NCCC Atlantic Region Get to the Point Weekly Newsletter Issue 1- Volume XVII

8/7/2019 NCCC Atlantic Region Get to the Point Weekly Newsletter Issue 1- Volume XVII

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Get to the Point 1

Atlantic RegionPerry Point,

Maryland

Volume XVII Issue 1

February 2011

Get to the Point: The NCCC News


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LaQuine Roberson is the region director and has served more than 17 years with theNCCC. She hails from Summerville, South Carolina and is a retired Army officer.

She is also an avid reader of thriller and drama novels. She continues to provide ser-

vice to her community through her sorority and other activities.

Deputy Region Director for Operations Dave Beach, a retired U.S. Army Officer,

has been with the NCCC for the past 10 years. An avid outdoorsman, Dave spends

much of his free time hunting and fishing and enjoys a yearly hunting trip to Colo-

rado. He is also willing to take on all challengers in a friendly round of golf.

The Deputy Director for Programming for the Atlantic Region is Robin Nixon.

Robin is originally from New Hampshire, and has two daughters, including one

NCCC alum (Sacramento Class XV). She has been with NCCC for two and a half

years, and looks forward to working with Class XVII to Get Things Done!

Thea Becton is the Program Associate for the Perry Point Campus. She has served in

this position since July 2010. Thea comes to the Atlantic Region after having served

as the Manager of Disaster Initiatives for the national office of Point of Light Foun-

dation- a long time partner of the Corporation for National & Community Ser-

vice. Thea is a native of Dover, Delaware and currently resides in Bel Air, Maryland

with her daughter Ryan.

After an amazing year as an AmeriCorps member Class VII in Charleston SC,

Moose Unit Leader, Jason Cangelosi went back to school to earn a degree in Envi-

ronmental Education from a small college in Vermont. Since graduating he has had

the opportunity to work at several environmental centers as an outdoor educator and

team building facilitator. He has lived in Portland Maine for the past 3 years and is

excited to return to his home state of Maryland. In his off time he enjoys being out-

doors, hiking, biking, and rock climbing. He looks forward to the opportunity to lead

the first ever class of the Moose Unit!

Meet the Atlantic Region Campus Staff

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Jen Horan is in her 4th year as the proud leader of the Raven Unit. However, Class 17 marks her

11th year working for the Atlantic Region. After serving two years (Corps Member & Team

Leader) in NCCC at the Charleston campus she made the hop to Maryland and has held positions

as a Service Learning Coordinator and Assistant Projects Director for Training. Jen grew up outside

of Philadelphia and frequents the city of brotherly love often to watch her beloved Phillies, grab a

cheese steak, climb the Art Museum steps like Rocky and occasionally, boo Santa Claus Outside of

work Jen enjoys reading, frequenting cafes and traveling, especially road trips!

Probably best known for her love of all things Disney, Amanda McCarty is an Assistant Program

Director at the Atlantic Region campus. She has more than nine years of Corps experience. Wh

shes not working, however, her favorite place to be is the happiest place on earthyou guessed it

Disneyworld!

Community Relations Specialist Sam McKenzie will fire you up to recruit NCCC members and to

share your NCCC story with others. He comes to NCCC from the nonprofit volunteerism world. He is

originally from Maryland but has traveled to seven countries. He maintains a vegan diet and con-

sumes other unusual foods/drinks. He loves all things Google.

Carlyn Payton, a native Washingtonian, is the Assistant Program Director for Training. She

is an alumnae of AmeriCorps NCCC serving during Class 11 and 12 in Denver, CO. She has a

masters degree in Organizational Communalizations, minor in Human Resources Development

and her Bachelors degree in Psychology. Her long term goal is to design a swimming pool that

could thrive on being filled with apple cider vinegar instead of water.

Member Support Specialist Vivian Newstate is a native of Cincinnati, Ohio whose interests include the

performing arts, courageous conversations, and daring to dream. Besides her current role, withinNCCC she has held the positions of Field Team Leader and Support Team Leader.

