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Tornado Response in St. Louis - Day 6
By Quinn
Here’s a story from the AmeriCorps St. Louis Emergency Response Team, which last week for Holmes County, Mississippi to help with tornado clean-up. AmeriCorps members took chainsaws, tools, generators and other gear to the disaster zone. 25 people were injured and one person died in Holmes County during last weekend's storms.
After nearly a week of lengthy days that make 12 hour shifts seem like a blessing, we completed over 13 work requests with the help of over 100 volunteers. We are all exhausted, faced vehicle issues, and may have damaged some of our best chainsaws beyond repair. 
We are now coordinating Volunteer Reception Centers (VRC) in Holmes and Choctaw County, running two field teams of Americorps members in Holmes County and reaching out to over 150 households who, a week ago, didn't exist in our lives. These families, our partners, community members and other volunteers have now not only become part of our daily lives, but part of our reason for being.
Yesterday a young boy, about 8 years-old, came into the VRC, which is also functioning as a point of distribution (POD) for donations, to replace clothing he had lost in the tornado. He asked for help finding clothes and after shuffling through piles on the table I handed him a red plaid shirt. He pulled it on and, as his head reappeared, one of the biggest smiles I have ever seen was painted across his face. He was glowing with the pride and purpose that I can only assume is hard to regain after losing everything you have known. It was the greatest reward of my trip so far.
Yesterday I met with Mr. Brown's daughter, Rachel, on the property where her father's house once stood. Mr. Brown was the sole fatality in Holmes County. As I understand it, his home was lifted off its cinderblocks and thrown into a field on the other side of the road. Cleaning up the Brown's property will take days, hundreds of volunteer hours, and a variety of tools and machinery. Certainly no easy task, but within hours of my time with Rachel, three different volunteer groups of over 100 people were anxious to begin work. The volunteers were from Tennessee, North Carolina and other counties in Mississippi. People coming together, side by side for a common task: humanity.
So in the end today, like every day we have been here, totals out to be a great day because of the people we meet, the lives we have the opportunity to help make better and the friendships we build on the team. This has been a reminder to myself of why we are AmeriCorps.
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Posted on
5/11/2010 5:24:09 PM |
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National Service Steps Up to Disaster Response
As various parts of the country are hit with disasters ranging from floods to tornadoes to oil spills, national service participants have stepped up to provide vital assistance. Below is a brief overview of distasters and national service deployment.
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Posted on
5/10/2010 6:04:53 PM |
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Kloshe Illahee Community: A Model for Emergency Preparedness
The folks are trained through the city's Community Emergency Response Team and are prepared for wind, snow, ice, power outages and earthquakes. Kloshe Illahee is a community of citizens ages 55 and up. Residents embarked on their neighborhood emergency plan in 2005. The plan was finalized in 2006. Now, the group is preparing a revision, with the goal of continuing self-sustainability in preparation for a disaster.
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Posted on
11/17/2009 8:16:01 AM |
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Helping to Keep the Veterans' Memory Alive
I have been working with American WWII veterans since 1994, making many of them guests of honor where once they were in combat.
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Posted on
11/13/2009 10:21:57 AM |
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“We Have A Plan”
Volunteering, Teamwork, Learning and Growing, Being Prepared- proactive choices that make a difference in our social security as a nation, community, family and individual.
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Posted on
11/9/2009 10:45:37 AM |
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Volunteering as an EMT Everywhere I've Lived
I’ve done everything from coordinating search and rescue activities to cleaning up and carrying out the trash. After a transfer to Hugo, Colorado, my latest unique volunteer opportunity began.
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Posted on
11/5/2009 2:56:54 PM |
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Volunteering Saved My Life
For the first time ever, I felt I was doing something with a purpose and in turn it gave me a sense of worth and meaning. Up until then I had felt like I was a burden to people around me. Whereas at the event, I felt like I meant something to someone and was doing good for those around me. I then immersed myself in volunteer work.
