GET TO

THE POINT T H E N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E N C C C A T L A N T I C R E G I O N

T H U R S D A Y , M A R C H 2 1 , 2 0 1 3

V O L U M E X I X , I S S U E 3

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT:

PETER DONOVAN,

CLASS XVII ATLANTIC

REGION ALUMNUS

PICTURES FROM THE FIELD:

SIGNS OF TEAMWORK &

LEADERSHIP APPEAR AS

TEAMS DIG IN TO ROUND 1

BURSTING THE AMERIBUBBLE:

NEWS TO KEEP YOU

PLUGGED IN TO

THE OUTSIDE WORLD

MEMBER STATEMENT

I’m a member of the National Civilian Community Corps, an AmeriCorps

Program. N-Triple-C members are 18 to 24 and spend 10 months getting things

done for America while developing their own leadership. We serve on teams

to help communities prepare for and respond to disasters, build homes, and

help the environment.

To learn more or apply, visit AmeriCorps.gov/NCCC or call 1.800.942.2677

CONTACT THE ATLANTIC REGION COMMUNITY RELATIONS OFFICE

Sam McKenzie, Community Relations Specialist (CRS)

Phone: 202.528.3755 ● Email: smckenzie@cns.gov

Mona Hillstrand, Assistant Community Relations Specialist (ACRS)

Phone: 202.815.4259 ● Email: rhillstrand@cns.gov

Ben Dillon, Community Relations Support Team Leader (CRSTL)

Phone: 443.995.7940 ● Email: bedillon.guest@cns.gov

Get to the Point is a weekly newsletter edited and designed by Ben Dillon, CRSTL

“Like” us on Facebook: Facebook.com/AmeriCorpsNCCCAtlanticRegion

3 Teams in the News

4 Alumni Spotlight

5 Bulletin Board

6 Bursting the AmeriBubble

7 AmeriLife Lessons

8 Team Shout Outs

9 Round 1, Week 2 Pictures

10 Round 1, Week 2 Project Map

On the Cover: (Top) Raven 2 works with members of AmeriCorps VISTA during an AmeriCorps Week service event in Newburgh, N.Y.

(Right) Phoenix 1 member Jahari Barker stands in “the black,” or burnout area, following a 45 acre prescribed burn at Antioch Pines

Natural Area Preserve near Zuni, Va. (Left) Josh Bracken and Brittany Castellon of Moose 3 at the Big East Career Fair in New York City. Top

Left: Members of Buffalo 1 pose with Taoiseach Enda Kenny (center), the Irish Prime Minister, during his St. Patrick’s Day visit to Breezy Point,

N.Y., a predominantly Irish-American community that was greatly affected by Hurricane Sandy. Top Right: Delano Jenkins of Moose 3

removes debris left behind by Hurricane Sandy while working with World Care Centers in New York City.

ISSUE IN THIS

GET TO THE POINT / MARCH 21, 2013 3

From the Serve.gov Blog

By Samantha Jo Warfield

The Corporation for National and

Community Service (CNCS) wrapped

up AmeriCorps Week with a day of

service in Rockaway, NY. This event

honored the effort of relief workers so

far, and highlighted the work that still

needs to be done.

Director of AmeriCorps Bill Basl

joined local representatives and

volunteers to clean up a damaged

beach, repair a daycare center, and

help area residents get back on their

feet. These efforts build on

AmeriCorps' long-standing

commitment to helping communities

use service to spark local solutions to

local challenges. The service projects

were made possible by Time-Warner's

contribution to the AmeriCorps

recovery efforts.

Other attendees include Gary

Bagley, Executive Director of New

York Cares; Diahann Billings-

Burford, Chief Service Officer for the

City of New York; and Susan Stern,

Chair of NY Volunteers at the New

York State Commission on National

and Community Service.

“National service bolsters disaster

relief efforts,” said Spencer. “It brings

together businesses, nonprofits and

community groups, federal agencies,

state and local government, and

everyday citizens to help communities

that need it most. AmeriCorps

members have been at the forefront of

the Hurricane Sandy recovery, and

are helping people respond, rebuild,

and recover every day.”

More than 2,400 AmeriCorps

members have been part of the

federal response to Hurricane Sandy,

including the first class of AmeriCorps

NCCC members serving with FEMA

Corps. In NY alone, AmeriCorps

members have:

Mucked and gutted 1,270 homes,

Mobilized 16,000 volunteers for

128,000 hours of service (valued at

$2.68 million), and

Touched the lives of nearly 30,000

New York residents.