Trey Pettigen: Logistics Manager Have you ever dreamed of fighting for your country in a time of

need? Trey Pettigen fulfilled that dream. On December 30, 2007, he deployed to Afghanistan, where

he left all his friends and family behind to serve his country. Trey was born on October 4, 1985, in Bal-

timore, Maryland, but he grew up in Aberdeen. Trey is married and has two children.

Glen Stubbolo, is an Assistant Program Director with several years of AmeriCorps and NCCC

program experience.He is well known for his inspiration and positive outlook. He describes himself

as a service person and believes in civil service. He has 6 children and was recently the Chief of

Volunteer & Community Services at Delaware State Parks.


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Michelle Royall, the Resource Manager for the Atlantic Region, she recently relocated from South

Carolina and is originally from Winston-Salem, NC. Michelle has over 15 years of AmeriCorps

NCCC experience. She loves to travel, play tennis and explore new areas. Also, she is a certified

Scuba Diver and recently learned how to sail. She also enjoys college basketball: Go Tarheels!

This is the second Corps year for CounselorLaura Tuckwho hails from Roanoke, VA. Laura is

inspired by her work at NCCC everyday because she is old enough to remember when this was

simply a vision as she always says the future looks so bright because our young people are in

it!

Dernard Williams: California native married going on 28 years to his wife Renee with five

children and five grand children. Dernard served in the U.S Army for over 23 years retiring in

2006. While serving in the military he has held numerous leadership positions from Inspector,

Squad Leader, Advanced Individual Training Instructor, Senior Drill Sergeant, DetachmentNoncommissioned Officer In Charge (NCOIC), and First Sergeant. Dernard Williams now

serves as the Support Services Specialist at the Atlantic Region. In that capacity, he is responsi-

ble for the smooth operations of the campus. If you have a problem with your house or your

vehicle, Dernard is your man.

Atlantic Region Staff, Dec 2010 at Staff Retreat, left to right: Jen Horan, Sam McKenzie, Vivian Newstate, Thea Becton,

Robin Nixon, Michelle Royall, LaQuine Roberson, Trey Pettigen, Dave Beach, Amanda McCarty, Laura Tuck, Carlyn

Payton. Not Pictured: Jason Cangelosi, Glen Stubbolo and Dernard Williams.

Welcome Class 17, from the Atlantic Region Staff!


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Congratulations! In a few weeks, you will be arriving to Perry

Point, Maryland to begin your adventure in AmeriCorps NCCC. The

Atlantic Region NCCC campus is located in Perry Point, Maryland

which is known as The Point. The campus is placed right on the

water where the Susquehanna River meets the Chesapeake Bay,

located about 45 minutes north of Baltimore. You will never have a

lack of things to do.

An Idea of What to Expect: From the Region Director

LaQuine Roberson: Region Director

When you get here, you will receive all the proper items required to get things done including a federal

identification card, a full wardrobe, your suitcase/backpack for the year (known as the red travel bag) and

steel-toed work boots.

Once you are well equipped you will be assigned to your housing. On our VA Base there are two sorts of

living accommodations: The Village or 9H. Both are set up with housemates or roommates to prepare

for your team lifestyle. No matter where you end up you will still be surrounded by the NCCC

community. Together youll grocery shop and cook your own meals, as well live side by side.

The first four weeks of your AmeriCorps Term will be the regions Corps Training Institute (CTI), where

the Staff and Team Leaders will prepare you as a Corps Member (CM) to go out on your service projects.

Through your training you will have the chance to develop the skills necessary for the work ahead of you.

Such valuable skills as first-aid, CPR, van driving (if you choose to be a driver), and many others

including proper physical training.

At some point during CTI, you will be assigned to your unit and team. The units for Class XVII are as

follows: Buffalo, Moose and the Ravens. Each unit has 7 teams, giving the Atlantic Region a total of 21

teams that can range anywhere from 10 to 12 members.

