http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=resources/lifestyle_community/latino_life&id=8631196    

This year, fourteen Fresno State students participated in the 4^th Annual Alternative Spring Break (ASB) Program, a programdesigned to engage students in meaningful service during their spring break vacation. Team leaders Daniel Perez and Darla Vang chose to give back to a park that held special meaning to them and was close to their hearts and homes. Quigley Park, located off of Fruit and Dakota, serves as a home away from home for many children and adults in the surrounding community. The park and recreation center providesa central location for the community to eat, play and gather with friends and family. During this three-day service project ASB participants took part in a beautification project, facilitated interactive sports and activities for children, and hosted a spring carnival for children and their families. Collectively, the team served more than 375 hours to the local community and engaged approximately 250 children in activities that supported a healthy lifestyle. 

Participants of the program described their experience as “eye opening” and “life changing.” For one participant the experience reminded her that you don’t always have to leave the country or the state to make an impact–sometimes, investing in your own community can reap even greater rewards. This story is a reminder that each and every one of us has the power to make a difference in our local community. Whether it is through volunteering your time to serve food at a homeless shelter, tutor a child once a week, or giving back to a local park – we can make a difference

-By Melissa Watkins

Andrew is currently an AmeriCorps Vista, and is working on Project Operation Graduation with Fresno Unified, Elijah is serving with AmeriCorps year at HandsOn Central California and working on the Volunteer Infrastructure Project.

Here is the Link to their award-winning video in the Calserves Blog

http://calservesvip.blogspot.com/2012/03/presenting-our-americorps-works-vip.html

Outstanding Business Volunteer Award

Humanitarian Award

Spirit of Caring Award

Leadership Award

Outstanding  Youth Volunteer Award

Outstanding Adult Volunteer Award

Outstanding Service Organization Award

Outstanding College Volunteer Award

Outstanding School Volunteer  Award

Lifetime Achievement Award

Angel Award

Outstanding Senior Volunteer Award

2 HandOn Mission Award

After the winners are selected invitations go out for the annual luncheon to honor not only the winners but volunteers nominated.  The luncheon took place Wednesday at the Golden Palace and we were honored with the presence of Karen Baker the California State Secretary of Service and Volunteering as the Keynote speaker.  We also had short appearances from Mayor Ashley Swearengin and Fresno County Superintendent of Schools Larry Powell who spoke innovating and welcoming remarks to all the fellow nominees and winners.  The sold out event really was a great representation of all the non-profit organizations who count on volunteer support.  Some of the winning Volunteers come from recognized business and organizations. 

Winners for the day were as follows:

Outstanding Business Volunteer Award…………… AT&T Pioneers

Humanitarian Award…………………………………….East Fresno Kiwanis

Spirit of Caring Award……………………….ichanllenge Leadership Group

Leadership Award…………………………………………Laurie Doyle

Outstanding  Youth Volunteer Award……………….Madison Foss

Outstanding Adult Volunteer Award…………………Charles Fuller

Outstanding Service Organization Award…………..Selma Cares

Outstanding College Volunteer Award……………….Tom Tran

Outstanding School Volunteer  Award……………….Shirley Boujikian

Lifetime Achievement Award…………………………..Gladys and Mel Mendes

Angel Award…………………………………………………Roger Salley

Outstanding Senior Volunteer Award………………..Franz Weinschenk

HandsOn Mission Award…………………………………Kohl’s Cares

HandsOn Mission Award…………………………………Luis Castellanos

This luncheon was particularly special this year, HandsOn Central California, once named and known as the Volunteer Burea of Fresno, celebrated their 50th anniversary, with a small video piece from CBS47 that shared a history piece of HandsOn’s involvement to what a successful organization it has become today. 

Thanks go out to all the nominators and sponsers on behalf of HandsOn Central California

Here is a piece from CBS47 highlighting some of the winners

http://www.cbs47.tv/mostpopular/story/Hands-Across-the-Valley-Volunteer-Awards/WkSO8EU3m0GmlIrot5froA.cspx

            On August 25  2011 AmeriCorps gave me the opportunity to manage volunteers for the world’s largest volunteer organization for young women, GIRL SCOUTS  I worked with Girl Scouts of Central California South and they serve about 12,000 girls within five counties; Fresno, Tulare, Madera, Kings, and Kern.  I discovered later that Girl Scouts was not just about selling cookies and going camping, but about a team of people working hard to build young girls courage, character, and confidence through activities, education, and hands on experience.  On my first day on the job, I could sense a slight stressful environment within the Girl Scout Fresno council office.  After doing a needs assessment with each department I discovered what the issues was; staff members were over loaded with tasks and responsibilities.  They needed an extra hand in order to complete them on time.  This put a big smile on my face, because I knew that I would be taking part in making that happen.

