9/11 Remembered

We do not dwell, 
but we never forget. 
A moment of silence, 
a day of remembrance, 
an opportunity to thank 
those who serve, and 
a lifetime to honor those 
who gave the last full measure of devotion.

The Parting Glass:  http://youtu.be/K8dbokWHOxU

Fallen Angels & Living Saints

We often hear about limitations and pain… of corruptions and the sins that drive them.  “Turn on the news and what do I see, a whole lot of people crying don’t blame me.”  Nothing sells newspapers and boosts ratings like stories about sinners and saints.  Especially when the darlings of our public persecution stumble, trip and fall flat on their face.

Celebrity addiction, Hollywood domestic disturbance, and the rattle of skeletons in famous closets are rarely in short supply.  Even when a person seems to be destined for greatness the fall can come.  Remember Lance? One day a pillar of athletic integrity and a testament to overcoming adversity, the next day a liar.  Shame. 

We encounter fallen angels in less grandiose theaters as well: in the face of the once promising professional who chose to drink away career and family; in the shattered pieces of the workaholics home where spouses and children simply co-habitat the same space forgoing any sense of unity; in the wake of those who compromise anything in order to win. 

Nothing stirs the heart of America like the story of overcoming adversity, but that same heart turns a sour shade of scornful when our heroes fall. 

And it would seem that even the angles fall… hard.

We forget that it is in the fall that we can be raised up again.

No one is perfect, and we know this because, saints walk amongst us.

In the last week, two wonderful women (Eleanor and Helen) passed from this life to the next.   These were not tired old ladies.  No, they were classy, feisty, and both flirting with their 100^th birthdays. 

Both had lived through the Second World War, raised families, suffered disappointments, faced hardships, and went out of their way to make sure that those around them felt love.   Both Eleanor and Helen held a special place in my heart and in the pantheon of my many Grandmas.  These ladies, my two biological grandmas, Helen, Eleanor, and several others, taught me how to become a person of character, by the way they lived.

They didn’t give up.

They didn’t give in.

They didn’t have time for self-pity.

They were about God’s work… looking out for people be they family of birth or marriage, adopted family (like me), or just those who may be in need (whether they know it or not).  All of them outlived their husbands, all of them buried their parents and siblings, many buried some of their own children – yet they found reasons to smile and laugh and love and live. 

None of my Grandmas were perfect, far from it.  Some of them might even go so far as to admit that they were spectacularly imperfect, and after each fall they rose to be saints once more. 

You may not know any of my grandmas, but I bet you’ve met them.  In the faces of the ladies at church, or the nurse who helps you at the ER in place of your own mother, or the kind person at the store who smiles for no reason at all – all of our grandmas are there. 

Living saints do walk amongst us, and it’s time for us to stop a while and appreciate the time we’ve had with them. 

This post is dedicated to my Grandmas:

Mary Catherine

Dolores

Lillian

Helen

Eleanor

Naomi

Rose

Marge

And to your Grandmas, whoever and wherever they be.

Nun of Your Business

This afternoon NPR aired a piece by Heidi Glenn called Losing Our Religion: the Growth of the‘Nones.’  The long and short of the piece is that more American’s are choosing to not identify with one of the major established organized religions.   My first reaction after reading the piece was, “duh!”  Followed closely, by the urge to bury any fledgling ideas for this post in the shed out back and forget about it. 

However, one of my words for 2013 is guts, and we’re all going to need some to have this conversation.  Because that’s what I am convinced the Pew Study is referencing, a national (and perhaps worldwide) conversation that involves the entire human family. 

“Religion is like a knife: you can either use it to cut bread, or stick in someone's back.”   Desmond Tutu

There is a bad taste in people’s mouth regarding religion. Leaders of various organized religious groups turn out to be corrupt, dishonest, selfish, dangerous, or worse and people lose faith.  Too often religion is used for cutting down our opponents, rather than providing a common ground for dialogue.  But religion is the human institution, made up of human beings, and therefore subject to human flaws and shortcomings.  

As one who is an active member of a traditional organized religion, I struggle when church scandals take place.  I am saddened and frustrated when religious leaders make statements, which I believe are counter to the accepting and forgiving spirit of the faith.  For these concerns there are internal dialogues, which must be held to enact changes here too, but that’s a topic for another post. 

