The Corps Network Honors U.S. Senator Christopher Coons for his support of the Public Lands Service Corps Act
Lisa Hummon, from the office of U.S. Senator Christopher Coons of Delaware, accepts the 2013 Conressional Champion award on the Senator’s behalf. (Pictured left to right: Joel Holtrop, Chair of the Board of Directors, The Corps Network; Lisa Hummon, Office of U.S. Senator Christopher Coons; Mary Ellen Ardouny, President & CEO, The Corps Network)
For Immediate Release
2/25/13
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In recognition of his support for the Public Lands Service Corps Act, Senator Christopher Coons of Delaware was awarded one of The Corps Network’s highest honors, the Congressional Champion Award, at a ceremony in the Cannon House Office Building on Wednesday, February 13, 2013.
Every year, The Corps Network presents the Congressional Champion Award to elected officials whose work promotes and encourages the growth and sustainability of America’s youth service and conservation corps. Since his election to the U.S. Senate in 2010, Senator Chris Coons has been a strong advocate for helping create jobs nationwide and in Delaware, and has supported and introduced numerous bills that would improve our nation’s economy and quality of life. His co-sponsorship of the Public Lands Service Corps Act of 2011 demonstrates this commitment.
“We wish to thank Senator Coons for his support of the Public Lands Service Corps Act. It will help many young people gain valuable work experience and develop job skills while completing projects that improve some of our nation’s most treasured national parks, forests, seashores, and wildlife refuges as part of a Youth Corps program. This is a combination of positive outcomes that we can all appreciate,” said Mary Ellen Ardouny, President and CEO of The Corps Network.
At the award ceremony, Senator Coons’ award was accepted on his behalf by Lisa Hummons, a member of his staff who works closely with him on environmental issues. Senator Coons offered these words regarding his commitment to service and the environment:
“Instilling in our children the importance of strengthening our communities and protecting our environment starts with providing them with the training and skills they need to make service a lifelong activity,” said Senator Coons. “I thank The Corps Network for its tireless efforts to inspire our youth to give back to our communities and educate them on best practices in environmental conservation. I am honored to receive this award and promise to continue to fight for the continuation of environmental service programs in Delaware and across our nation.”
In addition to the recipients of the Congressional Champion Award, the February 13th ceremony also recognized The Corps Network’s 2013 Corpsmembers of the Year and 2013 Projects of the Year. The six Corpsmembers of the Year are young men and women who have stood out as leaders and role models in the corps movement, while the three Project of the Year recipients represented some of the most innovative programs at Corps throughout the country.
Service and conservation corps are comprehensive youth development programs that provide their participants with job training, academic programming, leadership skills, and additional support through a strategy of service that improves communities and the environment. Today’s corps are a direct descendant of the Depression-era Civilian Conservation Corps, through which three million young men dramatically improved the nation’s public lands while receiving food, shelter, education, and a precious $30-a-month stipend.
About The Corps Network
The Corps Network is the voice of the nation’s 143 Service and Conservation Corps. Currently operating in 44 states and the District of Columbia, Corps annually enroll more than 29,000 young men and women in service every year. Corps mobilize approximately 226,000 community volunteers who in conjunction with Corpsmembers generate 21.3 million hours of service every year. For more information, visit corpsnetwork.org or contact Levi Novey at [email protected] or 202.737.6272.
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Levi Novey
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Phone: 202.737.6272
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Email: [email protected]