I am retired from a career in technology, starting with International Business Product Marketing at Compaq Computer Company (now HP) in Houston, Texas. I then spent 20 years at Intel Corporation in Hillsboro, Oregon covering multiple roles in product marketing, strategic planning, branding, program management and finally education. We moved to the Columbia Gorge in retirement and now are focused on reclaiming and improving the agricultural viability of an old ranch in Trout Lake, Washington.

My hobbies and interests usually take me outdoors with a lifetime love for horses. I have explored multiple equestrian disciplines from 3-day eventing to trail riding. I always feel connected to the outdoors on the back of a horse, and believe it is one clear path to heaven! I also downhill and cross-country ski, snowshoe, hike, and bike ride. The outdoors brings me peace. Being outside, whether walking or working or riding my horse, bolsters my connection to nature and the cycles of the seasons.

I became a board member with Mt. Adams Institute (MAI) to further the mission to serve the community and preserve the natural world around us. MAI is the perfect combination of a focus on nature applied to serving the community and veterans.

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For too long, it’s been easy to disassociate environmental and conservation focused work from the social justice and equity issues that plague our country.  And yet access to the outdoors and public lands (and all of their related benefits) is too often a privilege instead of a right that is accessible to all.

This disparity is one more outcome of the systemic racism that has plagued our country since its founding.  As an organization, MAI can and will do more to interrupt this system that has negatively impacted communities of color and other marginalized groups for too long.

MAI will:

• Use our voice, platform and power to support the organizations and leaders that are trying to reshape the fabric of our community(s) into a more equitable and just place for all.
• Commit to learning how we can evolve MAI into a more inclusive organization that supports people of color and other marginalized groups equitable access to the outdoors, public lands and leadership pathways within the conservation and natural resources field.
• Embrace that learning to be “anti-racist” is a life-long process that never ends. That we need to listen so we can learn. And that we can’t allow the fear of making a mistake impede steps towards a more just world.

We’re asking our supporters, partners, program participants and alumni to join us in the collective efforts to disrupt racism and help build more inclusive and equitable spaces.

We believe that Black Lives Matter. We believe that black people and other communities of color have been impacted by social and environmental injustice. We believe that we must do better so this generational violence can end.

We understand that we will make mistakes as we learn to be better. We will own those with humility and move forward. This is our responsibility and we will no longer act as if it is not.

Sincerely,

Brendan Norman
Executive Director

The post We Will Do Better! appeared first on Mt. Adams Institute.

At-Home Adventures (A-HA!) brings camp right to your home. Each week, campers receive a themed activity kit coupled with on-line instruction and project sharing with our expert instructors and other campers.

A typical camp day will look like:

• 10am – 1045am: Morning circle- online Zoom meet-up with campers and instructors for games and activities.
• 11am – 2pm: Independent project/activity time.
• 2pm – 3pm: Closing circle- online Zoom meet-up to share projects with other campers (length of meet-up will vary based on camp).

Sadly, we could not shift ALL of our camps into this format. We chose camps based on the following criteria:

• An equal offering of the number of camps for 6-8 year-olds and 8-12 year-olds
• What we believe to be as minimal parent/guardian involvement as possible
• SAFETY
• Topics that would invite kids to connect with one another (even if it is virtually)
• Activities that are fun, accessible for all, have clear instructions, and inspire kids to get outside!

For all A-HA! Camps, we recommend having colorful drawing utensils, pens, pencils, paper, glue, tape, scissors, and any other art supplies your camper likes readily available. We will provide the rest of the materials in the A-HA! kits.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The Thursday before camp, activity kits will need to be picked up. Pick-up locations are:

• Trout Lake, WA at 3:30pm
• Husum, WA at 3:55pm
• Bingen/White Salmon, WA (Park & Ride) at 4:15pm
• Hood River, OR at 4:35pm

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out to summer camp coordinator, Dana Rivkin at dana@mtadamsinstitute.org. We are excited to kick off summer with you all!

