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Macomb Mayor Mike Inman joined other city and county officials nationwide April 4 to recognize those who serve through AmeriCorps, VISTA and Senior Corps, and to encourage all citizens to give back to their communities. Pictured, from left are Gisele Hamm, manager of IIRA's MAPPING the Future of Your Community Program; Inman; IIRA Director Chris Merrett and Karen Mauldin-Curtis, manager of IIRA's Peace Corps Fellows Program.
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Mayor Inman Joins Nationwide Effort to Recognize Impact of National Service

April 10, 2017

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MACOMB, IL - On Tuesday, April 4, Macomb Mayor, Mike Inman, joined more than 4,000 county officials and mayors across the country in a nationwide, bipartisan effort to recognize those who serve through AmeriCorps, VISTA and Senior Corps, and to encourage all citizens to give back to their communities.

"The city of Macomb is grateful for the impact AmeriCorps and VISTA members have in our community as they work alongside Community stakeholders," said Inman. "The AmeriCorps fellows not only grow in their own experience but often bring a fresh perspective to issues we deal with."

Joining Inman for the proclamation were Chris Merrett, director of the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs (IIRA) at Western Illinois University (WIU), Karen Mauldin-Curtis, manager of the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps*State Programs at WIU/IIRA, and Gisele Hamm, manager of the MAPPING the Future of Your Community program and local Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) program coordinator at WIU/IIRA.

Communities thrive to the extent that local people are engaged and volunteers are encouraged to help make projects happen.

"AmeriCorps helps fund our Peace Corps Fellows program, which helps talented graduate students earn a degree from WIU – and then places them in an 11-month internship to promote volunteerism and implement community and economic development projects in rural communities across Illinois," said Merrett. "The VISTA program also helps communities and recruits volunteers to make tangible improvements to local places."

Merrett also highlighted the point that, "these kinds of volunteer-oriented initiatives don't happen without the visionary support from local elected officials, such as Mayor Inman, who has been a staunch advocate for AmeriCorps and VISTA programs."

Given the many social challenges facing communities, county and city leaders are increasingly turning to national service as a cost-effective strategy to meet local needs. For more than 15 years, the Peace Corps Fellows/AmeriCorps*State Program and the AmeriCorps VISTA Program have served Macomb and McDonough County, in partnership with local and regional agencies providing health education and outreach, youth mentorship, leadership development, community and economic development planning, transportation, housing and volunteer recruitment.

Currently, the Peace Corps Fellows Program has four AmeriCorps*State members serving with community-based organizations in the Macomb area, including Jamie Burns, McDonough County Health Department; John Bannon, Housing Authority of McDonough County; Alex Walker, Western Illinois Regional Council; and Jake Hamilton at WIU.

The local VISTA program has three members currently serving with two community organizations, including Chandler Horrell and Jennifer Rodriguez, Big Brothers, Big Sisters,and Peter Byrne, Genesis Gardens.

Additionally, this summer, six-eight VISTA volunteers will assist the YMCA and Genesis Gardens with summer feeding programs in Bushnell and Macomb, as well as provide educational and recreational programs for low-income youth.

More information about the Mayor's Day of Recognition for National Service is available at nationalservice.gov/mayorsforservice.

To learn more about the Peace Corps Fellows Program in Community Development, visit wiu.edu/pcf. For more information about the MAPPING the Future of Your Community program, visit at mappingthefuture.org.

Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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