YVC at Ironman St.George 2010

The Youth Volunteer Corps of Washington County helped countdown to Kona on May 1, 2010. Over 2200 atheletes participated in a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride and a 26.2 mile marathon to qualify for the 2011 national Ironman event.

YVC manned the T2 Sunscreen station where athletes transitioned from the bike ride to the marathon. As the athletes left their bikes and began the 26.2 mile marathon, YVC members applied sunscreen to participants in a fast-paced ‘pit stop' style, from 10 AM until 6 PM.

Youth Volunteers are 'Ironmen' (and women)!

Youth "Can" Make a Difference

The Youth Volunteer Corps of Washington County spent the Martin Luther King Day standing on our heads to show youth CAN make a difference. It was a kind of a can drive where local residents were challenged to bring us their aluminum cans to be recycled.

At the collection site a Youth Volunteer Corps member stood on their head for one minute for every pound of aluminum cans brought in on MLK Day, and all the proceeds from the recycled cans were donated to Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Southern Utah. Youth helping Youth while cleaning up the environment in a fun kinda way is something we believe Dr. King would view as an honorable way to celebrate his day. The collection site was Smith's on Bluff and the Blvd. Monday January 18th, from 10-4.

We were very excited with the response of the community and ended up having a total of 107 lbs. of cans, which meant 107 minutes of standing on our head. Below is a link to the local newspaper's coverage of our event.

http://www.thespectrum.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=20101190307

YVC Helps Provide Christmas at DOVE Center

The D.O.V.E Center is a safe, confidential shelter and support center for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. As a Christmas gift to the women of the D.O.V.E. Center and their families, the Dixie Elks Lodge hosted and provided a Christmas party and dinner. Our YVC group was recruited to entertain the children at the party and provide some Christmas cheer! Team Leaders Becky, Angi, and Sheena lead the way as members of YVC helped children make homemade Christmas cards and ornaments. They also made bell necklaces for the children and colored pictures of Santa with them. Everyone had a lot of fun talking and laughing with each other. The evening ended perfectly as a wind from the North Pole blew in the man in red and white to give out gifts to the children.

Turkey Day at the Library!

The last Monday of each month, St. George branch of Washington County Library hosts Family Night at the Library. Throughout the year presenters from the community teach children and their families about various topics. Each month our YVC members get to come out and help the presenter with set up and any activities and games they have planned. For November's Family Night, Sheena Rosander (YVC team leader) told the story of Tom the Turkey and his struggle to control his emotions. Tom's struggle ended with him learning patience and having a colorful plume to remind him of this lesson. After the story, YVC members helped the participants create a picture of Tom using colorful beans, noodles, and rice for his feathers. A couple of the YVC members also got to lead Thanksgiving themed games for the children.

Making Candy, YUM YUM!!

Candy making is a rich tradition associated with the holiday season. Unfortunately, with our busy schedules in this day and age and the ease of store bought goodies we have all but lost this wonderful art. YVC in Washington County teamed up with the 4-H club in St. George to revive homemade candy making and serve our community.

Each year the Jubilee of Trees fundraiser is held to benefit the Dixie Regional Medical Center. On November 13th we got together to learn to make treats such as taffy, cookies, and toffee so we could make them and turn them in to the Jubilee of Trees. The Jubilee will sell them in their Sweet Shop. We got a work out pulling the taffy and had a bit of a sugar rush tasting our contributions. It was a fantastic afternoon!

FNL is Halloween Celebration

Members of the Youth Volunteer Corps of Washington County invited kids (as well as mom and dad or another responsible adult) celebrating Halloween this year to join them on Monday, October 26 for Family Night at the Library. "You’ll be taking part in an ancient tradition which started long before candy corn and costumes were invented," noted Sheena Rosander, AmeriCorps team leader who asked attendees of all ages and in a variety of costumes - from gruesome to adorable - "Do you know when Halloween started? When did people begin trick-or-treating? Why do people dress up in costumes on the last day of October?"

In the downstairs conference room at the main branch of the Washington County Library, located on the southwest corner of the new Town Square park in downtown St. George, Sheena, along with five youth volunteers welcomed 40 children and their parents to a "spooktacularly" good time which included making 3D paper pumpkins, interactive Halloween storytelling adventures and spooky games. And, each family got to take home a free pumpkin, as a gift from the Youth Volunteer Corps of Washington County.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE DAY!

Saturday, October 24 was National Make-A-Difference Day. Members of the Youth Volunteer Corps of Washington County partnered with St. George City Parks and Recreation, The Learning Center for Families and St. George Rotary Club to make this event successful and fun for everyone. There were four service sites throughout the county. The Learning Center in St. George, LaVerkin and Hildale welcomed volunteers to help prepare the ground for low-impact pavers in areas where very young children play. The fourth site was the St. George SK8 Park, an ongoing service project in a partnership with the city and the St. George Rotary Club. Working side-by-side, youth volunteers and Rotarians planted shrubs and bushes and 23 trees to shade the area from the hot Dixie sunshine and to beautify the park. Everyone had a fantastic time and worked hard to Make-A-Difference in the community.