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Vermont Youth Tomorrow

AmeriCorps* VISTA Program

S u m m e r 2 0 0 9

Inside this issueInside this issueInside this issueInside this issue

Andy LaineAndy LaineAndy LaineAndy Laine VT Foodbank

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Ruth PolandRuth PolandRuth PolandRuth Poland Youth Horticulture Project

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Sophia LaCava BohananSophia LaCava BohananSophia LaCava BohananSophia LaCava Bohanan In-Sight Photography

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Annie McShirasAnnie McShirasAnnie McShirasAnnie McShiras Foodworks

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Ptarmigan AbbottPtarmigan AbbottPtarmigan AbbottPtarmigan Abbott Community Friends Mentoring

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Chrissy AndersonChrissy AndersonChrissy AndersonChrissy Anderson The Collaborative

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Jaclyn RemickJaclyn RemickJaclyn RemickJaclyn Remick Linking Learning to Life

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Cindy WasserCindy WasserCindy WasserCindy Wasser enVision Montpelier

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Katie KearneyKatie KearneyKatie KearneyKatie Kearney The Stern Center

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Megan SkilesMegan SkilesMegan SkilesMegan Skiles CHILL Foundation

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Meredith RivlinMeredith RivlinMeredith RivlinMeredith Rivlin Mobius

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Jennifer PritchardJennifer PritchardJennifer PritchardJennifer Pritchard Linking Learning to Life

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Abby KrauseAbby KrauseAbby KrauseAbby Krause VT Affordable Housing Coalition

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Kristin FeierabendKristin FeierabendKristin FeierabendKristin Feierabend enVision Montpelier

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Marianne DisneyMarianne DisneyMarianne DisneyMarianne Disney Kellogg-Hubbard Library

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L S P E P Z L J Z N P K R O W T E N F F

C R E C Y B X Q H R I Y R O X V Q Y V O

B E C N D R E W O P E P B L R X T I A J

X S N E X C I M P L E M E N T I S Y O U

H O E U E R I P S N I V V O L S W C U Y

S U T L E M I I H A E C D I E C X K X M

B R S F Y W S R P Z R L B C D S P U S E

A C I N H A G P I H R A C O Y U J T Q A

E E S I K R R N G E N U P V T N R V O M

C S R J W E A B W I S L T J P E W E A E

N N E V C G N A A Y E A F T N C M G T R

E I P I R Y R T O T G R E G S U Q N N I

I A A O N D S R B I A B T R X A T E O C

R T M T I U C B S N R H A Y C C N L M O

E N Y N S D G C T U U S D C A N V L R R

P I G W M J O T A M O K I A H M I A E P

X A K A I Y Q E C M C T L G T B F H V S

E M K L V L L X L O N E A E U Y J C F W

C A M E R I N A E C E R V L O Y S U K Q

Q D H Z O Q E U S T J H U M Y N C R E R

LEGACY POWER STRENGTH SUSTAINABILITY OBSTACLES SUCCESS VERMONT YOUTH

ENCOURAGE VALIDATE INSPIRE MAINTAIN ORGANIZE NETWORK IMPLEMENT

APPRECIATE INCREASE CHALLENGE AMERICORPS EXPERIENCE REWARDING PERSISTENCE

R E S O U R C E S C OMMUN I T Y INFLUENCE

VYT A*VISTA LegacyVYT A*VISTA LegacyVYT A*VISTA LegacyVYT A*VISTA Legacy

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Page 2 The legacy I hope to leave behind (and have successive VISTAs build upon), is a new

taboo. Although often anachronistic and seemingly arbitrary, some taboos developed by soci-ety actually can serve to mobilize individuals to pursue higher ideals. A good example involves participation in curbside recycling programs: although this practice of reusing the natural re-sources of cast-off packaging and containers required some adjustment, many of us now feel obligated to diligently sort out our plastic bottles and cardboard boxes from other trash. Over time, with habitual repetition, it has even become a taboo for some to not recycle: throwing out a sports drink container in the trash when the option to recycle is available can violate a new, unwritten social rule.

