OLYMPIA – Everyday, members of the Washington Service Corps/AmeriCorps team at the Tacoma Housing Authority serve their community, but next week they’ll have help.

To celebrate national AmeriCorps week and bring attention to how all Americans can serve their country locally, well-known local figures in the community will roll up their sleeves and work along side members of the group.

Who

Washington Service Corps/AmeriCorps members serving with the Tacoma Housing Authority, along with guest “members for a day”:

• Ken Miller, member of board of directors for the Tacoma Housing Authority;
      
• Drew Mikkelsen, South Sound bureau chief for King 5 News;
      
• Jud Morris, director of the Family Support Center for the Children’s Home Society in Pierce County;
       
• Sharon Parker, chancellor for equity and diversity for the University of Washington, Tacoma; and
      
• Rick Talbert, Tacoma City Council member.

When and Where

Each day during the week of May 12 to 16, excluding Thursday, guest “members for a day” will experience a day in the life of the Service Corps/AmeriCorps members who serve at various non-profit locations in the Tacoma area.

• Monday, May 12, beginning at 10:30 a.m., Ken Miller will serve at the Lakewood Area Shelter, 8956 Gravelly Lake Dr. S.W.
      
• Tuesday, May 13, beginning at 10:15 a.m., Drew Mikkelsen will serve at Goodwill Industries, 714 27th St., Tacoma.
      
• Wednesday, May 14, beginning at 10:30 a.m., Sharon Parker will serve at the United Way of Pierce County, 1501 Pacific Ave., Tacoma.
      
• Friday, May 16, beginning at 10:30 a.m., Jud Morris will serve at the Tacoma Rescue Mission, 3202 South Tyler St., Tacoma and beginning at 11:30 a.m., Rick Talbert will serve at Bates Technical College, 1101 South Yakima Ave., Tacoma.

Contact before May 12: Caitlin Cormier, 360-902-9215, or Dixon McReynolds, 253-207-4472

Background on the Washington Service Corps

The Service Corps is administered by the state Employment Security Department, using funding from the federal AmeriCorps program. Members aged 17 and up commit to 10-and-a-half months to a year of community service that meets the educational, environmental, security and public-safety needs of communities across Washington. In return, they receive a modest living allowance and an educational scholarship.

Background on guest volunteers

Ken Miller was appointed to the board of directors for the Tacoma Housing Authority in 2006. He has been national chairman of the American Leadership Forum and represented Weyerhaeuser on the corporate advisory council of United Way of America. Miller has been on the boards of the Annie Wright School, the Tacoma Actors Guild and Point Defiance Zoo Society.

Drew Mikkelsen is the South Sound bureau chief for King 5 News. In addition to coordinating news stories covering the South Sound area, Mikkelsen serves as an on-the-scene reporter for King 5, the NBC affiliate in Seattle.

Jud Morris serves as director of the Family Support Center for the Children’s Home Society in Pierce County. The center helps parents improve parenting skills, increase their knowledge of child development and develop stronger relationships with educators and professionals who provide services to their children.

Sharon Parker is the chancellor for equity and diversity for the University of Washington in Tacoma. The department explores challenging issues and is committed to diversity.

Rick Talbert is a member of the Tacoma City Council and served as deputy mayor in 2007. Talbert is the chairman of the City Council’s Economic Development Committee and is a member of the Public Safety and Human Services Committee. He also serves as the chairman of the Tacoma Pierce County Board of Health.

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