Summer is Here!

After all of the training and paperwork, our summer land crews are now out in the field! We have a total of five crews in Denver and five crews in Colorado Springs including one in Pueblo that will begin June 10th. It is a busy and exciting time with all the new faces around. We’re happy to have them all on board and look forward to an incredible summer! Here’s a look at what our crews will be doing over the next 12 weeks:

TrailBlazers One of our three saw crews this summer. The TrailBlazers will be working primarily on forest fire fuel mitigation projects with Denver Mountain Parks. They will be finishing the summer with a few weeks of invasive species (Russian Olive) eradication.

Assistant crew leaders, Katie and Taylor, are already having fun!

RockClimbers Also a  saw crew. The RockClimbers will work on forest fire fuel mitigation projects as well as Russian Olive removal. They will work at several different Denver Mountain Park locations, Evergreen Parks, Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks, and South Suburban Parks and Recreation.

Sawyer Corpsmembers get chainsaw certified during orientation

RidgeRunners Our final saw crew. The RidgeRunners will spend a large portion of the summer working along the Sand Creek Greenway removing Russian Olives. They will finish up the term completing projects as a hand crew.

Katie, Patrick and Jordan are the RidgeRunner assistant crew leaders

PathFinders One of our two hand crews this summer. The PathFinders will work on a variety of projects from fence installation and removal to invasive weed removal, trail maintenance, and trail construction. They are working at Cherry Creek State Park, Roxborough State Park, Golden Gate State Park, the Rocky Mountain Arsenal, and Denver Mountain Parks.

Josh, Jerry and Emily remove fence posts in Cherry Creek during the first week of field work

SummitSeekers Also a hand crew. The SummitSeekers will be working on noxious weed removal, fence removal, and new trail construction. Their projects will be in the Rocky Mountain Arsenal, Staunton State Park, and several locations within Denver Mountain Parks. This is the first year to have a crew of this name.  We know they’ll set the bar high for all the future SummitSeekers!

Ryann and Luke are ready to get to work!

Colorado Springs will have several different crews this summer including sawyer, trails and camping.  The Wolverines, a day crew, and the Bobcats, a sawyer crew, will be working in the Waldo Canyon burn area cutting fire-burned trees and using them to build log erosion barriers (LEBs) in order to stop water erosion after heavy rains.  The Peregrines and the Marmots, both camping crews, will continuing building an OHV single-track trail in Rampart Range.  Steel City, the Pueblo Crew, will be working in the backcountry cutting trail in the San Isabel area and aiding in fire relief with CUSP (Coalition for the Upper South Platte).

A big thanks to Gabe Buzinski and John Biggs for their contributions to this post!

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Congratulations are in Order (Part 2 of 3)

Another of our Corpsmember of the Year was Christian Ndushabandi. Christian was also selected as the Youth Speaker at this year’s CYCA Annual Youth Corps awards ceremony. The Gazette out of Colorado Springs, also published a story about Christian and his journey to becoming a 2012 Corpsmember of the Year (read it now here) and a copy of his speech is available on YouTube (watch it now here).

Christian Ndushabandi

(Corpsmember of the Year from MHYC’s Southern Front Range Region)

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Christian Ndushabandi joined his first crew with Mile High Youth Corps at the age of 18 with a very different story than most of our Corpsmembers.  Christian was born in Rwanda. At the age of one he was saved by his babysitter after his father was killed and his mother was left for dead during the genocide.

Years later, two and a half of which were spent in a refugee camp, Christian and his mom were invited to come to the United States as refugees. Christian welcomed the chance to experience a daily life filled with opportunity and dreams. He enrolled in high school and began learning English. As his English improved and as he adjusted to life in the US, Christian decided it was time to start working. After a couple of jobs in food service, Christian found Mile High Youth Corps.

Christian’s first term as a Corpsmember, taught him a lot and challenged his ideas of American culture. Although he admits that the first 10 day hitch with his camping crew was challenging, he found a welcoming and supportive crew to help him adjust. Christian says, “My fellow Corpsmembers changed the stereotype I had about American teenagers. The members of my crew were curious and they wanted to know about me and my country. They made me comfortable telling my story, and I feel more relieved every time I do.”