My service at the Vermont Foodbank has centered around shedding light on the irra-

tionality of wasting nutritious food when a perfect outlet is available for it: the state charitable food system. Specifically, I’ve worked within the Agricultural Resources Department to help secure excess and commercially undesirable produce from farms through volunteer “gleaning,” which involves community members gathering this unwanted produce directly from the fields after the main harvest. Without the Foodbank’s gleaning program, these fruits and vegetables would be tilled back into the soil, instead of being used to feed Vermonters who struggle to secure enough daily calories. The work I’ve done has focused on making both farms and the general public aware of this service, and promoting the role gleaning can play in reducing hunger state-wide.

With time and effort, the idea can gain momentum to reach the point where farmers

can see gleaning as a natural part of their har-vesting calendar and community members can see volunteering to glean as a perfect op-portunity to help their neighbors and better understand local agricul- tural economies. The legacy I leave behind is a small step toward the creation of this wide- spread awareness, and my wish is that succes- sive VISTAs will expand upon what I’ve done while taking their own individual approaches to the problem. The end result will hopefully be a new taboo: tilling a perfectly nutritious head of lettuce back under the soil will seem as wrong as leaning over a recycle bin to throw a newspaper into a garbage can.

Andy Laine VYT A*VISTA Member Vermont Food Bank

Wolcott, VT

A Community, Segregated, impoverished,

Ripens on the vine.

In a field, hay bows, Welcomes winds of change, Beckons the heavy rain.

I tend the onions.

Weed between their gnarled roots, Encourage thin leaves.

Farming the onions

Is slow work. It requires Time, patience, and love.

Tilling a rock-strewn

Field. Slowly breaking cycles, Forming new vistas.

Ruth Poland VYT A*VISTA Member

Youth Horticulture Project Brattleboro, VT

Haikus for my Legacy

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I do not believe it’s possible for me to create and define my own legacy, as I believe that legacies sprout from an absence. Only when I am gone and the space I inhabited fills with new daily routines and regular greetings will I start to understand my legacy. As I wrap up my year of service I can only hope that my legacy starts with the word “yes.” This has been the year of “yes”: “Yes, I would love to help you with that”; “Yes, it would be great to meet and hear more about what you’re doing” ; “Yes, I think we can work some-thing out.” The word “yes” cultivates potential and enthusiasm that can lead to great change if managed in moderation. As with any organi-zation or project it is crucial to not over-extend resources, personnel, volunteers, and so

Photo: Participants in One Week Intensive Photography Workshop. Image by Bob George

Sophia LaCava-Bohanan VYT A*VISTA Member In-Sight Photography

Brattleboro, VT

on, and maintaining a balance is crucial. By coming to the table with “yes” in the back of my head I found that time and time again I was able to approach situations with a constructive hesitancy and a posi-tive outlook. “Yes, we will work within our means to accomplish this together.” A sense of opportunity, support, and collaborative problem solving that starts with the word “yes” has been vital to my time with the In-Sight Photography Pro-ject. I can only hope that I will leave a wake of tenured optimism, a sense that with a bit of bravery, careful planning and mod-eration, “yes, we will get things done.”

“Only when I am gone and the space I inhabited fills with new daily routines and regular greetings will I start to understand my legacy. “

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As a grant writer for Food Works at Two Rivers Cen-ter, it seemed that the most obvious, and quantifiable, leg-acy I could leave the organization would be the successful award of all the grants I’ve written. For grant writers—after innumerable hours spent bent over a computer envision-ing a proposal—the receipt of a check from a Grantor is one of the most rewarding experiences of the job.

