Et cetera : THEY CAME, THEY SERVED, THEY LEFT THEIR MARK

AmeriCorps NCCC Members graduate after completing 10 months of service AmeriCorps NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps) proudly graduates 187 young adults Wednesday, November 14, 2012. The graduation ceremony begins promptly at 6:30 p.m. and is being held at Vinton-Shellsburg High School Auditorium in Vinton. The ceremony marks the end of a 10-month journey that began in February 2012. NCCC Corps Members and Team Leaders have completed more than 192,000 hours of community service while finishing 105 service projects throughout the North Central Region. During their term of service, Corps Members and Team Leaders worked in teams of 10-12 and were deployed on service projects across the North Central Region states: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. NCCC teams also provided much needed support to the residents of Iowa and North Dakota devastated by the floods of 2008 and 2011; residents of the Gulf Coast region devastated by Hurricane Isaac; and tornado recovery efforts in Southern Indiana. The accomplishments of these 187 NCCC Team Leaders and Corps Members are quite notable, and include:

• 30 projects completed in the state of Iowa

· 1,578 People assisted in disaster areas · 525 Homes refurbished for disaster victims · 15,200 Pounds of food collected or distributed · 1,390 Elementary students supported in an out of school program · 2,094 New trees planted · 1,140 People taught in environmental education classes/workshops · 439 Native plants planted · 196,022 Pounds of debris of trash removed · 210 at-risk youth assisted · 2,790 Acres of land burned in prescribed burns · 5,246 Volunteers recruited or coordinated AmeriCorps NCCC is a full-time, residential, national service program in which 1,100 young adults serve nationwide each year. During their 10-month term, NCCC Members – all 18 to 24 years old – work on teams of eight to 12 on projects that address critical needs related to natural and other disasters, infrastructure improvement, environmental stewardship and conservation, energy conservation and urban and rural development. Members mentor students, construct and rehabilitate low-income housing, respond to natural disasters, clean up streams, help communities develop emergency plans, and address countless other local needs. The North Central Region campus in Vinton, Iowa is one five regional campuses in the United States and serves Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. The other campuses are located in Perry Point, Md.; Sacramento, Calif.; Vicksburg, Miss.; and Denver, Colo. In exchange for their service, NCCC Members receive $5,550 to help pay for college, or to pay back existing student loans. Other benefits include a small living stipend, room and board, leadership development, increased self-confidence, and the knowledge that, through active citizenship, people can indeed make a difference. AmeriCorps NCCC is administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service. The Corporation improves lives, strengthens communities, and fosters civic engagement through service and volunteering. For more information about AmeriCorps NCCC, visit the website at www.americorps.gov/nccc.