Christian has now completed two Summer of Service terms with Mile High Youth Corps and looks forward to using his AmeriCorps Education Award toward a college degree. When asked about the role MHYC has had in his life, Christian says, “MHYC is different from any other job that I have had. It taught me how to work hard and they recognize hard work. I have had fun working and I’ve learned a lot about this culture, how to solve problems and how to make friends.”

Congratulations Christian! You are truly deserving of being called Corpsmember of the Year and your dedication to your own personal growth, your crew and your ability to keep going in the face of adversity epitomize the spirit of the Corps.

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Happy Holidays!!

Wishing you the joy of family, the gift of friends, and the best of everything in 2013. Our sincere thanks for your support and good will throughout the year.

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Colorado Gives Day!

On Tuesday, December 4, 2012 Coloradans will come together again to raise millions of dollars for nonprofits like ours. Last year, a remarkable $12.8 million was distributed to Colorado nonprofits through Colorado Gives Day. Help us reach our $15,000 goal this year!

Mile High Youth Corps serves youth ages 16 to 24 by providing opportunities for youth to gain career readiness skills through community service. Currently youth ages 16 to 24 are experience the highest unemployment rates in the country, 17.1%, more than double the national average!

Your support can help us create more opportunities for youth to get to work. In 2012, Mile High Youth Corps received more than 1,500 applications for only 195 job opportunities. We know that we can make a bigger impact but we need your help. Preschedule your Colorado Gives Day donation today and help us build more opportunities for youth in our community!

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Indy Give! Starts Today!

2012 Indy Give! Logo

Today is the kick-off for Colorado Springs’ fourth annual Indy Give! campaign. Our Mile High Youth Corps Colorado Springs location is participating once again. Click here to donate today.

As a way to kick-off this campaign, MHYC is joining forces with Rocky Mountain Field Institute and the Coalition for the Upper South Platte for a guided tour of the Waldo Canyon Burn Scar at the Flying W Ranch at 10am on Saturday, November 10. Your ticketsupports the work of these nonprofits in the Waldo Canyon Burn scar.Meet with experts, including special guest Jerri Marr from the Pike and San Isabel National Forest, and the groups leading the restoration efforts of the Waldo Canyon Fire. Learn about restoration techniques, next steps, and how YOU can help.

Limit 100 participants
$30/person
Age 18 and older onlySIGN UP ONLINE: www.uppersouthplatte.org/waldoevent.html

Can’t make this event? You can still give through Indy Give! Check us out at
http://www.indygive.com/participating-non-profits/youth/mile-high-youth-corps-of-colorado-springs/

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Two Weeks and Counting!

The count down has started and we are looking forward to you joining us to celebrate what we’ve built together over the past 20 years! This commemorative evening will take place at Mile High Station and will start with a cocktail hour from 5:30-6:30pm.

Our silent auction will boast unique Best of Denver, Best of Colorado and Family packages as well as a Premier Club Level Suite, with seating for 20, at the Pepsi Center for any Avalanche, Nugget or Mammoth regular 2012-13 season home game.

Our Wall of Wine will provide a wide variety of wines including many Colorado wineries that will tickle your taste buds for only a $20 donation.

To reserve your spot register online or contact Michele Bishop, Director of Development at 720.407.7281 ext 324 or micheleb@mhyc.net.

Individual tickets are available for $100 and tables seating 10 are available for $1,000.

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2012 Summer Olympics

The Summer Olympic Games– It’s a contest of unbelievable physical strength, agility, speed, and determination but in Denver at the end of the summer, it’s also … barbecue time!

That’s right, jolly old England isn’t the only site of the Olympics this year. Friday, Mile High Youth Corps hosted our 12th Annual MHYC Olympics and Summer BBQ! Every year at the end of the Summer of Service program, all of the crews meet head to head to battle it out in the ultimate test of human ability — trying to stomach Jack’s cooking!

Crews competed in events including an egg-in-a-spoon relay race, water balloon toss, and the grueling hula-hoop pass. Throughout the afternoon, crews were awarded points based on their performance in the various events: 100 for 1st, 50 for 2nd, 25 for 3rd. When they weren’t competing, each crew also designed and created a team flag for the chance at even more points. And to round it out, 100 bonus points were given to the team with the best sportsmanship throughout the day.

