Hello!

AmeriCorps video contest results have come in! The video, 'Words Into Action' made 2nd place.
Thank you for your votes!
I believe the video/photo contest website will announce award winners tomorrow. Check it out, if you'd like.

Thanks again!


p.s.
My after Ameri-life is going well.
Every now and then I see a 15 passenger van or someone with dreads, and it makes me miss the team a whole bunch. That's why keeping in touch is so great--but not always easy to do.

Happy birthday Cheryl!

Later gators.

Something new.

It's odd being somewhere other than with blue 4. No more musters to attend, or tucking in of the Ameri-shirt. I know I'll be sad thinking about the team and all that we've done together, and how we've all grown together.

I'd recommend AmeriCorps to anyone because of the awesome opportunities it gives you.
If anyone in the outside world is reading this, and you have questions/are interested in joining the NCCC, you can e-mail me! gordo.mary@gmail.com.

This experience was the hardest, and most rewarding thing I've ever done. It has changed me forever, and I'll never forget it.

(side note: this photo does not accurately represent blue 4, because it is missing Shelby & Fionna)

And like Stephanie always reminds us with words from Dr. Seuss:
Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened.

With much blue love,
Mary

Back in Sac-town

After 5 days in the 15 passenger van, Blue 4 arrived safely back in Sacramento. Although those reading this undoubtedly know this, they may not be fully aware of all the super cool places that we got to visit on our return journey.

Houston, TX: Sweet Tomatoes!!!
Junction, TX: overnight at a college extension campus (open-air cabins & tubing down the river)
Moriarty, NM: Stayed overnight on Route 66 at one of the few locally owned establishments
Roswell, NM: International UFO museum
National Petrified Forest and Painted Desert
Williams, AZ: Sunset at the Grand Canyon (lots of pictures); overnight at a really sweet RV park; Sweet Tomatoes #2!!!
Hoover Dam: stopped for pictures
Las Vegas, NV: Roller Coaster at New York New York
Bakersfield, CA: overnight at a hotel (midnight Harry Potter 6 showing!!!)

Special thanks to our team leader and ATL who organized this fantastic trip. I would put up some pics, but I'm currently unable to locate my USB cable for my camera...perhaps Miss Gordon can step in for me?

-Lance

It's july!

It was supposed to be a team blog! I ask blue 4 to update, but they tell me they don't know what to say. I'm sorry.

It's now day camp! The day includes breakfast, camp songs, shrinky dinks, paint, canoeing, kayacking, archery,a variety of craft projects, a camp-wide sports game, lunch, more songs, and swimming. There are 2-3 counselors to an age group, and 2 of us switch off daily as support staff to help activities run smoothly. Campers are picked up by there parents every day at 5:30. We take turns cooking & cleaning for dinner, and we've started doing PT again (there wasn't much time for this during overnight camp). Having evenings to ourselves is super nice.

Highlights:
Hotdog cookout in the middle of the day (during a fire ban). Temperature- 105 degrees.
Night swimming
Thunderstorms
The start of day camp

Cooking as a team! (This usually never happens)

Warden getting Rocky in a game of Drip, drip, splash



Skippy, Ranger & Snickers

Linguini

Captain playing a game of basketball with the CIT (counselor in training)


Thank you everyone very much for voting in the AmeriCorps video contest. Much appreciated!

-Mary..also known as, Monet

In other news...

VOTE!

My AmeriCorps video is one of the 5 finalists!
Please
1. Comment
2. VOTE!
3. Share with friends!
4. Thanks for supporting Bluuuuuue 4!

http://www.americorpscontest.org/PublicContent/Video/Contestants.aspx

dogwoods and sweetgums.

It's strange to be home, outside of the AmeriBubble, but it sure is nice to get a break from things.
I came home to Kansas for pre-enrollment, and I go back to Louisiana on Thursday, my birthday!

The first week of camp went really well, I think the kids had a lot of fun. One of my campers told me she wished she could stay longer.

Here are a few pictures from the week.
Monday- Carnival night
Tuesday- Hawaiian night
Wednesday- Frontier Day (Space/Western)
Thursday- Pirate night
Friday- Water day

4.6.09

A few recent pictures:
Stephanie, Shelby and Lance making paving stones. People in the community bought them as a Camp Wi-Ta-Wentin fundraiser, and we put them into molds.

( In the van)

Group picture after our project briefing this week in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. We demonstrated the different themed nights during camp- Hawaii, western, carnival, pirate and safari.


A one day D.A.R.E. camp held by Calcasieu Perish deputies and sheriffs


Dancing in the dining lodge.

Wiiii-ta-Wentin.

Week 2 at Camp Wi-Ta-Wentin in Lake Charles, LA!
So far the team has been coming up with creative activities and games to do with the kiddos when they come June 6th. We've also organized and inventoried rooms, sheds, and closets around the camp.

The first 3 weeks of camp will be overnight camp, and the 2 weeks after that will be day camp. Each night will be a different theme with arts & crafts, games, and meals to go along with it. Such as: Carnival night, Safari, Hawaiian night, and..Space/Western/Fiesta night.
I'm very excited to see the team put our ideas into action!

Camp Wi-Ta-Wentin has a tradition of giving the camp counselors and directors fake names. Sometimes they relate to one another (like Maple, Redwood, Cotton, Forest, etc.) It's a secret, until they realize we have real names, and then it becomes a game to figure out what our real names are. We haven't received ours yet..but I'm curious.


- While many of the creatures at Camp Wi-Ta-Wentin are very cool and interesting. Some are not. Like Termites after rainy days, and mosquitoes, and wasps. (I was stung by a wasp last week and it didn't feel wonderful.)

Pluses:
-Singing camp songs during morning muster. My favorites being the Banana song and Tarzan
-Kayaking in the Bay

-Anoles & alligators?

-Lance's beard

-Swimming!

-Independent service projects with puppies!
(LaPaw pet adoption infront of PetSmart)


In celebration of AmeriCorps week each year (this year it took place May 9-16), I submitted a video into the annual video contest.

Check it out & leave a comment!
http://www.americorpscontest.org/PublicContent/Video/WatchVideo.aspx?videoId=297
AmeriCorps puts words into action through positive change in communities across the United States. Lives can be touched in genuine ways through all facets of AmeriCorps. Whether your focus is education, the environment, even housing or poverty, AmeriCorps has a place for you and all you have to give.

Much blue love,
Mary