MEMBER STATEMENT I’m a member of the National Civilian Community Corps, an AmeriCorps Program. N-Triple-C members are 18 to 24 and spend 10 months getting things done for America while developing 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
IN THIS
ISSUE 3
My First Time in the South was
CONTACT THE ATLANTIC REGION COMMUNITY RELATIONS OFFICE
a Blast: One Corps Member’s Retrospective on Firefighter
Sam McKenzie, Community Relations Specialist (CRS) Phone: 202.528.3755 ● Email: smckenzie@cns.gov Mona Hillstrand, Assistant Community Relations Specialist (ACRS) Phone: 202.815.4259 ● Email: rhillstrand@cns.gov
Feature Story
Training, By Jake Clark 4
Alumni Spotlight Derek Bowers, Class XVIII, Atlantic Region
Ben Dillon, Community Relations Support Team Leader (CRSTL) Phone: 443.995.7940 ● Email: bedillon.guest@cns.gov
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Bulletin Board
Get to the Point is a weekly newsletter edited and designed by Ben Dillon, CRSTL
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Bursting the AmeriBubble First Female Secret Service Director, $338M Lottery Winner,
Facebook.com/NCCCAtlanticRegion
↑ Top-Left: Members of Moose 5, a.k.a. Moose Caboose, pose
Earth is 80 Millions Years Older 7
AmeriLife
with makeshift branch antlers while working with the Camden
Recipe for Chicken &
Garden Club in Camden, N.J.
Asparagus Penne
↑ Top-Right: Bradley Gardner, Laura Dennis and Jeremiah King of Raven 2 hold Easter Eggs they painted with staff members of Habitat for Humanity in Newburgh, N.Y.
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Team Shout Outs
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Corps Member Gallery Snow in the Atlantic Region
→ Cover: Drip torches, similar to the ones used by NCCC wildland firefighters for ignition when conducting a prescribed burn. Prescribed burning is a stewardship practice which allows for better growth of native species and reduces the possibility of uncontrolled wildfires. (Photo Credit: Coconino National Forest)
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Team Project Map
FEATURE
My First Trip to the South was a Blast By Jake Clark, Buffalo 1
I
always wanted to go beforehand, never wanted to leave once I got there, and cry myself to sleep every night now that it has come and gone. One day I will make a reprise to the South; perhaps not for the same reasons, but for reasons I hope to be just as unexpected. For one week in March, time stood still for fire camp; it was another bubble within the AmeriBubble. It all started like any other day in NCCC—waking up early to look at familiar faces with equally familiar expressions of exhaustion. But that day would be entirely different; on that day, hours of sitting and facing one direction in a theater would be replaced with hours and hours of facing one direction in a van, bound for North Carolina at a steady 65 mph. Once I got to this veritable Heaven, I found it to be much different than I had expected. The clouds, angels and rivers of gold turned out to look a lot more like flames, hardhats and a Pulaski. It actually was quite a smooth transition. We were soon weaned off of familiar endeavors. Instead of being numbered off and split into groups for a learning activity, or sitting in a classroom, listening intently, we were thrown into the fray, learning by doing. The hours were long and back-breaking, but we all got used to it right away. An eternity of bending over, stabbing at Mother Earth with a sharp edge isn’t quite so bad when it is periodically interrupted by moments of absolute euphoria. Of course I am talking about mealtimes. The food I was served three times a day would have sent me straight to Heaven, had I not already arrived there in a 15P. I regret to remind you that all good things do in fact come to an end. On March 16, my bubble within a bubble was burst, and a good lot of us were sent back up north to be reunited with our permanent teams, while Phoenix 1 departed for the Great Dismal Swamp. Though we couldn’t
all be on Phoenix 1, I feel that for a week, we were all united as a massive flock of giant, majestic birds. I originally pined to be on Phoenix 1 and felt disappointment in how I could not immediately put my wild land firefighting training to use, but during the return home I discovered that I had been transformed to the core into a firefighter, even though I was not currently acting as one. Not even 15 minutes after my shuttle—piloted by a fellow we all know as Rico—left our beloved temporary home in North Carolina, the collective lethargy in the van convoy was instantly turned into adrenaline. We were newly certified fire fighters en route to our teams, expecting nothing extraordinary, when we ran into our newest foe: fire.