Yet, there is so much more that is received after

writing a proposal than the receipt of a check. The legacy of the proposal—the carefully crafted, well-argued idea—is one that I hope to leave. I hope that future grants writers can gain inspiration from the proposals (some awarded and some not) that I’ve written. I know that the ideas won’t be lost because they’ve all been so meticulously recorded, proposal after proposal. (And there have been many!) Addi-tionally, the lessons learned from proposals not awarded are of monumental importance, and will surely be passed on to future writers. Finally, the planning and deliberation in which all members of Food Works contributed in the formation of a grant proposal will be left as fodder for those proposals to follow. Surely, all is not lost when that check doesn’t come in, and it is inspiring to know that Food Works’ ground breaking ideas—which lead to propos-als—which lead to programs—will continue on as long as the organization continues to thrive.

Broadening the scope of this article a bit, when I

think about the legacy I will leave, it of course runs deeper than a 5-page-11-point-font-with-1-inch-margins grant pro-posal. I’m leaving behind relationships—strong, real rela-tionships that my co-workers and I have developed in time, and with great respect.

In all honesty, though, it will probably be Food

Works that is leaving me with much more than I’m leaving with it. Just after six months, the list of Food Works’ lega-cies in my life runs a long list: solid experience in fundrais-ing—easily one of the most challenging areas of work in these economic times; self-advocating communication skills; friendships that will last a lifetime; memories, both wonderful and challenging; a new, hopeful view of the non-profit world; the ability to “shmooze”; the ability to ask for money and actually receive it; learning how to garden with very little money; and finally, the joy of watching an eleven-year old girl plant carrot seeds for the very first time. The Last Link. Food Works. 16 September 2009 <http://www.thelastlink.org/artemis/food_works.html >.

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Annie McShiras VYT A*VISTA Member

Food Works Montpelier, VT

The Legacy of a Grant-Writer: Much more than the Check

(The Last Link)

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It is hard to believe that nearly a year has passed since I first set foot in the Community Friends’ office. When I first accepted the VYT Ameri-Corps*VISTA position, I had very little idea of what to expect, but it did not take long for me to realize that I had made the right decision. I feel incredibly lucky to have spent the past year with Community Friends, and now as my time here draws to a close, I find my-self thinking about all the people I have met, all the articles I have written, and all the information I have researched, in an attempt to synthesize all those experiences into one neat little package.

I chose the VISTA path because I wanted to help make a difference. All it took was seeing a huge smile spread across a child’s face at one of our events or listening to a mentor excitedly recount the details of a recent outing to affirm that Community Friends, and thus my work with the program, was positively influencing the lives of those we serve. While it was gratifying to have those reminders, I hope that my service will extend beyond the end of my year as well, in the form of a very simple legacy.

I hope the VISTA that follows will continue to build upon the foundation that is already in place. More importantly than that, however, I hope the cul-ture of service persists. I brought a quiet enthusiasm to all of my work, and while I would not expect every-one to have the same approach, ideally my legacy will inspire the next VISTA to bring positive energy to the program. Only with such energy, enthusiasm and commitment, will Community Friends continue to thrive and grow and ultimately succeed in supporting the youth of Vermont.

As for the youth I have had the pleasure of serving, my wish for them is that their mentoring ex-perience becomes a memory that will last a lifetime. I hope they will remember Community Friends’ events as fun times where they were given the op-portunity to try new activities and spend time with someone who cared. I hope the legacy that is en-twined in all those events will motivate them to con-tinue to explore the world, to learn and to grow and ultimately succeed in believing in themselves and

their future.

