Everett, Wash.
Published: Saturday, July 22, 2006

National program with amazing local impact

 The Snohomish County Workforce Development Council AmeriCorps Program class of 2005-2006 graduated on Monday and joined more than 70,000 people nationwide in completing a year of national service. The AmeriCorps motto is "getting things done" - when speaking about the 11 members of the Snohomish County WDC AmeriCorps Program, it is more appropriate to say they got great, amazing, exciting things done. They put their idealism to work; they committed 11 months of their lives to their community; they completed more than 1,700 hours of service apiece; they sacrificed to help others; they increased the ability of more than 1,000 teens to find jobs, be leaders, and make positive life choices; they added to the spirit of volunteerism in Snohomish County; they were role models to everybody around them.

Program members did all of this with never-ending passion, enthusiasm and grace. The members' accomplishments and positive attitudes are to be applauded. The AmeriCorps program would not be a success without host sites and host site supervisors. To the schools and faith-based and community organizations that hosted a member, thank you.

AmeriCorps members come from all walks of life. Many of our members move on to careers in social services while others head back to school to earn graduate degrees. Seven members of our graduating class are returning for another year of service. No matter where their life after AmeriCorps takes them, all of our members leave the program with a commitment to service as a vocation or avocation. The 2006-2007 service year begins Aug. 23, with 17 members serving at 14 host sites throughout Snohomish County. We are currently recruiting members and host sites. Please contact Samantha Spitzer, program director, at sspitzer@snocowdc.org or visit www.worksourceonline.com/americorps if you are interested in getting involved with the AmeriCorps program.

If you see somebody wearing an AmeriCorps logo, or any kind of national service or volunteer logo, give that person a pat on the back for helping our world become a better place.

Samantha Spitzer

AmeriCorps Program Director

Julie Houghton

AmeriCorps Program Coordinator
© 2009The Daily Herald Co., Everett, WA