From a distance, it looked as though someone’s residence in rural North Carolina was well on its way to becoming a pile of ash. We were ready. We had no sort of equipment suited for saving burning property, but trust me, we were ready. That readiness soon dissipated once we drew closer to the home and noticed that it was not on fire, but two massive heaps of who-knows-what behind the house actually were. Some of us may not be putting our new skills to use for another round or two, but I am entirely sure that when the time comes, our instincts will kick right in and we will persevere with the heart of a Phoenix.
GET TO THE POINT / MARCH 28, 2013
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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
Derek Bowers, Class XVIII, Atlantic Region Interview by Mike Brown, Buffalo 4 How did you find out about AmeriCorps? I found out about AmeriCorps through a close family member who also was a part of AmeriCorps NCCC but at the Denver campus. Even though I had three jobs at the time, I decided to do something different. How did NCCC impact your life and future plans? NCCC really had quite the impact on my life after AmeriCorps. For one thing, I definitely know how to shop for a large group of people and I also know how to get along with and work with people from diverse backgrounds. AmeriCorps NCCC also helped me get a job [at the Albany Pine Bush Preserve] where I completed my fire project round last year. How was your experience as a firefighter? It was great—a whole lot of fun. I slept in a tent and a shed—between the both for 2 months—but I slept outside most of the time in a tent. Due to not getting to see any fire on second round, I was able to get chainsaw certified and go outside cutting trees and trimming logs. I had a great time, without a doubt. Since we never got to burn on my first fire round, I also got the chance to do a good amount of fire work on my second round, which was also a ton of fun. What was your favorite aspect of AmeriCorps? My favorite aspect was kind of my worst, which was the meal budget. It was hard trying to eat within the budget because I’m a bottomless pit—I can eat all day. AmeriCorps teaches you how to balance money—your money—and also how to eat a reasonable portion. (Continued on Page 5)
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MARCH 28, 2013 / GET TO THE POINT
↑ Top: Bowers (right) with fellow members of Firefox 2 during a project round with the Albany Pine Bush Preserve. Above: Bowers (front) on a firefighting assignment with fellow members of Phoenix 4.
BULLETIN BOARD
Roadside Assistance Vehicle Safety Reminders Have the engine oil and filter changed as scheduled Check the ground for oil or other spots Keep tire pressure correct Monitor tire wear pattern to maximize tire life
For assistance, call: Ford, GM, Chrysler, and Honda Ford: 1-800-241-3673 provide free 24 hour roadside assistance for vehicles still under Chrysler, Dodge & the 3 years, 36,000 mile Plymouth: 1-800-521-2779 warranty. GM: 1-800-462-8782 This assistance includes: Towing service Flat tire service Out of gas / fuel delivery
Battery jump Lock out service
Chevrolet: 1-800-243-8872 Oldsmobile: 1-800-442-6537 Pontiac: 1-800-762-2737 Honda: 1-800-465-7587
“
Service w hich is ren dered with joy helps n out either the s e r v ant nor the served . But all ot her pleasu res and posse ssions pale into nothingne ss before s ervice wh ich is rendered in a spirit of joy. - Mahatm a Gandhi
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ht week, a For the third straig the lead in en new unit has tak the charge, d lea to y Wa s! ISP Buffalo Unit! Percent Complete Buffalo: 12.18% Raven: 11.05% Moose: 8.93%
Alumni Spotlight, Continued from Page 4 What was your favorite meal as a Corp Member? Portobello mushroom caps and baked beans Do you have any future plans with AmeriCorps? Hopefully, I can help an AmeriCorps team go through their fire round like I did in Albany. I know it would be different because I will be the supervisor this time and not the grey shirt, but it would be a lot of fun to help them grow as firefighters and as leaders. ← Bowers (left) with former Buffalo 4 teammate Evan Berry while working with Habitat for Humanity of Coastal Fairfield County last year.
GET TO THE POINT / MARCH 28, 2013
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NEWS
BURSTING THE AMERI-BUBBLE EXCERPTS FROM NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL NEWS PHOTO CREDIT: RICHARD HEEKS
Scientists Find Universe Is 80 Million Years Older PARIS (AP) — A new examination of what is essentially the universe's birth certificate allows astronomers to tweak the age, girth and speed of the cosmos, more secure in their knowledge of how it evolved, what it's made of and its ultimate fate. Sure, the universe suddenly seems to be showing its age, now calculated at 13.8 billion years - 80 million years older than scientists had thought. It's got about 3 percent more girth - technically it's more matter than mysterious dark energy - and it is expanding about 3 percent more slowly. But with all that comes the wisdom for humanity. Scientists seem to have gotten a good handle on the Big Bang and what happened just afterward, and may actually understand a bit more about the cosmic question of how we are where we are. All from a baby picture of fossilized light and sound.
