Michigan's AmeriCorps members complete 5 Signature Service Projects

Michigan AmeriCorps members made an impact across the state recently by participating in multiple service projects. The members planned, managed and executed five regional Russell G. Mawby Signature Service Projects.

West Michigan members prepare Indian Trails Camp in Grand Rapids

West MI members convened in Grand Rapids to perform service at Indian Trails Camp (ITC) through IKUS Life Enrichment Services. IKUS provides year-round support services for individuals with disabilities, helping them to attain greater independence and satisfaction in their lives. They also provide an opportunity for 800 individuals to attend camp each summer. With the support of lTC staff, 134 members updated and painted buildings and cabins, created a mural, built a stage and benches, planted flowers and vegetables in a garden, and more.

Project Highlights:

• Stained 1,280 ft. of fence
• Built four stage pallets
• Constructed 17 benches and four shelving units
• Created "Tree of Friendship/Life" mural
• Cleaned & organized the pool house & art room
• Painted 6 cabins, 80 window sills, & the Nurse’s Station

Flint / Tri-Cities members cheer up Flint children
More than 80 members, alums, and volunteers came together at Brownell/Holmes STEAM Academy in Flint to host a Community Fun Day and engage in cam­pus beautification projects. Members organized activities for children including face painting, a photo booth, making hula hoops, physical fitness activities, and planting spinach. In addition, participants helped spruce up the campus by constructing benches, painting bollards, and cleaning the tree-line to make the campus more accessible for students, families, and neighborhood residents.

Project Highlights:

• Filled & disposed 52 garbage bags
• Removed 100 pounds of heavy debris
• Helped 60 youth make a hula-hoop
• Provided health & education resources to 81 individuals
• Distributed potted spinach plants to 50 families

Northern Michigan members prepare Discovery Center
Northern Michigan members and volunteers came together in the spirit of community service to support the opening of the Discovery Center—a new interpretive center celebrating the Pigeon River Country. The project included the installation of an ADA-accessible gravel path, planting native shrubs/pollinator plants, and the renovation of the historic CCC-built log building by painting and pressure washing and creating a new trail.

Project Highlights:

• Created 300+ feet of ADA accessible pathway
• Cleared two acres of brush
• Planted 325+ native plants
• Removed brush from two miles of trail
• Painted rooms and cleaned the Discovery Center

Southeast Michigan members clean up Detroit neighborhood
Southeast AmeriCorps members, alums, and volunteers – in conjunction with Focus: HOPE and the Neighborhood Service Organization – held the 2^nd annual Keep It 100! service event in the HOPE Village neighborhood of Detroit. Nearly 200 project participants cleaned up dumping sites, boarded up vacant properties, cleared graffiti, and planted gardens at 15 different sites.

Project Highlights:

• Collected more than 300 piles of brush
• Bagged 250+ bags of trash
• Planted 45 flowers
• Boarded up seven houses
• Cleaned 19 gardens

Mid-Michigan members prepare gardens all over Lansing

In Lansing, 88 members served at eight different project sites throughout the city. Members assisted with various tasks and helped prepare and plant community gardens in partnership with the following groups: Greater Lansing Food Bank’s (GLFB) Garden Project Armory Garden, GLFB Garden Project Resource Center and Demo Garden, NorthWest Initiative’s Riddle Elementary School garden, Ingham County Land Bank Garden Program REO Town garden, Greater Lansing Housing Coalition community garden, REACH Studio Art Center, Wexford Montessori Academy, and Habitat for Humanity.

Project Highlights:

• Mulched, weeded, and cleared 25 garden plots
• Laid 38 yards of woodchips & 40 yds. of compost
• Transplanted 75 perennials & 150 raspberry plants
• Constructed and/or fixed 10 compost bins
• Planted 950 corn seeds, 200 raspberry plants  and 150 asparagus crown