NCCC is a community service program for 18- to 24-year-olds.
College students and other volunteers receive modest compensation as well as
help with college expenses and/or student loan relief. Drawn from the models of
the Civilian Conservation Corps of the 1930s and the U.S. military, NCCC is
built on the belief that civic responsibility is an inherent duty of all
citizens.
In Ulysses, working under the supervision of a committee
headed by Pastor Marty Zdrojewski, corps members worked at the former firehall,
cleaned cemetery monuments, painted welcome signs, stained benches, and worked
on landscaping at Northern Potter schools.
“The work they did was a great help to an already busy
community, which expressed itself with many thanks to the team,” Zdrojewski
said. “Beyond the physical work, they created a public awareness of the ongoing
need for volunteerism. Hopefully, they helped spur community pride, which will
translate into each of us asking what we can do for our communities.”
In Austin, the team painted the gazebo on the town square
and helped borough employees with several small projects. They worked at the
Austin Dam Memorial Park, inventorying and restoring more than 20 campsites,
preparing the Welcome Center/Gift Shop for the summer season, sprucing up the
pavilion and grounds, and planting landscaping. Crew members also traveled to
the Odin Cemetery to clean grave markers.
Businesses, community organizations, churches and
individuals supported the NCCC team through financial donations and other
contributions. Obtaining the AmeriCorps NCCC services was a project of downtown
revitalization consultant John Bry, who was retained by the Potter County Board
of Commissioners and worked with local governments and community leaders.