Ptarmigan Abbott VYT A*VISTA Member

Community Friends Mentoring Burlington, VT

Chrissy Anderson VYT A*VISTA Member The Collaborative

So. Londonderry, VT

What is the legacy that I hope my service is leaving? The legacy I hope to leave is the en-ergy and compassion The Collaborative has for its community. Working with local businesses and entrepreneurs within the area play a crucial part of our services in the community by dedicat-ing space, money, supplies, and other goods for The Collaborative’s events, meetings, and other recreational needs. Creating and continuing con-nections within the community are very impor-tant. In order to implement these ties in the fu-ture, there needs to be kept communication as to what we as part of The Collaborative team. Capacity building creates a sense of unity within the community. Individuals of all ages, families, teens, and youth play huge roles in the community and so by creating ways for them to interact together on a different level, this gives them an opportunity to share something similar - feelings about the future of their community. The legacy I hope my service will leave is the belief youth are capable of doing extraordi-nary things in their community. They have so much energy. With patience and guidance, they can achieve so much for their community and themselves. Creating life skills such as communi-cation skills, people skills, public speaking, and so many others will continue outside of my pro-grams and into their worlds as well. Not only ad-vocating for themselves but to empower them for difficult situations and tough decisions that life will put in front of them as well. I hope I have pro-vided some influence to the youth that have been involved in The Collaborative’s pro-grams to make healthy and positive decisions. The legacy my service provided will con-tinue to inspire youth to be substance free and be re-warded for their commit-ments.

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It started at PSO. My new friends and I went out and there was a contest at a local bar. It was a con-test to create an outfit for a doll while watching Project Runway, there was a $5 fee to enter the contest. I didn’t really care about the contest, but as a recently inducted VISTA member, I had this new power…my ability to ask for an AmeriCorps discount! I got the discount and lost the contest, but I felt rather superior because I had lost cheaper then the rest of the losers in the room. My pathetic asking of an AmeriCorps discount didn’t end there, it became almost an eccentric tick of mine, en-trance fees at events, car repair shops, hotels, CCTA, hair salons, baggage fees at airports, cover charges, Star-bucks, nothing was off limits. I’ve written letters, sub-mitted comment cards, and asked to speak to supervi-sors. Most times I got an “uuuuhhh, no” in response to my polite request. That didn’t stop me though, because the few times I received that glorious, anticipated, “yeah, I guess we can do that” made it all worth it.

Looking back though, I realize now that my pitiable need for a deal was more then just a money saver, it was a means to talk about my service as a VISTA with an often clueless public. When I would ask in my very professional voice, “And do you offer an AmeriCorps discount?” the look of confusion would become evident within seconds, and I would see my window. Here was my chance to educate my commu-nity about National Service, and the mission of VISTA. It was empowering, it was a way to reach out to a whole segment of Americans that seem to be in the dark about AmeriCorps. I started to gain momentum with the Presidential election as the words “AmeriCorps” and “National Service” started cropping up in regular politi-cal talk. These started to become more familiar words and you could see the glimmer of something recogniz-able when I would start my pleading. Inauguration day my Mom and Grandma called me at the same time to tell me that they just saw the AmeriCorps Alum group walk in the parade on TV. I started to feel part of some-thing bigger, and a little more justified in asking for a discount everywhere money was exchanged. It wasn’t just about the thrill of getting something cheaper then the rest of the public, it was about the opportunity to share my experiences and something I’m passionate about with those around me.

Jaclyn Remick VYT A*VISTA Member Linking Learning to Life

Burlington, VT

My legacy I hope to leave is not just a page in my legacy manual with all the places to go for a deal, or an instituted discounted cover charge at a local bar, it’s more then that. I want to leave behind a more aware public, which opens more opportuni-ties for dialogue between the community and AmeriCorps members. These open lines of com-munication will create an environment that allows us to better serve our community. I made an ap-pointment yesterday at a new hair salon, I was al-ready denied over the phone an AmeriCorps dis-count, but don’t think that will stop me from spend-ing most of the appointment trying to convince my hair dresser that they should offer one. And I’m not just doing this to save 10%, I’m a one woman show spreading the mission of AmeriCorps mem-bers serving across the county, and I’m taking this show on the road.

