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June 2008
A Note from Sally
Greetings from The Corps Network! With the official start of summer just a couple of weeks away, I am proud to report on the important work of our Corps. Summer tends to be a busy time for Corps. With the warm weather, brings the opportunity for a variety of projects outdoors, especially those engaging volunteers. Each year, Corps engage nearly 300,000 volunteers in service, in addition to the 21,000 Corpsmembers serving full time. During June, Corps often engage volunteers in trail work. I find this particularly appealing because of the countless benefits of trails. Trails contribute to a sense of community. They get kids outside and active. Trails contribute to the health and wellness of a community. They help get people invested in their public lands-- our national treasures. Sometimes, trails even serve as an alternate route of transportation. A trail is a simple idea. It is a pathway from one point to another, but like our Corpsmembers' experience that pathway can be truly transformative.
The Corps Network Presents at National Service Conference.
The National Conference on Volunteering and Service, convened by The Corporation for National and Community Service and The Points of Light Foundation/Hands-On Network, brought together 4,500 people in Atlanta last week. Sally Prouty, President and CEO of The Corps Network, along with Montana Conservation Corps Director Jono McKinney and Green for All Director of Local Policy Parin Shah, presented on the opportunities of a Clean Energy Corps. Sally also presented in at the AmeriCorps Environmental Programs Round Table with Jono and AmeriCorps Cape Cod Director Darlene Johnson-Morris. In addition, Programs and Projects Associate Kara Smith presented on The Corps Network's success with the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service, where strong participation from sites resulted in an increase of volunteers from 3,000 in 2007 to 12,000 in 2008. The Corps Network was recently refunded for an additional year grant.
Corps Celebrate National Trails Day... And Get Communities Outdoors.
Corps around the country celebrated National Trails Day on June 7th. Each year Corps spend more than 1.2 million hours building and maintaining trails. Corps' trails projects engage communities and encourage Americans to spend more time outdoors.
The Utah Conservation Corps hosted a volunteer day of service in honor of National Trails Day, engaging 100 volunteers. Heart of Oregon Corps will be installing the new trail head signs at for a re-dedication ceremony to honor a local geologist who spearheaded the movement for the proposed Badlands Wilderness Study Area. The Montana Conservation Corps hosted events throughout the state. In Bozeman, a dozen volunteers will be working with Corps members to build the new Drinking Horse Mountain trail and pull invasive weeds at the trail head situated at the USFWS Fish Technology Center. In Kalispell, MCC is hosting volunteers for trail and park maintenance at Lone Pine State Park and also helping open trails into the Bob Marshall Wilderness.
Other Corps' projects honor the spirit of National Trails Day. The Knox Parks Foundation (CT) is helping construct a greenway connecting numerous communities. The California Conservation Corps is constructing miles of new trail with intricate rock work. This is just a small sampling of the trail work Corps do each year. From coast to coast Corps are building and maintaining trails, getting their communities to enjoy their public lands, and teaching young people soft and technical skills.
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