2009 is wrapping up: I encourage each of you to take a minute and relflect on what service has meant for you over the year. How have your views of citizenry, community development and non-profit/governmental organizations changed? Have your personal opinions and goals been changed, challenged or strengthened?
During 2010 each of you will be cycling out at different points. Never again will we be as wowed as we were, and refreshed, when the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provided much needed stimulus funding like it did in 2009. President Obama's election and dedication to service have provided powerful new examples of national dedication and improvement through citizenship and team efforts. The government, media and pop culture have gotten behind the cause.
This has been a ground breaking year. The PWC VISTA Project kicked it off with our MLK, Jr. Day of Service at South Lansing Community Development Association. In May, we saw the Summer of Service campaign - a push like none other for healthcare, poverty alleviation, education and the environment to name a few - thru service. This has coincided with massive governmental challenges and victory as we struggle to build a better infrastructure. 9/11 saw the culmination of service, and our VISTA group served as a team at Project Homeless Connect and built new trails in community gardens with the Garden Project.
We've gained and lost members, learned together at luncheons and had many opportunities to collaborate. As we move forward we will now be working with a new PWC Project: AmeriCorps State, with a focus on the environment's impact on health. 2010 is looking to be a year of new ideas, methods, improvements and networking with stronger support than ever.
I continue to enjoy working with each of you. Your contributions, personal and professional, the dedication with which you apply yourself, the choice to live at the poverty line and give of yourself in service to others is truly honorable. You are earning an education of different sort while lifting up your organization and those it serves. Thank you for making the choice to serve, thank you for enriching my personal and professional perspective as well. You are examples of real citizenship and the heart it takes to make the Capital Area better for the next generation.
3 years ago