Cindy Wasser VYT A*VISTA Member enVision Montpelier Montpelier, VT

Over the past year, I have supported several city planning projects and watched them grow and blos-som. It’s hard to leave, especially since several pro-jects are just in their infancy. Yet, I have developed the structure and garnered community support for someone else to carry out my vision in the future. Throughout my service, I have coordinated the en-Vision process, which began the previous year. I have worked to increase the transparency and par-ticipatory nature of Montpelier’s government by connecting community residents with local govern-ment and facilitating public discussions about Mont-pelier’s future. Each month, five community plan-ning committees met to brainstorm strategies to achieve specific sustainability goals over the next 30-100 years. In the fall after my service ends, the Montpelier community will come together to review and celebrate the work of the enVision planning committees. As the Master Plan is reshaped and adopted by City Council, the VISTA in my position next year will elicit commitments from city depart-

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ments and community groups to enact the devel-oped strategies. The impact of the 100-year citizen-developed action plan with sustainable practices and community development programs will serve as a long-term mark of my legacy, in addition to more accessible government and the sense of community strengthened through the enVision process. When I began my service, Montpelier CAN! was in its infancy. Over the year, the mission and activities of the neighborhoods groups have evolved from a mission of emergency management to be focused more-so on community-building and civic engage-ment. My legacy is the structure of neighborhood groups and continued discussions about community development. Over the next year and far into the future, I hope that leadership in each of the neighborhoods will be cultivated, and the neighbor-hood groups will thrive. I hope that a consistent link is established between City Council and Montpelier CAN!. I hope that City Council will be able to host regular neighborhood forums on relevant develop-mental issues and re-shape City Council Districts to represent whole neighborhoods. I have helped to shape the Central Vermont Food Systems Council and provided public outreach and member management support. Over the next year and far into the future, the eight working commit-tees will research the local food system and establish programs to increase the growth, purchasing, and consumption of food in Washington County. Next year, the VISTA in my position will continue to work with the committees to increase participation and connections within the community in the near future. In the distant future, I would love to see an Intervale-like Center established in Central Vermont to cultivate new farmers. I hope that local residents have an increased understanding of their local food system and agricultural issues.

Katie Kearney VYT A*VISTA Member

The Stern Center Williston, VT

Figuring out what legacy I am leaving behind has been a daunting task and quite wild as it’s shocking to me that I’ve been at the Stern Center for almost a year. However, after some thought I quickly realized that the most important program (and therefore most legacy wor-thy) that I helped with this past year has been coordinat-ing Supplemental Education Services (SES.) When I first began to get the program started I was met with appre-hension and confusion from parents, teachers, students, and tutors. I only hope that the work I have accom-plished this year will quell some of those feelings, and that the next VISTA here will have an easier job coordi-nating SES. It has been an interesting year full of hope, promise, let down, unhappiness, joy, apprehension, and overall gratification. I am the first VISTA the Stern Cen-ter has ever had, so whatever I have done will be my leg-acy. Part of my legacy that I will be leaving is the fact I enjoy making other people happy, which is why I want to end this with some jokes pertaining to the often unmoti-vated children I tutored over the year in the SES pro-gram: I wish I had been born 1000 years ago! Why is that? Just think of all the history that I wouldn't have to learn!

Teacher: Class, we will have only half a day of school this morning. Class: Hooray! Teacher: We will have the other half this afternoon! Teacher: You aren't paying attention to me. Are you hav-ing trouble hearing? Pupil: No, teacher I'm having trouble listening! Son: I can't go to school today. Father: Why not? Son: I don't feel well. Father: Where don't you feel well? Son: In school! Teacher: You missed school yesterday didn't you? Pupil: Not very much!

