Get to the Point, Volume XIX, Issue 8

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

S A T U R D A Y , M A Y 4 , 2 0 1 3

V O L U M E X I X , I S S U E 8

The Long & Fiery Road The Uncertainty, Excitement & Challenge of A Prescribed Fire

Alumni Spotlight Jennifer Schadd, Corps Member

Class XVIII, Southwest Region

Team Leader Spotlight What does a Support Team

Leader Actually Do?

Photo Gallery Class XIX Serves with Mayors of

Baltimore & San Francisco

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: [email protected]

Mona Hillstrand, Assistant Community Relations Specialist (ACRS)


Ben Dillon, Community Relations Support Team Leader (CRSTL)


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

Facebook.com/NCCCAtlanticRegion

3 Gallery

Class XIX serves alongside mayors of

Baltimore & San Francisco

5 Bulletin Board

Vehicle Safety Tips & ISP Updates

6 Feature

The Long & Fiery Road

A member of Phoenix 1 recounts the

challenge and excitement of the

team’s big burn in Warm Springs, Va.

8 Alumni Spotlight

Jennifer Schadd, Corps Member

Southwest Region, Class XIX

10 AmeriStars

Get to know three Class XIX members

11 Team Green

What does a Support Team Leader

actually do?

12 Round 2 Team Project Map

↑ Top-Left: Raven 3 member Ian Slingsby (left) decorates a Tyvek suit

with expectations for the coming project deployment at a Class XIX

community meeting while his Team Leader Rebeckah Moran

(center) and teammate Max Limeberger (right) look on. Top-Right:

Alex Slater of Buffalo 1 was the winner of the Tyvek fashion show.

← Cover: Phoenix 1 member Natalie Hillmann recounts the team’s

emotions when embarking on their first big prescribed fire. Page 6

ISSUE IN THIS

GET TO THE POINT / MAY 4, 2013 3

GALLERY

Bet Begets Baltimore Beautification A Super Bowl wager between the mayors of Baltimore and San Francisco

resulted in a day of service for Class XIX members and other area

volunteers. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake of Baltimore and Mayor

Edwin Lee of San Francisco served alongside more than 100 Atlantic

Region Corps Members, Team Leaders, and staff members to beautify a

neighborhood park, a community garden, and a Police Station in

Baltimore on Friday, April 26. While addressing the Corps at the event,

Mayor Rawlings-Blake commended members on their dedication to

service and lauded that AmeriCorps is like a Swiss army knife:

dependable, resourceful, and always ready to work when most needed.

4 MAY 4, 2013 / GET TO THE POINT

GALLERY

← Previous Page: Buffalo 1 member Sierra Taylor works alongside

NCCC Director Kate Raftery (top-left) at Franklin Square’s Sunflower

Village in Baltimore. Also pictured: Atlantic Region Corps Members,

Team Leaders, and staff members beautify two other Baltimore sites.

↑ More than 100 Corps Members and Team Leaders converged on the

community garden across from Harlem Park Elementary School in

Baltimore. The Corps worked with the Parks & People Foundation to

install raised garden beds, remove weeds, and paint fencing.


“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more

and become more, you are a leader.”

- John Quincy Adams

Community Relations Support Team Leader “DJ Benny

Ben” Dillon enjoys a newly discovered hula hoop while

working with the Buffalo 4 team in Moonachie, N.J.

One week into Round 2, the

Buffalo Unit has inched ahead of

the Raven Unit with more than one

third of the required Independent

Service Hours completed.

ISP Hours Complete

Buffalo: 35%

Raven: 34%

Moose: 29%

Vehicle Safety Tip Avoid idling. You will surely boost up the lifeline of your

dear van if you do this. When you keep your van in

idle for long periods, oil is not equally distributed to certain

parts of the engine.

BULLETIN BOARD

Raven Unit Support Team Leader Stephanie Ferguson,

center, with her all-sawyer composite team Peter Pan 1


FEATURE

“Go pack,”

Steve says, and a wave of excitement runs through the

team as we practically fly back to the trucks to return to

our housing. The excitement of a possible road trip sends

the team whirling. Suddenly we work together seamlessly,

getting the trucks, housing and ourselves ready to leave for

up to a week. There is a buzz of excess energy in the air.

Everything comes to a halt at 11 o’clock. We’re all

packed up and ready to make the four-and-half hour jour-

ney to Warm Springs, Va. That’s when we remember that

it won’t be another two hours until we find out if we’re

actually going. Fire is funny like that.

We slink back into our chairs, trying not to get too ex-

cited just in case it doesn’t happen. It’s a rare moment of

the round when the team actually has energy and nothing

to do. All dressed up and ready to wait. Half of us fall

asleep sitting up while the other half plays games.