Read the full article on the

National Service Blog at Serve.gov

Day of Service in Rockaways Wraps Up AmeriCorps Week

ATLANTIC REGION

TEAMS IN THE NEWS Media Representatives assisted in

generating the following media

coverage for AmeriCorps NCCC

Volunteers to help fix roofs

of needy area residents

With many roofs in critical conditions,

Roncolato looked into additional

resources to meet the needs of area

elderly and residents with limited income,

otherwise eligible for MADD services.

That‟s where AmeriCorps‟ National

Civilian Community Corps came in.

“Unlike other programs, this is a mobile

crew that comes in for a period of time

and does relief work,” Roncolato said.

„We expect this influx of labor for a

period of about five weeks.”

Full article at MeadvilleTribune.com

Volunteers will supplement

programs that support

National Guard

With dignitaries, community advocates

and at least 90 enthusiastic volunteers

looking on, the Corporation for National

and Community Service and the

National Guard Bureau announced an

agreement to provide AmeriCorps/VISTA

volunteers to supplement wellness

programs in the nation‟s 53 Guard

bureaus, with Delaware leading the way.

Locally, CNCS will commit National

Civilian Conservation Corps members to

help renovate and restore the former

Guard armory in Smyrna, now home to a

Boys & Girls Club that serves military-

connected families.

Full article at DelawareOnline.com

4 MARCH 21, 2013 / GET TO THE POINT

Peter Donovan is an alumnus of

Class XVII from the Perry Point

Campus. He was part of the Raven 3

team and was a Corps Ambassador

Program Representative. At the time

of his interview, he resided in his

hometown of Barrington, R.I.

I t is said that everybody knows

everybody else in Rhode Island.

This proved to be true as NCCC

alumnus and native Rhode Islander

Peter Donovan strolled into the local

senior center and was immediately

recognized by the receptionist at the

front desk. As it turned out, she knew

his grandmother.

It was a slow day for our team,

Moose 1, promoting the Rhode Island

Special Needs Emergency Registry at

the senior center, so we asked Peter

about his experiences as a Corps

Member.

Peter was generally positive about

his overall experience. His service

year started off when his team, Raven

3, deployed to New Orleans to

continue long-term recovery efforts

for those affected by Hurricane

Katrina. Recalling his team’s work

with a local chapter of Habitat for

Humanity, Peter said that other Corps

Members were jealous that they were

not chosen for such a rewarding

project.

For the second round of projects,

his team was chosen to continue

disaster recovery work. This time,

they deployed to Tuscaloosa, Ala.,

which had suffered significant

tornado damage shortly before. His

team was initially stationed on

Mound Hill, the primary campsite for

NCCC members. However, a few

lucky teams were selected to stay in

the dormitories at the University of

Alabama for the remainder of the

project. His team was one of them.

Peter credited this round as his

favorite of the year due to the

rewarding, face-to-face work of aiding

disaster victims.

After two rounds of disaster-

related projects, the pace slowed

down for his team while on spike in

Dartmouth, Mass. Although the

project round proved to pale in

comparison to previous rounds, Peter

took advantage of unique

Independent Service Projects (ISPs)

in the area. One of his favorite ISPs

was FooFest, a festival which

showcases all forms of local artists in

the state of Rhode Island. This really

resonated with members of Moose 1,

because we completed an ISP with the

same festival and thoroughly enjoyed

our experiences.

After Dartmouth, his team

concluded the year working with

youth in Baltimore. The team quickly

discovered just how challenging and

exhausting it can be to work with

youth. Nonetheless, Peter enjoyed the

unique culture and entertainment

offerings of Baltimore, especially

Baltimore Orioles baseball games. In

fact, he enjoyed the games so much

that he frequented the stadium at

least once a week during the project

round.

Although his service year

inevitably came to an end, Peter

carried on his commitment to help

others. After graduating from NCCC,

Peter worked as a Personal Assistance

Continued on Page 5

Spotlight on Peter Donovan, Class XVII Alumnus

“Although his service

year inevitably

came to an end,

Peter carried on his

commitment to help

others.”

GET TO THE POINT / MARCH 21, 2013 5

Alumni Spotlight:

Continued from Page 4

Services and Support (PASS)

worker.

He assisted the families of

children with special needs. The

needs could range from physical

disabilities, such as cerebral palsy,

to issues with Down’s syndrome or

autism.

At the time of his interview,

Peter was working on the

maintenance staff of the Rhode

Island Country Club. He remained

involved with disaster services

through the Rhode Island

Emergency Management Agency

(RIEMA), which just so happened

to be our project sponsor. So it

would seem that the saying

“everybody knows everybody else in

Rhode Island” is true, and now

Moose 1 is included in that too.

