Et Cetera

  An AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) team, Maple 2, has been sent to Minot, N.D. to help Lutheran Disaster Response in their recovery efforts in the wake of the June 2011 flood that devastated the area. A massive amount of rainfall in Canada, in combination with rain and melting snow in North Dakota contributed to the flooding of the Souris (“Mouse”) River last year, forcing thousands of people to flee their homes.

  Chalynn Passmore of Anderson, Calif., is today's featured NCCC FEMA Corps Team Leader.   Chalynn is serving as the Pine 4 NCCC FEMA Corps Team Leader at the Vinton Campus. She chose to participate in AmeriCorps NCCC FEMA Corps because she enjoyed her previous experience as a NCCC Class 18 Corps Member at the Sacramento campus and wanted to continue serving communities.

By Harry Parsons Since 1958, The Nature Conservancy of Minnesota has helped protect 70,000 acres of forest, prairies, rivers, lakes and wetlands. Prescribed burning is one way the Conservancy maintains this land. As fall season hits, a possibility for fall burning could do well for the forests and prairies of Minnesota. So when an AmeriCorps NCCC team of eleven showed up on September 10 to assist, the organization could not have been more thrilled.

By: Rachel Lebeaux   Name: Joe Reilly Hometown: Denver, Colorado   Joe is currently serving as a member of Oak 1 with the AmeriCorps NCCC at the Vinton Campus. Joe has a strong work ethic and gets along with just about anyone. He also has a desire to learn new skills and experience different areas and jobs. Joe learned about NCCC from his stepmother who participates in many volunteer opportunities in the Denver area.

By:  Yazmeen Green   NCCC Team, Cedar Two team arrived at the YMCA Camp Wapsie in Coggon, Iowa last week. Camp Wapsie provide an environment where children can experience the outdoors and learn about the guiding principles of caring, honesty, respect and responsibility. Cedar Two is helping with Camp Wapsie’s mission by providing improvements to the buildings and play areas, such as the Burma bridge and archery structure, as well as working with the kids.

State Treasurer Michael L. Fitzgerald's Great Iowa Treasure Hunt fall publication is scheduled to be released soon. The upcoming list is the latest names of unclaimed property owners with undiscovered treasures. "This fall we will be publishing the names of people who have had funds turned over to the Great Iowa Treasure Hunt in the last year," Fitzgerald said.

By: Krista Eichhorst Name: Andrew Burns Hometown: Canal Winchester, Ohio Andrew is serving as the Hickory 1 NCCC FEMA Corps Team Leader at the Vinton Campus. He chose to participate in AmeriCorps NCCC FEMA Corps because he wanted an opportunity to gain career direction, grow as an individual, and develop leadership experience while giving back to different communities.

  By: Ashley Carmichael   For eight weeks, Maple 7 is working at Camp Courageous, a year-round respite care and recreational facility in Monticello, Iowa. Camp Courageous serves over 6,000 individuals with disabilities annually and with the help of a NCCC team they are able to take campers off the waiting list. The team is providing personal care for the campers and leading camp activities.

Vinton-Shellsburg High School students (sophomores, juniors and seniors) received recognition for their academic success during the annual ceremony on Thurssday.  The guest speaker was John Mossman, a VS graduate and local lawyer. He told the students that hard work now builds the foundation for succes in college and beyond Those receiving recognition included:   Class of 2015 Sydney Bartling Caleb Bendull Derek Dinderman John Eden Jordan Evans Rachel Gordon Jacob Gosse Aaron Henderson* Morgan Hendryx Alexis Hicok Richard Hunter II Daniel Janssen Caitlin Kruckenberg* Elliana Lane Payton Leonard Chelsey Mier Kylie Miracle Jessica Noren Aaron Ohlsen Olivia Oltrogge Michelle Patrilla Sierra Rast Riley Ries Elijah Rogers Warren Rouse Melody Sedlacek Kathleen Steffen Devin Tollefson Wyatt Tumilty Zachary Uthoff   *Denotes 4.

By: Lauren Brostowitz   NCCC team, Maple 4, arrived in Minot, N.D. on August 17 to continue to assisting the Lutheran Disaster Response in supporting individuals and families with long-term flood recovery efforts. Working diligently to help place residents back into their homes, Maple 4 mucked homes containing lost possessions, gutted insulation and building materials that suffered structural integrity as well as power washed and sanitized to discontinue the growth of mildew and mold.