Vinton population increases by 230 in a day: AmeriCorps Class 17 members arrive

AmeriCorps director Jody Burns welcomes Alexander Clem from Michigan during AmeriCorps sign-in.

Jody Burns gives new member Brittany Bergstrom her name tag and sign for her dorm door.

Many packages of items were sent to the AmeriCorps members at their new Vinton mailing address.

Many new members mailed their items ahead.

Team leader Phil Grantham helps member Robert Edwards pick out the right size of coveralls.

Robert Edwards of Charleston, S.C. tries on AmeriCorps coveralls Tuesday in Vinton.

It took 10 years for the population of Vinton to increase by 155; it jumped by 230 more today.

The Class 17 members are arriving at the Vinton AmeriCorps NCCC campus at the Iowa Braille School today. Nearly 20 had arrived by 10 a.m. Several were on airplanes this morning, heading to Cedar Rapids, where vans would take them to their new home.

Dozens of boxes and packages were sent ahead to the members' mailing address for the rest of 2011: 1004 G Avenue, Vinton, IA 52349. They were pliled on the bleachers, awaiting their owners' arrival.

The new members signed in, and received their name tags, as well as signs with their names to tape to their dorm doors. They also received their equipment, including boots, hard hats and overalls. While most area residents are accustomed to seeing the AmeriCorps workers in either green or grey, the coveralls are a light blue. Assistant Director said the new coveralls are designed to be more comfortable and cool for working in warmer weather.

From all over the United States, the 230 members who will soon form the Class 17 Maple, Oak and Unit teams begin their journey in the IBSSS gym. The east wall of that gym includes maps of several other states -- representing the schools for visually impaired from other states, which decades ago competed against the Iowa Rams in basketball and other sports.

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SA February 18, 2011, 9:45 pm The U.S. House has voted to eliminate all funding for the Corporation For National and Community Service and AmeriCorps which would shut down the Vinton Campus.... Contact Congressman Boswell, Senator Grassley and Senator Harkin and ask them to Save AmeriCorps.
(Editor\'s Note: We asked Jody Burns about this and the AmeriCorps leader in Vinton told us that the funding issue comes up every year; she said she was not concerned and things are progressing as planned.)

SA February 19, 2011, 5:29 pm The U.S. House of Representatives have not voted to eliminate AmeriCorps in many years and never the whole agency - the Corporation for National and Community Service. Jody is correct that this still has to go to the Senate and the president but with a budget showdown who knows who will prevail and the threat should not be dismissed lightly. Iowa leaders need to know how important national service programs are to Iowa, not just NCCC but the 1000 other Iowa AmeriCorps members the 10,000+ Senior Corps volunteers and over 200,000 community volunteers leveraged by these programs. If we are going to cut government programs we need service and volunteer programs more than ever to maintain services....

FoS February 25, 2011, 5:09 pm You can find more news on the cuts to national service on Sen. Harkin\'s website at http://harkin.senate.gov/documents/pdf/4d65506304e34.pdf

News : Vinton population increases by 230 in a day: AmeriCorps Class 17 members arrive

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