AmeriCorps Week

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to spend a 40 hour week serving your community and earning less than minimum wage for your efforts?  That is exactly what thousands of AmeriCorps members do each year all over the country.  Next week, we honor those members for their dedication and hard work during AmeriCorps Week, March 9-17.

 800,000 people have served with AmeriCorps since it began in 1994.  These people have provided one billion hours of service in communities all over the United States, serving with 15,000 non-profit, faith-based, and community organizations.

AmeriCorps Member Brenna Archibald Inspires Local Students

In Nevada, there are over 300 AmeriCorps members serving with AmeriCorps funded programs.  Most of the programs receive funding from Nevada Volunteers, the Governor’s Commission on Service and Volunteerism for the state of Nevada, who receive a federal grant from the Corporation for National and Community Service.  Nevada Outdoor School (NOS) is one of the programs funded by Nevada Volunteers.  The NOS AmeriCorps program serves rural northern Nevada so AmeriCorps members are spread from Gerlach to Wells, but most members serve in Winnemucca. Currently, there are eleven members serving in nine different non-profit, faith-based, or community organizations. 

You may recognize AmeriCorps members by the shirts they wear bearing the AmeriCorps logo.  They have put in more than 6,000 hours of service in the communities of Winnemucca, Battle Mountain, Wells and Gerlach since September, 2012.  Current members are: Brenna Archibald, serving at both Nevada Outdoor School and Friends of Nevada Wilderness, Tanya Baxter, serving at the Winnemucca Community Garden, Ashley Hanson, serving at the Wells Family Resource Center, Julie Hepp and Steve Thompson, serving at NOS, Julie Holland, serving with Lander County School District, Barbara Ludington, serving at the Pleasant Senior Center, Joe McDonald and Terra Webber, both serving at Humboldt Volunteer Hospice, Michael Myers, serving at Friends of Black Rock High Rock, and Brian Nelson, serving with Winnemucca Ministerial Association at the Soup Kitchen and Food Bank.  If you see any of these members serving around the community, take a moment to thank them for their continuing dedication and hard work.

 

By Cathy Yates

Wonderful Wetlands

As a Naturalist with Nevada Outdoor School (NOS) I am given opportunities to work with a variety of audiences, plan events, and assist with education programming. This past month I was given the opportunity to test my hand at lesson development and implementation for an after school program in Elko, called Fun Factory.

To begin the process, I started with a simple question: “What am I interested in?” After a lot of contemplation, I chose to focus on Wetlands. Next came the difficult part: How do I engage children from different age groups (K-4) and still accomplish the goal for students to discover benefits wetlands have for humans and animals.

Keeping this goal in mind, three stations were developed: 1) Water Filtration, 2) Flooding Station, and 3) Water Fowl Shuffle.

1)      Water Filtration focused on how water infiltrates the ground in different environments and how soil filters that water. Students observed demonstrations showing how water infiltrates urban and natural landscapes, and then created their own wetland soil water filters.

2)      Flooding Station focused on how wetlands absorb water and can protect homes/communities from flood events. Students were given two graham cracker houses and materials to construct two landscapes: One landscape of their choosing and one wetland landscape. Water was poured into each landscape to represent a flood event.  This demonstrated the impact floods have on homes when wetlands are present and when they are not.

 

 

3)      Water Fowl Shuffle was split into three sub-stations:

1.      Mounts

Students used clue cards to identify different waterfowl/bird mounts and discovered fun facts about the birds. Students investigated the mounts using touch and sight.

2.      Beaks and Bills

Students selected cards representing waterfowl and based on pictures discovered the type of food the bird eats. They then chose a utensil representing the bird’s beak or bill. Students used the utensil to collect the bird’s food from a kiddy pool filled with water.

3.      Migration

Students acted out the migration process of several waterfowl species and experienced how wetlands are rest stops for these migratory species. At the wetland rest stop area students researched more about waterfowl and wetlands from books provided. 

This was the first program I developed completely from scratch and it was a great success! Nearly a month was spent on brainstorming, experimenting, discussing, and writing up these activities. Without the help of my fellow naturalists, guidance from High Five (our Education Coordinator), and materials from the Northeastern Nevada Museum this program would not have been such a success.

It was amazing to see all the smiles, hear the laughter, and to simply be surrounded by so many engaged people. I set the bar high for myself on this one and it will be difficult to match in the future!

Take care.

