This is our November edition of the VISTA VISION, a monthly newsletter chronicling ILCC VISTA activity in the Illinois area.

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Illinois Campus Compact 2011-2012 Issue #2, November 29, 2011
VISTAs GROW GOOD IN
DOUGLAS PARK AND Issue #2, November 2011
BEYOND Contents:
TURMAN VISTA HOLDS
COLLEGE’S FIRST VET FAIR
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FREE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT
WORKSHOPS AT LOYOLA
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THIS MONTH’S RESOURCES
Volunteers rally for the Good Grows Event
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On October 22, 2011 our from gathering trash and debris
ILCC VISTAs operating to mulching trees and pulling
under One Good Deed weeds. “It’s nice to have the
Chicago and in partnership opportunity to come out and
with Friends of the Parks give back to the community as a NOVEMBER VISTA SPOTLIGHT
held a very successful park personal citizen of Chicago,”
clean up in Douglas Park, said Kim Luckey, Make a 5
located in the North Difference Day volunteer and
Lawndale community area member of the Lawrence Hall
of Chicago. Youth Services organization.
The event known as “Good Concerned citizens were not the
Grows: A day of Service at only group who showed at the
Douglas Park,” brought event to lend a hand. Members
over 100 volunteers out on of the City Year Fulltime Youth
a brisk yet beautiful Service Corps were on deck to
Saturday morning to help help lead groups of volunteers to
beautify the large Chicago their worksites and distribute
district park. Dedicated tools. The White Sox Volunteer
volunteers did everything

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Illinois Campus Compact 2011-2012 Issue#2, November 29, 2011
GOOD GROWS (Continued)
felt at the event, eagerly braving an annual event that takes place
the brisk morning temperatures on the fourth Saturday of
to show up and help out. “ I feel October.
great out here trying to help
beautify the city,” stated VISTA Alexandra Baird says the
Adrienne Vanorsby, a White Sox event served as “an opportunity
Volunteer Corps member. to highlight One Good Deed
Chicago's new plan and
According to ILCC VISTA Helen priorities under Mayor Rahm
Gerety the idea for the park Emanuel's administration.” Visit the website:
clean up was inspired by a http://www.onegooddeedchicago.org/#s
routine outing with Friends of And though very successful,
the Parks to become familiar this park clean up is only the
with the condition of the parks beginning for the VISTAs in the
in the Chicago area. At the Mayors Office. That same week
conclusion of their visits to the team organized and hosted
various parks in Chicago, Find Your Cause, a networking
VISTAs Helen Gerety and Jamie event that brought together 50
Brisco-Riggs thought that it non-profits to hold a mixer in
would be impactful to hold a Chicago’s suave Cultural Center,
park clean up in honor of
National Make a Difference Day, Continued on page 4 Networking at the Find Your Cause
event
TRUMAN COLLEGE VISTA HOLDS 1ST ANNUAL VET FAIR
We’re proud to announce that Benita Rice, ILCC
VISTA at Truman College, was able to assist in
implementing the campus’s 1st Annual Veterans
Resource Fair.
The fair, held on Wednesday November 9, 2011,
provided access to resources for veterans on campus
and in the community. “Vets don’t often know
certain services are free and available to them, so
the fair brings awareness to the available
resources,” says Rice.
Benita Rice (far right) stands with members The 1st Annual Veterans Resource Fair featured at
of the Veteran’s Art Project Program least 20 different community partners ranging from
former vets like former 2nd Lieutenant Andrew L.
Brown U.S. Army, now inspirational author, to John
Continued on page 5
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3. Illinois Campus Compact 2011-2012 Issue #2, November 29, 2011
VISTA Ashley Slupski (center) with City Year Trainers
Phil Horn and Kate Stoogie
LOYOLA VISTA GIVES FREE YOUTH WORKER
DEVELOPMENT SESSION
On Monday November 14, 2011 ILLC VISTA and The workshop was well-attended and included not
Community Support Specialist at the Loyola Center only leaders from various community-based
for Experiential Learning, Ashley Slupski organized organizations, but also students from the Loyola
and hosted a free development workshop for those community and beyond.
who work with youth, particularly in schools and
urban settings. “The networking at these events can create new
opportunities for partners as well as help renew the
The workshop was lead by City Year Trainers Phil passion that other youth workers have for the field,”
Horn and Kate Stoogie and covered topics such as said Schlupski of the diverse crowd that gathered for
providing adequate teacher/student support, the workshop.
building and maintaining relationships with young
Slupski also plans to hold more workshops in the
people and overall enhancement of the ways in
future with the next session, a Spring Opportunities
which those who work with youth operate.