Corpsmembers race to the hoop in the Hula-Hoop Pass.

A little basketball, a little lacrosse — it’s Swattin’ Flies!

On a hot summer day, the Water Balloon toss is the perfect event to lose.

Alex, intent on Egg Relay domination, heads to the finish.

After several hard fought events and some quick tabulations, the results were in and the MHYC Olympics would have a brand new champion! The Trail Blazers took a strong 3rd place finish, The Ridge Runners came in a close 2nd but in the end, it was The Path Finders taking home the gold!

The Path Finders are the 2012 MHYC Summer Olympics Champions!

The Summer BBQ also marked the end of the Summer Photo Contest on Facebook where crews had a chance to bring home the one-of-a-kind Golden Helmet. Corpsmembers, friends, family, and staff could all go online and “like” their favorite crew picture with the winner taking home the trophy and celebrating with a special dessert.

With your help, The Path Finders took a commanding lead early. The Trail Blazers inched past and  took the lead on the last day, but the Path Finders weren’t done yet. With a new MHYC record 126 likes and comments, The Path Finders are taking home the new Golden Helmet!

Congratulations Path Finders!

We all had a great time at the Olympics this year! It’s always bittersweet to end our Summer of Service program, but we are happy to go out with a bang! Thank you to all the Corpsmembers who served this summer; we are incredibly proud of the work you have accomplished and we hope to see you all back next summer!

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Project Spotlight: City of Pueblo Mural

August’s Project Spotlight is the City of Pueblo!

Corpsmembers spruce up a corner of Pueblo with fresh paint and vibrant designs.

For years now, Mile High Youth Corps – Colorado Springs has served seven counties in the Southern Front Range, including Pueblo County. This year though, with the help of the Colorado Lottery, MHYC was able to make a more permanent presence in the town. In June, eleven young adults were hired to form the very first MHYC-Pueblo crew.

The crew, consisting of all local, Pueblo young adults, has been doing work for both the city and the county all summer. Their labor has consisted of corridor clearing along the Arkansas River Trail (Russian olive and more), sign installation, trash removal, and trail and step construction.

Some of the crew takes a break from building steps near Lake Pueblo.

The most artistic project though, has been mural painting off of the Arkansas River Trail. The crew was assigned to beautify a once very plain spot in the city. Designs became intricate and creative, though most were easy to reach. When it came to covering a very large wall with water at its base, the crew busted out ladders and a harness.

Corpsmembers support one of their crew as he dangles from a harness, similar to a rock climbing set-up, to work on a mural.

The painting of a large Colorado flag mural can be completed only with ropes and a harness.

After the harness helped to complete the Colorado flag, a ladder is set up for the more accessible, yet not easy-to-reach areas.

If you’re ever in Pueblo doing something outdoorsy, there’s a good chance you’ll see this crew. Feel free to ask them what they’re up to this week – they’re not shy and they won’t bite! Although they may be wielding shovels and sledgehammers…

Corpsmembers leave their mark on Pueblo.

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Crew Aids Waldo Canyon Fire Evacuees

Seeing footage and photos of the Waldo Canyon Fire burning the Southern Front Range was enough to make one’s stomach turn. But imagine being an evacuee; having to leave the comfort of your home and most of your possessions behind without assurance that you would see it all again. From there, think about not having friends or relatives to flee to, but instead relying on a makeshift shelter in a school gymnasium, full of strangers in the exact same situation.

Though most evacuees were incredibly grateful to have places to go, evacuation was still an unnerving experience. One crew of Mile High Youth Corps – Colorado Springs knew just how these people felt, as they were evacuated from a work site themselves, then went on to help run an evacuation shelter.

Crew Leader Julia McCleary works alongside her crew at the Cripple Creek evacuation shelter during the peak of the Waldo Canyon Fire.

The Hayman Crew from Colorado Springs, who has been working on erosion control structures in the Hayman Burn Area all summer, was pulled from their work site mid-week at the end of June. Crew Leader, Julia McCleary, recounted the situation.

