An NCCC Atlantic Region Publication

Get to the PointGet to the Point May 31, 2012May 31, 2012

The Buffalo 3 EditionThe Buffalo 3 Edition

Community Relations Office

Sam McKenzie,

Community Relations Specialist,

SMcKenzie@cns.gov

Tristan Fowler,

Community Relations Support Team Leader,

TFowler.Guest@cns.gov

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NCCCATLANTICREGION

AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps

(NCCC) is a full time team–based residential program

for men and women ages 18 to 24. The mission of NCCC

is to strength communities and develop leaders through

direct, team-based national &

community service.

For more information about NCCC

Visit www.americorps.gov/nccc or call 1 800 942 2677

I’m an member of the Na-

tional Civilian Community

Corps, an AmeriCorps

program. N-triple-C

members are 18 to 24 and

spend 10 months getting

things done for America

while developing their own

leadership. We serve on

teams to help communities

to prepare for and respond

to disaster, build homes and

help the environment. To

learn more, or apply, visit

americorps.gov/nccc

2

Get to the Point

COVER: CENTER: B3, SHOWING SOME BUF-FALO PRIDE IN THE POOL AT HOPE FOR KIDS.TOP LEFT: R5, IN YORK, PA TOP RIGHT: M5, IN WILMINGTON , DELAWARE BOTTOM; LEFT, B1 AND B3 TEAM DURING AN ISP AT THE CURESEARCH CHIDRENS CANCER WALK MIDDLE, B4, GETTING THINGS DONE FOR AMERICA IN NEW YORK. RIGHT, FF2, AT FIRE STATION NEAR THEIR SPIKE SITE

Buffalo 3 visits the magic wings butterfly conservatory for service learning

GET TO THE POINT

333 CAMP HOPE FOR KIDS

By Buffalo 3

ALUNMI SPOTLIGHT

444 CHARLIE BIRCHMEIER

By Buffalo 1

5 5 5 IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT:

SICK IN QUARTERS

6 6 6 THE SCOREBOARD:

A RESOURCE FOR CAP AND MEDIA REPS

QUICKIES

SHOUT OUTS 7

AMERISTARS 8

AMERIMAP 9

3

Get to the Point

Team Spotlight—Buffalo 3

CAMP HOPE FOR KIDS By Buffalo 3

Schwenksville, PA- WHEN

BUFFALO 3 ARRIVED ON THE

scene, Camp Hope for Kids

was in need of some serious

help. The pool was dirty and

filled with debris, cabin roofs

leaked and the inside was cov-

ered in years of dirt and grime.

Luckily Buffalo 3 was ready to

get things done!

Day 1 started out at full

speed with roofing to be done

as half the team climbed up on

to the first cabin and was able

to complete almost an entire

roof just that day. The rest of

the team was hard at work as

well cleaning and repainting

the cabins. As the days went on

the team continued to exceed

the sponsors expectations,

originally it was said that it

would take two weeks for a

team of four to complete one

cabin, but Buffalo 3 had other

plans. In that same two weeks

they had completed nearly four

cabins and began the long pro-

cess of cleaning, patching and

repainting the camp's pool.

The weather wasn't al-

ways on their side, ranging

through out the round from

the high 80's and extremely

humid to cold and stormy the

very next day, but the noble

Buffalo pushed on enduring

the sun as it beat down upon

them in the empty pool and

treading through the mud and

water to complete any task giv-

en.

During weeks two and

three the teams spent most of

their time cleaning and re-

painting the cabins and power

washing the pool now filled

with leaves, mud and small

a m p h i b i o u s c r e a t u r e s .

Through out the 4 week project

the team did well to remain fo-

cused and kept in mind that

without their effort and com-

mitment to this project Camp

Hope for Kids wouldn't be able

to complete their goal of bring-

ing underprivileged inner city

youth to experience nature,

many for the first time.

Camp Hope for Kids is

dedicated to getting kids out in

to nature and changing their

lives through connections with

each other and Buffalo 3 is

honored to have been a part of

their vision!

Remember Safety First– Mignon Bryant se-

cures a ladder for Thomas DeMasters while

Mercedes Abrahms paints the window trim

inside a cabin at Camp Hope

Thomas DeMasters and Tu Ahn Tran attempt

to remove mud and water from the pool.

4

Get to the Point

Alumni Spotlight—Charlie Birchmeir

MEET CHARLIE by Buffalo 1

Team Members from Buffalo 1 spent their Day of Service work-ing with alum Charlie Birchmei-er, class XIII Corps Member from the Sacramento campus. After spending the day working with Charlie, the team sat down to ask a couple of questions about Charlie’s NCCC experience.

Why did Charlie join NCCC?

Charlie joined NCCC in order to travel while still being able to complete service work. The pro-gram seemed to be a fit for Char-lie because NCCC has a shorter commitment than other programs like the Peace Corps.

What was Charlie’s favorite round?