We can promise you that CTI will be a lot of fun, but it is definitely a whirl wind so be prepared. In

addition to training, you will have plenty of time to meet new friends, explore the surrounding areas and

make lots of memories. Get excited, get ready, and rememberbe flexible. During this year, you and

your team will learn to roll with the punches. We have a motto this year at the Atlantic Region which is

Region Up! Its a call for us all to support each other and take what we do to the next level.

Dont worry; this is going to be an amazing year of excitement, learning, development and most of all,

service. Prepare to meet new people, travel the country and do and see things you would have never

imagined possible. So bring your camera and prepare to get dirty. You are about to begin the most

amazing year of your life!

WELCOME TO AMERILIFE!


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AmeriCorps NCCC uses debit cards to reimburse travel expenses and/or pay relocation expenses.

Please do not expect to have these funds available to you immediately upon your arrival at the Perry

Point Campus. Our debit card company (JP Chase) has securities in place that allow only you to

activate your account and establish your PIN before funds are available. This, of course, will take

some time. Michelle Royall, our Resource Manager, will give you complete instructions on activat-

ing your account when you arrive. We do recommend, however, that you have enough money to get you through

your first two weeks on Campus while your debit card is being activated.

Resource Managers Message: Michelle Royall

In order to make your in-processing as easy as possible, you need to bring the following

paperwork:

Document proving citizenship (passport, birth certificate)

Copy of driving record (if you plan on being a van driver)

Valid photo ID

Copy of High School Diploma or College Degree, if applicable

Social Security Number

Documentation of tetanus shot, if you had one

Immunization Records

Direct Deposit information

Student loan information for loan forbearance, if applicable.

You can begin forwarding your mail beginning February 5. The addresses for letters and packages are listed to the

left.

From the Desk of the Member Support Specialist

Please be advised that upon arrival, every Corps Members will have a physical examination

to include an observed drug screen, pregnancy testing (if female), Tuberculosis testing and

Tetanus shots if needed. Members who have not had a Tetanus shot Booster within the past

five years will need to be immunized. Thus, don't forget to bring your immunization record

to verify your most recent shots. Although you may have had a Tuberculosis test in 2010, if

your test was given before July 1, 2010, you will be required to have another TB test. All

schools require annual TB testing, and if you work in a school as part of a NCCC

project, you must follow this requirement. Consequently, undergoing a TB test in

February 2011 will fulfill this requirement throughout your service year.

Health Reminder: Laura Tuck, Counselor


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AmeriCorps Pledge Get Things Done for America!

I will get things done for America,

To make our people safer, smarter, and healthier.

I will bring Americans together to strengthen our communities.

Faced with apathy, I will take action.

Faced with conflict, I will seek common ground.

Faced with adversity, I will persevere.

I will carry this commitment with me this year and beyond.

I am an AmeriCorps Member, and I will GET THINGS DONE!

Member Statementall Members must know how to answer the question whats NCCC?

Im a member of the National Civilian Community Corps, an

AmeriCorps program. N-triple-C members are 18 to 24 years

old and spend 10 months getting things done for America

while developing their own leadership skills. We serve on

teams to help communities prepare for and respond to

disasters, build homes, and help the environment.


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Starbuck Ballner of Croton, New York, served as a Corps

Member in Class 16 at the Atlantic Region- Recently, we

caught up with Starbuck Ballner, one of the superstars of Class

16 to find out his impressions on his service year and what he

is doing currently. Starbuck served as a Corps Member on the

Badger 7 team in Class XVI.

What was the best part of your year? I had two especiallyfavorite and memorable parts of my year. The first was thedisaster mission I was assigned to in middle Tennessee. Myteam worked in a suburban county just outside of Nashville"mucking and gutting" homes of affected residents, some ofwhom had their homes submerged under toxic flood waters orforcefully lifted off the ground and carried away. It was a trulydevastating time for the communities but the way the reliefefforts were organized at a grass roots level was astounding.For example, a group of churches got together and opened adonation center in an abandoned supermarket and every day

we went in there the tables were always full of cleaningsupplies, non perishable food, clothes and personal hygieneproducts; the place was run entirely on donations andvolunteer efforts.

