general operations around GRP’s sustainable agriculture farm to further strengthen GRP’s farm-to-table initiative. In addition, she is working with farm manager Rachel Meriwether to develop a curriculum to bring local school children out to the farm, and Charlotte is assisting with grant writing to make this dream a reality. An exciting new project that Charlotte is also helping with is Camp to Go, GRP’s newest environmental education program. In an effort to help connect children with nature and the world of summer camp, GRP will begin rolling out Camp to Go to various schools throughout the United States. Government cuts to funding for school programs continue to play havoc with children’s options of playing outside and connecting to nature, and we recognize that there will always be children out there who need camp but will not be able to attend. If the children can’t come to us, then we will go to them. Camp to Go will be housed in a tiny camp cabin replica on wheels, and Charlotte is helping us create the curriculum we will use for the program. Challenges Although GRP has been able to achieve many programming goals with the Project Conserve partnership, there are a few things that were a challenge at first. We had to apply for the program (which is a grant) and ensure that we met all the qualifications set forth by AmeriCorps. Project Conserve is a pretty detailed grant — it requires a lot of staff time to complete, and an application must be resubmitted each year. In compliance with the grant, GRP also meets regularly with the supervising agent of AmeriCorps and Project Conserve. There is a lot of monthly paperwork that goes with a grant and keeping up with this is a discipline, but it is now much easier than at first. In order to comply with some of the guidelines of the grant, we went back to the drawing board with some of our outreach projects and ideas and actually now feel they are stronger. We have also been fortunate in the first two years to have many qualified applicants, and we hope this continues. How AmeriCorps Can Help All Camps The hallmark of GRP is to teach young people to be better stewards of the land. Like many camps, we strive to empower the next generation of conservation leaders. What special programs at your camp could be improved or better maintained with the help of AmeriCorps? When we look back over the last two years, we realize that many of our camp dreams are now really happening because of our AmeriCorps intern and Project Conserve. It’s amazing what an extra pair of hands can help you accomplish, and we encourage you to get involved with the AmeriCorps programs in your area! Photos courtesy of Green River Preserve, Cedar Mountain, North Carolina. References AmeriCorps Project Conserve. (2013). About Project Conserve. Retrieved from www .americorpsprojectconserve.org/about/overview CMLC. (2013). AmeriCorps Project Conserve. Retrieved from www.carolinamountain.org/ projectconserve Corporation for National and Community Service. (2013). Americorps. Retrieved from www.nationalservice.gov/programs/americorps Anne Izard Mead, along with her husband, Stephen Mead, serves as an assistant director to Green River Preserve as well as a director of S.E.E. (School of Environmental Education) and Green River Preserve Expeditions. Anne and Stephen also oversee the Green River Preserve farm program, land and forestry stewardship programs, and various other administrative duties in the camp. Missy Izard Schenck and her husband, Sandy Schenck, own and operate the Schenck Family Conservancy. Together they serve as executive directors of the nonprofit summer camp Green River Preserve, located on the 3,400 acres of the conservancy. Green River Preserve (GRP) is a noncompetitive, coed summer camp connecting children with nature. Located on a 3,400-acre, private wildlife preserve in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina, GRP inspires campers to have a greater understanding of themselves, their environment, and their fellow man. In addition to running a summer camp, GRP also runs high school expedition programs, a residential school program, outreach school programs, and a farm. AmeriCorps engages more than 80,000 Americans in intensive service each year at nonprofits, schools, public agencies, and community and faith-based groups across the country. Young adults are placed into intensive service positions where they learn valuable work skills, earn money for education, and develop an appreciation for citizenship. Since the program’s founding in 1994, more than 800,000 AmeriCorps members have contributed more than 1 billion hours in service across America while tackling pressing problems and mobilizing millions of volunteers for the organizations they serve (Corporation for National and Community Service, 2013). Things to Consider • Working with Project Conserve and other AmeriCorps projects is a grant process — so it is vitally important to meet the qualifications of the grant. • Complying with the grant guidelines might mean rethinking some of your current programming. • Who will oversee the process of applying for the grant? • If your organization is a single-state entity that wants to work with AmeriCorps, contact your state service commission by visiting www.nationalservice.gov/about/contact/statecommission. • If your organization operates in multiple states or is a Tribal organization, call 202-606-7508 or e-mail americorpsnational@cns.gov. CAMPING magazine • March/April 2014 47
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