Charlie’s favorite round was while working during the Gulf recovery. Charlie remembers working with Campfire USA Council to help with demolition and rebuilding. What Charlie liked best about the project was being able to see the progress that the team had made during their time and to see and interact with the people who use

the facilities.

What is one of the funniest moments that happened during Charlie’s service?

During the summer in Louisiana,

another team member (the vehi-

cle tools and safety officer), was

checking fluids in the van after

the van had been running. Due to

the heat, the van caught on fire as

the Corps Member was complet-

ing the van inspection. The van,

named 1400 after the van license

plate, was put out of commission

and was replaced by their new

van, the Granite Stallion.

What advice does Charlie have for current Corps Members?

Charlie stresses the importance of starting to plan what you want to do after NCCC now.

According to Charlie, it’s best to take your experiences with NCCC and decide if it’s something that you like to do. Charlie also talked about how many of the Corps Members from his class ended up working for their sponsor after NCCC due to the relationships that they established during their project rounds.

Buffalo 1 gets to know Charlie Birchmeier, during their Round 1 Day of Service

5

Get to the Point

WHAT IS THE AMERICORPS NCCC

PROCEDURES ON MEMBERS TAKING SICK

DAYS IN QUARTERS?

1. A member may elect to take up to two consecutive

Corps work days as sick days in quarters. He/she must

report this to his/her team leader by personal phone con-

tact or face-to-face at or before the pre-determined ac-

countability/departure time for projects/training for each

day of sick in quarters.

2. The Sick Day in Quarters (SIQ) is intended for rest

and recuperation. As such, the member must remain in

quarters that entire day so that he/she may return to work the next service day. If a member chooses to

remain in quarters for the day, it is understood that he/she must remain in quarters throughout the even-

ing as well.

3. If on spike, the member must remain in the spike housing for the duration of the day. On spike, the

team leader or unit leader may designate an alternative resting place to the spike housing if that housing

(e.g. tents) is not conducive to recuperation.

4. In the event the member is unable to return to work or training at the beginning of the third consecutive

Corps work day, the member must then go on sick call to seek professional medical advice.

5. In the event that a physician requires bed rest or issues other limits on duty or activity, written documen-

tation from the servicing physician will be turned in to the Unit Leader or the team leader if the team

is on spike. If a member requires bed rest, they are to remain in his/her dormitory room or spike housing

until the prescribed period of bed rest is over. Members on bed rest may attend meals, if able.

6. Team leaders will report daily members who are sick in quarters to

the unit staff through the appropriate regional administrative mech-

anism.

7. An unusual number of requests from a member for “sick in quar-

ters” days will be examined for legitimacy. The team leader and

unit staff will record and address suspected abuses.

8.Individuals absent from work because of sick call will not be award-

ed service hours for service time missed. Whenever a Corps

member misses work due to illness, it is the corps member’s

responsibility to perform a sufficient amount of independent

service hours to mitigate the absence.

A MUST READ FOR ALL CORPS MEMBERS AND TEAM LEADERS:

Sick in Quarters Proper Procedure

6

Get to the Point

Shout-Outs:

Buffalo 3 - For putting this whole issue together! Buffalo 3 asked over

transition to have a chance to design and create a issue of ―Get to the

Point,‖ and this week they go there wish. I hope they learned a lot about

design and editing, along with teamwork and time management. It takes

me on average eight to 10 hours a week to produce, so I appreciate the

break :-) I hope you all had a great experience with it. It looks great!

Raven 3 - So far has had the largest CAP event of the round with 274!

That’s a whole lot of capping. Well done.

Updates of the Week:

Half way! - Please take a look at your goals in your evaluations from transition. Are you going to make it?

There are a critical few weeks left in the round. Do you need help? Can we make calls for you? There are a lot

of zeros on the scoreboard still, and there will be more serious consequences this transition if teams have

failed to reach their goals two consecutive rounds.

Reminders from last Week:

Gmail Accounts—Use them! Do not use your person-

al e-mail for CAP events, contacts, or media relations. Sam

and I can not support you or your contacts if we don’t have

access to your emails. Furthermore, we use these emails as

evidence of the work you do in the field during our yearly

review.

Alumni Event Form Update! This form will now

include the alumni’s e-mail contact. Be sure to ask for it

during your events.

CAP & MEDIA UPDATES

The Scoreboard

Shout-outs, tips and the weekly stats. All the info you need to

stay on top of your CAP and Media work.

CAP

Events

Media

Hits

Alumni

Events

Elected

Officials

Buffalo 1 1 1 1 0

Buffalo 2 2 1 0 0

Buffalo 3 0 2 1 0

Buffalo 4 0 3 0 0

Moose 1 2 6 1 1

Moose 2 0 3 1 0

Moose 3 1 4 3 0

Moose 4 3 5 0 1

Moose 5 2 1 0 0

Raven 1 0 12 0 1

Raven 2 2 41 1 2

Raven 3 2 1 1 0

Raven 4 2 2 2 0

Raven 5 3 2 1 1

Phoenix 2 1 0 0 0

Fire Fox 2 1 0 0 0

Latest stats as of : Wednesday, May 30, AM

7

Get to the Point

USTLs - We‟d like to send a shout out to Liz and Rhoda, the unstoppable duo, for all the

miles logged together. Also to Tony Horton for all the bonus sessions. We really enjoy getting

X-ed.