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Mt. Adams Institute has received $1,119,904 in AmeriCorps funding from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the federal agency responsible for AmeriCorps and other national service programs.

This funding will support up to 95 AmeriCorps members across the country participating in Mt. Adams Institute’s career development programs: VetsWork Environment, VetsWork GreenCorps and Public Lands Stewards. These programs are designed to improve recreation, access, and conservation of our natural resources, while launching military veterans and young adults into careers within the public lands management field.

“AmeriCorps is an incredible federal program that engages over 75,000 people, annually, in service to their community and country,” said Brendan Norman, executive director of Mt. Adams Institute. “In the case of our programs, that means engaging veterans and young adults in service to our public lands and natural resources. We’re thrilled that the Corporation for National and Community Service has recognized the positive impact that our organization is making across the nation.”

Mt. Adams Institute AmeriCorps members serve on conservation projects such as trail maintenance; visitor engagement, wildlife research, environmental education, geographic information mapping, invasive species monitoring, and community volunteer coordination.

This grant comes as a direct result of the success of the program. Since 2014, 81% of VetsWork participants who completed the program have been offered employment within the field. With this growth, Mt. Adams Institute looks forward to establishing new local partnerships and providing more opportunities for veterans and young adults to experience the outdoors while shaping their career path.

In addition to grant funding, CNCS will provide over $460,000 in education awards for the members to help pay for future college tuition, vocational training, or repay student loans.

Mt. Adams Institute matches the grant funding with additional support from project partners, including but not limited to the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Columbia River Gorge National Fish Hatchery Complex, King Conservation District, Oregon State Parks, Willamette Resources and Education Network, and Willamette Riverkeeper.

Locally, VetsWork and Public Lands Stewards AmeriCorps members have provided over 42,000 hours of service at local Gorge sites over the past five years including the Conboy Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Columbia River Gorge National Fish Hatchery Complex, Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, and the Gifford Pinchot and Mt. Hood National Forests.

“I’m so grateful to the VetsWork program, AmeriCorps, and especially the Mt. Adams Institute staff.  This has been my dream job,” said Army veteran and VetsWork AmeriCorps alum, Steve Morris-Reade. “If you are a veteran looking for a unique and great opportunity, look into this program. It very well could change your life, like it did mine.” After his AmeriCorps service, Steve was permanently hired by the Forest Service on the Gifford Pinchot National Forest.

Since the inception of AmeriCorps in 1994, more than 1 million Americans have served through schools, nonprofits, and community organizations across the country. Over the years, these citizens have helped in the recovery of communities affected by disasters, mentored and tutored young people, connected veterans to jobs, cared for seniors, enhanced our environment, and have met other critical needs.

Mt. Adams Institute is a nonprofit organization with a mission to strengthen the connection between people and the natural world through education, service learning, career development and research. More information about the organization can be found at: mtadamsinstitute.org.

AmeriCorps is administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency that engages millions of Americans in national service programs. For more information, visit www.NationalService.gov.

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So instead of opening our campers, our community and ourselves up to greater risk, we are choosing to take a more conservative approach in regards to our camps. We’re really disappointed. Having kids on our campus in the summer is always a highlight of our work.

1. to provide some fun and engaging activities for campers that will provide some structure in the day (and a break for parents / caregivers).
2. an opportunity to visit with other kids during this period when many of us are more isolated in our homes.
3. to inspire kids to get outside and explore the natural world

We hope that you will continue to stay connected with us as we adapt to these challenging circumstances.

Sincerely,

Dana Rivkin
Summer Camp Coordinator

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In these ever changing times, we unfortunately cannot provide a definitive answer just yet, BUT we can tell you how we plan to proceed:

May 15th is our decision date for how camps will occur this summer. We’ll let the latest guidance from the state of Washington inform that decision.

