Stories from AmeriCorps*VISTA Members
VISTA members submit reports on their projects documenting their progress, successes and trials. Sometimes, the reports contain stories that are amusing, enlightening or touching. These stories are a testament to the hard work, dedication, and fun experienced by members of the UCAN VISTA Coalition.
| "This week, I was in Yoncalla, which is a new site, dropping off information and resources. I was leaving town a few minutes before the lunch was about to be served, and the town mayor was walking down the street with about five little ones following behind him like baby ducks. He had rounded them up and was taking them to eat. Then, I passed a couple teenagers, so stopped to tell them about the program and lunch, but they were already on their way to gather another little girl on their way to eat, because the mayor had dispatched them. It was a beautiful thing to see the whole little town involved in the effort to get the kids fed. It was really impactful that, not only was the mayor getting “in the trenches” and helping, but he was recruiting the youth in the area to help as well. Way to make a double-impact! " | |
| Submitted by Bethany Schricker, Summer Associate | |
| "At the third session of the grant-writing class that I attended this month, we were joined by the grant administrators from a couple of local/regional foundations. These are the people who are the ‘gatekeepers’ at the foundations and it is easy to think of them as adversaries, or at least as hurdles that must be crossed somehow to get at the treasures they protect. The first important lesson learned is that not only are they mere mortals, they are actually very nice, approachable mortals who see themselves as the fund-seekers advocate and who further see their job as to help funders make the most appropriate fundable application possible. During their critique/discussion of our various proposals, we got around to what I had proposed for the library. The class instructor jumped in to ask whether anyone realized that the Josephine Community Library was a private nonprofit or knew about the amazing grassroots effort that brought the libraries back. “Not before reading this” was the answer from both foundation administrators. Speaking to them both afterwards they reiterated how impressed they were the story we have to tell and the work that is being done at a community level to maintain library services for the residents. More lessons learned: funders like a compelling and successful grassroots story; we need to do a better job of getting the community library story out to the public and to potential funders/corporate sponsors; when I start to get feel jaded or burned out with the same old back-patting and cheering about what the volunteers have accomplished, it is exciting to see someone hear the story fresh and get excited about it all over again. It renews my faith both in the value of what I am doing for the year and in my ability to contribute to something that really is unique and valuable and making a real difference in many people’s lives." | |
| Submitted by VISTA Paul Grindrod serving at the Josephine Community Libraries | |
| "The best thing about this past month has been the results of the Donor Donation Letter. When I began working on it I was worried that there would be issues with the economy being so poor. I was concerned that there might not be enough people capable of helping to even warrant a letter. I decided then that I had to change the format to make it both more appealing, and more accessible. I had serious concerns about the various levels of donor-ship which quickly blossomed into the four digits. I checked back records and found that no one had ever donated the maximum amount of $5000. While it might sound impressive to receive a donation of $5000, I thought it was far more likely to receive multiple donations of $500. To that end I reduced the value of the various levels to reflect this change. I know some in the office must have thought I’d gone mad, but I’d been given control of the project and I wanted to try my idea. After labeling addressing and sealing up some 2500 envelops, not to mention the 24 different revisions the letter had gone through, we sent them out. I hadn’t been so nervous since coming out to Oregon. I waited each day, leaping up when the mail arrived to see if any responses came back. I realize that the Coos Bay, Oregon Postal Service isn’t able to send out a mass mailing like mine all at once, but everyday that my mail box sat empty darkened my spirits a little more. Finally a batch of letters arrived marked, “Return to Sender,” and I was crushed. One of my Co-workers came over to me and mentioned that that happened a lot, as the donor database was nine years out of date. I’d never been so frustrated with my work site then at that moment. I wanted to scream and rale and curse this system that not only let a database get that out of date, but that didn’t bother to let someone know until it was too late. The next day more letters arrived all marked with “Return to Sender” or some variation thereof. The next day followed suit, save for one odd letter at the bottom. I opened it up and saw the contents of the Donor Letter, in addition to another sheet of paper I didn’t recognize. I slid the thin rectangular slip out and stopped. It was a check, made out to the South Coast Food Share Donor Drive for $150. I couldn’t help but dance just a little when none of my coworkers were looking. While it wasn’t record