Americorps helps with summer camp in Green River

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An AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps team is helping out the Green River Community Center until July 15 to assist with its summer camp program, themed “Beat the Heat.” In addition, the team will be doing renovations of a historic building and starting construction of the Community Center’s first low-income home build. NCCC Corps members are running classes, including science, math, reading, arts and crafts, guitar lessons, dance, theater and sports. Each Corps member prepares activities to enrich the experience for the children and make the summer a memorable one. The team is extremely excited to work in the Green River community and to enjoy its beauty.
The Green River Community Center is in its ninth year of operation. A variety of services are performed under ones roof, which are often split between multiple non-profits in larger areas. Its services include the operation of two thrift stores and low-income housing, development of afterschool and summer education programs, offering classes for English as a second language, and delivering meals to the elderly.
Mary Worley, an NCCC Corps Member, says “Not often does an organization offer so many needed services. This is a unique opportunity where a person can tutor and mentor at-risk youth in the mornings and perform construction for low-income housing in the afternoons. This project really allows you to see effects of poverty.”
AmeriCorps NCCC is part of AmeriCorps, a network of national service programs created to improve the environment, enhance education, increase public safety, and assist with disaster relief and other unmet human needs. The Pacific Region campus, located in Sacramento, Calif., serves Hawaii, Alaska, Montana, Utah, Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Idaho, Wyoming, the territories of Guam and Samoa, as well as the Gulf Coast Region. The Pacific Region campus is one of five campuses in the United States; the others are located in Perry Point, Md.; Denver, Colo.; Vicksburg, Miss.; and Vinton, Iowa.
NCCC members, 18-24 years of age, must complete at least 1,700 hours of community service during the 10-month program. In exchange for their service, they receive $4,725 to help pay for college or to pay school loans. Other benefits include leadership development, team building skills, increased self-confidence, and the satisfaction of knowing that they have made a real difference in communities across the country.
This year marks the 15th anniversary of AmeriCorps NCCC members leaving their mark throughout the United States. AmeriCorps is administered by the Corporation for National Civilian and Community Service. For information about applying to an AmeriCorps program, call 1-800-942-2677 (1-800-94-ACORP) or visit the website at www.AmeriCorps.gov.
The Habitat for Humanity of Castle Country is excited about their partnership with Americorps.
This new partner will help with affordable housing in Emery and Carbon counties. Jack Forinash, an AmeriCorps/Vista Volunteer stationed in Green River, along with volunteers, Rand Pinson and Maria Sykes, attended the monthly HFHofCC board meeting held on the current building site in Castle Dale. With them were three of the 11 Americorp/NCCC volunteers scheduled to help with community projects in both Green River and Wellington, who will also possibly be putting in some weekend time helping bring the HFH house closer to completion.
These federally funded Americacorp/NCCC teams stay in a location for six weeks, then move on, volunteering time, talents and energy to a different place and different projects; learning, helping and teaching as they go. They are enthusiastic and dedicated young people from diverse areas of the United States and have at one time helped to build a home on other HFH sites in just two weeks.
Forinash is putting together plans for some much needed affordable houses in Green River, and HFHofCC is hoping to join him and the groups working with him, giving assistance on the actual builds. “Applications are being taken already,” stated Forinash.
If you would like an applicatin or more information, call the HFH office 435-637-9701 or the Green River Community Center 435-564-8221.