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.

Hurricane Bike Rodeo

Each year the Hurricane Police Department sponsors a Bicycle Rodeo to help check the safety of children bikes in the community and, through a series of little obstacles, teach children how to ride their bikes safely. Hurricane High School's Interact Club and the Youth Volunteer Corps of Washington County teamed up to help the police department run this event.

It was a lot of fun teaching and testing the kids about safe bicycle practices such as riding on the right side of the road, signaling, stopping swiftly, and more. The event lasted about 2 hours and left us excited to help out again next year.

AmeriCorps Team Leaders Return from Kansas City

The 20th annual conference of the Youth Volunteer Corps of America was held in early October in Kansas City, Missouri. Those in attendance included YVCA founder David Battey, Wendy Elliott (YVCA director of Affiliate Services), Jenn Beard (YVCA director of Program Development) and Oheema Kumi (YVCA Program Assistant); 33 of 55 program directors and more than 50 (mostly fulltime) new AmeriCorps members, including 7 from YVC of Washington County. Sheena Rosander (fulltime at the Volunteer Center of Washington County), Debb Waggoner (halftime at the Volunteer Center of Washington County), Becky Cox (fulltime) and Angi Cox (halftime - both with Community Education), Mariah Hurst (fulltime with the Utah Commission on Volunteers), Marissa Williams and Stacy Gray (both fulltime with the Housing Authority of Salt Lake County), who after 2 days of training were officially sworn in by Michael Laverty, Missouri state director of the Corporation for National and Community Service. During their year of service in YVC of Washington County, each AmeriCorps team leader will coordinate service and service-learning in the community involving youth volunteers, age 11-18.

In the past, AmeriCorps members with YVC of Washington County have coordinated such repeating activities as CANstruction, youth court, Teen SERT, Family Night at the Library, Reading Rocks, many after school programs and have mentored dozens of young students in computer technology. YVC volunteers have also assisted with a variety of community events, including the St. George Marathon, and the Huntsman World Senior Games. Of course, AmeriCorps team leaders have also coordinated activities on national service days (Make-A-Difference Day [the last Saturday in October], Family Volunteer Day [the Saturday before Thanksgiving], Youth Service Day [the Saturday of National Volunteer Week], Join Hands Day [usually in May], Patriots Day [September 11, since 2001], and Martin Luther King Day [second Monday in January]).

Not pictured here, because they were not required to attend the national conference, are Judea Runs Through, Sherryll Snodgress and Dustin Flowers all serving with the Washington County School District Computer Mentoring Program and hundreds of youth volunteers who are building a lifetime ethic of service through YVC!