The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
by Judy Swanson, The Quill Staff
A group of nine young people from Americorps NCCC are in La Harpe this week and next to do several community service projects.
Americorps NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps) is a residential national service program for men and women between the ages of 18 and 24 who want to answer the President's call to service.
For 10 months, members serve in teams to meet urgent community needs in homeland security, disaster relief, the environment, and youth development.
They work on projects throughout the country with nonprofit programs, state and local agencies, and other community and faith-based groups.
Members who are working in La Harpe are from the Denver, CO Campus. They receive training in CPR, first aid, leadership, team building, and citizenship. They are then sent into communities through out the United States. This group has worked in Lomax and Carthage. After they leave La Harpe, they will go to Bushnell and Colchester.
The members of the Americorps team working here are: Sara Norman (Team Leader), Leila Chardburg, Bernice Cordova, Claudia Ortz, Nikloe Swaney, Stevo Evans, Richy Coffin, Cameron Tousley, and Matthew Wren.
Cheryl Lefler, Community Development Specialist for ICCS (Illinois Coalition for Community Services) is out of the Monmouth office and works in 7 counties in West Central Illinois. ICCS will sponsor the Americorps team while they are in this area. ICCS and Cheryl wrote and submitted the Americorps NCCC project grant on behalf of the 5 counties. ICCS is a statewide non-profit organization with the mission to help communities help themselves. She works along side with the Americorps team.
Cheryl said, " Working with NCCC is a great partnership for ICCS and a great extension of the grassroots community development work we do with rural communities. The team is fantastic and so much fun to work with. They have been doing wonderful work in each community, and the communities have been showing a lot of support for the team and the projects. "
While the team is in La Harpe, they will be repairing cemetery stones, cleaning streets, painting fire hydrants and stripes on the city streets, and painting the ceiling in the American Legion building.
If you see these young people working in town, tell them how much you appreciate what they are doing!