breaking it at least covered my expenses, with a little left over to mark in the profit section. I’d made $7 on my donation drive. Victory! I knew it might bring some scoffs but to me the drive was a success, we had actually raised money. I decided then and there, that no matter how many letters would return to me undeliverable, I’d face them smiling. I was hardly prepared for what happened the next day however. It began as many others before it had: I was preparing to dress-up and play the part of a homeless man in an investigation of a local food pantry. Before heading out I stopped by to check the mail. After sifting my way down the undeliverable I came to a small stack of other letters. I popped them open and five neat checks slid out – One for $20, one for $100, another for $150 and two for $500. I stopped at these last ones to make sure I hadn’t miscounted the zeros. I hadn’t. After that time the checks came in droves. While the majority were undeliverable and most of those that did come in were for amounts no larger than $100, we received our ten donations of $500 (or more as in the case of a pair of generous Pediatricians who choose to remain anonymous). At the end of the month I tallied the total and was delighted to see we’d brought in $8290, almost twice the record of our previous drives. This time I didn’t care if my co-workers did see me dancing. " | |
| Submitted by Morgan Filbert - VISTA at Oregon Coast Community Action | |
| " My VISTA experience has impacted my life in many ways. It has exposed me to both sides of social service work. Firstly, it has taken me into the world of non-profit administration and program maintenance/sustainability which challenged me to think of ways to provide food and funds to the 33 agencies we serve. Secondly, it has given me a glance into our clients’ lives. As I have talked and worked with clients I have discovered more and more specifically how they are struggling and why they must access emergency food--be it high energy prices, credit problems, medical costs, high unemployment, or simply a lack of access to high-quality, low-cost food. I have realized why, in this society, we can have a dual and somewhat contradictory problem of food insecurity and obesity, mainly because cheap food is usually the high-calorie, high-fat, and high-sugar items. I’ve realized those who access the pantries and kitchens are increasingly the working poor, families who have honest and determined work ethic, but still are unable to pay the bills in the 21st century economy. I have had many difficult times, being isolated from family, friends, and familiarity. I have had difficult times living with a very low budget. The greatest difficulty to me, though, is the fact that the clients we serve are very often stuck. It bothers me. I am not stuck. I have an education, job experience, supportive family, amazing supervisors, and always something on which to fall back. Many of the people we serve simply don’t have these assets. They are stuck. That has been difficult to me, because a social worker wants to solve problems, and at times it feels impossible to solve even one set of problems. What has been rewarding is seeing small victories. Working with volunteers who spend 20-30 hours a week at the food bank because they believe in providing for people, no matter what their situation may be or how they got there. Visiting pantries and seeing clients grateful for everything we can give them and asking if they can volunteer somehow in the food bank network. Working with people who are genuinely invested in the people they serve. Receiving fresh, beautiful produce from the Phoenix School, Lighthouse Farms, or a family who planted an entire plot for the food bank network. I will take away much from my experience, as I mentioned before, non-profit administration knowledge, a better understanding of the food bank network, gratitude for the staff and volunteers that are committed to distributing food to their neighbors, an increased empathy for those who seek emergency food assistance, and a heightened passion for social services. The experience, though not nearly over yet, has been phenomenal " | |
| Submitted by Katie Broberg | |
| "AmeriCorps VISTA Experience Joining the AmeriCorps VISTA team was a choice I made based upon my idealism and strong sense of community. Actually being a VISTA forces some of that idealism to become action, which can be an uncomfortable stretch. I was given responsibility and expected to run with it, which is exactly what I asked for. I have questioned along the VISTA journey my ability to contribute, motives for joining, effectiveness, and commitment to the cause. I am well aware of how I deal with insecurities, doubts, and adversity dictates what kind of volunteer year I have and ultimately what kind of life I lead. Which brings me back full circle to why I signed up for VISTA. I wanted to make a difference but I also wanted the challenge; it’s the uncomfortable stretch that awards the growth I seek. Some of the unforeseen difficult times have included politics within an organization and setting boundaries. However, because of this I have become a better communicator and more aware of my professional limits. Other difficulties have been around financial issues and family. Building relationships with other VISTA members, having a strong supporting network, and a team leader have helped with difficult times. The most rewarding part of my position is seeing the young lives I’m able to impact. I love that part of the service. Developing an education program, designing a summer camp, coordinating distribution of free lunches and being able to see the kids the program benefits is extremely rewarding. I hope to take away all of the positives from the experience. " | |
