AmeriCorps leads the way on MLK Jr. Day
SILVER CITY — Volunteers and AmeriCorps workers took advantage of the warm, sunny weather on Martin Luther King Jr. Day to pick up trash along the San Vicente trail.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day is just one of several mandatory service days for AmeriCorps workers. Others include 9/11 and Cesar Chavez Day.
AmeriCorps has developed a presence in the area in the past few years. The workers are spread out among many of southwest New Mexico's nonprofit organizations and schools.
Brendan Sorrelgreen is the program coordinator for AmeriCorps in southwestern New Mexico and coordinated the event with Claire Catlett, an AmeriCorps Vista member working with the Gila Resource Information Project. Sorrelgreen works from the Wellness Coalition, the Silver City nonprofit which acts as a regional AmeriCorps host. Aside from the environmental benefits, Sorrelgreen said a day of service helps build a sense of community with the AmeriCorps workers. That community is a substantial one.
"We have 88 spots for AmeriCorps workers throughout Luna, Hidalgo, Grant and Catron counties," Sorrelgreen said. "These service days helps get them out of their offices or away from their daily routines and work together."
According to Sorrelgreen, the reason for AmeriCorps' large presence in the area is job creation.
"One of the problems identified in the area was employment opportunity," he said.
Most of the AmeriCorps workers in the area work toward education awards. After 300 hours of community service through the program, they are awarded money for tuition at most institutions that accept any government funding. Still others work in stipend programs where they're able to earn living expenses as well as help with tuition.
There are several branches of the AmeriCorps organization active in the area. AmeriCorps VISTA members - or Volunteers In Service To America - like event organizer Catlett, commit to working full-time for one year with a nonprofit or local government agency. They lend most of their time to education and training events to fight illiteracy, improve health services, create businesses and more.
Another separate group is the School for the Deaf, based out of Albuquerque, with representatives helping teach American Sign Language. Monica Keller, the representative in Silver City, took part in the service day with several other School for the Deaf representatives from Farmington to Las Cruces who have been visiting this week.
These all fall under the umbrella of the Corporation for National Community Service based in Washington, D.C.
"Personally, I feel really privileged to be an AmeriCorps Vista here," said Catlett. "There really is a strong sense of community and Silver City is so welcoming to the AmeriCorps positions here."
Benjamin Fisher can be reached at (575) 538-5893 ext. 5803.