AmeriCorps serves Camp Courageous, JCCB

     An AmeriCorps NCCC (National Civilian Community Corps) team is serving with Camp Courageous from Sept. 15 through Oct. 31. The team is assisting camp counselors by providing supervision and aiding in personal primary care for the duration of the adult campers’ weeklong stay.

     The AmeriCorps NCCC team of seven from the North Central Region campus of Vinton is assisting Camp Courageous counselors with campers. Each member of the team is providing individual care by learning about campers’ individual background and needs, scheduling activities, and ensuring the campers are enjoying their time at camp while supervising in traditional activities such as canoeing, swimming, arts and crafts, and horseback riding. Members are also helping in providing primary care for the campers, including feeding, dressing, lifting, transferring, and personal hygiene. 

     Through their service, AmeriCorps NCCC members are increasing the camp’s capacity to service campers. With the combined experienced of Camp Courageous counselors and the added manpower the AmeriCorps NCCC members provide, more campers can attend camp—reducing the camp’s waitlist—while providing a lower camper to staff ratio.

     “It will be fun serving with an organization that supports people with disabilities, especially with Camp Courageous, because they ensure the campers have a good time and make it fun for them,” said Jamal, a member from Washington, D.C. “It’s important people with disabilities know there are people out there willing to support them in any way possible.”

     An AmeriCorps team is also serving the Jones County Conservation Board from Sept. 24 through Oct. 5. The team is removing invasive plant species to protect native habitats and prairies in Jones County.

     The AmeriCorps NCCC team of seven from the North Central Region is removing woody invasive species such as cottonwood, sumac, honeysuckle, and autumn olive from a number of locations in Jones County, such as the Hamilton-Tapken Prairie Preserve, Central Park, Hale Wildlife Area, and Camp Courageous. The team is utilizing mechanical—such as chainsaws and loppers—and chemical treatment, through the application of herbicide.

     Through their service, AmeriCorps NCCC members are assisting in preserving one of the few native remnant prairies with unique plant species left in the state of Iowa. The team will also ensure accessibility to green spaces in Jones County by removing woody invasive species along the public recreation areas in Central Park.

     “It’s important we work with Jones County Conservation Board to help them with their efforts to preserve one of the few natural prairies left in Iowa,” Brian, an NCCC member from Pennsylvania, said. “It’s important to remove invasive species so natural species in the area can flourish and thrive.”

     As a county conservation board for the state of Iowa, the Jones County Conservation Board acquires, develops, maintains, and makes available to inhabitants and visitors of the county public museums, parks, preserves, playgrounds, recreational centers, county forests, and wildlife and conservation areas to promote health of the people. The board encourages development and conservation of natural resources while cultivating good citizenship by providing adequate programs of public recreation. Jones County Conservation Board oversees 23 public use wildlife areas, prairie preserve, and high use recreation areas in Jones County.