| Submitted by Amy Adkison | |
| "At the beginning of the week I visited Linus Oaks Retirement Center, where I have worked for almost four years and where I will return when the summer is over, and I was wearing my staff shirt from the boys and girls club. One of the residents stopped me to ask me how I have been and where I had been. I told her I was currently a part of the AmeriCorps team. She asked me what kinds of stuff go on at the boys and girls club, and I told her all about it. The next day I saw her at the club talking to one of the staff members. She watched our assembly, took notes, and got information. I stopped her when I she was leaving to ask her what she was getting information for. She informed me that her husband and she participate in some kind of education week at UCC. Her group had been assigned to collect information about different agencies and organizations that make a difference to our community. She explained that I had inspired her to teach about boys and girls club. I know this is not an example of how the program had an impact exactly, but once she shares her information a lot more people will know about the boys and girls club and encourage others to join and maybe donate to the club, which in turn does have an impact on the community. " | |
| Submitted by Corinna Loveday - Summer Associate at Boys & Girls club | |
| "As our final week of the North Slope Zoo comes to an end I am reminded of the importance of community. The North Slope Village is in essence a close community within a larger community, and our little program became it’s own community, much like a family for everyone involved. We (Matt, Diana, Isaac and I) came together as strangers and after six weeks I feel like I have made some wonderful new friends, and I have come to truly care for the children whom I’ve spent so many fun filled and often-hectic days with. I know that our efforts and energy spent here with these children was well worth our time. And I feel like everyone benefited from the experience. This is a summer I will never forget, and I only hope that the children also leave with some good memories of our time together. I hope that they all know how much they are cared for and that there are people out there who absolutely believe in each of their potential. If only every child could have access to these sorts of programs! I truly believe that it takes a community to raise a child and I am grateful for any opportunity to share my knowledge and talents with any child who may benefit from it." | |
| Submitted by Kelly Hibbert - Summer Associate at UCAN | |
| "We have a grant to promote nutrition and hygiene in our project. We had heard that in the past at another program they had made hygiene kits and distributed them. We thought that was a good idea, so Kelly and I set out to purchase the supplies to make the kits with a focus on dental hygiene. The main reason for this focus was that toothbrushes and toothpaste are easy and cheap. So got our supplies and put the kits together. We covered the basics of oral hygiene including how to brush your teeth and how often you should bathe. Then we handed out the kits. They were a big hit. The toothbrushes we bought had a small suction cup at the bottom that all the kids loved. A few of the kids tried sticking them to their foreheads. I was standing, watching the kids enjoy their new kits when a blonde, freckled faced little girl looked up at me and said “now I have my own toothbrush!” I asked her what she meant; she said that she had been sharing a toothbrush with her sisters. I was a little shocked and glad at the same time. This girl has four sisters and they were all sharing a toothbrush. I was glad that she got her own toothbrush. I knew we were making an impact with our program, I just didn’t realize how big. " | |
| Submitted by Matt Crouch - Summer Associate at UCAN | |
| "One of our crafts this week was making pouches to carry trail mix on our hike. Well, our hike was canceled, but the craft was still on. We have one 14 year old boy who comes, mostly for food and to talk to one of our UT & E workers. He rarely gets involved with our crafts or other activities. When we announced the pouches he seemed not that into it. While we started he seemed more and more interested. He started making a pouch and really getting into it. He got a call and seemed upset. I could overhear him saying that he had to finish this pouch. It turns out he was making for his aunt that he is staying with. We found out that recently his grandmother had passed away, and he was making this pouch to remind his aunt of her mother. He wanted to do something nice. It felt pretty awesome to see this kid open up. I have noticed how giving these kids are. Whenever we have a food project, they are so excited to give what we made to people around the complex. This was probably the best example of that sharing. " | |
| Submitted by Matt Crouch - Summer Associate at UCAN | |