At this point we continue to plan for camps to run in their original fashion — in person, at our facility in Trout Lake. Registration is open, so get your campers excited and sign-up!!! If camps are cancelled, your registration fee is 100% refundable (Less the 3rd party processing fee — they aren’t refunding those yet, but we are working on them).

In the event that we’re not ready to gather together in person this summer, we are developing a new camp model, At-Home Adventures. At-Home Adventures brings camp activities to your doorstep. Each week, campers will receive a themed box of activities to help them engage in creative play and learning in your own home. Every day will start with a digital, morning circle led by our summer camp instructors that will highlight the day’s activities, share discoveries from the prior day’s fun and have kids connect with each other. After this brief moment of on-line time, it will be time to turn off the screen and get busy outside.

Since At-Home Adventures is a new development, we would like to practice the model by offering two, free At-Home Adventure Camps to the first ten campers that respond to our summer camp coordinator, Dana Rivkin. These two pilot camps are just being offered to families in the Gorge and will occur the week of May 11th.

The two camps are:

Budding Birders (Ages 6-8), May 11th and 12th, 10 AM Start Time

Let’s celebrate spring time together….you, me, and the birds! Get out your binoculars and take a look around you. Spend some time observing the birds in your backyard, neighborhood or nearby park. What birds or bird sounds do you hear and what might they be saying? What would you sound like as a bird? And food, what are those birds eating? Can you find where those birds are living? So many bird questions that inspire us to get curious, discover and create! This camp will first ask campers to draw, paint, sculpt, or build the birds they see. Second, listen and play with bird calls. Third, make bird feeders. Lastly, build bird nests. 
Backyard Explorers (Ages 9-12), May 13th and 14th, 10 AM Start Time

Why not bring the adventure world of nature trails into your very backyard! During these two days campers will explore their ecosystem; taking a closer look at a specific outdoor area such as their yard, neighborhood, or nearby park. Observing these spaces near by, learning about who and what shares in their natural habitat. Campers will be asked to construct a micro-trail (an outdoor model version of a life size trail) considering the potential users, obstacles and impacts. They will share their trail virtually with the group the following morning. Diving deeper, that next day, campers will be asked to make a nature guide for their trail. Choosing 4 points of interest, plants, trees, or flowers that they want to study and describe to others through a medium of their choice. If time, students will be asked to make a map, so if one day a mini-friend, family member or even stranger might want to use the trail, they would not get lost! 

If interested, email Dana at Dana@mtadamsinstitute.org and let her know what camp you want to register for.

Thank you for your patience and continued support!

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Hello! I grew up as the third of six kids with my mom and dad in a little farm town in central Illinois. At age 11, my family moved to a suburb of Detroit, Michigan. While Detroit is very urban, my town was situated at the nexus of the Detroit River and Lake Erie. This was the 70’s, right after Lake Erie had been cleaned up enough to make it safe to swim in! We often spent long hours water skiing and swimming!

After high school, I started college at Central Michigan University but was unprepared for life away from home. I chose to attend a branch campus of the University of Michigan the following year, which allowed me to work and live at home. But, half way through my junior year, my family moved to Vancouver, WA. Since I was living at home, that left me homeless! I moved in with a friend for the remainder of the school year and then drove cross-country to spend the summer with my family. Long story short – I fell in love with the Pacific Northwest, met my future husband, got married, had some beautiful babies and never went back to Michigan!

School was still a dream. Nobody in my family had gone to college, much less graduated, and I wanted to be the first. So, I started part-time classes at Portland State University, majoring in history with a minor in political science and lots of dabbling in geology. I graduated at age 32! It was a long journey but well worth it.