Please understand, that I’m not encouraging or justifying why more people are walking away from religion.  I believe that faith is a fundamental element for wholeness and provides unique gifts and insights into the world.  But in order to start talking about solutions, we must identify some of the problems.  After reading the NPR article and the Pew Research, there are a couple of pieces that the authors missed. 

People are tired.  It’s been my experience that people are just tired of the perceived judgment that comes along with most religion.  Whether from official leadership or zealots down the pew, most Westerners are done with petty judgments.  And I can't say that I blame anyone who has reached this point.  

Religions change at a glacial pace.  Most major religions are struggling to meet people where they are.  Many groups try to apply old models to a new generation of people who are used to a user-centered instant update approach.  When they don’t find what they want, people walk.  This attitude is not all that dissimilar to the “lack of customer loyalty” cited in business discussions.    This capitalism of religion means that if a religion says something I don’t like then I’ll go across the street to someone else.

People don’t need religion to function in society.  The role of religion as a functional element of daily life has diminished.  1,000 years ago your religion determined your worldview, but it also had strong influence on where you lived, what profession you held, when you worked, who you did business with, and served as a persons fundamental social and cultural identity.  The rise of nationalism brought competition with religion for our loyalty, but even then religion maintained influence.  100 years ago a person’s religious affiliation determined an individual’s place in the community and their social circles.  Today, to many, religion is a checkbox on a form, a line on the online bio, and a place you go for an hour a week.   The schism between religion and secular aspects of our life is so complete that a person can function without religion and notice very little societal impact.

Religion, for all it's faults is not the faith.  Religion is not the spirit of the movement.   

Religion can (and often does) serve as the embodiment of the ideas of a faith tradition.  When members of the Red Crescent or Magen David Adom bring relief to those in greatest need - religion becomes the hand of God.  When Nuns, Brothers, Priests and ministers bring reconciliation, comfort, and healing into prisons and communities who have known violence - religion becomes the face of God.  When groups from churches, temples, mosques, and synagogues reach out to the surrounding neighborhood to build community - religion becomes the family of God.  

I think that if we all exercised a little more compassion and understanding, that the major religions would have an easier time connecting with people.  All across the board, we can all get a little better about meeting people where they are.  And if we do that, we may just start seeing some progress.     

This post really doesn’t answer the big questions, but I hope it starts or continues or in some way benefits the conversation.  

“I really feel that some people neglect and overlook compassion because they associate it with religion. Of course, everyone is free to choose whether they pay religion any regard, but to neglect compassion is a mistake because it is the source of our own well-being.”  The Dalai Lama                  

(Come on, you know I had to do it)

2012 in Review: The Fate of Hope

Last New Year's Eve, I wrote a post called 2012: A Year of Hope, and as the year comes to an end it’s time to take stock of where we are.

Hope is a funny thing.  It seems to shine the brightest when we can see and feel nothing but darkness.  

This year, December 14th became a day that will stand out for many.  From some it will forever be the anniversary of great tragedy and loss.  The tremendous amount of pain and senseless suffering associated with the Sandy Brook Elementary school shooting will remain a scar on our national psyche for many years to come.  In the wake of this massacre it might be easy to believe that darkness has won. 

But just hours after the tragic events of the shootings in Newtown, Connecticut, two friends welcomed theirdaughter into the world.  Two people who are kind and generous and loving experienced, in an instant, their family, their love, their joy expand beyond comprehension. 

And so, hope enters the world.

If we widen the scope, 2012 has not been an easy year by any account.  There is plenty to be upset about.  Our hurts seem to have multiplied.  We are weary from extreme acts of senseless violence and a nasty campaign season.  We are bitter from loss at the hands of hurricane Sandy and our in ability to recover fast enough.  We are heartbroken, as good people who want to work remain unemployed or under-employed.   We are plugged in, but seem to be farther from the people in our lives.  We are surrounded by information and entertainment, and often feel isolated, alone, and bored.

And yet, we are still here. 

AmeriCorps members, National Guard, and many others are still serving in the aftermath of Sandy. Teachers, parents, administrators, and local law enforcement across the country are working like never before to keep our kids safe.  Children are being born, and growing up, and being loved by their families.  People everywhere are starting to talk about being tired of the anger and violence that seems to be everywhere.  Many of us are lucky to have family and friends close at hand, which is a bigger blessing than we regularly acknowledge.  

Despite the frustration and pain, the disappointment and loss – the great experiment continues.  