Vermont Youth Tomorrow

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The focus of the Chill program will always be to create positive change in the lives of the youth we work with. On the mountain, we provide kids with support and guidance from a large network of peers, instructors, and mentors. We give them all of the tools needed to achieve success. Chill is about more than learning how to navigate a snowboard; it's about learning how to navigate and succeed in a world that is both unpredictable and challenging. Through my service, I too have had to learn to navigate through challenging times. My year in service has taken place to the backdrop of a struggling economy. Now more than ever, kids need programs that provide them with posi-tive opportunities to grow and develop. Through my experiences, I have learned the value in seek-ing to understand those disadvantaged at the lowest end of the chain. I have learned to stop and actually listen. I have learned to lead by example. I have learned to expect the unexpected. The youth I have worked at Chill with have taught me so much – I am leaving with more then I ever could have imagined. While I feel as though I have contributed a great deal in my role as a VISTA with Chill, I think it is important to note that I am just one piece of a bigger puzzle. There are thou-sands of dedicated AmeriCorps members all over the U.S. working toward the same common goal of alleviating pov-erty. It is difficult to explain what it means to be a VISTA service member to someone who hasn’t lived it first hand. I can only of-fer myself as an example of how I’ve been shaped and changed within the framework of the AmeriCorps program. As I begin to wrap up my service, the legacy I am leaving behind will remain

unfinished. There is still a lot of work to do. I was the first AmeriCorps VISTA member with the Chill program. I have created a road map for the next to come and pick up right where I left off. More urgently than ever, our world needs leaders with the desire to serve others. But, the world requires more than just our leadership - it requires compassion.

Megan Skiles VYT A*VISTA Member

Chill Foundation Burlington, VT

Group Chill

Summer 2009

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My year of VISTA service was not what I ex-pected. Not to say it was better or worse; it was a dif-ferent scene than what I had playing in my mind, which starred a beautiful new actress, untainted by the pres-sures of Hollywood, who was convincing in her role of civil servant.

There is a certain level of implied difficulty in

becoming a VISTA and trying your hardest to pick up exactly where, and even do better than, the previous member left off. I remembered thinking I would be the fresh eyes that companies seek and would change the infrastructure of the organization so that it ran like the clichéd (but probably nonexistent) well-oiled non-profit machine. These thoughts were also used to hide my nervousness of going into this position. I read and re-read my VISTA Assignment Description but couldn’t get anything definite from the well of vague terms. What did it mean to “create tool kits or other mecha-nisms to ensure that programs or service activities can be implemented in the future”? Or to “develop rela-tions in the community”? Where did I draw the line between AmeriCorps and my site?

I soon learned that being a VISTA was kind of

like having a sunburn. The prospect of serving my community while being rewarded with a great resume and help putting a dent in paying off student loans was like the sun peeking through clouds on what was sup-posed to be a rainy day. So I soaked it in and embraced the poverty level, food stamps, and administrative work, resulting in a metaphoric bright red sunburn.

The emotions during the beginning stages of

my VISTA year were similar to those of the beginning stages of a sunburn: regret, anger, pain. What did I just get myself in to and why did I choose to do this? I be-gan to question whether serving America was really worth living in poverty and writing seven drafts of one newsletter.

As I moved into the next phase of my VISTA

year, things were uncomfortable, like the next phase of a sunburn. There was no turning back at this point, though, no matter what challenges I faced. Aloe serves as a temporary but needed relief for a sunburn at this point in the process, so friends and positive feedback at my site served as the cooling gel with which my sun-burn would heal. Being in poverty is not so bad when

you’re not alone—we shared food at potlucks, shared ideas about collaborations, and shared experiences unlike anything else I had known. It was at this point in my VISTA year, about halfway through, that I knew it would be worth it. I started to really feel like I was making an impact on my community and that when this was all over, when this sunburn turned into a tan, Mobius and mentor-ing in Chittenden County would have higher capac-ity, more opportunities, and better awareness in the community. Though this is a lighthearted metaphor, ser-vice is in no way harmful to your health, it serves as a reminder to consider the future outcome instead of only focusing on discomfort (whether financial or physical). Though it is important to take these dis-comforts into account and to take care of yourself, volunteering in service to America should be viewed as having a long-term impact and the VISTAs them-selves leaving a long-term legacy.