Then I started my career which seems a bit disjointed but does have a theme! After college, I did an internship with Congresswoman Elizabeth Furse, (OR-1) and learned a tremendous amount about the federal government and its inner workings. I worked as a case manager solving Medicare and Social Security problems for constituents. After four years and Elizabeth’s retirement, I worked for Congressman Brian Baird (WA-3), which brought me back to Vancouver. I filled many roles for Congressman Baird including casework manager, district director, and chief of staff. Most chiefs of staff live and work in Washington DC but because my family was well established in Vancouver, I was able to be in DC for 1 week each month and run the operation primarily from Vancouver. My first week on the job, in DC, started on September 10, 2001. Of course, the world changed dramatically the next day and I had a challenging tenure as chief of staff.

In 2002, I left Congress to manage a federally funded workforce development program at ESD 112. This is how I met Mt. Adams Institute’s current executive director, Brendan. I was working with low income, at risk youth in workforce development. Brendan was working for ESD 112 as a manager in the Northwest Service Academy AmeriCorps program. Together we set up a plan to offer environmental adventure programming as a way to both reward and educate youth. Our programs were mutually beneficial for our organizations and very fun and engaging for teenagers.

Fast forward to 2007 when I left ESD 112 to become the executive director at the Mount St. Helens Institute (MSHI), a nonprofit that offers outdoor education. At MSHI, we spent long days and weeks on and around the mountain, introducing guests to the amazing volcanic landscape and working to educate people regarding conservation. This brought me back to Brendan in 2011 when the Northwest Service Academy was collapsing. Brendan wanted to start the Mt. Adams Institute (MAI) and model it on MSHI. My board agreed to incubate MAI under the MSHI fiscal umbrella until MAI could be up and running on its own. That happened quickly when MAI received its first AmeriCorps grant. However, prior to that, Brendan and I worked closely together to procure equipment, plan programs and manage all the little details of a new non-profit!

My last work jump was back to workforce development as the CEO at Workforce Southwest Washington (WSW). As the leader there, I was able to integrate so many of my other experiences from federal government to work with federal and state agencies to education programs. I continued as the board chair for MAI and have always been thrilled with the workforce development aspect of MAI’s work. I have loved seeing MAI grow and develop over the years and always appreciate the board members and staff who bring so much energy and excitement to their work.

I retired from WSW in 2018 and now I’m a professional volunteer serving on MAI’s board, on MSHI’s board, as a founder of the Empower Women + Girls giving circle, and a Trustee at Clark College. It’s a joy to continue using my skills to support these amazing organizations!

What is your connection to the outdoors?

As a child, my family didn’t do much in the outdoors although I do have a clear memory of tying a float tube to the family’s Labrador retriever and having him pull me upriver! Aside from our few forays, I didn’t have much experience with the outdoors until I moved to Washington in 1983. My husband, Dave, loved to camp and taught me how to camp too. From then on, we spent many weekends in the mountains or at the beach, swimming in the rivers and lakes or hiking on trails. I came to love waking up in a tent, all warm except for my nose! My children were all raised to pee in the woods and be fine with it. Several of my kids spent long summers attending backpacking camp in New Mexico where they learned significant wilderness skills. They are all campers still!

Have you observed changes with Mt. Adams Institute over the years?

Through Brendan’s leadership and wisdom, MAI has had tremendous growth. There is a palpable belief that together we can do whatever is needed. For sure there have been challenges along the way. The organization has grown from an idea to a multi-million dollar organization in just a few years. I love the staffs’ can do attitude and the genuine care they exhibit for each other. It’s a pleasure to work with this group.

What excites you most about the future of Mt. Adams Institute?

I’m excited about the continued workforce efforts around VetsWork. This program is so needed and a great career builder for veterans. I appreciate the healing and calming aspect of working in the woods and hope that those who served can take advantage of a calm and rewarding career.

I’m also excited about environmental education for kids and adults. The issues of climate change will impact all of us in the future, and the better we understand the environment, the better we will be able to adjust to the future needs. That’s the serious part but the truth is, being in the woods, on the trails, in the mountains is just plain fun. Everyone should have that opportunity and Mt. Adams Institute is well situated to make that happen!