STAFF & TEAM LEADER BULLETIN BOARD

Keep your friends and family

updated on happenings of

the Atlantic Region NCCC

and help us reach 1,000

“likes” on Facebook! At this

time we’re almost to 900 and

close to our goal.

Visit Facebook.com/NCCCAtlanticRegion

Soaring to new heights, the Ravens have surpassed the

Moose to take the top unit spot for ISP hours!

“To give real service you

must add something

which cannot be bought

or measured with

money, and that is

sincerity and integrity.”

- Douglas Adams

6 MARCH 21, 2013 / GET TO THE POINT

BURSTING THE AMERI-BUBBLE EXCERPTS FROM NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Baghdad (AP)—Insurgents sent a

bloody message on the eve of the 10th

anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion,

carrying out a wave of bombings

across the country Tuesday that killed

at least 65 people in the deadliest day

in Iraq this year.

The nearly 20 attacks, most of

them in and around Baghdad,

demonstrated in stark terms how

dangerously divided Iraq remains

more than a year after American

troops withdrew. More than 240

people were reported wounded.

Bombings in Iraq Kill 65 a Decade After Invasion

Could Global Warming

Change Tornado Season?

Oklahoma City (AP)—With the

planet heating up, many scientists

seem fairly certain some weather

elements like hurricanes and

droughts will worsen. But

tornadoes have them stumped.

These unpredictable,

sometimes deadly storms plague

the United States more than any

other country. Here in tornado

alley, Oklahoma City has been hit

with at least 147 tornadoes since

1890.

But as the traditional tornado

season nears, scientists have been

pondering a simple question: Will

there be more or fewer twisters as

global warming increases?

There is no easy answer. Lately,

tornado activity in America has

been Jekyll-and-Hyde weird, and

Vets Save NYC Dog Who

Swallowed 111 Pennies

New York (AP)—A New York City

dog has undergone emergency

surgery to remove more than 100

pennies from his stomach.

The New York Daily News

reports that a Jack Russell terrier

named Jack swallowed 111 pennies

last week and quickly became ill.

The 13-year-old pooch's owner

rushed him to a Manhattan

veterinarian for emergency

surgery.

That's when dog doctors put

Jack under anesthesia and

methodically removed all 111 coins.

The zinc from the coins could be

lethal.

scientists are unsure if climate

change has played a role in recent

erratic patterns.

In 2011, the United States saw its

second-deadliest tornado season in

history: Nearly 1,700 tornadoes

killed 553 people. The Joplin, Mo.,

twister was the single deadliest in

American history, killing 158 people

and causing $2.8 billion in damage.

GET TO THE POINT / MARCH 21, 2013 7

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR $4.75 AMERILIFE LESSONS

Find ISPs that differ from your

team’s current project. To avoid

getting burnt out on one type of

work, look for project sponsors

that align with your interests. If

you like animals, for instance,

find a local Humane Society or

a chapter of the SPCA.

Learn from your teammates.

You may never work with such a

vibrant, diverse group of people

again, so take the time to get to

know your teammates and their

hidden talents. Maybe

someone can teach you to play

guitar, or to crochet, or to

wrangle a chicken. Whatever it

may be, utilize the people

around you!

You can never take too many

pictures or videos. (Well, maybe

if it starts interfering with your

work, but you get the idea.)

You’ll be glad that you

snapped a picture of your team

with the 2 tons of debris you

moved or the house you helped

build for a family in need.

Broccoli & Double Cheese Calzones

Yield: 4 Servings

Cost Per Serving: $1.49

Ingredients 1 1/2 cups broccoli florets

1 large clove garlic, minced

2/3 cup ricotta

4 ounces mozzarella, coarsely

grated (1 cup)

1 large egg yolk

Salt and pepper

1 pound frozen pizza dough,

thawed

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation 1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Bring 1

inch of water to a boil in a small

pot. Place broccoli in a steamer

basket, place steamer basket in

pot, cover and steam until

tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Let cool

slightly, coarsely chop, and place

in a medium-size bowl. Stir in

garlic, ricotta, mozzarella and

egg yolk; season with salt and

pepper.

2. Divide pizza dough into 4

portions and use a rolling pin to

roll each into an 8-inch circle.

Place a quarter of broccoli

mixture in center of a round, fold

dough in half, and then seal by

rolling edges together toward

center and crimping. Using a

sharp knife, cut two small slits in

top of calzone to let steam

escape. Repeat with remaining

dough and broccoli mixture.

Brush calzones with olive oil.

3. Mist a large, rimmed baking

sheet with nonstick cooking

spray. Place calzones on baking

sheet and bake in center of oven

until golden and risen, 13 to 15

minutes. Serve immediately,

with warm tomato sauce on the

side for dipping, if desired.