“We actually didn’t know we were being evacuated,” she said. “We came down early from the hills in the Trail Creek area [on Wednesday, June 27], where we had been working, because there was a thunderstorm. There was a ranger waiting for us and he told us that Woodland Park was evacuated.”

After speaking with their supervisor at the MHYC office in Colorado Springs, they were given two options: to either work on another environmental conservation project in Canon City or to head to Divide to help set up a Red Cross evacuation shelter. Though the Divide shelter filled up quickly, the crew was still adamant about spending the rest of their week working with evacuees. A new shelter was quickly issued to open in Cripple Creek at the high school, so they headed there.

Corpsmembers Brendan Smith and Hope Radford serve food to evacuees and volunteers.

Corpsmember Brendan Smith works alongside his peers to cook and serve lunch.

“Part of the NCCC group we were working with before was already there and they were doing shifts of about two hours of sleeping then six hours of being awake, and all of them were on-call for basically 24 hours a day,” she said. “We helped out here and there that day, then the next morning we were at breakfast at 7 a.m. and started helping out wherever – mostly unloading people’s donations and inventorying them.”

Members of the NCCC team Fire 4 gearing up for the Waldo Canyon Fire

“We helped out a lot with food preparation; we chopped a lot of vegetables, we helped with lunch and flipped burgers and hot dogs,” said Corpsmember and crew mentor, Mareya Becker. “We organized a lot of the food donations and helped people set up cots and get comfortable. We tried to engage with people and try to keep them distracted [from the fire].”

The crew really enjoyed the change of pace from their regular routine and feeling that they were making a difference in their community during such a chaotic time.

“My favorite part was being able to actually interact with the people involved,” said Corpsmember, Hope Radford. “What we do on a daily basis is just based on the environment, which I like, but I liked getting direct interaction. I helped a lot with food preparation and one of the guys there said that there’s not a lot of comforts in an evacuation shelter, but one of them is a good meal.”

Corpsmember Christian Ndushabani tends the grill at the Cripple Creek evacuation center.

Aside from food preparation and serving, the Corpsmembers were asked to aid frazzled parents.

“Other than [serving food] we just comforted people,” said Corpsmember, Brendan Smith. “We hung out with them a lot. The shelter had a kids’ room and I would watch movies or play games with a bunch of little kids – it was pretty fun.”

Corpsmember Mareya Becker hands out drinks to evacuees.

The crew camped in the football field behind the high school. Though the shelter wasn’t terribly populated – according to McCleary, there were roughly 30 evacuees there – the crew certainly eased the burden on those running the shelter.

“It was amazing, the things people donated – tons of food, blankets, clothing, all kinds of stuff,” said McCleary. ” So much of the time, we do work that’s behind-the-scenes and it’s hard labor – it’s not service for the sake of helping individuals. It was really nice for the team to have a couple days to see people in the community helping other people in the community and being able to be a part of that. They were so pumped.”

McCleary said that even after the fire, whenever the crew makes supply runs to Walmart, people see their uniforms, think that they’re firefighters, and thank them for all they do.

“When we say we’re not firefighters but we are out there doing erosion control from the Hayman, they say, ‘You’re still helping us so much! We were evacuated from that fire too. Thank you so much for for all your service,’” said McCleary.

Our Hayman crew would like to send a very special thanks to all of the firefighters, police, Red Cross, and volunteers!

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MHYC by the Numbers: Wildfire Mitigation

Monthly Infographic #4 – Wildfire Mitigation

Every summer in Colorado means wildfire season, but this summer has been record-breaking. In 2012, we have seen fires smash previous records in quantity, size, and destruction value, including the High Park Fire and the Waldo Canyon Fire. It has been stressful and sad to watch as outsiders or those fearing evacuation, yet completely devastating for others who have lost their homes or loved ones. But know that Mile High Youth Corps is fighting against these fires! Though our crews don’t run straight into the infernos, they do focus a large part of their summer work on preventative care. This infographic defines the wildfire mitigation work done by our Corpsmembers every summer. This work is common practice outside of our organization too, so let this visual be a lesson not just on MHYC, but on what you can do to keep your homes, families, and friends safe.

Watch for another infographic next month and know that your site visits are what has kept them going! Also, if you use Foursquare, follow our Summer of Service list and check-in when visit our project sites!

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