Twenty Years Later...Still Getting Things Done!

AmeriCorps Alums celebrate after the ceremony at the
Capitol in Hartford on September 12th, 2014.

This past Friday, we were so excited to join AmeriCorps members from throughout the state of Connecticut in celebrating AmeriCorps 20 and re-committing to a lifetime of service - this year and beyond.

Over 100 members and alums gathered to hear from members of the Connecticut Commission on Community Service as well as those who were there when the first class of AmeriCorps members was sworn-in at the White House in 1994.

Connecticut Chapter Leader Tina Lindstrom also spoke, encouraging the members who are just starting their journey to stay committed and continue to carry the ethos of service and community with them.

One person who definitely took his pledge to heart is Brian Mezzi, who joined alums on Friday evening at Barcelona Wine Bar as he was honored as one of ten Local Leaders here in the state. After serving as a VISTA at Boys and Girls Club in Mississippi, Brian has continued to support community empowerment and engagement in his current role as Community Engagement Manager at United Way of Central and Northeastern Connecticut - where he still spreads the word by talking about his service on a daily basis (us, too!). Visit our blog post for a full list of our AmeriCorps 20 Local Leaders.

The next day, we continued to celebrate AmeriCorps 20 and recognize September 11th Day of Service and Remembrance by serving alongside current members of PAVE New Haven and the Veterans Recovery Project, performing crucial invasive species clean-up in the Long Wharf Nature Preserve. Led by Urban Resources Initiatives, over 20 volunteers cleared the way for new tree plantings along the Long Island Sound in New Haven. Once completed, this area will act as a crucial learning spot for the urban students to learn about nature and science.

Tina Lindstrom serves in honor of
September 11th Day of Recognition.