Like the phoenix hope often seems to rise out of the ashes of disappointment, sorrow and suffering.  St. Augustine believed this when he penned the lines: “Hope has two beautiful daughters. Their names are Anger and Courage; anger at the way things are, and courage to see that they do not remain the way they are.”

This year may not have turned out like any of us expected, but if we embrace anger towards that which is wrong in the world and the courage to become an agent of change, then we will get things done in 2013.  

Thus, hope lives on. 

Continuing to Learn About Service

Last week I ran across a quote from entertainer, Andy Griffith, that has stuck with me ever since first reading it.  In his characteristically straightforward style Griffith summed up a delightfully compact worldview, in a few short words: "Well, do a good day's work and act like somebody."

That's a pretty simple and yet fundamentally difficult charge, but one that many of us (AmeriCorps Alums, Pumas, and in general people of good will) can easily embrace.  Hard work, service, integrity -- it's all there.

My wife Katie, a fellow AmeriCorps Alum, honorary Puma, wild land firefighter, and all around superhero articulates the benefits of a service mentality in a blog post which first appeared on the AmeriCorps Alums Blog this morning.  Like so many Katie talks about service as journey, not a destination.  Whether formal service or local volunteerism, whether serving family, friends, strangers, pets, or the environment, service matters.

Katie sums the common thread of journey up like this, "no matter where you started out when you joined AmeriCorps, you end up in a similar mindset after serving.  Service becomes a part of your life."

Check out Katie's post and join the conversation (whether your an Alum or not)...How do you serve?

Click here to open original post

Impact of Service

For nearly two decades civilian national service programs have ridden the ebb and flow of unsteady political sea, which governs both Washington D.C. and the federal budget.  The debate over the value of AmeriCorps and its sister programs have been argued by party leaders on both sides of the aisle since founding of AmeriCorps and the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). 

Questions of the necessity of civilian service programs come from many in Washington, many of which who have never served along side an AmeriCorps Member (CM) to see the impact of their service.  Where the program’s value has rarely been questioned is in the field. 

•      In the classrooms where AmeriCorps Members provide much needed 1 to 1 literacy coaching for students who have fallen behind their classmates  - the value is real. 

•      In homeless shelters where teams arrive to provide much needed facility improvements, working alongside shelter guests to provide a safe and secure place for those in need – the value is real.  

•      In state and national parks where trails are blazed, controlled burns are conducted, and camp areas made safe – the value is real. 

•      When disasters strike and trained, dedicated, committed NCCC teams are deployed within hours to help victims respond to, recover from, and rebuild after disasters – the value is real. 

AmeriCorps programs throughout the country bring young people together in a way that is fundamentally American.  Not driven by greed, advancement, or personal benefit, but through a common bond of service do these Corps Members stand up every day and say, “Yes, I’ll help.” 

They are not volunteers. 

They do not serve at their convenience, on the weekends or in their spare time.  They do not accept projects which are fun, convenient, or within their comfort zone.

They are AmeriCorps Members.

As AmeriCorps Members, they dedicate their lives to the cause of serving communities in need.  They serve where needed, often accepting the most challenging and least glamorous assignments – because they need to be done.   They serve long hours for terms of service ranging from several months to multiple years in some cases.   

Post Script:  This post was inspired after a text from my wife (an AmeriCorps*Indiana Alum) who ran into around 20 AmeriCorps Alums at a presentation, and reading fellow AmeriCorps*NCCC Alum Ken Tran’s blog post about disaster relief in Joplin, MO, listed here.

http://americorpsalums.wordpress.com/2012/03/07/nccc-alum-remembers-how-americorps-works-in-joplin/#comment-2194

The Older I Get, the Smarter My Father Becomes

It was pretty clear that by the age of 16, I knew just about everything there was to know. My Dad, by contrast simply didn't understand the world. My music, sense of humor, taste in movies, all out of his reach. It was ok, he was old, old people just didn't get it.

By the time I was 18 I realized that there might be some things I hadn't learned or experienced yet. My Dad, by comparison had really picked up his game and became a good sounding board and source of advice. He helped me avoid a few mistakes and had some really decent ideas the paid off for me.

By the age of 22 it dawned on me that in the scale of human knowledge (which is itself only a fraction of all knowledge) I know practically nothing. Dad, by this point, had become a varitable sage, my consigliere, the man who has to this day helped me navigate some of the greatest challenges of my life.