Meredith Rivlin VYT A*VISTA Member

Mobius Burlington, VT

Vermont Youth Tomorrow

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According to my friends at Merriam-Webster, legacy is defined as: “something transmitted by or received from an an-cestor or predecessor or from the past.” Putting aside the fancy language there, we’re talking about something I leave behind for those who come after me. Now, that’s not one of those things I normally stop and think about, but maybe I should more often, because in doing this thinking, I learned a bit about myself. So, okay. My legacy. What I hope to leave behind when my service ends is both a challenge and an encouragement.

I challenge the next *VISTA to throw herself into the

programs she will be coordinating. While coming into something new is always a little scary, my hope is that I can leave a written record for her and speak to her when she arrives on what to expect. The little bumps I hit along the way and tricks to making it over those hurdles. The kids will challenge her and frustrate her, school administrators will confuse and irritate her… but, if she persists, like myself and others before, the rewards will be worth it. The students will bond with her – they’ll grow and achieve and inspire her. The school administrators will blow her away by how much they care. Along the way, she’ll have the Linking Learning to Life staff there to support her in her jour-ney.

I encourage the students to keep trying – to face obsta-cles head on and know that people like me are out there. That, in fact, adults want them to excel. The relationships I have devel-oped with youth this year will stay with me for the rest of my life. I can only hope my legacy stays with them as well – that they take the things they learned in class and outside of class to heart. No matter how few options it seems like they have, they can do it. Whatever it is. I encourage them to set goals and follow through on them. I want the students to know how much they have meant to me, and for them to be proud of themselves. Never have I grown so much as a person, as I have this year. I’ve gone through the gamut of emotions, from incredibly positive to near-overwhelmingly negative. Through the harder moments, I drew inspiration from my peers and the students. The good (great) times, I shared with the youth I serve and my co-workers. The truth is there is a lot more to me, a lot more I have to offer, than I ever knew. Ultimately, it is this that I want to leave behind. To the next VISTA, to my students this year and those who will be in TIPS, L-Works, and RSW next year, to LLL staff, to the business partners, to the community, to the World: there is more to you than you know. You have so much to offer, so much you can do… more than you ever dreamed possible. Keep hope in your heart, keep faith in each other, and no challenge is too great.

Jennifer Pritchard VYT A*VISTA Member Linking Learning to Life

Burlington, VT

My year of service has been a fulfilling one. I’ve learned a great deal about the work my organization does and about myself. I knew very little about affordable housing until I took my VISTA position with the Vermont Affordable Housing Coalition. Now, I am well-versed in the world of housing and real-ize what a crucial role housing plays in one’s stability. The legacy I leave is one of a devotion to a

cause. Being a VISTA is no easy task. It’s

certainly not a job taken for the money. One

really has to believe in the work they’re doing,

and must possess that passion. Further, one

must be a person that truly wants to give

back. VISTA service is a true test of will. It

illuminates one’s true colors. It’s not all a

challenge. I had an incredible experience.

I’ve met so many fascinating and inspiring

people this year. This line of work definitely

puts one in the company of like-minded indi-

viduals. Amidst all the challenges, I feel

blessed to have been granted with this experi-

ence.

Abby Krause VYT A*VISTA Member

VT Affordable Housing Coalition

Burlington, VT

Summer 2009

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Vermont Youth Tomorrow

enVision Montpelier Legacy!

This next year, I hope to continue to:

Encourage youth to actively plan Montpelier’s future;

Notice the strength and beauty of the local community;

Validate opinions of those who might not usually speak up;

Inspire neighbors to help one another;

Say things like, “Only in Vermont…”

Increase participation in the Capital Area Neighborhoods (CAN!);

Obtain necessary resources for volunteers;

Never forget my long-johns when it’s less than 10 degrees out;

Maintain the numerous operational systems I’ve helped to establish;

Organize and manage a fantastic team of neighborhood leaders;

Network with local organizations and businesses to make enVision Montpelier a reality;

Tell friends/family hilarious stories about public meetings and the colorful people who participate;

Play in the snow all winter long;

Exclaim, “I love Vermont!” at least once a day;

Look along the roadside for bargains and boxes that say “free”;

Implement a sustainable Master Plan for the city of Montpelier;

Educate the public about the importance of a strong local food system;

Recruit new volunteers for enVision, CAN!, and the Food Systems Council;

Love Montpelier and my service;

Eat lunch at the incredible community meal sites in town;

Grow the local food system;

Appreciate the cold, snowy winter as much as I appreciate the summer;

Create lasting change;

Yak about the delicious farm share I get for half-price from Pete’s Greens for being low-income.

