NCCC Team Silver Two poses for a picture during their two weeks of work at Camp Sealth's sister camp, Camp Niwana. Camp Sealth is the second project round for the ten members of Silver Two. Previously they have had a split project with both the Utah Food Bank and the Sacramento Zoo.
Team members are certified as Type 2 Wildland Firefighters and Class A Tree Fallers (they are one of four such teams from the Pacific Region); they make up the first fuel reduction team (FRT) that Camp Sealth has ever hosted. In turn, this is the first fuel reduction project for the team. Silver Two's primary focus is creating defensible space (fire buffer) around camp facilities; they are also building trails and working in reforestation in Kitsap County.
Corps Members have already restored 30 acres of habitat, laid down a trail, planted 5,000 trees (in three days), and cleared about 15 tons of underbrush, trees and invasive species from around camp buildings. In addition, they have tran
sformed 3,000 lbs of driftwood into 2 cords of firewood to last Camp Sealth through the entirety of the next recreational season. They have sent out 7,100 lbs of driftwood that had washed ashore back to sea. The team is currently working on widening the camp's service road and scraping & painting Holiday House in Village.Here is a little bit more about each of the team members:
Never before working at Camp Sealth have they...
Paul Klockars - Team Leader (Chicago, IL): canoed on the Puget Sound
Paul Klockars - Team Leader (Chicago, IL): canoed on the Puget Sound
Anthony Amadio (Reading, PA): hummed the tune to Mario while cleaning a chainsaw
Maggie Fisk (Gallipolis, OH): wore the same dirty clothes to work every day
Finley Janes (Boston, MA): seen a bald eagle in the wild, or seen one fight with an otter
Ben Mastrangelo (Boston, MA): used a bow saw
Warith Muhammad (Philadelphia, PA): seen 6 crazy teammates do a polar bear plunge into the Puget Sound
Mike Muir (Alexandria, VA): gone up the Space Needle
Mike Muir (Alexandria, VA): gone up the Space Needle
Joey O'Brien (Tulsa, OK): drank out of a filthy water bottle with dirt caked around the mouth, and not caring at all
Christina Vuong (New York, NY): gleefully waged a vendetta against salmonberry and blackberry
Ronald Wheaton (Grand Rapids, MI): been on an island
AmeriCorps NCCC is a part of AmeriCorps, a network of national service programs created to improve the environment, enhance education, increase public safety and assist with disaster relief and other unment human needs. The Pacific Region campus, located in Sacramento, California, serves Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming and the territories of Guam and Samoa, as well as the Gulf Coast Region. The Pacific Region campus is one of five campuses in the United States; the others are located in Perry Point, MD, Denver, CO, Vinton, IA and Vicksburg, MS.NCCC members, ages 18-24, must complete at least 1,700 hours of community service during the 10-month long program. In exchange for their service, they receive $5,350 to help pay for college or school loans. Other benefits include leadership development, team building skills, increased self-confidence, and the satisfaction of knowing that they have made a real difference in communities across the country. AmeriCorps is administered by the corporation for National Civilian and Community Service. For information about NCCC and other AmeriCorps programs, visit the website at http://www.americorps.gov/.
-Written by Christina Vuong
