Friday, May 8, 2009

Site Photos!

Most Enthralled Reading Coaches Session
Ms. Pearl Jones and Rasheed Abdullah
by Maya Milic-Strkalj, Blue Hill Boys and Girls Club

Cutest Kid
Taryn Dineen
by Jessi Kunhardt, South Boston Boys and Girls Club

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Wednesday, March 25, 2009

News and Gratitude from an AC Alum

The following email was sent by an AmeriCorps Alum (from ’07-’08) to one of our staff members. How awesome to hear what she is up to and how her service has had a lasting effect in her life!

I wanted to write to you and everyone else at Generations Incorporated to share my experiences training for the Boston Marathon and to express gratitude for the influence my experiences at GI continue to have in this endeavor as well as in other aspects of my life. I am so grateful for my experiences as an AmeriCorps member at Generations Incorporated because of the things I learned, the spirit that I felt, and the persons I associated with. And I wanted to let everyone know a few of the ways those experiences continue to influence my life post-AmeriCorps. Would you mind forwarding this and/or posting it at the office (as it’s appropriate)?

While serving in AmeriCorps I learned a lot about non-profits that is helping me in my graduate courses in museum education. The value of that is not only the knowledge of how non-profit organizations work but in how they can become a part of and benefit the community–the difference they can make in the lives of many individuals and how they can uplift and strengthen each individual that they serve–from volunteers to families to civic leaders, etc. And the experiential knowledge I gained last year is every bit as valuable, if not more so. For example, my communication skills are much improved thanks to all the collaboration I was a part of (especially during the Read-a-thon). A couple of weeks ago we talked about the importance of supporting volunteers and I was able to contribute some insights that opened the eyes of some of my classmates. And here’s another example: thanks to the expertise of the devo team, my supervisor, and really everyone else, drafting my marathon fundraising letter was a breeze. All that practice with in-kind letters comes in mighty handy.

The motivation behind the service makes all the difference. And the willingness of so many to spend so much time to create wonderful experiences for others brings energy and spirit that carry you through each task. That spirit touches the hearts of those who serve and extends to the lives of those who are served. When everyone pulls together amazing things happen that lead to greater energy and consequently greater things–like making stone soup. I will always appreciate my fellow AmeriCorps members whose excitement fueled mine in a way that helped us all give more than we thought we could. That experience, I think, is what gave me the courage to leap at the chance to run the marathon as part of a team that would pull together for an important cause. Not sure if I could really do it, I signed up anyway; and being part of a team gets me through the rough spots. Last week it literally got me up and over Heartbreak Hill.

I love people. I love people! My experiences as an AmeriCorps member at Generations Incorporated immersed me into the variety of culture and community of Boston. I love it here! And not just because Washington once walked these streets. I have gotten to know so many people and have been given opportunities to work with them and learn about them that I would not have otherwise had. Those people are special to me. And you are some of them. Thanks for sharing your lives with me. Thanks for recognizing my strengths and allowing me to rely on yours. Thanks for recognizing my weaknesses and supporting me to accomplish our mutual goals. Life goes on and our goals are less closely aligned than they were, but our relationships matter and impact our lives in great measure.

Well, I didn’t mean this to be quite so long. Turns out I had a lot to say (typical of when I have strong feelings about something). I appreciate each one of you and the powerful impact you have had on my life through your service and kindness. I hope you will consider helping me support Perkins School for the Blind this year as I prepare for and run the Boston Marathon. To do so, or to simply read a little about my experiences go to: http://support.perkins.org/goto/cashton.

Warmest regards,

Christina Ashton

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Friday, February 6, 2009

Why Service?

“WELL WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?!?” my mother shrieked into the phone when I told her I had decided not to apply to graduate school. I was still in college and had just come from a meeting with my advisor who had told me quite bluntly, “Don’t do to grad school just because you don’t know what else to do.” I was stunned. How had I not realized that that was what I was doing? I felt that a great weight had been lifted off my shoulders.

So when I called my mom with a sense of joyful relief, the panicked scream I got in reaction was not quite what I’d hoped for.

But then, as mothers so often do just when you want to be mad at them, she had made a good point. What was I going to do? Searches for jobs for anthropology majors generally counseled me to use my new-found understanding of human behavior to try to sell people stuff, answer telephones, or try to sell people stuff over the telephone. I found these options uninspiring.

Lucky for me, a different, less talked about option existed: full time service. Admittedly, I stumbled across the Americorps option because I didn’t know what else to do, but that isn’t why I chose it. It takes more than a “why not?” attitude to make a person decide to pack up, leave home and dive head first into a position she might not yet fully understand and pays almost nothing. You have to see a need you think you can meet, a challenge you are excited to overcome, an opportunity that you think will leave you a better and stronger person than you were before.

People have said a lot of very moving things about the value of doing service, but I won’t quote them here. Honestly I don’t feel like my life is that grandiose. Like working people, I sometimes get worn out and have to deal with things I’d rather ignore. Not to mention that I spend too much time on public transit to pretend that service is all about nobility and greatness. But there are more than enough incredible moments to make up for all that.

I get to see the fierce love our volunteers have for their students. I get to be inspired by their dedication and the way they unequivocally reject the idea that somebody else’s children are somebody else’s responsibility. I get to join in the pride a student feels when she reads a book she couldn’t have gotten through at the beginning of the year. I get to work with a Corps of really fun and motivated people who care about a lot of the same things I do.

I guess all that is a little addictive, because here I am in the middle of my second year of service at Generations Incorporated. Sure, we all have days when we look at our stipend check and wish there were a little more left over to buy that cute pair of shoes… but in the end I feel very privileged to be an Americorps member. The trust the staff gives us allows me to challenge myself ad I get far more support in figuring out and preparing for what I want to do with the rest of my life than most entry-level jobs would give me.

Since I can’t stay here forever, that pesky “Well, what are you going to do?” question will come up again soon. For now though, I know that choosing service was the right thing. Let’s just say I’ve never once wished that I had gone the telemarketing route.

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Emily Schlosnagle is an AmeriCorps State Lead at Generations Incorporated. You can e-mail her at ESchlosnagle@GenerationsInc.org.

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