Winter 2009
Recap of National Mentoring Month 2009
Aaron Eilerts Day of Service February 24
College Student Helps Document the Impact of AmeriCorps Members in the Spring Disasters
Governor Culver, Lt. Governor Judge Thank Iowans for Service on MLK Day
2009 Learn and Serve Community-Based Funds and Applications are Available
Service Spotlight- AmeriCorps Member Norma Boge
Governor’s Volunteer Award Nominations due March 9
4th Annual Volunteer Awareness Day to be held in Capitol on Feb. 25
Federal Issue - Serve America Act
Federal Issue - AmeriCorps funding in the House Economic Stimulus Plan
Other Federal News - President Obama Urges Service
College Student Helps Document the Impact of AmeriCorps Members in the Spring Disasters
Lacy White wanted to find a way to help following the floods and tornadoes of last spring. Lacy, a senior and Creative Writing major at Waldorf College, realized that she could transform her summer internship into an opportunity to not only gain experience for her vocation, but also to help others recover from one of the worst disasters in Iowa history. Lacy found that she could assist by volunteering her time and skills as a writer to help the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service (ICVS) document the disaster. The primary purpose of Lacy's voluntary internship with ICVS was to capture stories, reflections and experiences of AmeriCorps members who responded to Iowa 's summer of 2008 disasters. Lacy wrote four feature stories after interviewing dozens of AmeriCorps members, supervisors, and victims of the disasters.
Elaine Hanson, Chair of the ICVS said, “Lacy executed the internship with an impressive work ethic, focused determination and a dose of curiosity. Working from pages of interview materials she produced four outstanding, inspirational and poignant articles that indeed captured the amazing work of AmeriCorps members.”
“This internship wasn't just about me and the opportunity to apply and test my knowledge of communicating through journalism,” said Lacy. “The AmeriCorps members were so enthusiastic about sharing their stories, and I was fortunate enough not only to hear them, but to help give them a voice and – hopefully – a larger audience.”
The articles Lacy wrote provide valuable information about the disaster and help articulate the importance of AmeriCorps and other national service programs in Iowa . The information has been used by the Rebuild Iowa Office and will be shared with Governor Culver and Legislators.
Read Lacy's articles in full:
If you have questions, or need additional information, please contact the Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service, at 1.800.308.5987 or americorps@iowa.gov .