Fair being held January 25, 2012. The all day event
promises more developmental workshops as well as
“The goal is to focus on community based
a recruitment fair that will showcase volunteer
organizations that serve youth,” said Schlupski. “We
opportunities throughout the local community. For
want them [community partners] to feel better about
more information on that event and the Loyola
youth development concepts so that they’ll be able to Center for Experiential Learning feel free to shoot an
better explain those methods to the students in their email to Ashley at aslupki@luc.edu.
organizations who use them in their community
work.”
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Illinois Campus Compact 2011-2012 Issue#2, November 29, 2011
Good Grows (Continued)
allowing for scores of young professionals to get meaningful face
time in with non-profits searching for volunteers, donors and
junior board members.
http://vistacampus.org/file.php/37/LifeAf
Both the Good Grows and Find Your Cause events constructed by terVISTA/Non-
the One Good Deed team went extremely well, displaying the Competitive_Eligibility_Frequently_Ask
precise planning and thorough execution necessary for VISTA’s to
An important topic of an October VISTA
make an impact on the City of Chicago’s community. bag lunch, this link provides information
concerning status after completion of
one full year of service making you
eligible for appointment by a federal
agency into the federal competitive
service and to compete for certain
federal employment jobs that only
federal employees are also eligible to
compete for.
http://.serve.gov/stories_categories.asp?t
bl_servestores_cat_id=11
The National Service blog shares stories
of veterans in national service. Also
includes information about tackling
veteran unemployment, Vet Corps, and
ways to support and honor vets.
OGD Chicago’s Chief Service Officer and VISTA Supervisor
http://www.mesacc.edu/other/engagement/
Jenne Myers addressing community partners in attendance at
the Find Your Cause event Serves as a voice to further community
college involvement in service-learning
and civic engagement throughout higher
education. Provides presentations,
articles, syllabi, and workbook on
service learning.
Have an interesting or insightful
link to share? Feel free to send an
email to jhurley6@depaul.edu or
camwoods007@gmail.com so it can
be included in the next newsletter!
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5. Illinois Campus Compact 2011-2012 Issue #2, November 29, 2011
Truman Vet Fair (Continued)
Belo, a personal banking representative from Fifth
Third Bank demonstrating that no matter the
organization, office or title all were present to
provide their services to veterans in need.
The fair also served as a tool for providing much
needed recognition to some of the student veterans
in attendance. Truman College President Reagan
Romali, along with alderman James Cappleman of Sergeant Crawford, Recruiter for the
Chicago’s 46th Ward, presented Certificates of National Guard, stands ready to offer
Achievement as well as gift certificates to the assistance and information
student veterans in attendance with both speakers
acknowledging the importance of helping our
veterans who return from the difficult experience of
war.
“Our goal is to provide you with all the social
services and educational and employment
opportunities we can,” concluded Romali in her
speech.
Cappleman, who’s father had served during World
War II, continued with a personal account, “My
Truman students and vets visiting different
father didn’t have the support he needed, so his
partner tables
story died with him, we must help all we can while
they are here…the world is a much better place
because of our veterans.”
Overall the fair was a success and helped advance
part of the AmeriCorps VISTA mission by
providing the many veterans and military families
in attendance with tools for health, healing and
wellness, invaluable aspects of human life not easily
attainable after experiencing the long-reaching
effects of war.
Representatives from the Edward Hines Jr.
VA Hospital stand by for guidance
regarding benefits
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6. Illinois Campus Compact 2011-2012 Issue #2, November 29, 2011
NOVEMBER VISTA SPOTLIGHT
This edition’s VISTA Spotlight
shines brightly on the three
VISTA’s operating under the One
Good Deed Chicago’s Cities of
Service Initiative.
Hats off to the OGD crew for
successfully completing two events
within the same week, engaging at
least 130+ volunteers in their park
clean up project and linking at least
50 non-profit groups with many
potential volunteers, advocates and
junior board members through the
Find Your Cause event.
Helen Gerety, Jenne Myers (Supervisor), Jaime Brisco-
Keep up the great work ladies! Riggs and Alexandra Baird
Illinois Campus Compact
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8th Floor Suite 800
Chicago, IL 60604