Get to the Point Volume XVII Issue 24
Get to the Point: The NCCC News
An NCCC Atlantic Region Publication October 23-30, 2011 Volume XVII Issue 24 Perry Point, MD
Get to the Point Volume XVII Issue 24
Strengthen communities and develop leaders through direct, team-based national & community service
Inside Issue 21: Faces of the Week
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Raven 7 Update
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AmeriGourmet
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AmeriCount Down
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Brain Food
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Announcements
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Alumni Spotlight
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Graduation Information
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Rod‘s Ruminations
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Counselors‘ Corner
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Announcements
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I‘m a member of the National Civilian Community Corps, an AmeriCorps program. N-triple-C members are 18 to 24 years old & spend 10 months getting things done for America while developing their own leadership skills. We serve on teams to help communities prepare for & respond to disasters, build homes & help the environment.
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Raven 7: We Got Cabin Fe-Va! On October 20, 2011 in Schwenksville, Pennsylvania, several members of Raven 7 painted the interior of another cabin at Camp Hope for Kids, a pretty typical assignment for an AmeriCorps NCCC team. With just a few weeks left in their term, Raven 7 had seen it all, grizzled and grizzly veterans of the Corps, not quite as bright-eyed as when they started, not nearly as clean-cut, and very ready for the end of what seemed like a perpetual case of cabin fever, simply relocated with each new project, rather than relieved. The day before Round 4 began, Raven 7 didn‘t know where they were going. Initially, they were assigned a disaster project in Alabama, then Vermont. Carl, Zac, and Kitty even sacrificed their fall breaks to go to the Vermont early, only to see the rest of their team sent to New Hampshire. Transvale Acres, a trailer park in Conway that is home to some of the poorest New Hampshire residents, was devastated by floods caused by Irene. And so the Governor called on NCCC. Raven 7 spent two weeks clearing houses and trailers of soaked furniture, belongings, and carpeting, and hauling everything to dumpsters in borrowed pickup trucks. Welcomed and appreciated by the residents, Raven 7 worked hard and fast, and all of a sudden discovered they were out of work. They had done everything they were asked, and nobody else was asking. It was time to move on. From the White Mountains to the estuaries of the Chesapeake Bay, Raven 7 was tasked with completing the construction of a quarter mile long boardwalk at the St. Jones Estuarine Research Reserve in Dover, Delaware. While they never figured out how to pronounce ―estuarine,‖ Raven 7 did learn how to rip up and put down boards as quickly as possible. After hundreds of boards and thousands of screws, Nicki has a callous on her thumb because she would start a new screw before the drill even stopped spinning. The third project was Camp Hope for Kids. Usually one of the largest teams in the Corps, Raven 7 found themselves significantly diminished when Zac, Ariel, and Sophia were sent on disaster in Pennsylvania. The camp was beautiful, and the work just fine— painting the interior and exterior of cabins, fixing beds, cleaning out pantries—the team was losing it a bit. Colin took to playing Ping Pong by himself in the Great Hall when everyone else was on health and wellness runs. Even though they were cold and tired after their third project of the round, with still one more to go, the team held it together, and kept their spirits. How did they do that, what did they do to keep their minds intact? They rapped in British accents about insects. ―There is an inchworm on my nose/ do you think he knows about my hose?‖
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Okay, so maybe their minds weren‘t intact. ―My hose it has a special kink/ I think he knows! He gave a wink!‖ But at least they‘re having fun!
Phoenix 4 Shout Out: Shout out to Allen (Wesley Dexter)!! – from Phil (Billy Gonsler/Bradley Cooper) Better luck next year Johnny Damon
Moose 4 Shout Out: Hey, Girl, Hey. Love- Moose 4
Buffalo 6 Shout Out: Each morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most. -Buddha
Buffalo 7 Shout Out: 7 locations this round. We truly are Buffalo 7.
Raven 2 Shout Out: Bradley… Are you getting ready?
Buffalo 2 Shout Out: B2 is having a great time preparing for Halloween, pumpkins have been carved and haunted corn mazes have been visited. There are only slight injuries to report from these events, but those are not important. We also can’t wait to be reunited as a team and with all of you in the next week, however we refuse to acknowledge the upcoming separation.
