The Corps Network Honors U.S. Senator Mark Begich for his support of the Public Lands Service Corps Act
U.S. Senator Mark Begich, Alaska, accepts The Corps Network’s 2013 Congressional Champion Award from John Leong, director of KUPU, Hawaii Youth Conservation Corps
For Immediate Release
2/25/13
WASHINGTON, D.C. — In recognition of his support for the Public Lands Service Corps Act, Senator Mark Begich of Alaska 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. Senator Begich was chosen for the award for his support of the Public Lands Service Corps Act, which would make it possible for youth service and conservation corps to provide thousands of young people with meaningful experiences on our nation’s public lands. This legislation would also facilitate the completion of important projects and maintenance work on these lands, and help the federal land management agencies maintain and diversify their workforces.
“We wish to thank Senator Begich 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.
Staff of Alaska-based youth service and conservation corps presented the award to Senator Begich at his office in the Russell Senate Office Building.
“I’m honored to receive this award,” said Senator Begich. “All Alaskans treasure our public lands. That’s one reason that I appreciate The Corps Network’s effort to provide quality, engaging training for youth through their public lands program. The passage of the Public Lands Service Corps Act will help ensure that youth can continue to benefit from The Corps Network.”
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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