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AmeriCorps Blue Team 6
In 1999 PCEI was privileged to host AmeriCorps Blue Team 6. This team
of eleven volunteers was an invaluable help in our work on Paradise
Creek. We couldn’t have completed our work without them. They stayed
in Moscow for five weeks and helped us complete some of the biggest,
hardest tasks we had that summer. |
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Hard workers
Blue Team 6 was made up of seven women and four men from all across the
US. They had been working together for the ten months prior to
arriving in Moscow. This was a widely varied group ranging in age from
18 to 25, in appearance from mohawked and pierced to conservative, and
in disposition from wildly adventurous to quiet homebody. During the
months they were together they had grown into a cohesive “family” who
had learned to work and have fun together. Their warmth and enthusiasm
were infectious. We were their last stop before they were scheduled to
leave Americorps, split up, and return to their homes, so there was a
bit of nostalgia in every day they were with us. |
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What is the AmeriCorps program?
The AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps is a federal program,
which provides money for college in exchange for volunteer work. It is
available to anyone between the ages of 18 and 25. The usual term is
one year but many of the team we worked with, and many Americorps
volunteers I’ve spoken to since then, have signed up for additional
years. They all seem to love the program. Applicants from around the
US travel to San Diego for orientation and team assignments. The NCCC
then responds to requests for a team submitted by a variety of
organizations. The projects proposed must meet an identifiable public
need, emphasize community service activities, provide meaningful
community benefits and provide opportunities for skill development for
the Corps members. |
Riparian projects
AmeriCorps members helped us restore riparian habitat along segments of
Paradise Creek using a variety of bioengineering techniques, and by
planting trees and shrubs. They planted over 1,000 trees along the
section of Paradise Creek between the wastewater treatment plant and
Perimeter drive. An additional 1,000 trees and shrubs were watered and
cared for and each tree was surrounded with a protective blue tree tube
and a weed resistant mat. They worked with other PCEI volunteers,
landowners and interns to help us build 345 feet of cedar log
revetments and terracing which will protect the backyards of four
families in Moscow from further erosion. |
Thanks Moscow
The community really came through for the team, donating furniture,
theatre tickets, kitchen and cooking supplies and other necessary
equipment. PCEI was fortunate to host Blue Team 6 and we are grateful
to all who donated their resources to make their stay pleasant. |
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