NEBRASKAland Magazine is dedicated to outstanding photography and informative writing with an engaging mix of articles and photos highlighting Nebraska’s outdoor activities, parklands, wildlife, history and people.
Issue link: http://mag.outdoornebraska.gov/i/725550
OCTOBER 2016 • NEBRASKAland 65 Along the Road I n the summer of 2015, a team of YouthBuild AmeriCorps members gathered at Two Rivers State Recreation Area and rolled up their sleeves to help make the park more accessible for visitors. From May to August, the young team members built an American with Disabilities Act approved camping pad, repaired concrete in front of the concessions stand and pitched in on smaller projects. The successful project was the fruit of a partnership between the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, ServeNebraska and the Cornhusker Motor Club Foundation, with the goal of making Nebraska's state parks and recreation areas more accessible to those with disabilities. The partnership meets common goals for everyone involved. One of Cornhusker Motor Club Foundation's overarching missions is to support tourism in Nebraska, which this partnership achieves. The Foundation has also funded numerous improvement projects for Game and Parks in the past. ServeNebraska encourages volunteerism across the state and supports Nebraska's AmeriCorps members, who spend hundreds of hours every year volunteering in local communities. ServeNebraska Executive Director Cathleen Plager knew that YouthBuild Omaha was looking to give its AmeriCorps volunteers more experience in finished concrete work, and Game and Parks needed concrete help. Everything fit. Representatives from these groups met last spring to form the partnership, and Plager still remembers the feeling of excitement shared by everyone as the meeting concluded. "We could all see so much potential coming out of this," she said. The Cornhusker Motor Club Foundation provided $40,000 to be dispersed over a two-year period, while ServeNebraska coordinated the workforce of AmeriCorps volunteers. The volunteers belong to YouthBuild Omaha, a program of Goodwill Industries of Eastern Nebraska and Southwest Iowa. "YouthBuild participants are 17 to 24 years old," said Alyssa Beebe, a construction trainer with YouthBuild. "Generally they have not completed high school, so they are working toward getting their GED. When they are not in GED classes, they are on construction sites getting various certificatio ns and learning skills that will help them in the working world." Making the 20-by-65-foot camping pad and smaller picnic pad was a learning experience for nearly all involved. YouthBuild construction trainer Tom Simodynes coached the group through each step of the process, and two Game and Parks facility maintenance technicians periodically joined the workers. "The Two Rivers project was different for us because we were working with a lot of time constraints," Beebe recalled. "Concrete sets fast. When that concrete truck shows up, it's game on." Mike Jelinek, facility maintenance manager for Game and Parks, visited the group from time to time to check on its progress. He was impressed. "All of them worked very hard," he said. "And the finished product turned out really well." Seeing the completed project was exciting for the workers. "I know that they were very proud of this," Beebe said. "They brought people out to take pictures and posted photos on social media." For Beebe and Simodynes, it was rewarding to see how the YouthBuild AmeriCorps workers were affected by the experience. The young people gained real-world working experience, connected with Game and Parks staff and were exposed to a different part of Nebraska – a state recreation area. Many began returning on weekends to camp and swim. "It was a very impactful project," Beebe said. With this success in their pocket, staff at Game and Parks, ServeNebraska and the Cornhusker Motor Club Foundation eagerly look forward to their next project together. Whatever it will be, it's sure to make Nebraska a better place for everyone. ■ To learn more, visit: cornhuskerfoundation.org, serve. nebraska.gov, nationalservice.gov, youthbuild.org and goodwillomaha.org. New Partnership Benefits Two Rivers State Recreation Area Organizations unite to make state parks accessible to those with disabilities. By Renae Blum PHOTO COURTESY OF GOODWILL OMAHA Alyssa Beebe (left) and Francisco Moreno (right) of Omaha put finishing touches on a handicap-accessible camping pad.