Induction

     Today was a really special day!  Class 19A and I became official members of AmeriCorps NCCC.  There was a special induction ceremony that celebrated our appointment.  We all wore our fancy "AmeriTuxes" and gathered in the campus's auditorium.  We had some distinguished speakers who are alumni of NCCC and now are doing amazing things nationally.  (Today I learned that on Tuesday an NCCC alum was elected to New Mexico's senate!  He wasn't at induction, though.)  One of my fellow corps members spoke, too.  Samantha is going to be a famous writer someday.  I'm just putting that out here for proof that I loved her and her work before she got famous!  One of our unit leaders, Kevin Rumery, played his famous song "Lighthouse".  You should all buy it on iTunes.  =) Or at least check it out on YouTube. 

     It felt great to celebrate all the work we did during CTI and all the work and opportunities and joy we have ahead of us.  I can't believe that for the next 9 months, I get to help strengthen communities and develop as a leader.  It's the best job description ever. 

     This will be my last post in Denver for awhile.  Tomorrow morning, Fire 1 and I will embark on our epic journey to Oklahoma City.  It will take 2 days.  We'll stay overnight in a hotel in Kansas with a few other teams before parting ways.  On Friday we'll celebrate my teammate John's birthday.  We'll also get to have lunch on Saturday at Erin's family's house in Wichita!  We'll arrive in OKC on Saturday in the late afternoon.  It should be a great journey. 

     Update on my friends who were scheduled to deploy to Sandy: right now there is not enough organized food and shelter available for them to head to the east coast.  Hopefully there will be adequate provisions for them soon, but until then they're going to go to the projects they were assigned originally in the southwest region. 

     I'll leave you with the pledge we took today and a few pictures.

I will get things done for America -

to make our people safer, smarter, and healthier.

I will bring Americans together to strengthen comunities. 

Faced with apathy, I will take action.

Faced with conflice, I will seek common ground.

Faced with adversity, I will persevere.

I will carry this commitment with me this year and beyond.

I am an AmeriCorps member, and I will get things done.



Fire Unit

Fire 1!  Ready to go.