News : Making room for Maple: New unit volunteers join AmeriCorps campus today

AmeriCorps Vinton Campus Deputy Director Rob Levis discusses progress of construction of new dorms.

Maple Unit volunteers will soon memorize the AmeriCorps Pledge pictured here.

Jules Idziak of New York now lives and works in Vinton; her feelings about the town are seen here.

Nicholas Abraham once peddled ice cream while pedaling a tricycle. He has played the cello for 15 years and says the one word that describes him would be “light-hearted.” The person he would most like to meet: Joseph Stalin.

Eric Knox tended bar at a lounge for lesbians. He also was at Northern Illinois University when a gunman killed several people there in 2008.

Megan Alara of St. Louis describes herself as a pescatarian (seafood-eater) who also loves macaroni and cheese, but is afraid of dogs.

Joy Whitt of Battle Creek, Mich., once served as an intern to a congressman. She’s been to New Orleans and has studied in France.

Marlin Lane of Portland, Ore., used to be a personal trainer, and says his favorite food is something called a California burrito. He said the most significant trait he brings to his team is his “awesomeness.”

Kelly Van Sickle has master’s degrees in public policy and social work. She is a native of Ohio, has visited Poland and claims she can swallow her tongue. Her favorite job so far: Being a canoe livery naturalist.

Barbara Hogan of San Diego was a waitress and prep cook at a retirement home. She loves to sing and scuba dive and says Mother Theresa is the person living or dead whom she would most like to meet.

Anya Ruvinskaya (nickname: Ruvin) was born in the Ukraine, worked as a fellow in Namibia and is a member of a historic African sorority.

These eight people have spent the last several weeks in Vinton, learning to be crew leaders for the new AmeriCorps NCCC Maple Unit.

Whitt is the support team leader, while the other seven will manage a team of a dozen or more volunteers. The team leaders are easily recognized by color: They wear dark green shirts, in contrast to the light grey worn by the volunteers.

The volunteers of the seven Maple teams arrive today, by car or by bus from the airport.

The members of the original teams, Oak and Cedar, voted on the name of Maple for the new unit.

‘Musical Dorms’

Because construction of the Cottage at the Iowa Braille and Sight-Saving School is not yet complete, the Maple Unit volunteers will be sleeping in the dorm rooms used by other team members who are currently away from campus, working in other areas. Those volunteers’ belongings are stored in plastic tubs.

“We are kind of playing ‘Musical Dorms,’” said AmeriCorps Deputy Director Rob Levis, as he showed Vinton Today the progress of the work.

The building has a new roof and sprinker system. Virtually every room has been remodeled. Levis said 60-65 AmeriCorps volunteers will live in the Cottage when the work is done. That building had most recently been used by Blessed Hope Church, which held its Sunday services and other activities there for more than one year before moving into its new building not far from the IBSSS campus.

The week of new volunteers’ arrival is always one of the busiest times at the AmeriCorps Vinton Campus, officially labeled the North Central Region Campus. Staff members and crew leaders have been busy in training sessions while administrators have been busy with conference calls and other final preparations.