We finally get the call and, in another wave of energy, I

am almost forgotten. Bridget bursts into our room to give

me the news. I run out to the truck with my boots unlaced

The Long & Fiery Road

by Natalie Hillmann, Phoenix 1

“I pushed myself to somewhere

new, which is one of the reasons I wanted to be a

Phoenix.”


FEATURE

and we’re on the move. For a multitude of rea-

sons we have an exorbitant amount of our

food budget left over, so we’re living the good

life when we stop to buy lunch supplies—

protein bars for everyone.

Hours of driving later, we make our stop

for dinner, a buffet. (With firefighters, Steve

says, it’s always good to have a buffet.) After

promising Steve not to tell Dernard about the

roads we’re about to take the trucks on, we

leave for the last leg of the journey.

At first, the roads don’t seem as bad as we

imagined. However, as we wind our way up

the mountainside, we discover what Steve was

warning us about. The two paved lanes turn

into a bumpy dirt road and, as I peer over the

edge, I thank God that Owen is the one driv-

ing the truck I’m in.

When we get to Trapper’s Lodge, it’s exact-

ly what we had all imagined coming into this

round: a lot of men in the woods, wearing

flannel and headlamps, playing cards and

shooting the breeze. We are given a warning

as we unroll our sleeping bags: if we fall asleep

with peanut butter on our lips, we’ll wake up

with no lips.

Most of us bunk up on the porch, and be-

cause there isn’t a lot of room, I get the bril-

liant idea to sleep on a picnic table. I toss a

turn in a calculated fashion as I try not to fall

off said picnic table and wait for my 5:15 a.m.

wake up call. Before my alarm has a chance to

go off, I’m already up, packing my gear and

making my way to the peanut butter and jelly

factory that has started on one of the adjacent

picnic tables.

We have an hour drive down the mountain

to our burn location. When we arrive, one of

the crew bosses comes over and welcomes us.

He points to the mountain along the horizon

and says, “See that? That’s what we’re burning

today.” The enormity of it sinks in. Five hun-

dred acres. This is, by far, the largest burn

we’ve ever been a part of. After briefing, with

our packs full of snacks and water and tools in

hand, we begin the steep journey up the

mountain.

The next hour was one of the most physi-

cally challenging in my life. Think of the pack

test as a relaxing warm up to burning in the

mountains. I was reminding myself about eve-

ry five minutes that I asked for a challenge.

Pushing myself to keep moving as I’m getting

acclimated to the altitude, I barely glance at

what’s ahead. Oh, did I mention it’s already

80 degrees?

When I finally get to Drop Point 10, Owen

doesn’t even look winded. It doesn’t bother

me, though. The fact that it was difficult

means I pushed myself to somewhere new,

which is one of the reasons I wanted to be a

Phoenix.

↓ Phoenix 1 firefighter

Natalie Hillmann uses

a drip torch to ignite

the prescribed fire at

Cobbler Mountain

while her teammates

follow behind to

monitor the fire’s

activity and prevent

any spotting. Owen

Wolfe and Chris May

(at right) use water to

suppress a spot fire at

the Jarman Gap

prescribed burn in

Shenandoah

National Park.


ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Why did you join NCCC?

I had just graduated from college

with a degree in English and History

and suddenly faced the “humanities

conundrum,” what am I going to do

with my life?!

Looking to learn more about my-

self and find a life direction, I sought

out opportunities that would allow

me to travel and simultaneously

provide something to my communi-

ty. I looked into the Peace Corps but

made the decision that I wasn’t

comfortable with leaving my home

for a time period as long as 27

months, so when I stumbled upon

NCCC I found the program to be the

perfect fit!

What skills did you gain?

Taking an efficient coin-

operated shower in 8 minutes or

less followed by a frenzied post-

shower walk/gallop/hop

through the snow to the waiting

van.

Successfully feeding a bison

herd.

Firefighter Recruit (S-130),

Wildland Fire Behavior (S-190),

Incident Command System, Fire

Chainsaw (S-212). I learned how

to build fire line, clean and use a

chainsaw, and haul and chip

brush. I also learned the value of

a lunchtime power nap and con-

stant hydration!

Installation of vinyl AND clap-

board siding—even in rain,

snow, and sleet—though I don’t

recommend it.

How to change a tire!

How to successfully pack 10

books in my red bag but manage

to forget my coveralls and rain

gear.

How to pitch a Girl Scout tent.

How to get eight people and all

of their gear into the van in less

than 10 minutes at the end of a

work day.

How to explain AmeriCorps

NCCC in 60 seconds or less.

What was your favorite

experience in the Corps?

My team spent our second round in

Joplin, Mo. working with Rebuild

Joplin on various disaster recovery

projects. We had the opportunity to

help rescue medical supplies from a

local hospital that had been de-

stroyed during the tornado. The en-

tire building had been lifted up off of

its foundation more than 6 months

prior, and had only recently been

certified as safe to enter. Everything

inside lay mostly untouched since

the day of the storm.