            It has been 6 months since I have started and I’ve already helped bring in 50 long term volunteers to help in the office and at events.  I’ve created a filing system to keep record of all volunteers’ applications and hours.  All volunteers have a log in sheet and their daily tasks are listed on a dry erase board at my desk.  Volunteering alongside my volunteers has been a treat, because it has helped me get to know them and build a relationship so that I can better understand their point of view of how we manage volunteers.  When volunteer feel needed, valued and cared for they can help bring organizations to unimaginable heights.  However in order for me to be a motivating leader, I must first be inspired, motivated, and confident myself and AmeriCorps gave me a chance to enhance in those areas of my life.

AmeriCorps has provided great advice and recourses whenever I found myself in tough situations.   In my first few weeks in AmeriCorps I realized that I would get nervous when I had to make multiple phone calls to people I did not know.  I found myself focusing on how I sounded rather then focus on what I was saying.  This also happened whenever I would speak to certain people face to face.  This is when my AmeriCorps supervisor Armida Esperanca introduced me to Toastmaster. This club specializes in helping individuals to develop their public speaking skills so that they can reach their full potential in life.  I became a member the very first day I visited the club because it was just what I needed to build up my speaking skills and confidence.  I’ve been in the club now for 5 months and have done 4 speeches already and was voted as the best speaker of the night on March 14^th.  As a result of developing my speaking public speaking skill, I am able to be a more effect volunteer manager, especially at large Girl Scouts events such as World Thinking Day.     

            World Thinking Day helped bring awareness to Girl Scouts throughout the world on the importance of valuing different cultures worldwide.  In average we have about 4000 girls show up each year to this event.  My Girl Scouts supervisor Dominique Chamberlain and I together recruited 55 volunteer for this event, and the turnout was amazing.  Fifty three of the fifty five volunteers we recruited showed up, making this a successful turning point for our Volunteer Department in Girls Scouts.  Thanks to all the volunteers the event ran smoothly.  This gave me a chance to help Dominique the Director of Girl Scout Volunteers to manage volunteers and make sure that all of them were well taken care of.  It was our job to see that they knew what their tasks were, had bathroom breaks, fed lunch, and new who to go to if they had any questions.  Although we might have left the event tired, but we all left with a smile on our face and that I believe is what counts.  

            Seeing the relief on the faces of staff members whenever volunteers help at the office or events is what makes mine and the organizations day a success.  The environment in our council office is changing and more things are getting done efficiently.  If it was not for AmeriCorps, I would not have had the chance to help Girl Scouts in this way and also discovered and developed some of the skills I have today.  I have gain skills on how to manage a large group of people, and speak confidently in public.   These skills will not only help me lead volunteers in the future, but also to lead my children.  I thank God for allowing AmeriCorps to be part of my life experience. 

By Brenetta Sadakov

AmeriCorps VIP

Girl Scouts Of Central California

All members work 40+ hours per week, weekends and evenings, and receive a meager (at best) living stipend- after bills there might be enough money for food and toothpaste.  The idea is that the only way to truly understand poverty is to live in poverty – mission accomplished.  Despite their abysmal financial situations, most AmeriCorps members remain upbeat and enthusiastic, continuing to do good works every single day. Take for example, those three members placed at California State University, Fresno, who have worked tirelessly to improve the conditions surrounding the campus – galvanizing a fleet of volunteers to wake up at 6:00 on a Saturday to build a playground or pick up trash, among other efforts.  There is a member in Kettleman City, who has helped set up a program in collaboration with another AmeriCorps member at the Community Food Bank. The program, which provides fresh food for children over the weekend – the “Back Pack” program – distributes to over 100 kids who would otherwise go hungry. There is a member in Merced, who organizes healthy educational activities for youth, and has taken groups from the Boys and Girls Club on hikes to Yosemite, most of whom had never before experienced its breathtaking magnificence.  Another AmeriCorps member is placed at Care Fresno, and works to ease the pain and desperation of children living in high crime neighborhoods by providing them with after school programs. There is a member at Kings Community Action Organization, in Hanford, who prepares taxes for people who are unable to do it them selves, helping them fill out forms and coaching them on ways to receive maximum refunds – which are so desperately needed.   In city hall, working closely with city leaders, there’s yet another member revitalizing the Jefferson/Lowell neighborhood, encouraging residents to take an active part in ongoing improvement efforts. Then, there’s the happy crew placed at Hands On Central California, who make sure that all AmeriCorps members are on track to completing their 1700 hours, and help place just about every volunteer in Fresno.

