Depression-Era Corps & Others Honored

Lt. Gov. Barbara O’Brien today welcomed hundreds of AmeriCorps members to Red Rocks this afternoon, launching the national AmeriCorps Week.

Among those given special recognition were original Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC, a predecessor of AmeriCorps) members, now in their 90’s. CCC was created by President Franklin Roosevelt during the Depression to take on community service projects. CCC members built the amphitheater at Red Rocks, completed in 1941.

Hundreds of AmeriCorps members spent the morning working on a trail improvement project and other community service projects around Red Rocks.

“There are more than two thousand AmeriCorps workers here in Colorado working in 38 cities and towns creating their own legacies right now. They are doing everything from planting gardens to rehabilitating housing,” said Lt. Gov. O’Brien.

The Governor’s Office on Community Service, in the Lieutenant Governor’s Office, hosted today’s event, which kicks off AmeriCorps Week nationwide.

Lt. Gov. O’Brien was joined by Director of the USA Freedom Corps Henry Lozano and Chief Operating Officer of the Corporation for National and Community Service Liz Seale.

Five individuals and two organizations were given Governor’s Awards for their exemplary work in community service. Receiving the Colorado AmeriCorps Achievement Awards:

• Michael Moreno of Greeley
• Sara Morfitt of Saguache
• Keenan White of Denver
• Chantal Pierre of Boulder

The Still Getting Things Done Aware recognized AmeriCorps alumni Jennifer Gentry of Lakewood for her literacy work in the Adams County School District. The Spirit of AmeriCorps Award honored the SAME (So All May Eat) Café in Denver, which provides fresh food everyday on a donation basis and John Minnick of Grand Junction and Xcel Energy who saved Halloween for Mesa County children by repairing a haunted house.

Comedian Josh Blue entertained the AmeriCorps members with a performance at the amphitheater. On Saturday night, it will be AmeriCorps night at the Rockies in Coors Field.

AmeriCorps was created by President Clinton and Congress in 1993 as a way for Americans to give back to their communities and country and earn money for college in return. Since its creation, AmeriCorps have provided more than 705 million hours of service nationwide.

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