Email your favorite budget-friendly recipes

to Ben at CRSTLatlantic@gmail.com

8 MARCH 21, 2013 / GET TO THE POINT

SHOUT OUTS!

Raven 5

Raven 3

Raven 4

In the beginning was the

Moosicorn, and the Moosicorn

was of service, and the

Moosicorn embodied service.

The Moose was of service in the

beginning. All hours were

devoted to service and training,

and apart from service and

training, not one hour was left

unrecorded by the Moosicorn. In

the Moosicorn was spirit, and

the spirit was the spirit of the

community. And the spirit of the

community works against

needs, and the needs did not

overcome it. (St. Gavin 1:1)

Moose 1

Buffalo 2

Peter Conley did an amazing

job this week at the press

conference. Raven 3 had the

opportunity to be a part of the

press conference with the

Governor of Delaware along

with many other officials. Peter

was our representative for the

group and was able to give a

speech about his journey to

becoming a NCCC member. We

are all very proud of him.

Raven 4 has been having a

marvelous time soaring and

serving around with Edgar!

Hope you are having fun at

your projects!

Dory says, “just keep swimming!”

Buffalo 3 wants to give a shout

out to all of those who went to

fire training last week and

wish our teammate Wayne

good luck on his fire round.

Buffalo 3

Shout out from Buffalo 4 to all

the other teams out there

working hard these past few

weeks. Keep up the great work

and keep Getting Things Done!

Buffalo 4

Staff & STLs

We wish the best of luck to Mignon in her new position as the Buffalo 3 Team Leader!

And we welcome Rosslyn to her new position as the Buffalo Unit Support Team Leader!

GET TO THE POINT / MARCH 21, 2013 9

Counter-Clockwise from Top-Left:

Members of Raven 4 pose with volunteers

from Friends of Rockaway after mucking

and gutting a home in Rockaway, N.Y.

During an AmeriCorps Week service event

in Newburgh, N.Y., Andrew Martin and

other members of Raven 2 hang netting at

an indoor soccer field intended for children

who cannot afford to join a league.

Raven 3 member Kris Hall digs in the sand

dunes on Pea Patch Island, the site of Fort

Delaware State Park.

Jimmie Perkins of Buffalo 4 moves a hay

bail at Camp Todd, a recreation site in

Denton, Md. operated by Girl Scouts of

Chesapeake Bay. The team used the hay

bails to absorb toxins from algae that

render the camp’s lake unusable.

Brian Lundholm of Moose 2 uses an auger

to dig a hole while doing environmental

stewardship work with Valley Youth House

in Orefield, Pa.

TEAMS DIG

IN TO FIRST

PROJECTS

For Round 1, Class XIX teams will complete 21 projects in

seven states and the District of Columbia. Four teams are

aiding in recovery from Hurricane Sandy in New York,

while four more teams are doing long-term disaster

recovery work elsewhere in the region.

Additionally, three teams are

completing projects focused

on environmental

stewardship, two teams

are doing urban and

rural development,

and one team is

doing infrastructure

improvement.

Where in the Atlantic Region Are They? Round 1, Week 2

BUFFALO 1

New Rochelle, N.Y.

Habitat for Humanity

Disaster Recovery

BUFFALO 2

Schoharie, N.Y.

Schoharie Area Long Term Recovery

Disaster Recovery

BUFFALO 3

Baltimore, Md.

Blue Water Balt imore

Environmental Stewardship

BUFFALO 4

Earleville, Md.

Girl Scouts of Chesapeake Bay

Disaster Recovery

MOOSE 1

Baltimore, Md.

Allima Inst itute

Urban & Rural Development

MOOSE 2

Orefield, Pa.

Valley Youth House

Disaster Recovery

MOOSE 3

New York, N.Y.

World Care Centers

Disaster Recovery

MOOSE 4

Brownsville, Pa.

Appalachian Coal Country Team

Environmental Stewardship

MOOSE 5

Camden, N.J.

Camden Garden Club

Urban & Rural Development

PHOENIX 1

Suffolk, Va.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Disaster Response/Env. Stewardship

RAVEN 1

New York, N.Y.

New York Cares

Disaster Recovery

RAVEN 2

Newburgh, N.Y.

Habitat for Humanity

Urban & Rural Development

RAVEN 3

Marshfield, Mass.

Mass. Audubon—South Shore

Environmental Stewardship

RAVEN 4

Brooklyn, N.Y.

St . Bernard Project

Disaster Recovery

RAVEN 5

Meadville, Pa.

Allegheny College Lake Effects

Infrast ructure Improvement