| "This was a big week for us at the North Slope Zoo. We were fortunate enough to have the Wild Life Safari visit us and to venture outside of our site to the Douglas County Museum. Both of these were valuable learning experiences and I feel like the kids really benefited from them. One thing that stood out to me this week was a conversation I had with one of our girls, Cheetah (that’s her animal name). While we were getting ready to go on the field trip she told me that she has never been to any kind of a museum and that she was really excited to go. Her statement just reminded me of how limited some of these children’s experiences have been. As an artist and an art educator I often take for granted my own cultural experiences, like going to museums, and I feel that it is important for all children to have these kinds of opportunities. I know that Cheetah enjoyed her trip to the museum and I hope that this experience will stay with her, and better yet, inspire her to seek out museums or other cultural venues and community events. I am glad to have the opportunity to help children become more aware of the world around them and encourage them to take part in the culture and community they are a part of. " | |
| Submitted by Kelly Hibbert - Summer Associate at UCAN | |
| "One of the things I really appreciate about our museum is that we try to be involved in local social service agencies. One of the ways we do that is by giving these agencies partner passes to the museum. Staff working for these agencies can in turn give them to their clients. The museum gave partner passes to the Migrant Education Program and we told them they could bring their students to the museum for a field trip at no cost. It is really exciting for me be part of an organization that is having a positive impact on families in our community. My hope is that those who came on the field trip are now comfortable with the museum and will come back again. " | |
| Submitted by Maggie Penix - Summer Associate at Douglas County Museum | |
| "When I opened my work email this morning, I had received an email from one of the teens in Umpqua Explorer Program. In part, it was a very kind thank you note but the individual also shared some ideas and ways they thought the Umpqua Explorers could be involved in specific projects at the museum. The insight of this teen was amazing and some of the ideas they shared are actually things the Museum hopes to do in the future. This email was very encouraging. It was the sort of email that reminds you that every minute you have spent working on the program has been worth it. " | |
| Submitted by Maggie Penix - Summer Associate at Douglas County Museum | |
| "I went on a field trip this week with the Umpqua Explorers to a sustainable living farm. This was very exciting for me because Kayla and I made the initial contact with the people who run the farm last summer when we were developing the Umpqua Explorer Program. We really hoped that the couple we contacted would be interested in doing a field trip as it sounded like such a wonderful learning opportunity for the teens. Not only is the program we created last summer now up and running, but I am now seeing very specific fruits of our work which is very exciting. I hope that this program continues to be a sustainable one for many years to come. " | |
| Submitted by Maggie Penix - Summer Associate at Douglas County Museum | |
| "I was encouraged when a past student of Project Literacy came to share her success stories with the Program Manager and other students. She is well on her way to her new career and appeared to be very proud of her accomplishments and was appreciative of Project Literacy." | |
| Submitted by Shannon Deedon-Wastling - Summer Associate at Project Literacy | |
| "The week's activities for me mainly consisted of clearing poison oak and overgrown blackberries off the hiking trails in preparation for our youth camp. As I was working my way up the back side of the forest I noticed something a little odd. It looked to me kike maybe someone had been hiking at a time when I wasn't around and vandalized some of the tree stumps by kicking them apart. So, I kept working and made a mental note to let Amy know what I saw so she could be aware of it or would be able to check it out when she had some time. I reached the end of the trail I was working on and set my tools down at a trail map and headed back for a water break. I started down a trail that is a shortcut for me to get to the front of the forest where my water was waiting for me. Step by step I was taking in all the beautiful nature surrounding me when all of a sudden a loud rustling in the bushes caught my attention. I looked to my left and what did I see? A baby black bear!! He was just as scared as I was so luckily he ran faster than me as well! All I could think of was, "Where is mama bear?" I looked all around me as I walked as quickly as I could to where Amy was calmly working on her computer in the trailer. The first thing I said to her was,” Amy, what is your bear safety procedure out here?" I was still out of breath. She smiled and said," You saw a bear? Really? I'm jealous!" That was the perfect response to break the tension of my fear. So, needless to say, I had her walk back up there with me to retrieve the tools I had left behind. Since that day I know Smokey the Bear is really out there. I saw him with my own two eyes. " | |
| Submitted by Kathy Gier - Summer Associate at Alder Creek Children's Forest | |
