Tuesday, May 17, 2011

BAT Blog #2 and AmeriCorps Awareness Week





The AmeriCorps are back and in the full swing of things here at Bay Area Habtiat for Humanity. Rhia, Nathan and Jackie spent one week working with Pensacola Habitat to build 3 homes and raise the walls on 3 more!! They worked alongside Pensacola staff, homeowners and dedicated volunteers, as well as a group of Blue Angels! What a rewarding week!



Rhia worked with Family Services AmeriCorps members and staff to compile a welcome packet for new homeowners. Nathan and Jackie worked on the construction site. The affiliate had materials prepared for the crew to build 3 homes, but everone's expectations were exceeded! The last day, more walls were delivered and the skeletons of 3 more homes were put up. One of the homeowners received their address that Friday morning, and when they came to the worksite, they were pleasantly surprised to see a group of AmeriCorps members and Blue Angels raising their walls! The wife and husband team, along with their five children, thanked all of the volunteers and work crews at the closing ceremony Friday afternoon. At the ceremony, the Navy choir and colorguard performed, Pensacola's first Executive Director who just retired her position this year came to show her support, and the homeowners received hardhats that were signed by all of the AmeriCorps members present.



It was a long week full of blisters, bruises and hardwork, but it was well worth it for the AmeriCorps members. Though that week is over and our 3 AmeriCorps are safely back home, this week marks the 3rd week of the 2011 AmeriCorps Build-A-Thon. This week is also National AmeriCorps Awareness Week! We would like to invite everyone to learn more about the AmeriCorps program, how it works, who can benefit from it and the amazing things that get accomplished when a group of people decide to dedicate their lives to serving others. Please take a minute to visit the AmeriCorps Build-A-Thon website to read stories and see pictures of Habitat for Humanity AmeriCorps taking action around the country. After that, head over to the official AmeriCorps Awareness Week website to see what else and where else AmeriCorps are involved!



"This year of service has been the most formative year of my life. College wasn't working for me. I got to a point I needed to refocus my time and energy into something good, something more meaningful than myself. With my year almost over, I feel confident that I am ready to go back to school and start the next chapter in my life. AmeriCorps did that for me." - Jackie Moran, AmeriCorps VISTA Member



















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