We were so lucky to be living and working in a communitythat took such pride in lending a hand to their neighbors in atime of confusion, grief and heart ache. In just 4 weeks myteam contributed to the clean up of over 28 homes and locallyowned businesses, removed over 200,000 pounds of debrisand supported 3 different local disaster relief centers. Weworked alongside homeowners who, in some cases, had lostalmost everything they owned and helped them begin the

rebuilding process. It was exactly the kind of project Ienvisioned I would be contributing to in NCCC when Iapplied; a team of hard working, enthusiastic young people, aneighborhood in a time of immediate need and rewardingphysical work.

My other favorite part of the year was my round of wild landfire fighting in Maryland and Virginia. Our team wasextremely tight knit and we loved being outside all day in thewoods learning new skills like how to use and repairchainsaws. We worked on clearing trails and wideningemergency vehicle lanes at a state park in Maryland battlingpoison ivy, stinging insects and a fear of heights when we ate

lunch on top of the fire lookout tower! Our other project wasbuilding a boardwalk at the Great Dismal National WildlifeRefuge in Virginia that would lead to an interpretiveeducational facility and enable school field trips and historicaltourists to learn about the Swamp's key role as part of theUnderground Railroad. The team chemistry was so vibrant andour common drive to work hard and laugh hard both on andoff the work site made us an unstoppable force. This was trulythe best year of my life.

Alumni Spotlight: Class XVIs Starbuck Ballner

Starbuck Ballner, firefighter, NCCC Class 16, 2010


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Continued from page 7, Class 16 Alumni, Starbuck Ballner

I had wonderful teammates who made me laugh so hard I cried and teammates who helped merealize who I want to be, contribute to projects that mattered in communities around the country,got to rock out at Jazz Fest in New Orleans and feel blessed each day I woke up and eager to get towork. I've never felt more excited to be alive.

What are your current plans? In January 2011 I will be a part of the AmeriCorps State/National

program in Houston, Texas with College Forward, an organization that provides college access and

college persistence services to motivated, economically disadvantaged students, in order tofacilitate their transition to college and make the process exciting and rewarding. Prior to my

NCCC year, I knew that I had a passion for service but was unsure which field I wanted to focus

my energy. During my NCCC experience, I had participated in many projects tutoring and mentoring youth in

partnership with local community organizations. I realized that education and youth development, the opportunity to

enrich the life of a young person, meant the most to me.

What was going through your mind as you won so many awards this year at the end of the year Awards

Banquet?

In those brief moments there were so many flashes of the experiences that led me to join NCCC, the people I worked

with and alongside this year and how I hope to continue working for the improvement in quality of life for people all

over the world. I thought about how I was introduced to NCCC by a team at my YMCA summer camp over 10 years

ago, the residents of New Orleans and Cheatham County, Tennessee where I worked on community revitalization and

disaster relief projects, the Perryville Police Department Outreach Program which was the first project I worked on this

year, my AmeriCorps Team Leader who challenged me to be a better person, my parents who encouraged me to be more

aware of the world around me and to do the right thing especially when no one is watching, the music and books that

have opened my eyes to social issues and the realization that anything is possible when you believe in it.

Starbuck Ballner, with his team at a project with Habitat for Humanity in Portland, ME


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The Trainers Two Cents

Welcome Class XVII! We are thrilled about your arrival on February 7th. As a member of

NCCC, you will have the opportunity to gain new skills, enhance the abilities you already

obtain, and meet some really awesome people. My name is Carlyn Payton; I am the Assis-tant Program Director for Training. I play a vital role in member development. I manage

your training, transition schedules, the GED Assistance Program, and all awards and college credits available to

you, just to name a few.

Just around the corner is the Corps Training Institute (CTI). CTI is the time that we dedicate to ensuring that you

receive the core training necessary for a successful year. When you arrive, we will begin your in-processing and

then transition right into training. I look forward to meeting all of you. Again, Congratulations!

