2011: The Year That’s So Great, it’s #1 Twice ! Getting started: It's the beginning of a NEW YEAR, the year of the rabbit according to Chinese tradition which is a lucky sign! Before you rush out to create your resolution, which may last a year or a few days (depending on dedication), let's boost your confidence and congratulate you all by looking at some of your accomplishments in 2010! Leanne Kosovich of A Kid’s Place, which is a partner in The Child Advocacy Center and the Court Appointed Special Advocate in cases of abused and neglected children, has gotten great exposure for the program she serves. She assisted in holding a Legislative Open house inviting all the members of the Greeley City Council & individuals running for the state house & senate to present the benefits of having A Kid’s Place in their district. She also made many improvements to the data collecting and reporting software.

Laura Hart of the Boys and Girls Club has helped spread the word about her organization’s activities by getting their blog up and running on the site, http://bgcweld.blogspot.com/ . She also continues to enhance the website so it can work as a proper resource for families and while making great collaborations with individuals that have been valuable to the website development.

Erin Janda of Connections for Independent Living, which is a nonprofit that promotes full inclusion of all people with disabilities into society through independence & equality, hit the ground running. Since the time she began she has been working hard on planning and organizing the Annual Wine Gala Fundraiser. She has attended UNC’s volunteer fair to help recruit for her organization and has already secured six different restaurants to sponsor the Gala.

Cathy Millon of the Girl Scouts of Colorado is winding down her year of service and has partnered with many different people to enhance her organization! Cathy helped with putting on a Volunteer Open House where she was able to recruit additional volunteers and retain some that she already had. She also worked a fundraiser where she helped raise money while raising awareness of her program throughout Greeley.

VISTA Project – United Way of Weld County814 9th Street Greeley, CO 80631

PO Box 1944Greeley, CO 80832

P: 970-353-4300 ext 2570F: 970-353-4738Email: erika@unitedway-weld.org

The VISTA Verse Jan 2011 Vol. 1 Issue 2

The educational & resourceful programs she has created are one of her most wonderful contributions she has made; planning sessions such as College 101, Young Women, Strong Leaders, and the Twilight Workshop to be presented at Building Healthy marriages. She has also partnered with the Greeley Philharmonic Orchestra; creating a series of events for troops in Greeley, Windsor, and the Eaton/Ault/Pierce area.

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The VISTA VerseJan 2011 Vol. 1 Issue 2

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Saundra Catalina of habitat for Humanity, enhanced the volunteer schedules at their Restore so they can have a rolling group of volunteers helping out as well as improving their system for recognizing donors. She had great success working the Winter Blitz with the Boy Scouts. She also created a timeline of goals for planning upcoming events such an art exhibit, display at the Home Show, a campus cleanup, and a car show.

Jennifer Pandarvis of High Plains Library District helped increase awareness of her program by giving orientations to Greeley, the High Plains Library District, and the population that the Learning Plaza serves concerning the services they provide. The Learning Plaza, where she serves has a consistent flow of people and increased amount of adults using their site. Jennifer has assisted patrons in beginning computing, setting up an email address, & accessing online GED resources. She also obtained new items for the plaza that were badly needed, like the new whiteboard and tables.

Yan Jee of North Range Behavioral Health became QPR certified (Question, Persuade, and Refer) in suicide prevention, assisted in raising $12000 for Suicide Education & Support Services, & completed her first grant for $5000 through Walgreens!

Emily Wigington of School District 6 successfully completed three major projects: the Salsa Garden Project, the pilot Farm to School Awareness Project and the A-Z Salad Bar. All these projects brought fresh garden and farm grown vegetables and fruits to the students of School District 6. She also arranged a class at UNC and presented the class at Northridge High School known as Cooking Matters or Operation Frontline Class, which are cooking classes on how to prepare healthy meals on a budget.

Thomas Mink of School District RE-9 has been working hard all year organizing, categorizing, and creating new systems for all the books in the library that he serves at in Ault, this includes 300 new Spanish textbooks. He also recently submitted a grant for $10,000 through Colorado State to upgrade the media center.

