Imagine that a NCCC team has helped your community during a natural disaster. You then join NCCC and, within the first two weeks of NCCC training, you meet and serve alongside the President of the United States.
I have eagerly anticipated the day I could serve as a Member in the AmeriCorps NCCC. I feel a deep debt of gratitude to NCCC for helping my fire department find the strength and capability to complete the daunting task of creating a fire buffer around Crown King, Arizona in 2007.
On Monday January 16, the national Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service, I found myself standing behind President Obama wearing an NCCC uniform. Only a week and a half into NCCC training, and I’ve already raised the bar for the proudest day of my life!
Monday morning was a whirlwind of waiting, being moved around, being shuffled in and out of crowds and going through security checkpoints. I don’t remember exactly how it happened, but I found myself standing in front of a crowd of volunteers with fellow NCCC Members Casey and Toby.
We stood along a wall while speakers took turns addressing the crowd. I had been told that the President was going to speak, and I knew that a photo opportunity was planned, but nothing could have prepared me for the moment he stepped into the room with his family and shook our hands one by one. He then stood ten feet directly in front of me and delivered a speech that I will never forget.
“There isn’t anyone who can’t serve … nobody who can’t help somebody else,” said President Obama.
Those words will follow me for as long as I live.
There is a phrase that I have heard repeatedly from several facilitators during the NCCC training. The facilitators keep saying, “I can’t do what you (NCCC Members) do.”
Nonsense.
~Taft
You too can serve and lead. NCCC is currently accepting Team Leader applications until March 1, 2012 for the fall 2012. Consider applying as a Team Leader. For more information about applying for a Team Leader position go here
Apply! You don't realize all you can do until you try! My name is Diana, you might know me from the blog. I was a part of AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps as a Corps Member last year, and on the team that had the blog. I've been to places I've never heard of, let alone thought I'd go, doing things that I never thought I could do.
ReplyDeleteChange you're life with a ten month commitment. Have a positive impact on others, inspire the people around you, and bring hope to those who need it. The AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps helps communities and Corps Members grow and develop into the best that they can be.
Diana! Glad to see you again! If you are interested in updating us with what you are doing now, shoot me an email with some stories and pictures to idooling@cns.gov (This is Iris, from NCCC HQ)
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