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The final two lectures of this season have been moved to next season. This means we will still have the opportunity for a Story Gathering with the Confluence Project and the chance to hear from investigative reporter, Les Zaitz, about the Rajneesh in Oregon – it’ll just be a bit later than originally planned. But we know it’ll be worth the wait!

What we’re not waiting for is to continue sharing stories, interviews, and voices that give us a sense of place. Tune into our partner podcast, Hear in the Gorge, for conversations with the Gorge community, short stories, and the next full-episode coming this spring. At a time when it could be easy to feel isolated, it’s amazing how hearing the voices of others can remind you of your connection to this place and to each other. 

And check out our updated Sense of Place webpage. We’ll be including information there about our plans for next season, including the RFP for potential speakers (coming in May).

Specific lecture details:

• The March 2020 lecture (Salmon People: Story Gathering) – will be moved to 2020/21 season. Date TBD.
  • Tickets already purchased for the March 18th event can be used for the rescheduled lecture. We hope to see you there!
  • If you are unable to make it to a rescheduled lecture, you have three options:

1. 1. 1. You can gift your ticket to a friend,
      2. Donate it to someone by emailing us to leave it at will call
      3. Request a refund.** We are adjusting Sense of Place to help it weather current financial hardships as a result of COVID-19. Ticket sales are an important part of sustaining the program, however, if you need to request a refund please send an email to erica@mtadamsinstitute.org.

• The April 2020 lecture (Rajneesh in Oregon) – is moved to 2020/21 season. Date TBD

If you have any questions, please contact sop@mtadamsinstitute.org .

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I was drawn to the Mt. Adams Institute because it embodies my core value that humans and ecosystems are part of the same whole and benefit immensely from one another. All of our programs are designed to nurture the connection between people and the natural world at various spatial scales – locally with Cascade Mountain School, regionally with our Public Land Stewards and VetsWork GreenCorps programs, and nationally with VetsWork Environment – the program I’m dedicated to. I get to work with military veterans serving in 45-week internships on public lands across the nation, providing them with career development training while enhancing the capacity of natural resource management agencies and non-profits. It brings together my interest in working with people with my love of the natural world and I’m very happy to be here!”

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Mt. Adams Institute has been supported by AmeriCorps since its inception in 2012. It originally funded a planning grant that led to the development of the VetsWork program and subsequently supported its expansion across the country as well as the creation and implementation of our Public Lands Stewards program. Without AmeriCorps, Mt. Adams Institute and our programs would not have the impact that it is currently having on public lands and our participants.

AmeriCorps alumni often credit their year of service for developing leadership skills and opening doors to opportunities that advance their careers and education. In addition, alumni gain hands on experience that communities and employers find valuable. Since 2014, 81% of participants who’ve completed our VetsWork AmeriCorps program have been offered employment within the field. “The internship on the Deschutes National Forest acted like a springboard for my future career with the Forest Service. I owe all of this to the Mt. Adams Institute’s VetsWork program. If you take the internship serious and work hard, your resume will be bolstered, and you will be a part of the AmeriCorps family,” expressed VetsWork alum and military veteran, Justin Spedding.

AmeriCorps supports Mt. Adams Institute’s mission of connecting people to the natural world by identifying environmental stewardship as one of its priority areas. AmeriCorps aims to enhance public lands, help communities conserve energy, restore watersheds and clean rivers and streams, perform fire mitigation services and fight wildfires, and inform youth about caring for our natural resources and the great natural beauty our nation contains. Over the years, Mt. Adams Institute AmeriCorps members have served over 245,000 hours of volunteer service on our public lands from maintaining trails and public structures to engaging the community and local youth with stewardship of our natural places.

As MAI prepares to expand our AmeriCorps supported career development program by 70% in 2020, its important that we recognize the impact of national service. In the words of AmeriCorps Programs Director, Aaron Stanton, “AmeriCorps has been vital to the success of our programs and has changed the lives of many of our participants.”