It's funny how much our parents learn in those years when we're growing up. With all that's going on in the world, and the nosiness of our modern lives, we don't stop to acknowledge those who have been a positive influence, source of support, and genuine friends nearly as often as we should.

So for those who have been a great, positive influence in my life (there are far too many to list):

THANK YOU.

Dangerous Assumptions: Part 2

Wednesday, I posted about a conversation I had with a gentleman who assumed that young people (40 and under) do not serve. This didn't sit well with me, and still doesn't. The crux of his argument hinged on lack of membership in “traditional” service organizations such as Lions, Rotary, etc. I have been a part of several traditional

organizations for quite some time. In most I am the youngest member, in one my father was the next youngest member. Prior to my relocation I had several speaking engagements on the very topic of engaging young people in community groups (Rotary, Lions, Kiwanis, Knights of Columbus, etc.) So this topic is obviously near and dear to me.

In a nutshell it’s about adaptability. It’s about change.

As a member of the “young people” demographic as well as Rotary, and other groups viewed as “traditional” community service organizations – I’m hear to tell you that if the groups don’t adapt they will not survive beyond this current generation. Younger generations (as defined above) don’t operate the same way as older more geographically centered generations.

Observations:

1. Time limitations – The structure, nature, and culture of the contemporary work environment has shifted to a 24/7 global focus resulting in business that doesn’t sleep. On a personal level this shift has allowed for floating holidays, non-traditional scheduling of days off, and flexible shifts, to rise. This means that the Society for the Preservation of Judy Garland Movies which meets on Tuesday nights at 7:30, must content with a membership who can make some meetings, but not others as shifts change, meetings are rescheduled, and travel is required. This has always been the case, with some membership, but now it is closer to the norm for younger would be members.

2. Travel/Mobility – The younger demographic identified above is more mobile as a group than any of their predecessors throughout history. Young professionals often relocate for work, establish strong relationships with people across the nation and world while at College, and spend considerable time travelling to visit those friends and family. This means that in order to volunteer they must schedule in events and service opportunities.

3. Monetary contributions – Most traditional service clubs, sororities and fraternal organizations operate on a dues system. While it is true that generations of college students have had loans. Today’s college graduates incur unparalleled amounts of student loan debt which is so out of proportion with income generated that many young professionals find it difficult to establish themselves. Adding an additional monthly/annual dues as well as the cost of meals before, after, or during meetings each month are superfluous expenses for many young people.

4. Dated Models: Many established organizations adhere to dated models of operation and engagement. The common sentiment from younger generations is: “That’s for my grandparents”

Examples of this are both broad and specific:

Fundraisers – Bingo, fish frys, trinket sales, etc. do not draw younger members. In most communities the numbers of people under the age of 40 who willingly want (or are able ) to eat deep fried fish, with deep fried fries, garnished with an iceburg lettace salad are dwindling. Bingo halls don't hold the same flash when competing with casinos and Vegas. We are a more health conscious nation with different financial priorities, and yet groups like American Legion, VFW, Knights of Columbus, Moose Lodge, and countless churches continually hang their proverbial fundraising hats on these vehicle.

Gender Separation – Separation of the genders in service organizations is not as popular today as it once was. The days of men’s and women’s clubs are dwindling. Most of the younger generations have grown up in a world of co-ed everything in schools (including co-ed residence halls on most college and university campuses) young people are not so interested in having the genders separated. While groups like Rotary and Kiwanis are working to invite more women into their ranks, the reality remains that a stigma of separation exists. Young people want to serve as families, as couples, even as dates. Sounds crazy, but its true. The days when men built houses with Christmas in April and women baked cookies for the family are over. Everyone is on the job site working side by side.

Misconceptions – Misconceptions run rampant about any organization. Clubs need to reach out to potential members and help them understand that the groups do more than wear funny hats, call each other by odd titles, and do more than rub elbows.

All of the groups I’ve identified here do good work. My point is that a group can be true to its mission, while adapting to the needs of the community as well as prospective members. Because despite all of the obstacles I've identified above, young people still find ways to s

erve.

Right now there are 700,000 young Americans who are AmeriCorps Alums. Add to that number all of the PeaceCorps, Jesuit Volunteer Corps, and other service program alumni. Add to that number those who are independently volunteering at non-profits every day.

The interest is there.

The mentality is there.

