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR $4.75 Broccoli & Double Cheese Calzones
Ingredients
find a local Humane Society or a chapter of the SPCA.
1 1/2 cups broccoli florets 1 large clove garlic, minced 2/3 cup ricotta 4 ounces mozzarella, coarsely grated (1 cup) 1 large egg yolk Salt and pepper 1 pound frozen pizza dough, thawed 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
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Preheat oven to 450°F. Bring 1 inch of water to a boil in a small pot. Place broccoli in a steamer basket, place steamer basket in pot, cover and steam until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Let cool slightly, coarsely chop, and place in a medium-size bowl. Stir in garlic, ricotta, mozzarella and egg yolk; season with salt and pepper.
2. Divide pizza dough into 4 portions and use a rolling pin to roll each into an 8-inch circle. Place a quarter of broccoli mixture in center of a round, fold dough in half, and then seal by
AMERILIFE LESSONS Find ISPs that differ from your team’s current project. To avoid getting burnt out on one type of work, look for project sponsors that align with your interests. If you like animals, for instance,
Yield: 4 Servings Cost Per Serving: $1.49
Preparation
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Learn from your teammates. You may never work with such a vibrant, diverse group of people
rolling edges together toward center and crimping. Using a sharp knife, cut two small slits in top of calzone to let steam escape. Repeat with remaining dough and broccoli mixture. Brush calzones with olive oil. 3. Mist a large, rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Place calzones on baking sheet and bake in center of oven until golden and risen, 13 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately, with warm tomato sauce on the side for dipping, if desired. Email your favorite budget-friendly recipes to Ben at CRSTLatlantic@gmail.com
again, so take the time to get to know your teammates and their hidden talents. Maybe someone can teach you to play guitar, or to crochet, or to wrangle a chicken. Whatever it may be, utilize the people around you! You can never take too many pictures or videos. (Well, maybe if it starts interfering with your work, but you get the idea.) You’ll be glad that you snapped a picture of your team with the 2 tons of debris you moved or the house you helped build for a family in need.
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MARCH 21, 2013 / GET TO THE POINT
SHOUT OUTS! Peter Conley did an amazing job this week at the press conference. Raven 3 had the opportunity to be a part of the press conference with the Governor of Delaware along with many other officials. Peter was our representative for the group and was able to give a speech about his journey to becoming a NCCC member. We are all very proud of him.
Raven 3 Raven 4 has been having a marvelous time soaring and serving around with Edgar!
Raven 4 Hope you are having fun at your projects!
Raven 5 Staff & STLs
Dory says, “just keep swimming!�
Buffalo 2 Buffalo 3 wants to give a shout out to all of those who went to fire training last week and wish our teammate Wayne good luck on his fire round.
Buffalo 3 Shout out from Buffalo 4 to all the other teams out there working hard these past few weeks. Keep up the great work and keep Getting Things Done!
Buffalo 4
In the beginning was the Moosicorn, and the Moosicorn was of service, and the Moosicorn embodied service. The Moose was of service in the beginning. All hours were devoted to service and training, and apart from service and training, not one hour was left unrecorded by the Moosicorn. In the Moosicorn was spirit, and the spirit was the spirit of the community. And the spirit of the community works against needs, and the needs did not overcome it. (St. Gavin 1:1)
Moose 1
We wish the best of luck to Mignon in her new position as the Buffalo 3 Team Leader! And we welcome Rosslyn to her new position as the Buffalo Unit Support Team Leader!
GET TO THE POINT / MARCH 21, 2013
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TEAMS DIG IN TO FIRST PROJECTS Counter-Clockwise from Top-Left: Members of Raven 4 pose with volunteers from Friends of Rockaway after mucking and gutting a home in Rockaway, N.Y. During an AmeriCorps Week service event in Newburgh, N.Y., Andrew Martin and other members of Raven 2 hang netting at an indoor soccer field intended for children who cannot afford to join a league. Raven 3 member Kris Hall digs in the sand dunes on Pea Patch Island, the site of Fort Delaware State Park. Jimmie Perkins of Buffalo 4 moves a hay bail at Camp Todd, a recreation site in Denton, Md. operated by Girl Scouts of Chesapeake Bay. The team used the hay bails to absorb toxins from algae that render the camp’s lake unusable. Brian Lundholm of Moose 2 uses an auger to dig a hole while doing environmental stewardship work with Valley Youth House in Orefield, Pa.
Where in the Atlantic Region Are They?
Round 1, Week 2
For Round 1, Class XIX teams will complete 21 projects in seven states and the District of Columbia. Four teams are aiding in recovery from Hurricane Sandy in New York, while four more teams are doing long-term disaster recovery work elsewhere in the region. Additionally, three teams are completing projects focused on environmental stewardship, two teams are doing urban and rural development, and one team is doing infrastructure improvement.
RAVEN 1 New York, N.Y. New York Cares Disast er Recovery MOOSE 3 New York, N.Y. World Care Cent ers Disast er Recovery
RAVEN 2 Newburgh, N.Y. Habit at for Humanit y Urban & Rural Development
BUFFALO 1 New Rochelle, N.Y. Habit at for Humanit y Disast er Recovery
BUFFALO 4 Earleville, Md. Girl Scout s of Chesapeake Bay Disast er Recovery
MOOSE 4 Brownsville, Pa. Appalachian Coal Count ry Team Environmental St ewardship
RAVEN 3 Marshfield, Mass. Mass. Audubon—South Shore Environmental St ewardship
BUFFALO 2 Schoharie, N.Y. Schoharie Area Long Term Recovery Disast er Recovery
MOOSE 1 Baltimore, Md. Allima Inst itut e Urban & Rural Development
MOOSE 5 Camden, N.J. Camden Garden Club Urban & Rural Development
RAVEN 4 Brooklyn, N.Y. St . Bernard Project Disast er Recovery
BUFFALO 3 Baltimore, Md. Blue Water Balt imore Environmental St ewardship
MOOSE 2 Orefield, Pa. Valley Youth House Disast er Recovery
PHOENIX 1 Suffolk, Va. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Disast er Response/Env. St ewardship
RAVEN 5 Meadville, Pa. Allegheny College Lake Effects Infrast ructure Improvement