| "While working the Toy Tales both that we had set up at the Coos County Fair I noticed one little girl who kept staring at the toys with a wistful look in her eyes. She picked one up and walked over to me and held out two quarters and asked if this was enough to buy it. I looked at the price tag and saw that the toy cost $3. I was torn, not sure what to do, when a kind older women came along and saw what was going on. She walked over to me and said “I’ll pay the difference.” As the little girl excitedly ran off, the woman turned to me and told me how she liked to think that maybe someday that little girl will help someone in the same way that she’d been helped. I was struck by how this wonderful little moment captured the spirit of what it means to be a VISTA." | |
| Submitted by Morgan Filbert - VISTA at Oregon Coast Community Action in Coos Bay | |
| "This week has helped me open my eyes to the variety of resources and opportunities available to people in my community, resources I have largely overlooked as a long-term resident of the area. Indeed, something as simply as informal conversation with VISTAs with whom I work about the various activities they have undertaken while in service has been particularly enlightening. Being from out of the area, they have taken advantage of the myriad activities and outdoor pursuits to be had on the southern Oregon Coast. Hearing their stories has reminded me of the many resources and opportunities in my own backyard, including many activities I have never taken the time to do if for no other reason than they seemed commonplace to someone who has spent a long period of time in the area. Similarly, throughout the week I’ve been introduced to a variety of programs and resources available to people in the area. Perhaps most interesting to me in this respect was the community garden in Coos Bay. Though I have driven by the garden thousands of times, I failed to appreciate its value for people in the community until I spent time exploring the garden and familiarizing myself with its multiple purposes in our community." | |
| Submitted by Courtney Flathers - Summer Associate at Oregon Coast Community Action in Coos Bay | |
| "Every week, we have a group of kids come in from an organization that serves youth with behavioral and mental disorders. These kids are all roughly in the adolescent age range, and they rotate frequently. I’ve seen a couple of these groups so far, and what strikes me most is their unabashed interest in what is growing in the garden. This week, a group of about 5 were in on Thursday, the hottest day of the year so far. There wasn’t a whole lot to do, since it isn’t quite time for the serious harvesting to be done, so they were weeding a bit and turning compost. I was out there harvesting swiss chard, and one by one, the kids came over and started peppering me with questions. What IS that stuff? Why are the stems pink or yellow or white? How do you eat it? What does it taste like? I let them taste it, and they each chewed thoughtfully on a leaf of something they had never heard of before. Every single one of them wanted to try it. “It tastes like grass” one girl told me, matter-of-factly. I agreed, sort of – humans have been eating some kind of leaf plucked from the ground for a long time. It was like watching a tourists taste the foreign cuisine of a strange country. My husband is a high school teacher and I’m used to seeing teenagers in all their affected glory – carefully indifferent, hidden emotions, etc. These guys were different. They liked being out there. They were eager to know what was growing and how it worked. I showed them our basil, how we pinch off the flowers to keep the leaves from getting bitter. “Is this like rosemary? I had a rosemary plant growing at my house once” someone said. Different plants, I told her, but she was right to think of them together – they both are important flavoring herbs in the food we prepare. They tasted the basil, too, and smelled it on their fingers. The group worked out there, in 100 degree weather, and then they came in and happily ate ice pops, and went home. It was the most regular, significant event of my week." | |
| Submitted by Eva Akiyama - Summer Associate at Josephine County Food Bank | |
| "I mentioned above that one day last week, I was hunched over the computer working on the Excel Volunteer Database I’m creating, inputting info, changing formats, trying to figure out the best way to track hours served. When I couldn’t stand it anymore, I needed a break. One of our volunteers was supposed to spray the entire garden with fish emulsion and he couldn’t make it in, so I offered to do it – that combination of administrative support and chances for direct service that makes VISTA so appealing! I mixed up the cocktail of nasty-smelling emulsion and strapped on the heavy 5 gallon backpack sprayer, happily trudging through the garden spraying the plants with organic fertilizer that will boost their production. I didn’t realize that I hadn’t screwed on the lid of the sprayer tightly enough, however, and when I leaned over a row of tomato plants, the fishy concoction sloshed out the top and cascaded down my back in a cold wash of stink. I froze for a moment, thinking, I’ll have to go home for a shower and change - I live 45 minutes away, not so handy. Then I shrugged. It was the afternoon at the end of the week, much of the staff had gone home, and I figured I’d dry in the sun. Which I did – still smelly, perhaps, but dry. In a job like this, it doesn’t really matter what I look or smell like, as long as I can be of some assistance and help serve the mission of this organization. Lesson learned – screw on lids as tight as possible, pack an extra t-shirt, roll with the punches." | |
| Submitted by Eva Akiyama - Summer Associate at Josephine County Food Bank | |
Admin