The desire is there.

The service is there.

Young people aren’t waiting around for clubs to get their acts together. Young people are driven to act. If the traditional service groups don’t want to become the historic service groups (meaning just a blip in a text book), they need to adapt. It doesn’t have to be fundamental in most cases, but show some ability to change and grow. Adapt to your audience. Do that and younger members will come. They will serve…because they are already doing it.

Don't believe me, check out these performance and impact reports:

Full Report Listing

http://www.nationalservice.gov/about/role_impact/performance_research.asp

National Service Report (Bureau of Labor Statistics)

http://www.nationalservice.gov/pdf/volunteer_study_09.pdf

Find ways to serve in your community and beyond:

www.serve.gov

www.volunteer.gov

www.americorps.gov

www.peacecorps.org

www.cncs.gov

www.tnc.org

Dangerous Assumptions: Part 1

Yesterday, I got into it with a well meaning, all be it miss informed, septuagenarian who made the mistake of saying, “These young people (40 and under) just don’t do service.” This statement was met with a collective intake of breath from those in the room. I began by listening, and asking a few questions. His evidence for the opinion, when pressed, was that young people aren’t involved in service clubs like the Lions, Rotary, etc.

I politely disagreed, which earned me a scowl and rebuttal of, “What do they do?”

I proceeded to list the ways the current AmeriCorps and Peace Corps members serve both during their terms of service as well as beyond. This is not to mention those who serve neighborhood, environmental, and church groups. I mentioned the Corporation for National and Community Service study which offers statistical support that young Americans are one of the most engaged and service oriented generations in recent historical memory.

Members of this generation are driven by a desire to see the world a better place, a desire that many work hard to make a reality in formal and informal ways. The number of non-profits rise each year, staffed largely by young energetic visionary people. Whether volunteering for Habitat for Humanity, your local library, alma matre, church, Nature Conservancy Chapter, or any of the thousands of active and important non-profits in their area – young people are involved.

Stay tuned for Dangerous Assumptions: Part 2

Don't Forget to Water the Roses

A co-worker once resigned in a huff over the relocation of her workspace. This individual felt that her multiple degrees precluded her from desk space that implied that she was (in her words) “merely support staff.”

In another instance our Marketing Director was asked by the President of the company’s wife to make sure that the rose bushes outside the main offices were watered because she didn’t believe that the grounds crew was doing an adequate job.

At one point or another we are all asked to do more than our job description. This, in my experience, is an inevitability of the modern workforce. What makes the difference between the exceptional and the ordinary is the wisdom to determine when one is called to go above and beyond verses when one is being manipulated.

The two examples that started out this piece embody opposing ends of the spectrum. In the first case limited staff in a small shop requires everyone to pitch in from time to time including working from the “front desk.” In the second instance asking a senior member of the marketing team to water the roses (and this was a serious request) was a touch out of line.

The difference is perspective. In both cases individuals were put in situations in which they were not comfortable. One secretly cleaned out her desk, returned after a fictional “meeting” to hand over her keys and depart without a word to her supervisor. The second individual, the true professional, who was actually slighted respectfully helped find an alternative to her personally watering the roses.

I think at the end of the day, we’re all occasionally asked to water the roses. The successful either help or find an alternative; the short-sided get caught up in their perceived reputation, often over react and burn bridges.

May we all approach the roses with a sense of patience and perspective.

Frozen Food Tells Me She Loves Me

One of the blessings of married life (at least for me) is the frozen food. I know, it may sound odd, but frozen food is one of the little reminders I have that she loves me. Unlike the frozen food of my bachelor days (Totino’s pizza, HungryMan Dinners, etc.) the frozen food I eat now is homemade. Chicken & Vegetable Soup, African Stew, Cabbage Rolls, and Split Pea Soup now grace our table and freezer with regularity. That way, when I’m in a hurry or want a hot lunch at work I can have a healthy and home cooked meal. But it’s more than a home cooked meal.

I think that this frozen food has helped save my life. I’ve always been a big guy, but shortly after we were married I stepped on the scale and realized that something had to change. I worked long hours. I ate quickly and whatever I could grab on the fly. I was significantly over weight and with the risk of diabetes looming over nearly every American decided that there was no time like the present.

