News : Maple 4 returns to Vinton for final time before AmeriCorps graduation

(Editor's note: The first Maple Unit of the AmeriCorps NCCC in Vinton will graduate early next month. They invite Vinton residents to join them for a potluck this Saturday, Jan. 29, from 6-8 p.m. in the Iowa Braille School gym See more details Here. For the past several months, the teams have been serving throughout America, helping in a variety of ways. Here is one team's story.

By Matt Baker

AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps’ team Maple 4 returns to Vinton on Thursday, January 27th after completing their final project in Rapid City, South Dakota. The team spent the past two months working at the Black Hills Workshop, which serves people with mental disabilities. Team members assisted staff throughout the different focus areas of the Workshop, including the gymnasium, elderly area, and the Suzie Cappa Art Center. Other areas served were food services, sensory development, and the manufacturing center. Along with helping out staff, the team focused on interacting and developing relationships with the people served. The experience is one they won’t soon forget.

“I loved my time here in Rapid City,” said team member Heather Moncher. “I met some great people with awesome personalities here. I gained a lot of perspective, and it was an educational experience that I will appreciate for the rest of my life.”

This is the final project of the service year for Maple 4. Other projects included working at a YMCA summer camp in Michigan; flood relief in Milwaukee and Waterloo, Iowa; urban development in Cedar Rapids; and environmental conservation in western Minnesota.