Orientation for about 25 new AmeriCorps VISTA members to serve in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City began at 8:30 a.m. Phoenix University donated the use of two large classrooms.
At the VRC, a group of VISTA members organized a trailer filled with supplies for cleaning and demolition.
Two VISTA members shot head shots of every member on site for a Who We Are collage.
A group of recent high school graduate volunteers from around the country began training to clean houses -- and ate a free lunch.
In the office, VISTA members answered phones, coordinated volunteer groups and organized schedules. Some were too busy to leave for lunch.
... all of this before noon on a Friday.
Christian Sogaard, 20, an AmeriCorps VISTA summer associate from Dubuque, spends part of his morning with Alan Moore and other VISTAs organizing a trailer stocked with mucking supplies.
Curtis DeVetter, 22, of La Crescent, Minn., and Elie Lowenfeld, 21, of New York City, organize shovels brooms and other equipment before a day of cleaning. Lowenfeld is a college student.
DeVetter, who graduated in May with degrees in Biology and German, was job hunting when he learned of the flooding in Iowa. He figured mucking houses for the summer was better than living at home with his parents. His future plans include joining the Peace Corps.
Mucker Team Lead Rob Hubbard, 22, of San Diego decided to postpone the pursuit of his third degree to be an AmeriCorps VISTA member. He spent Friday morning organizing the trailer of supplies with Christian, Curtis and Elie.
VISTA Corridor Flood Recovery's largest orientation group of AmeriCorps VISTAs -- 25 -- began their training Friday morning in a brand new classroom at Phoenix University. At least three of the new VISTAs will work in Iowa City.
Brandi Holten, 22, of Cedar Rapids, spends a lot of time on the laptop coordinating groups of volunteers from out of state. Holten will student teach in the fall, then become an elementary education/special education teacher.
AmeriCorps VISTA summer associate Christian Sogaard, far right, showed a group of NextGen Academy members from out of town where to get a hot, free lunch. Next GenAcademy members, from left to right: Kaylie Woods, 16, of Concord, Calif.; Ethan Anderson, 18, of Mesa, Ariz.; Amy Pisano, 17, of Vancouver, Wash.; and Joyce Payer, 19, of Des Moines.
A free neighborhood meal is provided for walk-ins at Echo Hill Presbyterian Church, which also houses the East Central Iowa Volunteer Reception Center.
AmeriCorps VISTA members Karlie Murphy, 25, of Moline, Ill., and Angela Lindaman were too busy to step away from their desks at the VRC to take a long lunch break.
AmeriCorps VISTA member muckers and other volunteers have learned to take their shoes off before entering Echo Hill Presbyterian Church, at 1700 B Avenue NE, the site of the VRC.