Dept. STLs – Red hair; Don‟t Care (Michael)

Raven 1 - Ladies and gentleman, the Pig Tail Friday revolution has begun. Raven 2 - Raven 2 filled up multiple garbage trucks of debris from two vacant lots in Frankford this past week. Shout out and con-

grats to Raven 2 member Erick for completing his ISP hours.

Raven 3 – To Avery Engle on Phoenix 2, Dearest Avery, we are Raven 3 miss you greatly. Make sure to drink a gallon of milk,

because it‟s your birthday. We love you very much. Oh, and eat some dirt/worms, too.

Raven 4 - Raven 4 had an entertainment packed week… Tuesday – Hosted two alumni for dinner, Wednesday – Hip Hop Hustle

class at the local YMCA thanks to free Y passes from our sponsors, Friday – The Avengers in 3D thanks to free movie nights ar-

ranged by our sponsor, Sunday – SIX FLAGS New England!

Raven 5 - Raven 5 would like to send a smoke signal to our dear dear dearly missed

Phoenix 2 team member as she is burning her way through her hours on composite and

would like to let her know that there is still a seat in the S.S. Ticket for her when she re-

turns. Miss you Lex. Burn baby, burn.

Buffalo 1- Hey guys! Hope you‟re having a blast on spike… Miss you. Thanks for the

card. –Kelly

Buffalo 2 - Happy Belated Birthday Laura & Happy birthday Grace!!!

Our very own James Ramiscal is now officially „Uncle Jim‟ to baby Liberty!

Buffalo 3 - Buffalo 3 would like to send a shout-out to Liz, for being the best Support

Team Leader in the world and an awesome rock climber!

Buffalo 4 - Congrats and way to go, B3 & B4…leading the herd in ISPs!! CONGRAT-

ULATIONS to our Jess, for being named the composite TL for the Crossroads Compo-

site Team…we are “over the moon excited” for you and your accomplishments. Thanks

Tristan for all your hard work, support & encouragement…it‟s a comforting breath of

fresh air. -Tiffany

Phoenix 2 - Moose 1- I hope you‟re having a great time on spike. I‟m glad you can en-

joy the Philly area. Good luck and see you soon! -Chandler ; To Raven 5- My favorite

dorky dirty birds raven 5… cacawwwwww!!!!!! –Lex; To Raven 4- Wait until you guys

see my new Richard Simmons dance moves when I get back… -Em

Moose 1 - Looking Forward to working with Raven 1 for the last three weeks!

Moose 2 -Lobster and Scallops!!!! Tourists have invaded! We‟re having a blast in Maine.

Moose 4 -Blitz Build T-minus 9 days! “Steve, we can‟t wait to see ya. See ya in „bout four weeks time. Hope you are having fun in

Albany. It‟s a really good place. And hope you are having fun trying not to get poison ivy or oak.”

– From your bestest friend Brit Brit Coco

8

Get to the Point

AmeriStars Each week, the Health and

Wellness Liaisons will submit members to feature, giving

everyone a chance in the spotlight.

TRAVIS MENIG

fro

m Royal Oak, M

I

1. How old

are you? 23

2. W

hat are your hobbies? B

ike

Riding, fishing and enjoying th

e great

outdoors

3. W

hat is one th

ing you m

iss? I

miss my nephews

4. W

hat fictio

nal character do you

relate to th

e most? C

alvin, of C

al-

vin and Hobbes

REBECCA STRAUSS

from Chicago, IL

1. How old are you? 23

2. What is one thing you

miss? Chicago Style Pizza

3. What is your favorite

quote? ―A woman is like a tea

bag– you can’t tell how strong

she is until you put her in hot

water‖- Eleanor Roosevelt

HASSAN PHILLIPS

fro

m New York, NY

1. How old are you? 19

2. W

hat’s your m

ost prized possession?

My grandfather’s H

oly Quran

3. If y

ou had one wish, w

hat would it

be?

To be a best selling author.

9

Get to the Point

Buffalo 1 Taft— Williamstown, NJ

Buffalo 2 Tomoyo— Camden, NJ

Buffalo 3 Tony— Stroudsburg, PA

Buffalo 4 Tiffany— Angola, NY

Moose 1 Patrick—Valley Forge, PA

Moose 2 Megan— Bath, ME

Moose 3 Jami— Hamden, CT

Moose 4 Casey— Newburgh, NY

Moose 5 Toby— Camden, NJ

Raven 1 Keiper— Wilmington, DE

Raven 2 Davey— Philadelphia, PA

Raven 3 A.T.— New Castle , DE

Raven 4 Millena—W Springfield, MA

Raven 5 Dan— York, PA

Phoenix 2 Emily— Suffolk, VA

Fire Fox 2 Steve—Albany, NY