October Great Stories + Photos Round Up
“During the month of October, I was assigned to the Mission Assignment involving Missouri residents affected by the summer flooding. The experience this gave me, and the skills I gained from it were beyond what I had expected. By talking with people on the phone, I learned that everyone handles adversity differently and that no two people are the same. Some people would be grateful to have someone else to talk to and listen to what they need, some would be so mad that all they could do was swear and curse up a storm, and others would be cracking jokes left and right to lighten up the situation. Each phone call I made allowed me to further connect with the community I serve, and I am forever grateful for this experience.” - Grant Young, AmeriCorps St. Louis Member
“For the first project week of this term, I was given the opportunity to go down to Eminence, MO to assist in a science project that AmeriCorps teams don't often get to take part in- a rare species survey! A type of shrub that most commonly found in other parts of the country was found in Forest Service land near the town of Winona, this shrub is Bigleaf Snowbell (or Styrax Grandifolius), and it is not found anywhere else in Missouri. Our team was given the opportunity to witness a stage in the project that was all about finding data and coming up with theories on why this species was found in this part of Missouri. Our role in the project consisted of scouting the area and identifying plants and getting recorded on tablets containing GPS data, as well as establishing plots to act as survey areas for ecologists to come back later to record data. We were also given the opportunity to serve with and learn from various people from different agencies such as the Missouri Department of Conservation, the National Park Service, the Forest Service, and the L-AD- Foundation. It was great experience, and I was glad I was given the opportunity to be apart and a great opportunity to validate my love for natural sciences.” - Brett Miller, AmeriCorps St. Louis Team Lead
“One training that was exciting during October was our training at Shaw Nature Reserve to get more of a feel for glade habitat, trees, and collecting seed. We got a tour of the seed bank in their garage and it is so cool! The restoration crew demonstrated how they mill their seeds, store them, and label them. It was fun to smell them. Then, we went out on a long walk in the woods and checked out the impact of dead cedars lying on glades for years. We also talked about when they've found it best to scatter seed- in January right before it's supposed to snow so that the snow helps protect the seed from birds and other animals and also brings it down with it into the soil. Honestly, probably the most exciting part was being back at the site of my last Missouri project last year- which I absolutely loved! Shaw is beautiful and fun and the contact Calvin can answer so many ecological questions- I really hope that I get to go back this year as a team lead!” Emily Ray, AmeriCorps St. Louis Team Lead