Kristin Feierabend VYT A*VISTA Member enVision Montpelier Montpelier, VT

Montpelier Tours. Fall Foliage Multi-Sport Adventure. 9 September 2009 <http://www.montpeliertours.net/tours/tourDetail.cfm?tour_id=3416>.

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Legacy a revision of the position, a spirit of teamwork, expanded page layout designs, greater expectations of what the VISTA can do, greater understanding of what VISTA is and does, a recognition of transition away from reliance on VISTA, having a can-do attitude, communication, volunteer database, getting salad donors, setting up the MHS reception and endowment kits, a well-researched community profile, interest from the public in AmeriCorps, written instructions for Lifeline, improved volunteer binder for better tracking of volunteer hours, new library forms on the public folder, theme bag activity sheets, Research, children & teen volunteers included on database, walking meetings, feedback on events, including Weathering the Storm, $2,000 grant, 6 volunteer recruits, a beautiful book for Hilari and her reception, assisting in generating $1,700 in bike raffle sales, Vermont Reads planning and Reader’s Theatre, promoting a positive image for the library, grant research for the Ashgate grant, reusable library loading, event and reception signs, participation in meetings including positing new ideas such as generating a new library logo, volunteer recruitment materials, fruit and salad donations for Century Ride, my excellent performance in the book cart drill team, and I always leave my laugh behind me.

Vermont Youth Tomorrow

A*VISTA Team 2008-2009

Getting Stuff

Done!

Marianne Disney VYT A*VISTA Member Kellogg-Hubbard Library

Montpelier, VT

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For the 2008-2009 Service Year,

VYT A* VISTA Members:

Managed Managed Managed Managed 3,246 3,246 3,246 3,246 community volunteers community volunteers community volunteers community volunteers

who gave over who gave over who gave over who gave over 24,470 24,470 24,470 24,470 hours of their time to their communitieshours of their time to their communitieshours of their time to their communitieshours of their time to their communities

Managed 100100100100 mentor/youth matches

Planned and implemented 66 recognition events for volunteers

Raised over $617,468 $617,468 $617,468 $617,468 through cash donations, grants,

and fundraising events

Procured over $245,371 of in-kind donations Collaborated with 263 community stakeholders (schools, businesses, artists,

non-profit groups, faith-based groups, towns, etc.)

Planned or implemented 80 youth programs

and 37 youth service projects

Built the capacity programs that served more than 24,550 Vermont youth … and so much more!

VYT A*VISTAs Got Things Done!

VVVVermont ermont ermont ermont YYYYouth outh outh outh TTTTomorrowomorrowomorrowomorrow A*VISTA ProgramA*VISTA ProgramA*VISTA ProgramA*VISTA Program Director - M. Kadie Schaeffer Assistant Directors - Nicholas Nicolet & Amanda White VISTA Leader - Tara Robinson Email: VYT.VYDC@gmail.com Phone: 802.229.9151

It is incredible how much one AmeriCorps* VISTA can do during her year of service. I am new to the Vermont Youth Tomorrow team and I couldn’t be more fired up about the power our members have and the truly awe inspiring work the VYT A*VISTAs of 08-09 have completed. A*VISTAs have the power to change lives and bring hope to struggling communities. These A*VISTAs have done just that in com-munities across Vermont. Their legacies will carry on as to-day’s youth become tomorrow’s change agents. I wish our recently graduated A*VISTAs all the luck in the world on their next endeavors, they are bound to keep the positive change coming. Tara Robinson VYT A*VISTA Leader 09-10