ISSUE 5: June 24, 2008
VISTA Advisory
Reminder: VISTA Evacuation Policy
Who Lives in Your Neighborhood
American Idealist
VISTA Advisory: VISTAs Weather Midwest Storms
Severe weather has torn through the Midwest with tornadoes and flooding in many states, including Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Missouri, Kansas and Minnesota. In Iowa, almost all VISTA projects were affected by the floods, including one project that was evacuated and relocated. Indiana VISTA projects have faired better with little or no damage, and VISTAs at the state’s largest project, the American Red Cross, have been busy coordinating relief efforts. In Wisconsin, Campus Compact VISTAs are recruiting community volunteers to help clean out flooded homes, restock food pantries and manage and screen other volunteers.
The Viewfinder will continue to send updates on the storm clean up and the VISTA projects that were affected. Please send us your story or photos if you or your project were affected by the tornadoes or flooding. For those who are affected, please know that VISTA supports you in this time of recovery and rebuilding.
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Reminder: VISTA Evacuation Policy
In case of an emergency or disaster that requires your VISTA site to be evacuated, please review VISTA’s evacuation policy for volunteers.
- VISTA Members are to follow the orders or recommendation of the state and local governments regarding the need to evacuate an area.
- VISTAs should seek safe haven (evacuation shelters, etc) and contact the Corporation State Office and their Project Supervisor to notify them of their whereabouts within 48 hours. If the Corporation State Office can not be contacted, VISTAs shall contact the VISTA Member Support Unit at 866-473-5733, identifying themselves, their project, their current location, and how best to contact them.
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Who lives in your neighborhood?
Signe is all smiles during a successful Leaders conference.
Throughout the country, VISTAs are discovering new and unique ways to meet each other and share experiences. Last April, VISTA Leaders in Washington and Oregon held a “For Leaders, By Leaders” conference focused on furthering developing their leadership skills.
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For two days, nearly 12 VISTA Leaders explored and shared information on such topics as team-based management, resume building, long distance training, web resources and preparing for life after VISTA.
The idea came from a discussion between VISTA Leaders Signe Bishop, Rebecca Johnson, and Ron Ovadenko regarding their training. They wrote a proposal to Curtis Peetz, a State Office Specialist in Oregon, looking for support to organize the event. A call was put out to VISTA Leaders in both states regarding their level of interest and what skills they could bring to the table.
Signe says that beyond the great depth of knowledge gained, one of the best outcomes of the event was meeting all the VISTA Leaders and staying connected. Mark Wilson, a VISTA Leader at the Native American Youth and Family Center, agrees. “Meeting with other Leaders,” he said, “has provided invaluable support and helped renew my commitment when my work has been at its most challenging.”
Curtis also sees the power of VISTAs supporting and connecting with each other. He encourages VISTA Leaders in other states to follow the Oregon/Washington model.
For more information on how to become a VISTA Leader,
click here.
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American Idealist
A Documentary on the Life of Sargent Shriver
Sargent Shriver was hesitant at first to accept the job of leading the War on Poverty when asked by President Johnson. Thankfully, Shriver did accept and administered the Office of Economic Opportunity, which included VISTA. Through his passion and idealism, he inspired thousands of young Americans to serve and to make a difference in the lives of others. Shriver deeply believed that change was possible, and poverty could be alleviated.
Sargent Shriver inspires VISTAs to address poverty at home
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American Idealist: A Documentary on the Life of Sargent Shriver recounts the life of Shriver and his legacy of civil and national service. Shriver is best known for serving as the first director of Peace Corps, president of Special Olympics, and visionary of Head Start and Job Corps. In 1994, Shriver received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States.
"Nearly everybody in their life needs someone to help them,” Shriver once said about poverty and service. “I don't care whether you're the greatest self-made man; the fact is, someone has helped you along the way."
American Idealist began airing on PBS in January in conjunction with Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. To learn more about Sargent Shriver and the beginning of VISTA, check your local PBS listings, or order a copy of the DVD (for approximately 8 dollars), visit www.americanidealistmovie.org.
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Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: What is the Viewfinder?
A: VISTA means view-looking out on a broad expanse. The viewfinder, a toy that all generations of VISTAs recognize, was a kind of binocular that focused on points of interest, highlights, and snapshots in living color. The VISTA Viewfinder surveys in the landscape and zeroes in on service.
Q. Why the Viewfinder?
A. Here’s your direct link to connecting with other VISTAs, learning what they are doing, and helping to spread the message of VISTA and national service!
Q. How can I contribute?
A.
Have a story to tell? Submission ideas? Contact vistaoutreach@cns.gov.
Use the Viewfinder to highlight your VISTA service and share your
experiences with others across the country!
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