Anna Mastin of Sunrise Health organized & developed two inventory systems for the Reach Out & Read program (3500 books) and successfully participated in community outreach through Evan’s Fest & The Swift Health Fair.

Beth Pantzer of United Way Campaign, has done an incredible job at increasing the publics knowledge of different programs she works with such as recruiting for Young Leaders Society, creating Students United Way (a volunteer group through UNC & Aims Community college), & assisting with Day of Caring

January Birthdays (and December!)

12/28 Thomas Mink (happy belated birthday!)01/18 Laura Hart01/21 Beth Pantzer01/29 Erika Rogness

Martin Luther King Day:A Day on, Not a Day Off

Although some people see MLK Day as a day off of work or school, VISTAs recognize MLK Day as a national Day of Service to honor Dr. King’s legacy through giving back to your community!

Local mural artist Armando Silva will join the Weld County Youth Conservation Corps, Weld County AmeriCorps VISTAs (Volunteers in Service to America), and Aims Student United Way to complete a mural and painting project at c.a.r.e. (Child Advocacy Resource and Education) in Evans, CO, January 17, 2011, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The project will consist of refurbishing a current mural, creating a new mural, and repainting the facility’s kitchen. The aim of the project is both to bring community members together and to create a more positive and vibrant atmosphere for the families c.a.r.e. serves.

Month Day Year

Cheap chicken Curry SoupChilled to the bone: January in Colorado is fairly cold and it's only going to get colder! If you're a VISTA who keeps the heat down to save a few bucks, make this cheap recipe and wrap up in a blanket!

1 medium chopped onion1 carrot chopped1 stalk of celery choppedMince the above ingredients with 2 in long, 1 in diameter piece of peeled ginger root. (If you do not have a mincer, cut wedge as finely as possible. Then press down with the flat side of the knife to release the juices.)

Sauté these in a little oil, 1 tsp. of curry powder, 1 tbsp. of hot sauce, and 1 tbsp. of honey until soft

Heat 2 quarts of chicken broth in a pot; add veggie mixture to hot broth.

Cube 8 medium sweet potatoes and 1 large apple, add to broth, and cook 30 minutes until potatoes are soft

Add about 2 lbs. of cooked, cubed chicken & 1 cup of milk. Stir together and simmer slightly before serving. Top it off with your favorite, rolls, biscuits, or bread!

V^3: Very Valuable VISTAJennifer Pendarvis – High Plains Library District

1. If your fairy godmother offered you anything youdesired, what would it be?I’d ask for lots of money, squirrel it away and live off the interest. With my time freed up I’d mostly end up volunteering all over the place like I do anyway, but it’d be much less stressful.

2. Who is your hero?I have lots of heroes. All of them are people I’ve met over the years. Like my boss from last year or a family friend that lives in PA. They are all fabulous women living life on their own terms in very different ways. They are inspiring.

3. What is your favorite sound?I love church bells, the rustle of leaves, the silence of the early morning hours and the sounds dogs make when they bark in their sleep.

4. You found a time machine, where are you going & why?

If I had a time machine I would go back to the 50’s and make sure my grandfather never started smoking. He died when I was 11 from esophageal cancer. Everyone tells great stories about him; he was a wonderful, larger-than-life man but I hardly remember him. I can’t imagine how my life would have been different if he had lived.

5. If you could go anywhere where would you go & whowould you take?I would travel to Europe and take my parents. Norway, Sweden, Finland, Netherlands, Lithuania, Netherlands, Denmark, Ireland. Most of my background is from this area.

6. Why did you become an AmeriCorps VISTA?I became a VISTA because I loved volunteering and wanted to get out of southern California. I did a second year because I enjoyed it so much and it gave me the opportunity to explore.

7. What was the first concert you ever went to?I have no idea what my first concert was, I guess it wasn’t that big of an event.

8. What do you miss most about home?I miss my puppy, I miss the fall colors and the trees of NJ, NY and NH, I miss the strawberries and avocados from California, I miss sleet, I miss my grandmother’s holiday dinners. I’ve had lots of homes and I miss something from all of them.

9. What do you love the most about being in Colorado?I love the views living in Colorado. While it makes me miss trees, I love being able to see for miles, and how huge the sky seems.

