MLK Day of Service: A Day On, Not a Day Off
Kristen Cambell

"Anyone can be great, because everyone can serve."
— Dr. Martin Luther King

Each January, the Corporation for National and Community Service, in partnership with the Points of Light Foundation, issues a call to service in memory and honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

"MLK Day" was developed to help keep Dr. King's memory and passion alive through the ideals of community service throughout the country. The day of service is meant to honor the spirit and vision of a man who spent his life fighting to break the chains of prejudice in our society.

A call is hereby issued to all participants, regardless of focus area, in the Strengthening Communities initiative to make this January 17, 2006 a “day on, not a day off.” An MLK Day event does not have to be a hugely coordinated extravaganza with lots of work — nearly any event can qualify. Plan an interfaith day of reflection for local faith-based organizations in honor of Dr. King's ideals of equality and joining hands. You can organize a group of volunteers to perform an episodic event such as organizing the can closet at a food bank, making Valentine's Day cards for residents of local nursing homes, or cleaning up an area park.

It's not too early to start brainstorming and planning your event. Have a team meeting to get the idea ball rolling. The Points of Light Foundation is pursuing grant and funding opportunities, and as information becomes available, it will be passed along. To sign up for MLK alerts and for further information in the coming months, contact Kristen Cambell at 202-729-8106 or KCambell@PointsofLight.org. A great MLK Day planning toolkit is available online for download from the Points of Light Foundation.

For more information about MLK Day, visit www.mlkday.org or www.PointsofLight.org/programs/seasons.

The Points of Light Foundation Goes "The Extra Mile"
Abbey Kos

Here's a riddle: what do George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, the Korean War and the Points of Light Foundation all have in common? Before recently, the answer would've been "not much." But soon that's going to change, because on October 14, 2005, the Points of Light Foundation will unveil a new national monument called "The Extra Mile — Points of Light Volunteer Pathway." The Extra Mile will become the newest addition to the venerable collection of monuments and memorials that fill downtown Washington, D.C.

The Extra Mile is exactly what it claims to be — a mile-long pathway circling five and half blocks near the White House, the Capitol building, and the Washington Monument. But this monument is different from others like it in the District. For starters, it is the only monument that is completely horizontal; granite slabs and bronze medallions are set into the sidewalks themselves. Secondly, The Extra Mile is the first monument in D.C. to honor the achievements of civilians. All honored on The Extra Mile were private citizens dedicated to instituting change within their own communities.

Each medallion is engraved with the name of, contributions of, and a personal quote from the honoree, and each medallion also features a hand-sculpted image of each honoree's face. At the dedication of the monument, twenty honorees will be recognized; however, the nomination process remains open, and already eleven more honorees are to be recognized at later dates.

Hurricane Katrina Initial Response Wrap-Up
Michelle Harburg

Just over a month ago, on August 29th, Hurricane Katrina hit. Although the hurricane recovery is definitely not over, I wanted to write some type of wrap-up for the last month. I briefly considered using all the work VISTAs have done for the response so that you all could read about yourselves again. But then, for the sake of decreasing needless redundancy, I reconsidered. Instead, I will just reflect a bit.

Having just begun my VISTA experience in August, I really did not know what to expect regarding this new work I had undertaken. I never imagined a disaster of this scale happening during my year of service. I'm sure that it has been an overwhelming experience for new VISTAs, as well as for those VISTAs with more experience.

That being said, I am thoroughly impressed with how well VISTAs have responded. No matter what their focus, VISTAs jumped right in and began helping in the relief effort. As the report I sent out earlier demonstrated, you have helped in numerous and effective ways. I'm sure your Volunteer Centers are proud to have you. Thank you for all the great work that has been accomplished so far, and continue to inform me of your activities.

From the Quill of McGill: How to Make the Most of Your VISTA Experience
Kate McGill

A year of service as an AmeriCorps VISTA can change your life — if you let it. As you work to “get things done,” you will have some highs and lows, but the simple truth is that you are in charge of about 90% of your success. I wanted to take a moment to share some ways to make the most of your VISTA experience.