-          Cheddar

Summer Plans

How is your summer looking?  Have you thought that far ahead yet?  I’m sure most of you have, maybe without even realizing it, I sure have.  Winter’s grip is weakening, the days are growing longer and occasionally surprise us with their warmth and I can’t help but let my mind wander a bit to what I might be doing on beautiful day this summer.  It might be something simple, a bike ride after work or a softball game, or I might start thinking about a tentative backpacking trip.  Whatever it is at the time, I have been looking at the summer as being wide open.  Then, recently, a need to set firm dates for a Nevada Outdoor School function made me think a bit more specifically about what my personal schedule looked like for the next six months or so.   It soon became apparent that I had been making plans for this summer for longer than I remembered.  There is a family reunion, that back packing trip, visits to Nevada from friends and family, plenty of NOS fun, oh and maybe a rafting trip, of course some peak bagging, and a recommitment to do more rock climbing this year.  All of the sudden, my summer is looking pretty full; especially if I want to keep a few weekends open for down time, or an impromptu barbeque. 


It's always summer in southern Nevada, our Executive Director found some
inspiration while hiking in the Spirit Mountain Wilderness recently.

So, before your summer is full to the brim, make sure you have thought about some of the things that are the most important to you.  And while you’re at it, maybe think about trying something new.  NOS has plenty of ideas.  We would love for you to join us at the 5^th Annual Buckaroo Dutch Oven Cook-Off and NOS 10 Year Birthday Bash on August 24^th.  Another great idea would be to join us and our partners for a volunteer conservation project.  These volunteer events are a great way to see a part of Nevada you may never have been to, feel a sense of accomplishment in giving back to your public lands, make new friends and enjoy the camaraderie of working in the dirt together.

A few other ideas just randomly pitched in from folks in the office today, in case you are in need of inspiration: raft a new river, visit San Francisco, camp in Yosemite, climb the highest point in New Mexico, hike the Ruby Crest Trail, run a charity 5k, grow an herb garden, ride in a hot air balloon, visit the ocean, participate in a multi-sport race, float somewhere, hike somewhere, explore Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, ride an ATV…

What’s on your list?

The Super Bowl of Food

Alright football fans and food enthusiasts, get excited!!

It’s finally that magical time of year again, when we come together to yell at TV screens, laugh at crazy commericals, and feast!

That’s right, this Sunday is the Super Bowl!

All of us here at NOS would like to share with you some of our favorite recipes to chow down on this weekend. 

So grab a pen and paper, sit yourself down, and get ready to be inspired:

 

Ranch Pretzels (from Steve)

Ingredients
1 pound bag of pretzel twists or sticks
1 pouch of ranch seasoning
6 to 8 ounces of Orville Redenbackers butter flavored popcorn oil (1 bottle will make two batches)

Directions:
Combine seasoning pouch and 6-8 ounces of oil in a 1 gallon Ziploc bag or a large bowl and mix well. Then, add a bag of pretzels to the Ziploc bag or bowl and mix well so the mix covers the pretzels. Keep open for some time and mix every so often to allow them to dry.

Pulled Pork Sliders (from Mel)

Ingredients
1/2 cup apricot preserves
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 red onion, sliced
2 1/2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, trimmed
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
8 small rolls, split 8 leaves green-leaf lettuce 

Directions:
In a 5 to 6 quart slow cooker, whisk together the apricot preserves and vinegar; stir in the onion. Season the pork with the cumin and 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper. Nestle the pork among the onions. Cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 5 to 6 hours, covered, until pork is tender and easily pulls apart. Using 2 forks, shred the pork and stir it into the cooking liquid in the bottom of the slow cooker. Form sliders with the rolls, lettuce, and pork. Serve with potato chips, if desired.



Fried Pork Potato Skins (from Steve)

How to Make Classic Potato Skins:
Pierce 4 large russet potatoes with a fork. Bake directly on the oven rack at 350 degrees until tender, for about 1 hour. Let cool, then quarter lengthwise and scoop out the flesh, leaving a 1/4-inch shell. Brush both sides with melted butter and season with salt and pepper. Bake, skin-side up, at 450 degrees until crisp, about 15 minutes. Add your favorite team toppings. (For cheesy skins, flip the baked shells over before topping, sprinkle with 1 cup grated cheddar cheese and bake an extra 5 minutes.)

Toppings: Mayonnaise mixed with mustard and hot sauce, sliced fried pork cutlets, chopped tomato and diced red onion

Chicken Chili (from Julie)

Prep Time:         Cook Time:          Level: Easy         Serves: 6 Servings
15 min.               1 hr 45 min

Ingredients:
4 cups chopped yellow onions (3 onions)
1/8 cup good olive oil, plus extra for chicken
1/8 cup minced garlic (2 cloves)
2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and large-diced
2 yellow bell peppers, cored, seeded, and large-diced
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for chicken
2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled plum tomatoes in puree, undrained
1/4 cup minced fresh basil leaves
4 split chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
Freshly ground black pepper

For serving:
Chopped onions, corn chips, grated cheddar, sour cream

Directions:
Cook the onions in the oil over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the bell peppers, chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, cayenne, and salt. Cook for 1 minute. Crush the tomatoes by hand or in batches in a food processor fitted with a steel blade (pulse 6 to 8 times). Add basil to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Rub the chicken breasts with olive oil and place them on a baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast the chicken for 35 to 40 minutes, until just cooked. Let cool slightly. Separate the meat from the bones and skin, and cut it into 3/4-inch chunks. Add to the chili and simmer, uncovered, for another 20 minutes. Serve with the toppings, or refrigerate and reheat gently before serving.

