AmeriCorps NCCC - Year 2: Team Leader

Badger 5 and Badger 6 (aka Badger 11) on Graduation Day

The AmerCorps NCCC journey isn't over. As I mentioned, I've taken on a position as a Team Leader for Class XVI. And I've begun another blog to chronicle the experience. As always, feel free to follow along. That journey begins here:

AmeriCorps NCCC - Year 2: Team Leader

I hope you've enjoyed the first-hand account of an AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps member in action. I hope to offer the same with a new year on this new blog. Enjoy!

Got Things Done - Final Reflection

One year ago I was sitting at my desk, looking forward to the next presentation I'd give to students and their families. As an admission counselor, the highlight of my day was heading to the visitor center and speaking directly with the students. It was the part of the job that reminded me each day why I was there and who I was there for.

My National Civilian Community Corps experience came to an end Friday, after a week of events and close-out that made up the final transition...

Well, this was a bit different of a transition. We aren't eagerly awaiting news of our next project, we aren't planning what to pack, and there's no gearing up for a 2-day travel we would typically expect at the end of the week. We're closing out our year of service, and transitioning into life after AmeriCorps.

So now I look back on a year of service, and I sit here not knowing where to begin and what to blog about. I’ve had what seems like a lifetime of experience in leadership, firefighting, teaching, construction, environmental conservation, volunteer management, among so many other things.

Furthermore, I’ve experienced all of this with the same 8 people for the past year. They’ve been there for every moment, so they’ve seen me at both a personal and professional level. Knowing that it has come to an end is something far beyond bittersweet, if there was even a term for it. The satisfaction of having gotten things done for communities around the country and seeing the difference that was made in others’ lives made it worth every challenge we faced this year.

We were all able to celebrate the difference we’ve made this year at our Awards Ceremony, the day before leaving. It was a great event, and something quite atypical for all of us in the Corps, as many took the opportunity to dress up as we ate a served dinner that included dessert. Badger 6 claimed our own table and we enjoyed the night’s awards and recognitions, which ended with a slideshow of the year…

Watching that video, and especially thinking about it now as I look over pictures of the year, made the departure the following day harder, because I was reminded that I wouldn’t be piling into a van with my team to delve right back into one of those projects in another community that could use our help. You get one of the best feelings by getting involved in direct service. Through it, I’ve got to meet those I’m serving and see the impact, ranging from the smile on someone’s face to the goal number of rebuilt homes reached. It’s a feeling similar to that I had one year ago, when meeting those students at presentations each day. It is the moment when everything is put into perspective.

I’ve had these moments all year, and fortunately, I’ve got another year beginning in January as I continue my journey as a Team Leader. Clearly, because of this perspective, I couldn’t be more excited. But most importantly, I know that when my term of service ends next November, whatever it is I do after my National Civilian Community Corps experience, I’ll look forward to next impact I can make, on any level. Because even if it’s not direct service, I know that there are so many others who should have the opportunity experience it, and I know how to give it to them.

Badger 6

Meet the family. I never thought it possible to get so close with 8 people who were complete strangers 10 months ago. But I've come to know and understand these folks like no one else. It's a continuous 24/7 experience that doesn't allow for alone time, and a lot of official and unofficial bonding. This past two months we lived together in an apartment where 8 Corps members were divided into two bedrooms. Among the rest of the challenges we've faced this year, this is certainly one of them. Yet as crazy as we drove each other as uber-roommates, we're back from our project now and missing that big ol' green house that so many memories of this year have come from.

But yes, the year has come to a close, this past week has been a tough one. I've seen these people every single day for 10 months, and we're now off to our respective homes, and life will be different. All 9 of us have been through a lot, and we've all learned from each other, and we've changed in ways we have noticed and I'm sure have yet to understand yet. Life after AmeriCorps is about to begin, and we're moving on to new things, whether it is heading home, starting the job search, applying for or beginning classes, going back to old jobs, beginning another year with NCCC, and even starting new jobs, as three members of Badger 6 will be moving to New Orleans immediately after the program to continue to help others.

They all mean more to me than I ever expected, and they've each had such an impact on my life that I'm not sure I'll ever be able to explain it. Badger 6 started out as strangers back in February, when Drew took us to that table at the point to "break the ice" and get to know one another. At that time, I remember thinking about how in the world I had ended up on this team, on this unit, wondering why everything had changed so quickly after just one week of this journey. Looking back, I can't imagine having been on any other team than Badger 6. We became an unstoppable dynamic that has broken through the ice and created waves of change in communities up and down the east and gulf coasts. And now it's all over? Nah, you never lose touch with family. But I'm sure gonna miss 'em until the reunion.

Goodbye NOLA! Badger 6 has a Good Old-Time

So we've been meaning to do this since our first round.  During our final day in New Orleans, we headed to Old-Time photo shop in the Quarter.  

They took a few shots, and it came down to two.  The photographer was a big fan of the other photo, which looked more traditional and old-timey, if you will.   However, when we saw this one, it pretty much captured Badger 6 more than any other photo.  Funny thing is, this is the "extra" photo we took after all of the traditional photos had already been taken.  this photo was supposed to be just for fun, and ended up being the photo we liked best.