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• Human Resources/Recruitment Director
• Program Coordinator: VetsWork
• Program Coordinator: Public Lands Stewards & VetsWork GreenCorps

Please check out our employment page for position descriptions and application information.

Employment

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“AmeriCorps is an incredible federal program that engages over 75,000 people, annually, in service to their community and country,” said Brendan Norman, executive director of Mt. Adams Institute. “In the case of our programs, that means engaging veterans and young adults in service to our public lands and natural resources. We’re thrilled that the Corporation for National and Community Service has recognized the positive impact that our organization is making across the nation.” 

AmeriCorps members serve on conservation projects such as trail maintenance; visitor engagement, wildlife research, environmental education, geographic information mapping, invasive species monitoring, and community volunteer coordination. 

In addition to grant funding, CNCS will provide over $300,000 in education awards for the members to help pay for future college tuition, vocational training, or repay student loans. 

Mt. Adams Institute matches the grant funding with additional support from project partners, including but not limited to the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Columbia River Gorge National Fish Hatchery Complex, Oregon State Parks, and the Willamette Resources and Educational Network. 

Locally, VetsWork and Public Lands Stewards AmeriCorps members have provided over 40,000 hours of service at various Columbia Gorge sites over the past five years including the Gifford Pinchot and Mt. Hood National Forests, Conboy Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Columbia River Gorge National Fish Hatchery Complex, and the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. 

“The experience I had on the Mt. Hood National Forest was completely amazing. I was given an opportunity to learn many new things and I have gained skills that will certainly help me in the future,” said Army veteran and VetsWork AmeriCorps alum, John Hansen. After his AmeriCorps service, John was permanently hired by the Bureau of Land Management.  

This expansion comes as a direct result of the success of the program. Since 2014, 81% of VetsWork participants who completed the program have been offered employment within the field. With this growth, Mt. Adams Institute looks forward to establishing new local partnerships and providing more opportunities for veterans and young adults to experience the outdoors while shaping their career path.   

Since the inception of AmeriCorps in 1994, more than 1 million Americans have served through schools, nonprofits, and community organizations across the country. Over the years, these citizens have helped in the recovery of communities affected by disasters, mentored and tutored young people, connected veterans to jobs, cared for seniors, enhanced our environment, and have met other critical needs. 

2019 Public Lands Stewards after completing a service project in partnership with Yakama Nation Fisheries in Husum, WA.

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Mt. Adams Institute Administrative Assistant Position Description

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Hosted by The Corps Network, a national association of service and conservation corps, the theme of this year’s conference was resilience. Through service programs and projects, corps organizations build resilient leaders and communities. Corps must be resilient to adapt to the changing needs of our country. The work of corps bolsters infrastructure, restores habitats, enhances school systems, supports community programs, and much more. Through that work, corpsmembers complete trainings, earn certifications, achieve confidence, and gain hands-on experiences that help them be successful throughout their lives.

Throughout the conference, MAI staff attended workshops and plenaries that addressed important topics like diversity, equity, and inclusion, alumni engagement, navigating the Public Lands Hiring Authority, and staff support and development. Our executive director, Brendan Norman, co-lead a workshop about apprenticeships. Our VetsWork Environment program is one of the first corps programs to be recognized as an apprenticeship by the Department of Labor and the Department of Veterans Affairs. This allows our veteran participants the ability to access their G.I. Bill benefits during their service term, to supplement their housing stipend. This is often the deciding factor that allows veterans to participate in the program while supporting their families.

Our very own VetsWork alum Elamon White was recognized at the conference as a 2019 Corpsmember of the Year for her outstanding work building a volunteer program on the Andrew Pickens Ranger District on the Sumter National Forest. You can view her acceptance speech here. On the last day of the conference, attendees traveled to Capitol Hill to speak to members of Congress about the impact corps programs have on communities across the country. MAI staff and Elamon met with senator Tim Scott, and staff from the office of Senator Lindsey Graham, both from South Carolina where Elamon served her AmeriCorps terms.