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MARCH 28, 2013 / GET TO THE POINT
$338 Million Lottery Winner Feels ‘Pure Joy,’ Uncertainty LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. (AP) — A New Jersey man feels "pure joy" at winning a $338 million Powerball jackpot but has no idea what he will do with the money — except buy a car, to replace his feet as his primary mode of transportation, he said. Dominican immigrant Pedro Quezada, 45, and his wife, Ines, ap-
peared at New Jersey lottery headquarters Tuesday to officially claim the prize. Both came in jeans, accompanied by four of his eight siblings and two nephews. The former bodega owneroperator, who came to the United States from the city of Jarabacoa 26 years ago, said his mind is not clear enough yet to figure out how he will use the money or where he might live.
Obama Gives Secret Service Its First Female Director WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama on Tuesday named veteran Secret Service agent Julia Pierson as the agency's first female director, signaling his desire to change the culture at the maledominated service, which has been marred by scandal. Pierson, who most recently served as the agency's chief of staff, will take over from Mark Sullivan, who announced his retirement last month. The agency faced intense criticism during Sullivan's tenure for a prostitution scandal during preparations for Obama's trip to Cartagena, Colombia, last year.
The incident raised questions within the agency—as well as at the White House and on Capitol Hill— about the culture, particularly during foreign travel. In addition to protecting the president, the Secret Service also investigates financial crimes.
AMERILIFE
MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR $4.75
Chicken & Asparagus Penne
Make fun out of a monotonous task. If you’re removing invasive plants for days on end, challenge your teammates to see who can collect the most in a day, or who can pull the longest continuous piece. Ask each other open-ended questions or play games (such as the “one word story,” in which each team member takes a turn adding a word to a continuous narrative).
Prep Time: 15 Minutes Yield: 6 servings Cook Time: 5 Minutes Calories per serving: 383
Celebrate holidays with potluck-style team meals. You don’t need to spend a lot of money to make a meal feel like a special occasion. And if you’re team won’t be together on the next major
Ingredients
1 lb. Asparagus—Steamed
12 oz. Penne—Cooked
¼ cup Olive Oil
1 lb. Chicken Breast— Cubed and Cooked ½ Cup Shredded Parmesan
Instructions 1. Cook all ingredients separately. 2. Asparagus: purchase the frozen bags that are steamable. 3. Pasta: Add salt to taste and a little oil so it doesn’t stick to pot 4. Chicken: cook in a non-stick skillet with garlic powder and seasoning salt for added flavor 5. Once all ingredients have been cooked, layout asparagus on the bottom of a 9×13 pan. 6. Next, place drained pasta on top of asparagus.
AMERILIFE LESSONS
holiday, just change the date or make up your own holiday! A little festiveness
7.
Then, drizzle with ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil. 8. Add chicken and stir all ingredients to coat everything in pan with olive oil. 9. Sprinkle with ½ cup of shredded Parmesan and pop under the broiler for 5 minutes to get it nice and crunchy.
can go a long way! Your Team Leader is human. Be nice. Look for free or discounted activities. AmeriCorps members can sometimes receive discounts or free passes for zoos, museums, challenge courses, paintball courses and other group activities. Simply call ahead and inquire.
Nutrition Facts Calories: 383 Total Fat: 14.5 g Sat. Fat: 3.2 g Cholesterol: 50 mg Sodium: 273 mg Carbohydrates: 45.9 g Fiber: 8.2 g Sugars: 3 g Protein: 25.4 g
GET TO THE POINT / MARCH 28, 2013
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SHOUT OUTS Buffalo One explored Midtown Manhattan this week! We took the subway from Coney Island to Grand Central Station. Once there, we ate some delicious food and explored the amazing train station. From the station we walked to the 42nd Street Library, which is absolutely beautiful. We explored Bryant Park, walked to Times Square, visited the giant M&M store, took pictures in Rockefeller Plaza, and ate some more delicious food in Grand Central Station before we took the train back to Coney Island. Overall, it was a wonderful day!
