Et cetera : AmeriCorps NCCC Member Spotlight: Lacy Caristi

Lacy Caristi

Name: Lacy Caristi

Hometown: Rohnert, CA

NCCC Team: Cedar 3

Lacy graduated from Rancho Cotate High School in 2009 and is currently working on her degree from Santa Rosa Junior College. She considers herself to be a hard worker who works well with others. She is a patient person and doesn’t like to leave a job unfinished. Before AmeriCorps NCCC started, Lacy was attending the Santa Rosa Junior College in Santa Rosa, California. Lacy found out about NCCC when trying to apply to the Peace Corps and discovered she needed to finish her degree, a recruiter from Peace Corps suggested AmeriCorps instead. When asked why she chose to do a term of national service, Lacy said, “My entire life I have always wanted to make a positive influence in the world I live in and I thought this would be a good chance to give back to my country without having to join the military. I have always been a strong believer in change without violence, and I think taking a year out of my life to serve a community will not only help the people who live there but would also help me grow into a stronger and more open minded person. NCCC can offer me a one in a life time experience and I’m grateful that I can help others on my way to success.” After finishing this year with NCCC, Lacy plans on returning to college for a year or so and possibly consider signing up for NCCC again to be a Team Leader.

Lacy and Cedar 3 completed their first round service project with Groundwork Milwaukee in Milwaukee, Wisconsin installing the county’s new hiking trail system, removing invasive plant species, and training natural area volunteers. The team’s completed work resulted in a community garden where children have a safe place to play. Cedar 3 removed invasive plants and replaced them with healthy plants to ensure that the park is not overtaken by plants that could harm the park.

Lacy and Cedar 3 just returned this week from Mississippi where they were assisted Catholic Charities, Inc. with recovery efforts as a result of recent flooding. They are in Vinton for the next week before they leave on their next service project.