So, in January of 2010 I got serious. Katie helped me learn to eat better and start a work out regimen. Over that period of time (and with a lot of encouragement and help from Katie, the Huffs, Mark Brouwer, Dan Cook, my Parents, siblings, and others) I’ve been able to loose 95 lbs. There is still a long way to go, but frozen food and eating right was the first step. It's also become a part of my lifestyle. Katie was right there at the beginning and she is right there helping me along the way each day. That’s one of those little reminders that I have every single day, that she loves me.

At our wedding we honored the couple present who had been married the longest. Out of all the family and friends present the Hogans (lifelong friends of Katie’s) took the prize. After the dance and obligatory pictures, Mr. Hogan leaned over to me and said, “take care of each other.” It was simple, but very good advice that we’ve tried to live by every day since. I hope that I can take as good a care of her as she has of me.

"You're My Guys..."

I’ve been thinking about teams a lot in the past couple of weeks. My new job means a new team is forming. We are all from different departments or entirely new organizations, so we are all learning. I’m also reading a books, both fiction and non-fiction that center on the idea of teams.

Teams are important.

At the end of the day you can have a group or a team. Groups are loose and transient collectives of people who occupy the same airspace for a given amount of time.

But a team.

A real team endures.

It’s not easy to be on a team. Teams are made up of people, and people are a messy business. Teams must be formed, then they storm, then settle into a pattern of normalcy, then they storm gain, and somewhere along the way they perform.

Forming, storming, norming, performing, rinse and repeat. This is the life cycle of a team, but in the quiet moments (and the chaotic moments) respect grows, honesty emerges, and if you are lucky loyalty takes root.

I’ve been lucky to be part of many teams, and for that I am grateful. By way of example I served with AmeriCorps*NCCC Team Silver 1 for 10 months. We were a group of strangers randomly selected and thrown together in August 2003 and by June 2004 a family had formed. Sure we had our fair share of difficult times with hammers dropped on heads, fights over the music, minor and major personality conflicts, you name it. But there was also a trust that can only develop when we share a life with 10 other people all day, every day for a year. We parted company nearly 7 years ago, but they are still my team. I think about them every single day. Their picture sits on my desk right next to my brothers and sisters, next to pictures of my wife, and friends from childhood, college and beyond. They are still my team.

Right now, at work, our team is forming. Some have been with the company for a while, others are new, but in the end we have to work together to accomplish some daunting tasks.

Today, a co-worker shared a great quote with me that summed things up quite nicely.

CONTEXT: From the show “The West Wing.” Delivered by Toby to a group of staffers after a comment in a meeting leaked to the Press.

“We're a group…we're a team...We win together, we lose together, we celebrate and we mourn together. And defeats are softened and victories sweetened because we did them together...And if you don't like this team... then, there's the door... It's great to be in the know. It's great to have the scoop, to have the skinny, to be able to go to a reporter and say, "I know something you don't know." And so the press becomes your constituents and you sell out the team... So, an item will appear in the paper tomorrow, and it'll be embarrassing to me and embarrassing to the President. I'm not gonna have a witch hunt. I'm not gonna huff and puff. I'm not gonna take anyone's head off. I'm simply gonna say this: you're my guys. And I'm yours... and there's nothing I wouldn't do for you."

That's it. At the end of the day a good team always has your back. In that way a good team is a lot like family.

Veteran's Day 2010

To all the Veterans and those currently serving in the military, both at home and abroad, Thank you.

“America should be free ground -- all of it... No man has to bow. No man born to royalty. Here, we judge you by what you do, not by who your father was. Here, you can be something. Here, is the place to build a home. But it's not the land. There's always more land. It's the idea that we all have value -- you and me.

What we're fighting for, in the end, we're fighting for each other.”

“Addresses Maine Soldiers on What We're Fighting For” from Gettysburg
Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain [played by Jeff Daniels]

Despite whatever problems our country may have, none of the freedoms, rights, and privilages we enjoy would be possible without the Women and Men who serve us faithfully in the military.

To you, we offer our undying thanks.

Up on the roof...

Last Saturday Katie and I joined members of the Men of Bennett (MOB) in a good old fashioned Amish-style roofing party. Yep, the MOB exercised our ability to not only destroy, but also to create as we helped the Millers re-roof their house.

The day started a bit shaky with an early morning shower and some concern for working on a wet roof.

But things dried up and we got to work stripping the old roof down the decking and replacing damaged boards with new. Then it was back to work tar-papering and shingling.

