Get to the Point 1

Get to the Point Perry Point, MD

Volume XVII Issue 8 May 2011

An NCCC Atlantic Region Publication

Get to the Point 2

Alumni Team Flashback R2

Inside this Issue:

Getting Things Done

Budget Gourm-“A”

Disaster Composites

PT Corner

Brain Food

2

3

3

5

5

6

Raven 2, voted absolute best team in the history of AmeriCorps, is thrilled to be tackling our first round projects in New Orleans, Louisiana! So far it has been an enlightening journey for our whole team. In the short period of time we’ve been here Raven 2 has learned so much about the impact of hurricane Katrina and the ongoing struggle to rebuild this great city. We’ve already begun to grow in many ways, focusing on developing strategies to ensure open communication and promote a productive work environment. During the week we work with the Community Center of Saint Bernard, where we man a food and clothing distribution center, help with odd jobs and have the privilege of running Tuesday night bingo night! We alternate our work days between the Community Center and a wetland restoration non-profit called Bayou Rebirth. There we lead groups of volunteers in wetland plantings, spread awareness at local events, and help the small organization with administrative tasks. Bayou Rebirth has also given Kiara and Lia Daniels the opportunity to socialize with the local nutria, or swamp rats. We live at the Cornerstone Pentecostal Church in Saint Bernard, hosted by the ever-generous Pastor Rustin and his amazing wife Genie. The church includes our bedrooms, kitchen, bathrooms, a rec-room with basket AND foosball, and a stage with a full sound system for Allie, Kevin,

Welcome to Get to the Point, the Atlantic Region weekly newsletter! Anything in particular you would like to see? Email lmack@cns.gov with your suggestions, comments, and submissions!

Raven 2 has a sense of humor.

By Kate Ricchetti and Jesse Ford

Continued on pg. 3

Back row from left: Allie Harris, Katherine Ricchetti, Lia Daniels, Nicholas Walsh, Kevin Babcock, Ambrosia Barnette, Jesse Ford. Front row: Kiara Owens, Evan Allison, Mulu Gerima (TL).

Alumni Team Flashback: Raven 2 Dominates the Gulf Coast

Service Learning Section

4

Class 17 Member Statement:

I’m 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.

Mission Statement:

Strengthen communities and develop leaders through direct, team-based national

and community service

Get to the Point 3

and Jesse to jam on. Team Leader Mulu whips us into shape three times a week with our intense PT training where the highlight of everyone’s week is watching Nick crab walk at super human speeds. On the weekends we take advantage of the historic French Quarter and enjoy the wonderful jazz and beignets where you’re sure to find Kate covered in powdered sugar and Ambrosia grooving to the tunes. Finally, we are delighted to announce the arrival of our new corps member, Brandon Clark, previously from Raven 5. A little birdie told him how much our team dominated and he just had to make the move to Raven 2.

To left: Allie Harris, Kevin Babcock, TL Mulu Gerima and Kiara Owens serving food at St. Joseph’s Altar Feast.

Flash Forward: Members of Class 17 Team Raven 2 below:

Get to the Point 4

Service Learning Reflection Section

Every week your team plans out a menu and selects a few members to hop in the van, drive to the store, and get the groceries for the week. It’s probably a task that already seems routine and mundane. It’s pretty easy to find a nearby grocery store with lots of healthy food choices. But for millions of Americans such choices do not exist. Many urban areas have become “food deserts” places where no local food is produced and even grocery stores are scarce. Resi-dents of these inner-city neighborhoods are often lower income families and people of color. They are left to buy food only at corner stores and fast food chains. This unhealthy processed food contributes to the disproportionate rates of obesity, diabetes, and poor health found in these urban communities. It makes economic sense that grocery store chains hoping to make a profit would not want to set up shop in a low-income community. This practice where businesses of any kind refuse to operate in higher-risk, lower-profit areas is known as redlining. This is another ex-ample of how the institutions of our society discriminate against the poor and minorities.