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AmeriGourmet: The Cooking Corner– Fall/Halloween Edition Thai Pumpkin Soup Ingredients Serving: 10-12 people
3 tablespoons butter 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 3 cloves garlic, chopped 12 shallots, chopped 6 small fresh red chili peppers, chopped 3 tablespoons chopped lemon grass 6-1/3 cups vegetable stock 12 cups peeled and diced pumpkin 4-1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk 3 bunches basil leaves
Directions 1. In a medium saucepan, heat oil and butter over low heat. Cook garlic, shallots, chilies, and lemongrass in oil until fragrant (be careful not to burn the garlic). Stir in chicken stock, coconut milk, and pumpkin; bring to a boil. Cook until pumpkin softens. 2.In a blender, blend the soup in batches to a smooth or slightly chunky consistency, whatever you prefer. Serve with basil leaves.
Vegetarian Four Cheese Lasagna with Pumpkin Ingredients Serving: 10-12 people
3 cups peeled and diced pumpkin 1-1/2 eggplant, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds 7-1/2 tomatoes 3 cups ricotta cheese 14 ounces crumbled feta cheese 1 cup pesto 3 eggs, beaten salt and pepper to taste 1-1/2 (15 ounce) cans tomato sauce fresh pasta sheets 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese 1-1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). 1. Place pumpkin on a baking sheet and roast in oven until browned and tender, about 30 minutes. Cook
eggplant in a skillet. Halve tomatoes and place on baking sheet in oven for last 15 minutes of pumpkin time; cook until tender and wrinkly. 2.In a medium bowl, stir together ricotta, feta, pesto, eggs, salt and pepper until well mixed. Fold roasted pumpkin into ricotta mixture. 3.Make into a layered lasagnas. 4.Bake in preheated oven 30 to 40 minutes, until golden and bubbly.
AmeriCount Down
4 Days until Halloween
8 Days until Return to the Point
21 Days until Graduation
28 Days until Thanksgiving
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Brain Food: L & M Trivia By: Those Crazy STLs L. Mack & M. Jabat
What is NCCC-Activity:
First team to get back to CRSTL Laura Mack will win!
What is the AmeriCorps NCCC mission?
Raven 7 Shout Out: There’s a caterpillar in my bed. He looked at me and this is what he said, “Do you want to come into my cocoon? Come right in there’s plenty of room!” Support Team Leader Shout Out: Green Team Green Team Green Team Green Team Green Team Green Team Green Team Green Team Green Team Green Team
COME HOME!!! NOW!!! Raven 4 Shout Out: We’re
looking forward to seeing everyone back at the point!
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Atlantic Region has a Facebook Page! New Facebook Page:
Facebook.com/NCCCAtlanticRegion Visit our new Facebook page! Our Facebook page is the best place for you to stay up to date on what‘s happening at Perry Point after you graduate. On this page– we will post information about where our teams are located and special event information! Plus you can see pictures of your team and all the future teams. The URL is: facebook.com/ NCCCAtlanticRegion—like us!
Winter is Coming! Winter is Coming!
AmeriProm will take place on Thursday, November 10th in the VA Gymnasium @ 7pm. Come hang out, dance, and have fun with your favorite zombie, mummy, and other creatures of the night.
All Members should continue to follow uniform policy as we enter the winter months. There should not be any mixing of personal and NCCC winter uniform gear.