It was quite eerie to see the juxta-

position between a wall of shattered

glass windows dripping with rain

and splattered with dirt and a near-

by untouched storage closet with all

the items clean and intact. My team

(Earth 4) along with another NCCC

team (Sun 6) and a few local com-

JENNIFER SCHADD

SOUTHWEST REGION

CLASS XVIII

INTERVIEW BY RAVEN 5


ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

munity leaders spent an exhausting

day removing salvable medical sup-

plies, furniture, and office supplies

from the building. The hospital was

without power and my fellow Corps

Members and I used head lamps to

navigate our way though the many

floors of damages.

The experience was surreal, and

feels that way even now. I am proud

that we were able to rescue millions

of dollars worth of sterile supplies

that were sent to be used abroad. It

was one of my most physically and

emotionally exhausting days as a

corps member, but also one of the

most meaningful.

What was your most exciting

round with your team?

My team’s first-round project was

working with Denver Mountain

Parks in Morrison, Colo. Our main

project was to help restore one of

the last remaining Civilian Conser-

vation Corps (CCC) camps created

after the Great Depression to put

unemployed men back to work. This

program is actually a distant rela-

tion to NCCC!

I really enjoyed working with the

park system and having the oppor-

tunity to work at multiple outdoor

“sites.” We “got things done” every-

where from Red Rocks Amphithea-

tre to Buffalo Bill’s Grave. As a spe-

cial treat, we were given the chance

to clean litter out of the, now locked,

caves at Red Rocks.

It was an ideal project in my

opinion, to spend every day out-

doors, and that didn’t stop at the

end of the work day. My team en-

joyed group hikes for PT every day

and got to see beautiful scenery and

friendly critters. I loved the park

system, the men we worked with,

and couldn’t have asked for a better

first project!

How did your time as a Corps

Member impact your life?

After my year in NCCC, I had come

a little closer to identifying a few

professional goals. My interests

pointed me towards Higher Educa-

tion and I began to look for a way to

connect this field with civic engage-

ment. Along came an AmeriCorps

VISTA position that fit like a glove. I

applied for and was hired as the

AmeriCorps VISTA in the Office of

Service-Learning at Gannon Univer-

sity in Erie, Pa. where I am currently

finishing my year of service.

The position is part of a collabo-

rative project called Lake Effect

Leaders which is made up of four

colleges and 12 non-profit organiza-

tions in the region. It was the di-

verse experiences that I had in

NCCC that made my resume stand

out. Not only did my projects pro-

vide the extra “wow factor” that my

supervisor was looking for, but they

provided me with endless stories to

tell during the interview.

I plan to complete another year

with AmeriCorps VISTA after which

I will apply for graduate school for

programs in Higher Education Ad-

ministration. I am so grateful to

AmeriCorps for giving my amazing

learning opportunities and intro-

ducing me to wonderful friends with

shared value of community service.

Can you give Class XIX some

advice for the service year?

This year will be one of the most

difficult of your life, but also one of

the most rewarding. I had moments

throughout the experience when I

began to doubt myself, feel worn

down, or question the entire pro-

gram. Despite these moments of

doubt, I stuck with it. I am so glad

that I did.

They say that hindsight is 20/20

and I still am trying to comprehend

just how much those 10 months of

service changed me. In your mo-

ments of doubt (you will have

them), try to remind yourself (and

your team) just how strong you are!


AMERISTARS

MARIAH ‘VALENTINE’ HOKE

STONE MOUNTAIN, GA • BUFFALO 4

What are you going to do after AmeriCorps?

I am going to join the Marines. Hoooaah!

What fictional character do you relate to most?

Naruto. Even when people doubt him and misjudge him, he still fights and defends

them.

What is your biggest fear?

Falling off a bunk bed.

LIZ GRIFFIN

RANCHO CORDOVA, CA • MOOSE 4

What is one thing you want?

I want to travel to Alaska to see the Northern Lights.

Tell us a secret about yourself.

I love playing Bingo! I usually play every Friday with my best friend.

What is something you will never forget?

I will never forget my best friends and memories back in FEMA Corps. But in traditional

Corps, I will never forget how blessed I am to have such an amazing, caring team!

IAN SLINGSBY

SEATTLE, WA • RAVEN 3

If you could travel anywhere for free, where would you go?

I would go to the first planet other than Earth that could sustain life. If I had to stay on

Earth, though, I would start my adventure in Greece, due to my fascination with it.

If you had a superpower, what would it be and why?

I would want the power of teleportation, so I could be anywhere at any time.

What is something you will never forget?

I will never forget my mistakes for they have made me who I am.


TEAM GREEN

What Does A Support Team Leader Do? Amidst many discussion items in meetings

with the Region Director over Round 2

transition, Community Council

Representatives expressed the Corps’

general bewilderment about one thing:

What does a Support Team Leader

actually do at the Perry Point campus?

