Building Blitz in Michigan:
AmeriCorps Programs Pitch In

The Jimmy Carter Work Project, an annual building blitz sponsored by Habitat for Humanity, is based in Michigan this year, with the goal of completing 240 houses by the end of this week. That goal couldn’t be met without the help of several AmeriCorps programs. Three AmeriCorps*NCCC teams from the Denver campus have been working on the project for months at the host sites in Detroit and Benton Harbor. President Carter plans to visit both host sites during the blitz. The AmeriCorps*NCCC teams were joined recently by AmeriCorps*Tribal Civilian Community Corps (AmeriCorps*TCCC), including the Hoopa AmeriCorps*TCCC from California, the Nenana AmeriCorps*TCCC from Alaska, and the Arizona-based Navajo Region*TCCC. This project marks the first time that Americorps*NCCC and AmeriCorps*TCCC teams have been working side by side. In addition, 17 AmeriCorps members serving with HabiCorps, based in Lafayette, Ind., will be on hand. The AmeriCorps members serve as crew leaders and manage volunteers on the project.

100 Best Communities For Young People:
Steve Goldsmith Chat

As the 100 Best Communities for Young People competition continues to generate registrants from across the country, America’s Promise talked with Steve Goldsmith, Chairman of the Corporation’s Board, about the importance of applying for the “100 Best” honor. Read his comments and learn. Deadline is July 29.

Recruiting AmeriCorps members takes creativity, according to Mark Lazzarra, executive director of the West Seneca Youth Bureau AmeriCorps program. His latest idea has people staring at him whenever he’s on the road. Lazzarra painted the AmeriCorps logo and the Youth Bureau’s phone number and website on a car, which he takes everyday out to recruitment and program sites. “If I didn’t have to recruit 400 members, I might not have gone this way,” Lazzarra said. “This is one tool that helps us stand out. “ The results have been good so far, and Lazzarra is planning to drive the car in parades and attend fairs this summer, along with AmeriCorps members who will explain the program to potential recruits.

Service Hero:
Foster Grandparent Kathryn Felstet

Kathryn Felstet retired recently after putting in 25 years as a Foster Grandparent. The longest-serving Foster Grandparent in Montana, she was the first Foster Grandparent to complete a quarter century of service in Montana, where she served with the Missoula Aging Services Foster Grandparent Program, beginning in 1980. While caring for her husband, who has suffered a stroke, she heard about Foster Grandparents from a neighbor who was also nursing an ailing husband. She saw Foster Grandparents as a way to get out of the house. Originally, she intended to contribute a few years to the program, but she just kept going. Over the years, she served in three locations but always with the Head Start Program, where she played games, read stories, and created artworks with preschoolers. She enjoyed not only the children, but also getting to know faculty members and making friends with other Foster Grandparents. Although she is no longer an official Foster Grandparent, she anticipates missing the program when school starts again in the fall, and she intends to visit frequently.

Promising Programs:
The "Paw Shop" Learn and Serve Program

The Program: A senior seminar at Mercer School in Mercer, Wis., this past year focused on ways that the 15 students in the class of 2005 could give back to their community. Located on the main highway that connects Wisconsin to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Mercer has a high vacancy rate in its business area. After conducting surveys of parents and students, the class decided to open a resale shop in one of the empty buildings. Named in honor of the team mascot of the Mercer Tigers, the store filled a void since the next closest resale shop is a 25-mile drive. Local realtor Tom Ponik provided the space at a reduced rate and became the business partner for the project. The students joined forces with local volunteers to staff the store, make eye-catching displays, and create crafts that filled out the lines of used goods.

The Results: Opened in October 2004, the store grossed $6,000—a tidy sum considering that t-shirts could be purchased for 50 cents while sweatshirts and pants commanded a dollar. The store has been so popular that local residents asked that it be kept open for the summer, even though next year’s 23-member senior class will not be involved until the fall. Volunteers and teachers will staff the store until then. Recently, students and the Mercer Lioness, a local civic organization, gathered for the presentation of a $1,500 check. With input from the students and teachers, the Lioness will use the funds to assist in community emergencies, help families facing medical crises, and address community safety issues.

Why It Works: Teachers and community volunteers played an integral part in the success of the project. Volunteers from the local RSVP program pitched in to help the students staff the store, and many of them ended up acting as mentors to the students in the process. The students were careful to use all donations. Even stained t-shirts ended up with a purpose—they were sent to a local automotive shop for use as grease rags. The students completed the year taking pride in their accomplishments, and learned new skill.

Lessons Learned: Running a business takes a lot of planning, and it takes commitment on the part of the students. Getting parents involved was crucial to making sure the students followed through on those commitments. For further information, email Connie Swanson or Jennifer Varsik or call (715) 476-2154.