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Alumni Spotlight: Gretchen Sneegas Gretchen Sneegas, served as a Corps Member in Class XV, and served as the Community Relations Support Team Leader for Class XVI both at the Atlantic Region Campus at Perry Point. Once upon a time, I was a college student. Buried in textbooks and academic articles, surfacing only when absolutely necessary, I complacently ignored the dire warnings of my parents, my professors, and NPR Morning Edition, where the word ―recession‖ was vibrating on the airwaves. So when the summer of 2008 rolled around and careers were thin on the ground, I was caught completely flat-footed. Teetering that summer on the brink of true adulthood (i.e. paying rent), I will admit that I was more than a little nervous. My choice of studies, which had once seemed sensible, levelheaded, and even sane, now struck me as ridiculously feeble. ―Germanic Studies?!‖ the logical corner of my mind screamed. ―What on earth were you thinking? Who cares how to conjugate irregular verbs? When will you ever need to know about Wagner‘s influence on the modern film soundtrack? Will bilabial plosives get you health insurance or a 401k?!‖ Right before I was ready to self-destruct, along came Jean, my graduate supervisor. She sat me down, told me to take a few deep breaths, and then started explaining about NCCC. She had served at the Denver Campus as a Corps Member and a Team Leader several years before, and she said the program had a lot to offer. Eight months later, I was on a plane bound for Maryland. As my plane descended into Baltimore, I thought about how I would no longer be a listless student, pale and anemic from grey Indiana winters spent in the library stacks. I saw myself pulling victims from F5 tornado debris, administering CPR to grateful half-drowned people, and bonding with like-minded individuals as we took on the beasts of poverty in our left hands and inequality with our right. My idealism burned with the thousands of wildfires I knew I would soon be fighting. Needless to say, the work was not nearly as glamorous as in my daydreams. Where were the fifteenfoot-tall flames, the citizens trapped under collapsed buildings? What is so enchanting about pulling insulation from flooded crawlspaces, refereeing a fifth grade dodge ball game, or picking trash out of piles of oyster shell? The work may not always seem like much, but you, dear NCCC members, are hands-on volunteers, doing service at its most direct. You complete the forgotten yet necessary everyday jobs that build homes, keep parks clean, and help non-profits run smoothly. They are average tasks, even tedious at times…but what seem like the most menial of jobs have a way of stacking up to provide the foundation for something greater than mere lumber and nails and concrete. I did things over my two years with NCCC that I will probably never have the chance to do again. When else am I going to wade in chest-deep ocean water, lugging around bags of recycled shells to promote oyster growth and prevent erosion? Or crawl in six inch deep mud in crawlspaces and under trailers, pulling out sodden insulation and debris? Or sleep in a middle school library and take showers in the girls‘ bathroom? Or attend a workshop on composting with worms? My time in NCCC took me from Massachusetts to Georgia, Mississippi to West Virginia. I mentored (Continued on page 9)
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kids, listened to flood victims, cleaned beaches and weeded gardens. I learned how to swing a hammer, how to mud and sand and spackle, how to live with eight other people in a tiny apartment, and how to shop for food on $4.50 a day. I even learned where my life is heading, when my teammate lent me a book that changed the course of my life, leading me to my current job on an organic farm and a future that promises to be a meaningful one. I learned a lot in NCCC – about myself, about my team, about service and the unsung heroes (like you, Class XVII) who keep communities going. But more than being a learning experience, I consider NCCC a living experience. It‘s an experience in starting each day anew, in accepting change with an open mind and an open heart. It‘s a lesson I paid for with sweat and tears, hope and laughter, and it‘s a lesson I will never forget.
Moose 1 Shout Out: Stephanie- we got your package….. WAR GOD.
Buffalo 3 Shout Out: B3! is ready to slow their roll for a bit, but still killin' it out here in Philly. Cause we the bawce...
