What kind of world, or country for that matter, would this be without volunteers?
What’s life without fair wages for one’s service?
These questions, when considered together, present somewhat of a paradox, but they also present an opportunity for AmeriCorps NCCC volunteers to show the world and the communities that indwell it why they are so invaluable.
It has been said one of earth’s most precious commodities are people and it is people like AmeriCorps NCCC volunteers who are helping to make the Mississippi Delta Nature and Learning Center’s Heart and Soul Children’s Garden a reality.
Helping is not just what they do, but who they are at their very core.
Founders Amanda and Jon Delperdang broke ground at the center back in September and also announced AmeriCorp as one of its partners that would be assisting in the endeavor.
Roughly one week ago, a group of eight AmeriCorps NCCC volunteers — from AmeriCorps’ southern region — arrived in Greenville to build the Children’s Garden at the MS Delta Nature and Learning Center and their enthusiasm has quickly translated into their work.
“We’ve been building paths around the area so people can get around better and we also built a sort of sand pit where kids can dig around and have some fun in the sand. We’ve mostly been building paths and leveling ground,” said Chase Path, River 3 Team’s community relations representative. “We’re digging holes today to put the posts for the structures in so they don’t just blow away.”
Path, a recent high school graduate from Pennsylvania, noted the team is about five months into their service.
“It’s a 10-month program for 16 to 28 year olds where we get put into a team of 8 to 10 people and we travel around the country doing projects that help better communities,” he explained.
Before being chosen to assist with the center, Path’s team was in Florida assisting with Hurricane Ian relief efforts.
“During times of disaster in the country, we can get pulled from our prior projects to be sent off on emergency response, so we were down in Florida helping load trucks and vans with emergency relief supplies to be sent out to the communities within Florida to help them,” he shared.
When asked what led him to joining AmeriCorp, he said, “I love helping people — it’s one of the things that’s very important to me. I previously have done work with the Boy Scouts of America and I just find it really fun to help people and I also just want to explore the country and get to know new places before going off to college.”
River 3 team leader Marisol Jacquez has one of the most crucial responsibilities for the duration of the project and that is communication between the team, sponsors and the AmeriCorps NCCC: Southern Region staff in Vicksburg.
“We follow a chain of command and when it comes to the team needs, if something is not being met, it comes to me and then I take it up to whoever else needs to know that and that’s the main thing,” said Jacquez.
While she is based in Vicksburg, this marked her first ever visit to Greenville which she described as “really exciting.”
Most exciting for her though, was seeing Delperdang’s own excitement for the project.
“For me, this has made it one of the best projects — to work with someone and see their enthusiasm is definitely such a big factor and why coming here is enjoyable and you kind of see what you’re doing it for,” she said.
Jacquez, who has a bachelor’s degree in social work, was asked if her field of study correlates with her volunteer interests.
“It definitely aligns with my values because social work is all about serving your community and it’s definitely about the people you serve. Often we are so focused on “us,” but being in this program, you have to remember that you are here for the people you are serving and that really aligns with social work,” she responded. “And even though it sounds like a basic thing to say, it really is all about helping other people.”
Skylar Hults, also a recent high school graduate, hails from the Empire State.
Uncertain as to exactly what she wanted to do immediately post graduation, she highlighted that several of the AmeriCorps pillars of service along with its mission aligns with many of her morals and what she wants to pursue.
“So, I decided this would be a good way to spend a gap year and actually do good. With this project, I am most excited to be working with kind of a smaller sponsor in Amanda and her husband,” said Hults. “I think it’s really good because we’ve been working with a lot of bigger organizations and I really like to see one person being dedicated to something and choosing to make a really big impact on a small community.”
Reiterating the impact the center will have on the people in the community, especially children, Hults continued, “Just seeing how passionate Amanda is about the whole project and how educated and purposeful she’s making everything, she really pays attention to detail. Her being so dedicated inspires me every day and I’m so grateful that we get to be such a big part of a big project for a community in America.”
She also beamed about the possibility of coming back to the center with her own children one day and being able to reflect on being a big part of the start of something that will last for lifetimes in the Greenville community.
When asked what especially stood out about Greenville, Hults said, “Honestly, the friendliness. There’s just a big focus on community and loving your neighbor.”
Delperdang is equally excited to be working with the volunteers.
“They’ve been really great to work with. You never know what you’re going to get when you sign up to have a group of young people come work with you, but they are so helpful and are willing to do whatever needs to be done and they are not going to complain about it,” she said. “I’ve been so grateful for what they’ve done so far. Really, without the work they are doing, this would not be where it is today.”
She said further, “They work really hard, they work really fast and it’s really a blessing to have them here in Greenville.”
Delperdang highlighted how the AmeriCorps volunteers are not just serving the center, but have been volunteering at Heart Helpings Food Pantry over the past weekend as well.
“They work for the Nature Center on Monday through Friday, but on the weekends, they find other service projects in the community. So it’s not just the nature center they’re benefiting, but other people in the community,” she said, noting two other AmeriCorps members who have been rendering “behind the scenes” assistance to the center — Reshita Spencer and Ellie McLellan. “Spencer is doing fundraising and volunteer management for us and Ellie is writing all of our curriculum for us, which is all a part of the AmeriCorps program.”
She emphasized how great of an organization it is for young people in the community and encouraged those who would be interested in joining, to visit the website to see what it had to offer.
“It’s a really great way to kind of figure out what you want to do while seeing the country. What a blessing it has been because we can’t do it by ourselves and having that program and having those resources given to us has been a huge benefit,” Delperdang added.
More information about the Mississippi Delta Nature and Learning Center and its programs can be found at msdeltanature.org/home.