“The Corps Network conference was a unique and inspiring experience. Connecting and collaborating with other corps gave me a deep sense of community and empowered me to take what I learned back to Mt. Adams Institute to begin working towards building a stronger, more resilient organization,” said Erica Bingham, Mt. Adams Institute’s communication and outreach coordinator.

Senator Tim Scott with MAI staff and VetsWork alum Elamon White.

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Each year, The Corps Network (TCN), a national association of service and conservation corps, selects a group of outstanding corpsmembers from across the country and honors them at their annual conference in Washington DC. According to TCN, “These young men and women have exceeded the expectations of their Corps by exhibiting outstanding leadership skills and demonstrating an earnest commitment to service and civic engagement.”

Elamon White began her journey with the VetsWork AmeriCorps program of the Mt. Adams Institute in 2017, after serving as an Officer in the U.S. Navy. VetsWork is a career development program for military veterans interested in a career within the public lands or natural resources fields. “It seemed too good to be true; the VetsWork program was exactly what I was looking for in a career change,” says Elamon. “I wanted to pursue a job in the environmental conservation field and begin a career where I would feel passionate about the work I was doing.”

Elamon has served two VetsWork AmeriCorps terms and has demonstrated dedication to environmental stewardship and community engagement. Serving as a partnership and volunteer coordinator intern, Elamon has increased volunteer work capacity and coordinated many essential projects on the Andrew Pickens Ranger District of the Sumter National Forest.

The district relies heavily on community volunteers to complete projects that allow safe and enjoyable access to recreation activities on public lands. Elamon created a volunteer engagement tool that facilitates communication of volunteer leaders and tracks progress of projects. She has strengthened existing community relationships and developed new ones on behalf of the district.

In addition to coordinating these outreach efforts, Elamon also led community groups in service and served as the Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) crew leader over the summer season for her district. Volunteer projects she has led include partnering with the Chattooga Conservancy to rehabilitate native river cane along the Chattooga River, and working with the Southern Appalachian Wilderness Stewards (SAWS) to enhance the safety of visitors by completing necessary trail work projects within wilderness areas.

Elamon has a deep-rooted belief in the importance of conservation and environmental stewardship. “I have found purpose in my life and want to continue efforts in protecting and stewarding our public lands so that we have them for future generations.” Through her determination, Elamon obtained a Leave No Trace (LNT) Master Educator certification and within a year, became the LNT South Carolina State Advocate by the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics.

Outside of AmeriCorps, Elamon has continued her passion for spreading the importance of LNT ethics by engaging, educating, and empowering community groups, particularly girls and woman. She has participated with local Girl Scout troops to provide experiential lessons and has also organized hikes with the national group Girls Who Hike to educate and lead by example.

As a result of her outstanding accomplishments during the VetsWork program, Elamon has accepted a permanent position with the Francis Marion and Sumter National Forests. “It is amazing the opportunities I have been given in this internship as I serve my community and get things done for America.”

Elamon will be honored for her award at The Corps Network National Conference in Washington, DC on February 13^th. Read more about Elamon’s AmeriCorps experience through our blog at: mtadamsinstitute.org/mountain-talk

Mt. Adams Institute is a nonprofit organization with a mission to strengthen the connection between people and the natural world through education, service learning, career development and research. More information about the organization can be found at: mtadamsinstitute.org

The Corps Network is a national association of service and conservation corps that provides support to Corps by advocating on their behalf, providing access to funding and project opportunities, and by offering expertise in Corps operations and programming. To learn more visit: corpsnetwork.org

AmeriCorps is administered by the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal agency that engages millions of Americans in service through a network of national service programs. Members commit their time to address critical community needs like increasing academic achievement, mentoring youth, fighting poverty, sustaining national parks, preparing for disasters, and more. For more information, visit www.nationalservice.gov.

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