Carlyn Payton: Assistant Program Director for Training.

STAMPEDE!

My horns up high, my hooves down low

Now this is how you buff-a-lo

Buff-A-Lo, Buff Buff-A-Lo

Buff-A-Lo, Buff Buff-A-Lo

My head stays up

My back stays straight

My team stays down

But my antlers aint

Get em up-Got em up

Get em up-Got em up

Ohhhhhhhh Moose!

Now flap your wings

Get up and soar

Our Raven chant

Is Nevermore

Like Edgar Allen always says Caw caw, caw caw

Like Edgar Allen always says Caw caw, caw caw

Unit Chants: Show a Little Pride and Yell It Out!

While Atlantic Region is in the process of finding a Unit Leader

for the Buffalo Unit, Raven Unit LeaderJen Horan will be acting

as the Unit Leader for Buffalo 1 4 , while 5-7 will be managed

Jason Cangelosi. Our Deputy Region Director for Operations

Dave Beach will be providing support and leadership during this

time as well.


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In the Corner with The Hulk: Physical Training

What is PT? Physical TrainingAmeriCorps NCCC campus and myself, The HULK subscribe to

the principle of physical fitness for all members and team leaders. ALL FOR ONE AND ONE FOR

ALL THINGS FITNESS!

Members and Team Leaders will participate in team conditioning at least three times weekly. Th

conditioning will be team based, except during the time spent on the campuses. During those times

physical conditioning will be conducted by units or the entire corps. This conditioning program is

important because AmeriCorps NCCC undertakes hard, physical work and members need to be strong and limber

enough to engage in it safely.

The HULK move of the week:

The Side-Straddle Hop (known as the Jumping Jack) is a physical jumping exercise performed by jumping

to a position with the legs spread wide and the hands touching overhead and then returning to a position with the feet

together and the arms at the sides.

Rods Ruminations

Welcome Achievers!

Hello and welcome to The Ruminations. For some reason, the powers that be last yearpermitted me to have a small portion ofGet To The Pointto amuse youoops, I mean

present you with a valuable perspective on the happenings around the Atlantic Region

from one of your Unit STLs. Mercifully, these same powers have allowed me to continue

this tradition into Class XVII. So, welcome to AmeriCorps NCCC and prepare for an

exciting year! Ill be here to share the lighter side with you.

A Carnivores Manifesto

By this point it is no secret, I am not a salad person. If I had to pick a last meal, it would probably consist of steak

and potatoes, with a side of steak. So, one of my biggest shocks in AmeriCorps so far has been the startling number

of people who abstain completely from eating meat. Dont get me wrong, I respect vegetarians to no end. I under-

stand that its potentially healthier and lord knows I do not have the will power to subsist solely on plants. So, vege-

tarians, I tip my cap to you. But the question I keep asking is: if animals werent meant to be eaten, then why were

they made to be so delicious?

I have also noticed that the age old debate between meat eaters and veggies definitely heats up amongst our teams. I

can remember several spirited discussions between my teammates when I was a Corps Member, particularly around

grocery day. Since then, I have been ruminating about a solution to this problem.

Once I moved past all of the legitimate solutions, I eventually moved on to one of my more crack pot (a.k.a. genius)

ideas: form teams that consist of all vegetarians or all meat eaters, or better yet, entire units. There could be a Tofu

Unit and a T-Bone Unit. Everyone would be free to eat what they want, liberated of arguments and unhappy stom-

achs! And there would be none of this flexitarian or pescetarian nonsense. Im tired of your flip-flopping. Make

up your minds already! I know what youre thinkingthis solution would present a lack of diversity. But are eating

habits really a form of diversity? This is a question for someone above my pay grade. Talk to Deputy Region Direc-

tor Dave Beach about it, but I think youll find that he is on my side here.


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Documents

NCCC Atlantic Region Get to the Point Weekly Newsletter Issue 1- Volume XVII