Look around, chances are there’s an AmeriCorps member at your favorite non-profit, or maybe an AmeriCorps Alumni. It is no understatement that AmeriCorps is home to some of the most passionate, committed young Americans.  However, this year is not over, but we have passed the half way mark, and continue to work towards helping others. An AmeriCorps member couldn’t be anything other than a humanitarian, often persevering and thriving on nothing but hope.  I encourage Fresnan’s to consider what AmeriCorps has really done for the surrounding community, and the country- the struggles they have endured, the challenges and lessons learned – the steps made and the results seen. It really should be “Hug An AmeriCorps Week”, or “Thank and AmeriCorps Week”. Members are so passionate that they would do their work for free, in love with the idea that they really can, and are, helping others. It is so important that this program continue, and even as a member myself, I want to thank every AmeriCorps I have ever met as well as those I don’t know, along with President Obama, not only for their participation but their support. Next time budget cuts come around, consider this; in determining whether or not we can afford to continue funding AmeriCorps, is it something we can afford to lose?

Katie Kellum

AmeriCorps VIP Project-Volunteer Coordinator at Reading and Beyond

Every year AmeriCorps are recognized for the commitment they have made to their communities.  AmeriCorps and alums are asked to highlight the extraordinary impact AmeriCorps make across our nation everyday.  This year AmeriCorps Week will take place from Saturday, March 10th through Sunday, March 18, 2012. 

The two main goals for AmeriCorps week 2012 include:

• Connect AmeriCorps members and alums with each other so they are part of a nationwide effort.
• communicate AmeriCorps powerful impact on critical problem and on the lives of its members and alums. 

The theme this year, AmeriCorps Works, communicates the value and effectiveness of AmeriCorps while providing flexibility to be used in many different contexts.  It provides an overarching framework to communicate AmeriCorps triple bottom line return on investment for recipients of service, the people who serve, and the larger community and nation. 

Every day across the nation AmeriCorps members are

 tackling America’s toughest problems in:

• Disaster Services
• Economic Opportunity
• Education
• Enviromental Stewardship
• Healthy Futures
• Veterans and Military Families

Here in the Central Valley we have AmeriCorps tackling issues dealing with  High School graduation rate, volunteer recruitment for non-profit organization, and mentoring at risk youth. 

Andrew Mortiz, an AmeriCorps Vista, is feature in the video, along side with EJ Werlyklein who filmed the video. They are both serving their AmeriCorps year at HandsOn Central California. 

After watching the short video refer to as a ” a noir theme video” by Andrew, some may have questions why submitt a silent video, when AmeriCorp fellows are loud, outspoken, and have so much to say.  “With the prompt for the video being , “show how AmeriCorps works at your site” I thought that there would be a bunch of submissions of basically the same thing, AmeriCorps member being interviewed. Booooring! ” Stated by EJ.  The two main things that stood out for EJ from all the guidelines they had on the flyer for submitting their project was to “get creative” and “tell a story.”

Portraying the life of an AmeriCorps, a Noir theme film is really about telling a story through cinematography, “we thought it would be more powerful to say something without saying anything at all,” shared Andrew.  Adding to this EJ expressed how, “the Artist winning an Oscar this year, we were already thinking about some kind of silent movie, and it turned out we were both fans of the genre so it just kind of grew from there.”

Everything shared was factual, some of the footage came from an actual event that both Andrew and EJ help plan and coordinate.  Overall the message that AmerCorps’s Andrew and EJ wanted to show was the emotional side to AmeriCorps, while simultaneously showing the reward that can come with being part of a national service program like AmeriCorps.