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Class Seventeen Graduation Ceremony AmeriCorps NCCC Atlantic Region Thursday, November 17th
10:00 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Chesapeake Arts Center 194 Hammonds Lane Brooklyn Park, Maryland 21225
The Staff and Members of the AmeriCorps NCCC Invite you to celebrate a year of service to our nation As we honor Class XVII Team Leader and Corps Member Graduates RSVP to Sam McKenzie at smckenzie@cns.gov Please also contact Sam McKenzie for any special needs in accordance with ADA
Directions to the Chesapeake Arts Center Chesapeake Arts Center is located at: 194 Hammonds Lane, Brooklyn Park, MD 21225. Located in Northern Anne Arundel County, just inside the Baltimore Beltway, near the Baltimore City line and Ritchie Highway (Route 2).For more information call 410-636-6597. From Annapolis and Points South Take 95, 295, or I-97 North to I-695 East towards Dundalk/Key Bridge. Take exit 3A bearing to your right and join Route 2 North (aka Ritchie Highway), and turn left at the first traffic light onto Hammonds Lane. CAC is 200 yards on the right hand side. From North of Baltimore Take I-95 South to I-895 South (Harbor Tunnel Thruway) to exit 7 Brooklyn (Rt. 2 / Potee St.) Potee St. becomes Rt. 2. Continue for approximately 2 miles and turn right onto Hammonds Lane. CAC is 200 yards on the right hand side. From Baltimore City Take Hanover Street South over the Hanover Street bridge. Hanover Street becomes Rt. 2. Follow Rt. 2 to Hammonds Lane. Turn right onto Hammonds Lane. CAC is 200 yards on the right hand side. From Howard County Take Rt. 100 East to I-295 North to I-695 East towards Glen Burnie to Exit 3A (Rt. 2 North) Join Rt. 2, and turn left at the first traffic light onto Hammonds Lane. CAC is 200 yards on the right hand side. As you enter the parking lot from Hammonds Lane, you will pass the Hammonds Lane Theatre on the left
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Rod’s Ruminations Halloween: Cute Holiday or a Playground for Terrorists? Well it‘s time for trick or treating again, or as I like to call it ―just treating.‖ Honestly, no one opts for the trick any more. When I have a house and the little ghouls come knocking on my door, forcing me to choose between the options, I‘m going to call their bluff and say ―trick.‖ I don‘t think these kids have it in them. When you really break it down, isn‘t trick or treating just an organized, sanctioned mugging? What we have here are groups of people roaming around, wearing masks, and forcing people to hand over something or face retribution. To quote the great Walter Sobchak: ―This isn‘t ‗Nam…there are rules.‖ We should not be subjected to this sort of systematized extortion at the hands of five year-olds. That‘s why, the next time you are at your home on Halloween and someone rings the bell and shouts, ―Trick or Treat!‖ you should yell back, ―This household does not negotiate with terrorists!‖ and slam the door in their tiny, extremist faces. In my good old hometown of Huron, Ohio, they figured this out years ago. That‘s why, in 1995, the Huron City Schools banned dressing up on Halloween, because a few parents thought it was demonic (―Man, I knew dressing up as a Cleveland Browns football player last year would blow my cover as a closeted Satanist!‖). They replaced it with ―Harvest Happenings, ―a vaguely pagan celebration of fall where kids were only allowed to dress up in autumn themed costumes. This basically limited our choices to farm animals, pilgrims, or a leaf. Needless to say, we all thought Harvest Happenings was bogus. But sometimes you have to suck it up and deal with things like that if you want to avoid the perils of organized crime and fear. That, my friends, is the price of freedom. Buffalo 5 Shout Out: If you can fInd It, you can eat It… challenge ACCEPTED.
Moose 3 Shout Out: Buffalo 7…I am glad our teams Connected for Change.
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Counselor Corner: Counselor Laura Tuck Please note that for any Corps Member and Team Leader I am here to help! I am here and want to help with whatever I can for a Member or Team Leader. If you need help with LAA or someone to review a resume, find resources for you in your new home community, etc. Even if you need help with insurance or prescriptions I am here for you.
Class 17 Awards Banquet Please RSVP for your guests or have them RSVP as soon as possible no later than November 1st to SMcKenzie@cns.gov or 202 528 3755. Awards Banquet Ceremony: Wednesday, November 16, 2011 Starting at 6:00 p.m. There is a cost per person for guests only. The location and cost per guest will be announced in November. Please also remember Superlatives & Big 4 Awards nominations are due October 27th!
TO ALL MEMBERS: Cecil County Public Library Cards will be expired on Friday November 4th! All Materials (Books, CDs, DVDs ANYTHING) as well as All Fines are Due Wednesday November 9th!
HIGHLIGHTS: CARD EXPIRES– NOVEMBER 4TH FINES DUE– NOVEMBER 9TH MATERIALS DUE– NOVEMBER 9TH Please take care of these things as soon as you are back on campus!