While it was hard work, we did have a lot of fun. Richard even got in a little afternoon yoga, as seen here executing what I’m told is called “Downward Facing Dog.” Smith just calls it “Indy Style.” But the work went quickly and we had some great food thanks to Steph and her dad, Steve. Jason’s dad, Don, was our fearless leader and provided much needed direction and advice throughout the whole process.

Beyond the sense of accomplishment one feels after a project starts to take shape, this weekend left me feeling a great sense of wholeness. I was reminded that neighbors, friends, and community are not just words used to identify people—they are concepts with real world incarnations.

We are often inundated by social scientists and political pundits that would have us believe that the world is spinning out of control and that no one looks out for each other any more. I disagree, and this weekend proved that communities can exist in more tangible ways than facebook groups and fantasy football leagues. I am energized by this and look forward to our next major project.

I was tired, Kirk was confused, Nate was thirsty, and only Katie new what to do.

AmeriCorps*NCCC: A Higher Education

Written and Delivered by Nicholas T. Schafer
NCCC North Central Region Graduation Vinton, IA
August 4, 2010


Thank you for inviting me to join you for this mornings exercises. And I’m very grateful that they didn’t include 5:30 a.m. PT.

The two years I spent in NCCC are never far from my mind. Team pictures hang on the wall in my home and office. I talk to my old teammates regularly, and occasionally send the random text to my TL asking her to take me to the doctor just for old times sake. [Pause]

My original plan was to tell you some of the great stories that came out of my service years. I wanted to tell inspiring stories about working with children who were labeled “special needs” only to find out that they had a better outlook on life that we could imagine. I would tell you about Habitat dedications where grown men wept as we handed their family the keys to their first new home. But then it dawned on me that you might not know my team or the communities that we served, but you do know my stories. Because they are our stories. And for me, that is the most inspiring thing of all.Even though we have served several years and many miles apart…by virtue of serving in this program we all know the excitement of leaving for a new spike, and the relief of returning to base for transition. We’ve successfully experienced shopping on a budget (thank you Dot White), and feeding a small army after a long day on a Habitat build. We’ve experienced the Forming-Norming-Storming-Performing-Storming-Performing-Storming cycle with our constantly evolving teams. We’ve been strengthened by the communities we served and met each other on common ground.

Our stories are unique, but we are bound together by the fabric of our shared experiences.

A few years ago I met Amity Tripp (National Director of AmeriCorps Alums) at a conference. I was there in the capacity of Program Director for an AmeriCorps*Indiana Environmental program – and we started talking about recruitment. Now I have to tell you, I get a little fired up when I start talking about AmeriCorps – and this meeting was no exception. After I had rattled on for a few minutes Amity politely interrupted and said, “May I ask, were you in NCCC?” “Yeah,” I answered, hoping that she too was an NCCC alum. “I though so,” she said. “What makes you think that,” I asked. “Well,” she said, “You all are a little crazy.”

Few times in my life have I been more proud.

The passion that NCCC inspires is not necessarily exclusive to our program, but as a group we tend to take it to the next level. I believe this so much that I’ve written a number of letter over the years to various state and federal Senators and Representatives. In 2007, I wrote, that

“NCCC teams are trained and ready to deploy quickly when disaster strikes. The tragedy of the Oklahoma City Bombing, 9/11 , Hurricane Katrina, and numerous smaller natural and un-natural disasters have seen the benefit of NCCC recovery efforts and have proven the readiness and value of NCCC Members. NCCC fills a unique niche for which other service programs (AmeriCorps or otherwise) simply cannot pick up the slack. NCCC represents the very best of AmeriCorps.”

I believe that it is this passion that fuels our commitment to service while actively engaged in NCCC. And it is that passion that drives us to serve in the years that follow.

NCCC is not an easy program. I will not make the mistake of assuming that everyone had the uplifting experience that I did. While I hope many of you did, and will miss your teams and the service you performed. I know that after 10 months of no privacy, 1 van, and 10 personalities, some of you might be ready to be away from your team. Others might be excited to never have to wear kahki and grey again. And still others might be looking forward to driving a vehicle where you don’t need a spotter to change lanes. (or back up without a ground guide).

I can say with reasonable certainty, however, that no matter how you feel right now your time in NCCC has been formative. Whether in lessons learned, friendships formed, or injustices realized…there is no going back. If it hasn’t already, your experiences from this year will change how you look at the world.