We're fans of the photo.  After the shoot, we headed for our final outing at Juan's Flying Burrito, a delicious burrito place on Magazine street.  That wrapped up our day (go ahead, laugh out loud), and we drove back to the greenhouse to clean and pack.

The past two days were filled with driving up the east coast.  We stayed in Kodac, Tennesee overnight before our second day of driving.  Much of the team also experienced our first "Steak & Shake" meal.  This is more of an inside joke with the team, but on a scale of Nom, I'll give it a Nom Nom Nom.

And now we're back at the Point.  I'm in the process of unpacking, and soon to be packing up everything, as our departure from NCCC occurs next Friday.  A lot to blog about I'm sure, so I'll do my best to get on here when I can.  But there's a chance I may not be able to until I'm back in Boston on Friday.  We'll see how it goes.

Final Day at Rebuilding Together

As incredible as my experiences have been this year, one thing that's always hard is wrapping up the end of a project. After around two months of working with the same community and really getting into the routine of things, it comes time to leave, and it's at that point, especially, when you realize the impact you've had all round.

Much of this week was a continuation of the previous week. A couple of team members working in the warehouse, a couple in the Salvage Store, three out on a site painting a house, and Chris and I as runners. As runners, Chris and I take an RT vehicle out and run supplies to the various work sites throughout the day. It involves a lot of driving, lots of phone calls, trips to Loews to purchase supplies, and of course, in turn, the occasional trip to the gas station. It's a job I've enjoyed the most with this project, and Chris and I have been placed here for the past two weeks.

Today was the average running day for us, except that it was our final day with the project. After hearing from staff of their appreciation for us and how much we've contributed, it makes you realize that you aren't permanently with the project. That's where it gets difficult. After 6 weeks with RT, it feels as though we are part of the staff; the goodbyes, however, bring us back into perspective. It feels as though until today, we're in the mindset of expecting to show up to work on Monday, load up our vehicles, drive the I-10, and begin another week of literally rebuilding together.

No, that isn't the case. But most importantly, it does allow me to see how I've made an impact, and what more I can do after this journey. Rebuilding Together, like every other non-profit organization we've worked with, will always be there, because the community needs it to be there, and because I need it to be there. Today may have been our last day of the last project of this year, but nothing it preventing it ever from being our final.

Day of Service New Orleans

We volunteered with an organization known as The Porch last Saturday. The cultural center acts as a resource and activity area for kids that live in the area, and its right here in the Marigny. Our own Team member DK organized the event, which entailed four NCCC teams that currently reside in New Orleans coming together to beautify a community garden here in addition to cleaning up trash in the neighborhood.

It was nice to work with the kids. They were more than eager to help with weeding and picking up trash. It was even more motivation for us, knowing that these kids would be coming back here every day and would have a clean area to have fun in.

While clearing up the trash in the neighborhood, we found what used to be a basketball court. It's crazy taking a look at it now and seeing what has built up and grown since the floods. It's specific things like this that put into perspective how much you can achieve by tackling things one at a time. Obviously, our objective for the day wasn't to clear out this area; but knowing what we had done for the community garden that day, in just a few hours, just proves that the same can be done for this former basketball court (picture below). Perhaps that can be a project for us in the future; Most importantly, though, hopefully anyone who has time would be able to volunteer for the project.

Anyway, a solid and successful Day of Service. This was our final one, as there is a Day of Service for each round, and DK did a great job as our Project Outreach Liaison and put a lot of work into coordinating our involvement with other teams and the sponsors.

Halloween

It may very well be the biggest holiday you can experience here in the Big Easy. This past week has been full of activities and celebration in the name of chocolate and horror.

Krew of Boo is an annual event that occurs here, one week before Halloween. Companies, organizations, and even families and friends themselves are able to purchase a space in the parade for a float. They dress up, make their float as epic as can be, and throw out beads and candy to those who go to the parade. We went last Saturday to experience the fun, meeting up with some Ravens and watching the parade right outside of the French Market. I got a good amount of beads, but nowhere near everyone else. It helps to have a bit more height on you when you're reaching up to catch beads.

Anyway, awesome times. That weekend concluded with a Pumpkin Jack-O-Lantern get-together that a fellow NCCC team had at their house. We carved pumpkins, ate entirely too much, played a holiday version of pin-the-tail (stab-the-vampire-with-a-stake) that we all failed at, and finally a childhood favorite of mine, bobbing for apples. An excess amount of water up my nose reminded me why its been a favorite of mine I easily forgot, but the joy in knowing that we would all dive in head first to the game made it worth it.

Then, of course, the big night itself, happened last night (and really the night before as well, here in NOLA). Badger 6 costumed up and headed for the Quarter. I've never been during Mardi Gras, but it was unlike anything I've ever seen. For a good amount of time, a solid chunk of us just remained on Frenchmen Street in one spot we could call our own. You could maneuver the area if you wanted, but it seemed safer and more fun just to hang out and watch the costumes parade by.

Good times for Badger 6, as always, and great times enjoying Halloween in New Orleans. It'll be hard for future Halloweens to match up I'm sure. I'll have to bring the NOLA spirit out wherever I am at this time next year.