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Posted on
11/2/2009 10:34:56 AM |
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Volunteers Help Kids Learn All About Safety U.S Air Force Base RAF Mildenhall, UK
By tagging on to the President’s initiative and encouraging service this summer, we have engaged people in community service work to help make it a part of the everyday lives of all Americans with a hope that they will make an ongoing commitment to each other, their communities, and volunteer work throughout their lives
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Posted on
10/29/2009 11:25:51 AM |
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An Ongoing Conversation with the Troops
I have been battling some medical conditions. I use to be flat in bed for five and a half and now live with daily chronic pain. However, I have been sending all handwritten letters to the troops since Nov. 2000.
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Posted on
10/24/2009 12:45:30 PM |
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Etowah County Alabama Responds to United We Serve
With the Citizen Corps Council/VOAD, RSVP hosted an informational meeting on August 24, 2009 - to kick off Safety and Security Week and also build up to 9/11.
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Posted on
10/5/2009 3:07:30 PM |
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A Little Bit of Home in Afghanistan
Mother organizes her community to knit 130 helmet liners for her son's fellow troops in Afghanistan.
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Posted on
10/1/2009 10:51:25 PM |
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Pocket Flag Project
How one school got involved on September 11th by honoring our service members.
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Posted on
9/22/2009 9:56:40 PM |
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Fulfillment After Retirement
When I retired nearly four years ago, I never dreamed I would have so many interesting jobs and experiences.
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Posted on
9/22/2009 9:56:30 PM |
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When Service Makes a Sustained Community Impact
Mike L., a member with the American Red Cross’ AmeriCorps Together We Prepare program, has been making quite an impact on Washtenaw County in Michigan. Through his service with the county’s Red Cross chapter, Mike’s usual service has been organizing a youth service group called Youth Community Action Team (YCAT) and responding to local disasters. But following an AmeriCorps training session, another opportunity presented itself.
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Posted on
9/22/2009 9:55:55 PM |
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25 Years of Volunteerism with National Military Family Association
Working for a company for 25 years shows loyalty—volunteering for an organization for 25 years is much more than just loyalty. It is dedication, selflessness, and passion for what one does. Wanda Allen-Yearout is one of only a few individuals with this huge accomplishment, but she is very modest about it.
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Posted on
9/10/2009 9:22:30 PM |
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Are You Fire Ready, Montana?
We had a great time in Lockwood on the last day of our Fire Ready Montana tour! It wasa beautiful day and all the local fire and emergency officials were there, along with several community booths. Residents came out with their kids to meet Smokey Bear and enjoy the fire truck demonstrations. It truly was a community event!
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Posted on
9/9/2009 4:20:16 PM |
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Volunteering with Retired and Senior Volunteer Program - Repaying Those Who Have Helped Me
After visiting with the President, I realized that volunteering here gives me the opportunity to, in a small way, repay those individuals who were so helpful to me during my crisis. Volunteerism also helps satisfy a need to be involved in solving some of the problems that we face in our community. In my case, delivering meals to the homebound has provided me the opportunity to serve longer.
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Posted on
9/4/2009 3:22:40 PM |
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RSVP Volunteers Begin New Partnership with the US Army, Assisting Arsenal Island Disaster Drill
Volunteers participated as victims in a simulated poisonous gas release. They went through triage on site then were transported to hospitals on both sides of the river. Afterwards several answered questions about their experience.
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Posted on
9/3/2009 3:36:38 PM |
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Port Charlotte, FL Volunteer Reception Center (VRC) Tour
On August 27, 2009, I took part in United We Serve Safety and Security Week by touring our new Volunteer Reception Center, housed in the new Salvation Army Family Services Building.
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Posted on
9/2/2009 3:49:02 PM |
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Texas Cert Team Answers Safety and Security Week!
“With Ike’s devastation still so fresh on everyone’s mind, we are experiencing an increase in interest from people that desire to participate in training,” said Mark Sloan. “Current students in our class feel we are giving them more insight and greater ability to respond to disasters.”
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Posted on
9/2/2009 10:01:56 AM |
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