I often tell people that NCCC ruined me for business. Before NCCC my life had a plan. Finish my undergraduate degree, go to law school, marry a beautiful woman, take the legal world by storm, make a ton of money, attain enlightenment, write a best seller about attaining said enlightenment, and retire happily at 45. So that might be a bit of a stretch, but not by far.

After NCCC, my life and career had to mean something more than just making money. I’ve been in the public sector ever since I left Charleston, and I can’t think of any place I’d rather be. I may not have a pile of money, but I get by. A few years ago I met and last year married a beautiful girl – who also happens to be an AmeriCorps Alum. I’m lucky. Every day I work to make sure young people can afford to go to College, and I continue to fight substandard housing as the advisor of the campus chapter of Habitat for Humanity. I came to NCCC with a plan, and left with a purpose. I’ve found my way to continue to serve. That was my choice.

And so you now have a choice. This year can be just another page in the scrapbook, or it can be the year where you found yourself…and became involved for life.

You have experience, energy, and passion take that with you. Run with it. Whatever you do next, bring your NCCC confidence, compassion, and commitment. Live out the pledge each and every day. Fight apathy, build communities, and seek common ground. As the poet says, “be like the fountain that overflows, not like the cistern that merely contains.”

Because the reality is that, NCCC has only partially been about the past 10 months. NCCC is really about today. It’s about, “carrying this commitment with you this year and beyond.” No matter what your current education level—THIS has been your higher education. You’ve faced both success and disappointment as you’ve engaged in the challenging work of serving communities. You’ve learned from many teachers this year. Some are with me on stage, some in the staff section, some wearing green shirts right in your row, and many in the communities you leave behind. You’ve completed projects, and composed reflections. Now the rest of your life is the final exam.

In just a little while you all will join me and so many others in the ranks of the NCCC alumni. There have been some who’ve been in your shoes who mistakenly call life after AmeriCorps the “real world.” I am here to assure you that the world you’ve come to know over the past 10 months is in fact, a more real version of the world than many will ever see. And no matter what you do next, or how far you travel, your NCCC filter will go with you, allowing you to see the real world.

I know that it is unrealistic to think that everyone here will continue to work for non-profits. In fact many of you might have joined originally to beef up your resume. I can vouche that NCCC will look great on a resume, especially in a job market driven by blending education with experience. Team work, organization, discipline, these are qualities that will serve you well in college, graduate school, and both the public and private sector of the workforce. You’re time with AmeriCorps has prepared you well for what lies beyond.

But looking beyond your career, NCCC, has also been great preparation for the parts of life that you can’t put on a resume. You’ve learned new ways to live life as an active and involved citizen of the United States of America. This year, you’ve earned a degree in stepping up and getting things done. You’ve done this, so that next year when your residence hall wants to organize a service project; or your church wants to coordinate a food pantry; or your local Rotary club plans a trip to help rebuild after a hurricane – you will be perfectly suited for the task.

It doesn’t have to complicated or earth shattering, but your service whether public or private, matters. Whether enacting large scale change for the public good, or helping a neighbor, your service matters. During the Great Depression my wife’s grandmother worked hard to make sure that her family did not go hungry. Her sights were not so narrow, however, to abandon concern for her neighbors’ who were teetering on the brink of starvation. Grandma made conscious effort invite the neighbors for dinner or send over what she claimed were “extras” so that they would not starve. Her actions were not newsworthy, but they were noteworthy, and they had a tremendous impact on at least five lives.

How amazing would life be if we looked out for each other just one tiny little bit? AmeriCorps offers us a glimpse of what a world like that could look like. And that is the true NCCC legacy. Yes, we have left our mark, and have gotten things done for 16 years. But each time an alum continues to serve we broaden the umbrella of NCCC’s influence and impact.

When you go home and you tell people about what you did this year. Don’t expect them to get it. Oh, tell your stories, because they need to be shared. And many will tell you things like, “that’s great,” or “you’re really a good person.” But deep down, many people you tell about this experience just won’t get. Some of you might not even grasp the full magnitude of what you have just begun. But some of you do…and more of you will as you move on. You have begun a lifetime of service. You have begun to change the world. And tomorrow it’s up to you to carry on that commitment.

Thank you for your service this year, and thank you for all the good that I know you will do in the years to come.

Good luck. Safe travels.

Approximate time: 11 min. 25 sec.