The VISTA VerseJan 2011 Vol. 1 Issue 2

All Events are FREE unless marked otherwise

01/10 Yoga Basics 6pm UNC Rec. Center in lower group fitness room01/11 UNC talent show 7pm-9pm UNC Campus - University Center01/11 Intro to Kickboxing and Turbo Kick 7pm UNC Rec. Center in lower group fitness room01/12 Straight Up Step & BOSU 6pm UNC Rec. Center in lower group fitness room01/12 Intro to Zumba 7pm UNC Rec. Center in lower group fitness room01/13 Violin recital 4:40pm UNC Campus-Kepner Hall01/14 -17 Estes Park Winter Festival . Prices vary on activities (ave $5) http://epwinterfest.com/01/15 & 29 Winters Farms Market 10am–2pm Opera Galleria, 123 N. College Ave, Old Town Ft Collins01/16 All You Can Eat breakfast $6 ($5 if you bring nonperishable item) 11am VFW 2514 7th Avenue Greeley01/18 Double Bass Recital 6:15pm First Presbyterian Church 1321 9th Ave, Greeley01/19 Jazz Composers Concert 7pm UNC Panorama room01/20 Women’s Night at The Rock 6-8pm Greeley Rec $6 (register online by 01/14)01/21 CSU vs. UNC Hockey $7 EPIC Arena Ft. Collins01/21 & 22nd Orange Sunshine Band 8-11pm New Plantation 3520 11th Avenue Evans 01/22 Rhyme Progression w/Thomas the Franchise (hip-hop) 9pm AF Rays 2700 8th Avenue Greeley

Re-occurring events:$5 ZUMBA every Tue 4:30pm, Thur 9am, Fri 12pm @Zoes 715 10th Street GreeleyKaraoke every Mon 9pm AF Rays 2700 8th Avenue Greeley

What’s Happenin’ - JanuaryJan 2011 Vol. 1 Issue 2

1. K.I.S. – Keep It SimpleThere’s no doubt that devoting a year to being available 24/7 for a nonprofit can be a bit overwhelming at times. Serving as a VISTA you may wonder what you are doing, how you are going to do it, and what your end results will be, but you need to slow down, prioritize, and take it one step at a time. Sometimes you need to concentrate on the pieces of the puzzle, rather than looking at the whole picture!2. Agreeing to Disagree is Not a Losing Battle.One of the best things about being a VISTA is that you get to work with a variety of people. One of the greatest challenges of being a VISTA is that you work with a variety of people. The people you serve with may have differing opinions, ideas, personalities and that is great. Learn from their perspectives and ideas on projects and seek out collaboration. You don’t have to agree on everything to make a great team!3. Don’t Compare Your VISTA Experiences to Other VISTAs.I hope every VISTA proudly shares their experiences with other individuals, accomplishments and hardships, and I hope they learn from these both, but understand that everyone’s experience is unique to them. All VISTAs make an important impact in their own way! 4. Carpe Diem: Seize the Day!VISTAs are go-getters! Serving as a VISTA is all about involvement! At times it will be up to you to take the lead and make the most of your year. Never regret what you should have, could have, or would have done. Do it! 5. Get up, Get Out, Get Going!Everyone has those days where they don’t want to get out of their warm, comfy bed. You’re tired & you’re stressed. You joined AmeriCorps because have a strong need to help others. VISTAs are committed, to our sites, to our supervisors, to our communities, and to ourselves. Grab a cup of coffee, turn on some good music, and get ready for your day!6. Find Your De-stressorIf you’re being pulled in too many directions, take a moment to close your eyes and breathe. We’re all going to face challenges and obstacles, but let’s learn from them. I use an “Even Better If” sheet where I fill in the positives, the negatives, and how it could be better next time so I can learn from this. I would like to note, I always listen to music via my earphones while filling these out!7. The Only Stupid Question, Is The One Not AskedAs VISTAs please feel free to ask questions so you may learn and understand! Your supervisors, VISTA leader, fellow co-workers, volunteers, are all sources of information. Improvements to your service, community, and life can only happen if you ask!

7 Simple Rules for Being a VISTA