Et cetera : Things Get Spooky for NCCC Team Serving in Rapid City

By Emma Prichard AmeriCorps NCCC team, Cedar 5, is currently working with the Black Hills Works of Rapid City, South Dakota. This is the team’s final project with the NCCC. They started the project on September 11 and will finish on October 31. While at Black Hills Works, the team is teaching and assisting individuals with disabilities. The NCCC team is working in a number of the organization’s programs, including the Suzie Cappa Art Center; the Health, Sport and Fitness Center; the Retirement Program; as well as helping with kitchen duties. On any given day, the team’s tasks can include things such as teaching an origami class, helping someone walk on the treadmill or assisting with Special Olympics Bowling. The team is also assisting with home visitations in order to teach life skills and provide companionship for the people supported by Black Hills Works. As Halloween approaches, the NCCC team is helping to build a haunted house in the Black Hills Works’ gym. So far, they have hung 200 sheets to form a maze and are setting up props including everything from plastic skeletons to rubber snakes. Once the haunted house is assembled, the team will volunteer as actors within the haunted house itself. “I’ve always wanted to work at a haunted house” says NCCC Team Leader Rachel Price. “I’m really excited about it.” Rachel and the rest of the team will be helping out with the haunted house as part of National Make a Difference Day.