Scott Knoll is not a Clovis Native, this in fact is his first year living in the Central Valley and his pure mission is to keep busy.  Knolls shared ” helping and supporting each city that I have lived in and to be a part of something as equally as great as the City of Clovis was truly amazing to me especially with the amount of support, Laughter, and experience that I gained from each individual attending made the 10 hours of volunteering more worth it than I could have imagined.”

Scott Knoll has volunteered with Tree Fresno and various small businesses such as Lacey’s Jewelry and the experience he has gained has introduced him to endless volunteer opportunities that come his way.  Such opportunity as getting acknowledge for doing a great job at the Clovis 100th Centennial Celebration and scoring a job interview.  Don’t ever think your work is not being watched even when you’re doing it for the pleasure of volunteering and not getting paid for it. 

Mr. Knolls expressed, “honestly its hard for me to begin to even describe one or even a few things of what I enjoyed most of this volunteering experience.  I enjoyed the strength and willpower of working under Kathy Hamlin and everyone on the committee that I had the pleasure of meeting, the laughter I shared with the other volunteers and workers of the various restaurants and most of all the overall friendly atmosphere of everyone gathered for the even whether it’s be from the people of the committee, the volunteers, or the families attending.  I can’t thank you enough of how grateful I am to have met and volunteered with all of you and to have been apart of the celebration.”

Volunteering has long been known to provide many good attributes mainly to the benefiters of the service. Studies are now showing that people who volunteer are much happier than those that don’t by 42%. (HandsOn Network) This recipe for success is now fueling current trends in the work environment where employers are empowering employees to harness their community spirit and give time. This has been a long overdue needed success in the non-profit sector as well as many communities. The former ideas that volunteering was chain gang style has since past. People now open their hearts and hands to help one another and engage in service this is not only a benefit to communities but to the giver of time as well. They “volunteer” are able to engage in activities that they may otherwise not get involved with. There are so many needs in each and every community that with a small amount of time wonders can be achieved. One day I as many others hope that each individual will find service in their heart and give a little back to their community.

Ashley Cole AmeriCorps VIP

Academic Advisor and Retention Programs Manager for the School of Engineering, Maria Serrano, did a presentation to show the kids what engineering is, what kinds of things you can do with an engineering degree, and that earning a degree in engineering was possible for them. The youth learned that engineers are problem-solvers who get to use their imagination, science, and math to solve the world’s problems. Computer science engineers get to create software to detect brain tumors earlier, bioengineers create prosthetic legs, mechanical engineers build aerospace vehicles that travel to planets and moons, environmental engineers develop methods to measure acid rain, and materials science engineers develop nano-sized polymers to help repair broken bones. These are just some of the cool things engineers get to do!

Tony Slaton, Executive Director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Merced County, attended the activities and took a moment to applaud the NSBE members for their passion and dedication, as well as for being such fantastic role models for youth in our community. Their significance not only in coordinating the event and exposing youth to the campus but also in being minorities completing 4-year degrees was acknowledged. Over and over, you hear that living in poverty often cycles throughout the family. For many youth in South Merced, poverty and crime is a normal part of their lives. Although the cyclical nature of poverty is hard to break, it is possible–and graduating from high school and then completing a college degree significantly decreases a persons likelihood to continue living in poverty. Seeing these young adults, “cool” people, who are funny and weird and so excited about what they’re learning was awesome. It took a small chunk out of the darkness that normally surrounds these youth, the nagging thoughts of “I’m not smart enough to go to college” or ”It has always been this way and will be forever.” Instead, they are one step closer to “I can” and “I will. How?” 

The significance of this event was multiplied by the fact that it marked the very first time BGC transported kids in the newly acquired vans. Two 10-passenger vans were donated to the Boys & Girls Club so that we could bring more opportunities to youth. Since the most common reason why kids don’t come the the club regularly is that they don’t have transportation, this is a huge step in the right direction. We are currently setting up routes around town to pick up and drop children off so that they can participate in daily BGC programming and events. This has the potential to change a lot of lives, and we’re excited that the ground-breaking event to start it off was a UC Merced campus tour. The UC is just across town but not necessarily in sight for a lot of our kids. With more trips to campus, attending a 4-year university will become less of an idea and more of an attainable reality. And that’s what BGC is all about–taking an inkling of a dream and showing youth the path they will follow to achieve it.

Lou Ohki

Boys & Girls Clubs of Merced County