Buffalo 1 Hello and much love to our sister team, Raven 2! And we’re missing you while you’re on your fire round, Owen!
In total, this week the team burned a total of 184 acres of land and built approximately 2 miles of fire lines, driving a total of 572 miles in between. To celebrate a successful first week in which the team received high praises from the multiple burn and crew bosses, Steve treated the team to nachos at a local restaurant in Suffolk.
Phoenix 1 Shout Out to Courtney Amburg on Phoenix 1! Buffalo 4 misses you and wishes you the best!
Buffalo 4 We ate big, phat Philly Cheese Steaks!
Buffalo 2 We have been living in the Crimea Mansion with staff of the program Outward Bound. There are 10 of us and 40 of them, so, as you can imagine, making breakfast in the morning is an adventure. Fifty “hangry” men and women piled into a space meant for two. Hot pans and dirty dishes fly over the area compiling together in a single sink to form the mountain we call “Infamous Utopia.”
Buffalo 3 8
MARCH 28, 2013 / GET TO THE POINT
Moose 1
Huzzah!
Raven 1 Revenge of the siding: the pumpjack strikes back on Raven 2! Shout out to all the Raven teams getting ISPs done!
Raven 2 To the Phoenix team: We miss you and can’t wait see you at transition. Sending lots of love. See you soon. Have fun burning stuff!
Alice in AmeriCorps Alice: But I don’t want to go among mad people. The Cat: Oh, you can’t help that. We’re all mad here. I’m mad. You’re mad. Alice: How do you know I’m mad? The Cat: You must be, or you wouldn’t have come here.
Moose 1
Raven 3 Watch out for Raven 4 in the MTV Alternative Spring Break special, Spring Fix, showing the first week of April! We lead 12 United Way volunteers (the Wolf team) who were being documented by MTV in gutting out the inside of a church.
Raven 4
GALLERY
There’s Snow Place Like the Atlantic Region Early-Spring snowstorms across much of the Atlantic Region have forced teams to look for indoor work during the first part of Round 1; however, many Corps Members are getting their first glimpses of snow or a muchneeded reminder of home. Pictured: Adriana Battle, Bri Rainey and Silpa Sadhujan of Raven 5 (below); Max Limeberger of Raven 3 (right); Victor Alvarado, Eddy Lee and Rico Hernandez of Buffalo 3 (right).
GET TO THE POINT / MARCH 28, 2013
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Where in the Atlantic Region Are They?
Round 1, Week 3
MAINE
VERMONT
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 NEW YORK on environmental stewardship, two teams are doing urban and rural development, and one team is doing infrastructure improvement.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
MASSACHUSETTS CONN.
R.I.
PENNSYLVANIA
NEW JERSEY MARYLAND D.C.
WEST VIRGINIA
DELAWARE RAVEN 1 New York, N.Y. New York Cares Disaster Recovery
VIRGINIA MOOSE 3
RAVEN 2
New York, N.Y. World Care Centers Disaster Recovery
Newburgh, N.Y. Habitat for Humanity Urban & Rural Development
BUFFALO 1
BUFFALO 4
MOOSE 4
RAVEN 3
New Rochelle, N.Y. Habitat for Humanity Disaster Recovery
Earleville, Md. Girl Scouts of Chesapeake Bay Disaster Recovery
Brownsville, Pa. Appalachian Coal Country Team Environmental Stewardship
Marshfield, Mass. Mass. Audubon—South Shore Environmental Stewardship
BUFFALO 2
MOOSE 1
MOOSE 5
RAVEN 4
Schoharie, N.Y. Schoharie Area Long Term Recovery Disaster Recovery
Washington, D.C. FIRST-DC Urban & Rural Development
Camden, N.J. Camden Garden Club Urban & Rural Development
Brooklyn, N.Y. St. Bernard Project Disaster Recovery
BUFFALO 3
MOOSE 2
PHOENIX 1
RAVEN 5
Baltimore, Md. Blue Water Baltimore Environmental Stewardship
Orefield, Pa. Valley Youth House Disaster Recovery
Suffolk, Va. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Disaster Response/Env. Stewardship
Meadville, Pa. Allegheny College Lake Effects Infrastructure Improvement