Et cetera : Make A Difference Day is Saturday, October 22

   Make A Difference Day is Saturday, October 22


By: Angela Sarrels

You may be wondering what is Make a Difference Day (MADD). MADD is celebrated each year on the 4th Saturday in October. Created by USA WEEKEND Magazine, it is the nation’s largest day of volunteering, thanks to the passion of millions of people. The Corporation for National and Community Service encourages all of its AmeriCorps and Senior Corps programs to serve in their communities on this day in support of MADD.

All five AmeriCorps NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps) campuses are participating in MADD events in communities in their regions. For the North Central Region campus in Vinton, Iowa this means that 160 members are serving 13 communities on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2011. These communities are in South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois and Indiana. In addition, one team is serving in Texas where they are currently assisting FEMA and American Youthworks with a volunteer reception center in Bastrop as a result of recent wildfires.


Three NCCC teams are serving in Iowa on projects. Cedar 3 is in Monticello with Camp Courageous as camp counselors and Oak 2 is in Cedar Rapids with Community Health Charities Iowa assisting with compiling a 4,000 piece mailing for area businesses informing them about 24 health agencies. Oak 7 is working with BRIGHTEN in Cedar Rapids priming and painting a house.


Six teams are in the Dakotas assisting three organizations. Cedar 1 is in Rapid City, South Dakota serving the Rapid City Club for Boys by cleaning and painting selected areas of the club. Another four teams, Oak 1, Oak 4, Oak 6 and Cedar 4, are in Pierre, South Dakota assisting Lutheran Disaster Services with mucking and gutting homes impacted by 2011 flooding. The final team, Maple 4, is in Minot, North Dakota assisting Lutheran Disaster Response with flood recovery work from summer flooding.


The campus has three teams serving three locations in the state of Michigan. Maple 2 is assisting Crossroads for Youth in Oxford with building maintenance. Maple 7 is with YMCA Metro Detroit in Holly helping with building maintenance including roofing, painting and drywall. The final team in Michigan is Oak 3 and they are helping construct homes with Habitat for Humanity of Marquette County.


Two NCCC teams are serving in Indiana. Maple 5 is with Nameless Creek Youth Camp in Greenfield assisting in the renovation of an outdoor recreational facility for groups of all ages. Maple 3 is assisting Hamilton County Parks and Recreation in Carmel with renovations of a volunteer house which includes the construction of a new deck, painting, siding and landscaping.


Two more NCCC teams are making a difference in Illinois. Cedar 5 is assisting in the removal of invasive tree saplings throughout the 7,100 acre Emiquon Preserve in Lewistown with the Nature Conservancy of Illinois. Cedar 6 is assisting Habitat for Humanity of McLean County completing interior work on two new constructions.


Our final two teams are in Nebraska and Ohio. Cedar 2 is in Ohio assisting Habitat for Humanity of Greater Columbus in various roles related to construction production. These areas include new construction, ReBuilds, House Lead Assistants, Green Team and construction support. Maple 6 is in Omaha, Nebraska with Habitat for Humanity focusing on interior work on houses.


AmeriCorps NCCC encourages individuals to go out into their communities this Saturday and “Make A Difference”. For more information about MADD visit http://makeadifferenceday.com/.