So the next time you go grocery shopping, take a look around. Who do you see in the store? What part of town is the store in and how many grocery stores are there? Are there farmer’s markets? Where are they and when are they held? Where does the food you purchase come from? Think a little more about the groceries you buy and don’t take for granted the privilege of purchasing healthy food.

If you would like to further explore issues surrounding food security, urban agriculture, and our industrialized food system check out some of these documentaries: Food Inc., Fresh, The Garden, The Future of Food, and King Corn.

Budget Gourm-“A” Creole Stew *Vegetarian *Serves 12 Ingredients 2 tbsp. vegetable oil 4 tbsp. red wine vinegar 4 cups chopped green bell pepper 32 oz. kidney beans, rinsed & drained 3 cups chopped onion 6 lg. potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1/2 in. cubes 16 oz. tomato sauce 16 garlic cloves, crushed 1 cup water 24 green olives, halved 1/2 cup fruit juice 2 bay leaves 2 tsp. sugar

Preparation

Heat oil in a LARGE saucepan over medium heat. Add bell pepper and onion. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 min. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer 1.5 hours or until potatoes are tender. Stir occasionally while cooking. Salt and pepper to taste; remove bay leaves before serving.

Service Learning With Grocery Shopping by Mike Kern recent APD

Get to the Point 5

Air Filter Check:

A regular check of the air filter will keep your van in the best spirit. The filter removes dirt and debris from the air so they won’t enter your van’s system. Dirty air filters affect your gas mileage and other parts of your vehicle like the spark plugs and emissions control sys-tem.

If the material of your air filter is blackened, it is time to change it.

Dernard’s Vehicle Maintenance Tip

Blackened filters? No way.

PT Corner

Reverse Plank

Start by bending at the elbows and torso and tightening the ab-dominal muscles. Push into a reverse plank (on either elbows or straight arms). Hold for 30 seconds and work up to 1-3 minutes. After holding return to start position.

New Disaster Teams

Getting Things Done!

Below is a roster of the two teams (one team and one composite) that will be deployed to Alabama:

Moose 6 & a Composite Team: Team Leader: Rod Swain

Ben Pritchard: R3

Rachel Woods: R5

Aja Devlin: R4

Justin Wood : B1

Briana Courchesne-Owades: B2

John Miller: B4

William Dalencour: B5

Michael Jacobson M1

Courtney Johnson M4

Please wish JJ & Rod the best of luck in their mission.

Get to the Point 6

Arrange the numbers 1 through 9 on a tic tac toe board such that the numbers in each row, column, and diagonal add up to 15.

Brain Food: L&M Trivia Brought to you by: Laura Mack Community Relations STL & Melissa Jabat Programming Office STL

AmeriGourmet: The Cooking Corner This week we are in the AmeriKitchen with the Soup Masters of B15

Broccoli and Cheddar Soup

1/2 cup butter

1 onion, chopped

1 (16 ounce) package frozen chopped broccoli

4 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken or veggie broth

1 (1 pound) loaf processed cheese food, cubed

2 cups milk

1 tablespoon garlic powder

2/3 cup cornstarch

1 cup water

Question:

A solo dice game is played where, on each turn, a normal pair of dice is rolled. The score is calculated by taking the product, rather than the sum, of the two numbers shown on the dice.

On a particular game, the score for the second roll is five more than the score for the first; the score for the third roll is six less than that of the second; the score for the fourth roll is

RAVEN 7 SHOUT OUT: This week we started our project with the City of Buffalo and we are excited to be staying at the Belle Center. We have a gym, cardio room, weight room, game room and cable to entertain us since we forgot Scrabble in Vermont. Please Buffalo 3 grab our Scrabble for us! And Julian’s phone charger!

RAVEN 5 SHOUT OUT: We love and miss you Wiley Biro.

Raven 3 we challenge

Tongue Twister: How many boards

Could the Mongols hoard If the Mongol hordes got bored?