• Become acquainted with the other staff in your office. Even if you have been at your site for a while, it isn't too late to get to know people better. Create a supportive network of people who can befriend you, encourage you, and make you feel at home. Organize a happy hour, weekend get-together, or potluck lunch in the office.
• Have a humble attitude about your position. VISTA is about service. You are serving your host site as much as you are serving the community.
• Schedule a weekly hour-long meeting with your supervisor to discuss projects you are working on and/or your role in your organization. Tell him or her that these meetings are important for you to work as effectively as possible, and that you hope that he or she will place high priority on it this time. Make sure you are prepared for the meeting. During a good meeting, you should make sure to update your supervisor on the work that you have been doing and ask for feedback, then discuss the work the work pending for the upcoming week.
• Work with your supervisor to set up a few big, long-term projects that can allow you to be self-motivated, to demonstrate leadership, and to leave a positive, indelible mark on your Volunteer Center and your community.
• For those of you more experienced VISTAs from the traditional work force, especially from corporate America, remember that this will be a completely different environment than what you are used to. Non-profits aren't motivated by the ubiquitous bottom-line, but that isn't inherently a bad thing. Take time to really appreciate all the things that are good (even better) about this line of work.
• Don't be afraid to ask questions. Ask your supervisor. Ask other VISTAs.
• Familiarize yourself with the work that the previous VISTAs in your office did. Read their reports. If you have their contact info, talk to them directly.
• Constantly educate yourself about your field of work. “Learn, Learn, and learn some more is the key to this job.”
• For people who come to VISTA from a long career, recognize and appreciate how this year will allow you to regain sight of a mission and purpose that was probably clouded by all the paperwork and behind the scenes activity that bogged you down in your old job.

This list certainly isn't exhaustive, but I hope it encourages some of you. Thanks to all of the veteran VISTAs who contributed to this list, especially Shelly Tibbs in Manassas, Nancy Chaplin in Boynton Beach, and Sandra Stone in Macon. Remember that the other VISTAs at POLF and I are here for you. Your success is our success. Call us with your questions, your stories, or if you just need to vent. Next thing you know, you'll be signing up for a second year of National Service.

That's revolting! But it is edible...
Michelle Harburg

Here are some highlights of "food" that VISTAs have actually consumed:

Kristen Cambell: Points of Light Foundation, D.C.
Vegemite. A "fine" New Zealand delicacy. Ha, ha.

Rhona Colbert: Volunteer Muskegon, MI
Peanut butter and mustard sandwiches or ants as a dare.

Julie Kroger: United Way of Acadiana Volunteer Center, Lafayette, LA
I would have to say POI. It is a pasty substance made by the Hawaiians from Taro root. I have to tell you that I have given this dish the "old college try." I did not like it when I was 6 years old, and when I tasted it again at 48, I still thought it looked and tasted like wallpaper paste!

Sean Duggan: Volunteer San Diego, CA
I was at a party that featured Mexican food, and I still have no idea what it was that I ate...all I can say is that it was no longer alive when it reached my stomach!

Sandra Stone: Volunteer Macon INC, GA
Not that I am proud of this, but I have eaten barbecued goat and I have had a small taste of barbecued possum.

Abbey Kos: Points of Light Foundation, D.C.
When I studied abroad in China, I ate fried pigeon. I only had part of the wing but some people there ate the whole bird, feet and all.

Dorian Spears: Volunteer Memphis, TN
I had alligator a couple of times.

Shelley Tibbs: Voluntary Action Center of the Prince William Area Inc, VA
The strangest thing I have ever eaten was a peanut butter milkshake with a pickle dipped in it, but hey, I was pregnant. :)

Athena S. McKay: Resource Center, Flint, MI
Dirt!

Michelle Harburg: Points of Light Foundation, D.C.
Sorry dog-lovers, but I ate dog a few times when I was living in Korea.

Feature VISTA of the Month

Who: Jennifer M. Jarosz
Focus: Family Strengthening/Faith
Site: Albion Volunteer Service Organization
E-mail: jjarosz2002@yahoo.com

Why AmeriCorps?
“I believed that the organization would be a wonderful opportunity for me to show my community how dedicated and grateful I am to serve, volunteer, and recruit other volunteers to help out…I put a lot of time, hard work, and dedication into my job, and I know that I will be a great role model for the youth to look up to.”

Most proud of
“I'm proud of several things, but the one thing I'm very proud about is being a VISTA member. It has been a wonderful feeling for me to be a part of a national organization.”

Favorite dessert
“Any dessert with peaches in it is good for me.”

Previous education
Albion High School, Kellogg Community College

Other job experience
Daycares, pre-primary class, bus aide, operator

Advice to VISTAs
“Be dedicated and proud of what you are doing for your community; if failure comes your way, be prepared to fight back and turn that soon-to-be fate into great success.”

Why we chose Jennifer
We love the amount of hard work and dedication that Jennifer's already put into her job. She truly understands how much of a difference she can have in people's lives. Jennifer always keeps us updated on what she's doing — she's been sending us monthly progress reports and photos of all her different projects.

There's still time to register!
Join us for the next Seminar by the Points of Light Youth Leadership Institute (PYLI)!
October 26-28, 2005 in Santa Ana, CA
By attending this 3-day course, you will learn everything you need to become a Certified PYLI Trainer and bring PYLI to the young people in your community. PYLI is an innovative program designed to provide high school-aged youth with the service and leadership skills to make valuable contributions to their communities. To find out more please visit www.PYLI.org, e-mail PYLI@PointsofLight.org or call 202-729-8151.