The answer: A lot of things. To diffuse

some of the mystery, the next few issues

of Get to the Point will feature profiles on

Support Team Leaders that explain how

and why they do what they do.

General Duties of all Support Team Leaders (STLs):

Lead a team in the field for at least 3 weeks and

up to the remainder of the year. Leadership of a

team could be related to assuming the duties of

a Field Team Leader (FTL). STLs may be tasked to

replace or substitute for an existing FTL or lead a

Composite Team formed to serve a special

project or respond to disaster services activities. If

they are not tasked with one of the above, they

will lead a team on a regularly scheduled

project.

Assist in the deployment of teams and/or

individual members to/from spike locations,

including driving support vehicles.

Facilitate communication with teams by sorting

Corps mail and distributing campus information

such as campus newsletters.

Assist teams in coordinating and carrying out

logistical support for their service in the field.

In conjunction with other STLs, run a Sick Call

shuttle to assist campus-based Corps Members

(CMs) to obtain medical care.

Attend team briefings and debriefings as

schedules permit.

Attend campus meetings and serve on

committees as appropriate.

EMILY TIFFANY

MOOSE UNIT SUPPORT TEAM LEADER

What are your additional responsibilities as the Moose Unit STL?

I assist with the training, preparation and deployment of Phoenix

firefighter teams and all sawyers in the Corps. For every Moose and

Phoenix team, I ensure that all documentation is received, act as a

liaison between staff members and the Corps, assist with travel logistics,

disseminate information to FTLs, and carry out various other tasks as

assigned by the Moose Unit Leader (Jason).

What is a typical day like for you?

As any STL would say, there is no “typical day.” Although we hold

regular office hours between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., I am on-call 24/7,

just as any FTL. I might catch up on office work in the morning, shuttle

Corps Members in the afternoon, go grocery shopping in the evening,

and answer questions for FTLs via text all the while.

Why did you want to be an STL?

I would like to work as a firefighter after AmeriCorps. Serving as the

Phoenix STL allows me to continue gaining firefighting experience

throughout the year, which is something I couldn’t do as a FTL. I also

built good rapport with Jason as a Phoenix composite TL last year.

Why are STLs important?

Staff members can’t do everything. FTLs

often have small questions or concerns that

we can address, and we can work during

odd hours of the day, unlike staff members.

We also provide peer support to the FTLs in

a way that staff may not be able to.

What is your favorite part your position?

Seeing the excitement of new firefighters

and possibly getting to work on a

prescribed fire alongside them.

For Round 2, Class XIX teams are slated to complete 21

projects across 10 states. Seven teams will continue

hurricane recovery efforts in New Jersey, New York,

Rhode Island, and Vermont. Five teams will focus on

environmental stewardship in recreational

camps and conservation areas in

five different states. Four teams

will help better develop low

-income urban

communities through

housing and

facilities

improvements.

Lastly, one team will

improve energy

efficiency of homes

and another will

improve facilities

for youth

programs.

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

BUFFALO 1

Bath, Me.

Habitat for Humanity – 7 Rivers

Energy Efficiency

BUFFALO 3

Wells, Me.

Wells NERR

Environmental Stewardship

BUFFALO 4

Hackensack, N.J.

Volunteer Center of Bergen County

Disaster Recovery

MOOSE 1

New York, N.Y.

St. Bernard Project

Disaster Recovery

MOOSE 2

Edgartown, Mass.

MA Audubon Society – Felix Neck


MOOSE 3

York, Pa.

Habitat for Humanity – York

Urban & Rural Development

D.C.

MOOSE 4

Claryville, N.Y.

Frost Valley YMCA


MOOSE 5

Brattleboro, Vt.

SerVermont

Disaster Recovery

PATRIOT 1

Braintree, Mass.

Cardinal Cushing Centers


PETER PAN 1

Galway, N.Y.

Girl Scouts of Northeastern N.Y.


PHOENIX 2

Suffolk, Va.

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Disaster Response

RAVEN 1

Middletown, De.

Boys & Girls Club of Delaware

Infrastructure Improvement

RAVEN 2

Edgartown, Mass.

The Farm Institute


RAVEN 3

Pittsburgh, Pa.

Rebuilding Together – Pittsburgh


RAVEN 4

Tabernacle, N.J.

Jersey Cares

Disaster Recovery

RAVEN 5

New York, N.Y.

New York Cares

Disaster Recovery

MAINE

VERMONT

NEW YORK

NEW HAMPSHIRE

MASSACHUSETTS

CONN. R.I.

PENNSYLVANIA

MARYLAND

VIRGINIA

WEST

VIRGINIA

NEW

JERSEY

DELAWARE

Documents

Get to the Point, Volume XIX, Issue 8