Whether your team wins or loses this Sunday, your belly will be happy no matter what.

From everyone at NOS, Happy Super Bowl and Happy Eating!

Enjoy!

 

Rocket

Reflection on MLK Day Service

On Saturday, January 19^th, Nevada Outdoor School AmeriCorps members planned and implemented a 5K Run/Walk in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.  In 1994, the Federal Government designated Martin Luther King Jr. day as a national day of service with a theme of “a day on, not a day off”.  In keeping with that theme, NOS AmeriCorps members coordinated with Winnemucca agencies, asking them to participate in a registration process during the morning before the scheduled noon 5K.  During the registration process, 5K participants were to choose a volunteer opportunity, committing to a minimum of 2 hours of service in lieu of a fee to run or walk.  With a high of about 18 degrees on that day, we were lucky to have 20 participants in the 5K and in addition we had about 7 more people who signed up to volunteer, but didn’t want to run or walk in such frigid and icy conditions.  AmeriCorps member Brenna Archibald reflects on MLK day below:
 

        In preparing for our Martin Luther King Jr. Day event I was often reminded of what service is, and all Dr. King stood for.  We were able to prepare posters with inspirational quotes by Dr. King as well as write press releases highlighting the importance of MLK Day.  Through our preparation we were provided multiple opportunities to work with local community members, business owners, and city officials.  It’s easy in planning or participating in an event like this, to get caught up in everything that needs to be done.  By striving to make sure of the event’s success, it was easy (at times) to lose sight of what we were really hoping to do for our community as the northern Nevada AmeriCorps team.  Acknowledging this idea personally reminded me of our objective for the event: to bring the community together and contribute to local agency’s abilities to recruit local volunteers.  

 

        The turnout for the event felt successful in meeting our ultimate goal and for me, it was incredible to touch base with community members who were excited about volunteering their time for a local agency.  Service is “the act of helping or doing work for someone”, and during our MLK Day event we had various local community members commit to doing a “service” and volunteering their time.  Their selflessness and support of the event in general, made the preparation and hard work well worth it.  These are the people in our community that best reminded me of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his ability to serve, inspire, positively impact, and lead.

    

Winnemucca’s Wildlife - Winter Weather Woes

You don’t have to look at the thermometer to know its COLD outside.  Winter is supposed to be cold… but this cold? For this long? 
Last Thursday, the heat at my house stopped working.  With temperatures for the coming nights forecasted below zero, it was a pretty big problem.  Luckily, thanks to the generosity of my co-workers (letting me borrow space heaters) and the wonderful timely response of the repair man, we were only in the cold for two nights and able to have some source of heat during that time.  However, it was still CRAZY COLD and made me realize how ill-adapted humans are to dealing with such harsh winter conditions.  It also made me think about the wildlife constantly exposed to these outdoor conditions and if they are well adapted enough to handle these temperatures. 
So I did some research…

I wanted to know if the winter conditions we have been experiencing this season are affecting animals in our area differently than typical winter conditions (duration of snow cover, ground frost, etc.).  Also, I was curious if this harsh winter will have a big impact on the typical amount of winter kill (animals deceased due to winter conditions) that occurs and how this will impact our desert ecosystem. 

I talked with a Biology professor at Great Basin Community College and a Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) employee.  What I learned was that all types of extreme weather conditions (heat and cold) put stress on wildlife.  The biggest issue with cold temperatures is an animal’s nutrition.  The low amount of rainfall we received this past year created poor foraging conditions for wildlife to prepare for winter.  There is no doubt that this prolonged cold is a stressor to animals.  However, there probably isn’t any increased stress on the subnivean (under the snow) environment.  For animals living above the snow, outside conditions dictate the rate at which they lose precious fat reserves.  Animals are using most of their energy to stay warm, making it hard to forage.  NDOW has also observed animals moving upslope because of the current temperature inversion, where higher elevations are warmer.  Basically, the amount of winter kill will likely be much more than usual and those animals that do make it through this winter are likely to come out of it in pretty poor conditions.  How this will affect our desert ecosystem is yet to be seen. 

Just things to think about….

Stay warm,

Jive

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