Et Cetera

By: Krista Eichhorst Name: Donald Hawkins Hometown: Lorton, Virginia Donald is serving as the Spruce 5 NCCC FEMA Corps Team Leader at the Vinton Campus. He chose to participate in AmeriCorps NCCC FEMA Corps because he wanted to take a break from school that would be positive and full of growth. Donald says that he can’t think of a better way to spend the next 11 months of his life than to serve his country, his fellow Americans and their communities.

By: Krista Eichhorst Name: Rita Andryushchenko Hometown: Sacramento, California Rita is serving as the Spruce 4 NCCC FEMA Corps Team Leader at the Vinton Campus. She chose to participate in AmeriCorps NCCC FEMA Corps because of her desire to serve the people and communities of the United States. Rita graduated from River City High School in 2004 and Fresno Pacific University in June 2008 with a Bachelor’s Degree in English with a secondary teaching emphasis.

  Shreveport, Louisiana –An AmeriCorps National Community Corps (NCCC) team is working with the American Red Cross (ARC) in response to Hurricane Isaac, managing a shelter for evacuated residents from August 28 to September 19.   The 9 member NCCC team from the North Central Regional Campus in Vinton, Iowa is assisting with the daily operations of the shelter at the Louisiana State University of Shreveport gymnasium as well as the cleaning and closing of the shelter when the time arises.

By: Rachel Lebeaux   Name: Stephen Wasp Hometown: Glen Head, N.Y.   Stephen is currently serving as a member of Maple 4, a fire team, with the AmeriCorps NCCC at the Vinton Campus. He is excited to expand his horizons in the country which has afforded him so many opportunities. Steven brings a variety of skills to his team and the Corps as a whole.

By:  Alease Rowan   Maple Six is working in Valparaiso, Indiana for their third project of the year at Taltree Arboretum & Gardens.  The team is responsible for helping construct the arboretum’s new Children’s Garden exhibit and with removing invasive plant species that have been dominating the prairie and woodland areas.

Kathryn Pierce, a junior from Belle Plaine, was named to Illinois College's spring semester dean's list. Pierce is the daughter of Julie Pierce of Belle Plaine. She is a graduate of Belle Plaine High School . Candidates for the dean's list must complete at least 14 semester hours and post a grade point average of 3.5 or higher on a 4.

Josie Margaret Rundlett and Matthew David Beecher were united in marriage on August 13th, 2011 at the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School in Vinton, Iowa, with Cory Crowley, friend of the couple, officiating the ceremony. Josie is the daughter of Bill and Deb Rundlett of Vinton. Matt is the son of David and Gail Beecher, also of Vinton. The maid of honor was Jessica Rundlett, sister of the bride, and the bridesmaids were Erin (Hopp) Liggett, sorority sister of the bride, Chelsea Donison, sorority sister of the bride, Kaitlin (Karrick) Jablonski, childhood friend of the bride, Kathryn Ott, friend of the couple and Breahna Galbreath, friend of the couple.

  By: Krista Eichhorst   Name: Cassie Murray   Hometown: Washington D.C.   Cassie is serving as the Team Leader for Pine 7 at the Vinton Campus. She chose to participate in AmeriCorps NCCC FEMA Corps because she is passionate about serving people in need and wants to apply what she learns this year to a career in teaching.

By: Madison Shoemaker   AmeriCorps NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps) team Maple 3 is hard at work in Fargo, North Dakota. The team is working with their sponsor River Keepers while staying at a city owned house.   The NCCC team’s main task is invasive species removal by the Red River. Trees such as buckthorn, box elders, as well as other weeds are taken out with chainsaws, pole saws and smaller tools.