AmeriCorps*VISTA Volunteers at MCRP

1994-1995:
Mary Ann Borch

1995-1996:
Chris Bogzevitz

1995-1996:
Nancy Roberts Haines

1996:
Melinda Knowlton

1996-1997:
Scott Miller

1996-1998:
Tracy Scott

1997-1998:
Jerry Iles

1998-1999:
Norah Pons Newberg

1999-2000:
Troy Mellott

2000:
Harriet Martin

2000-2001:
Corie Thibault McCament

2001-2002:
Shana Andrews

2002-2003:
Matt Woods

2003-2004:
Raina Ooten

Tenth Anniversary newsletter (PDF format, 1.6 MB)

Stories:

MCRP Staff

OSM Summer Interns

VISTA volunteers

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1994 to 2004:
AmeriCorps*VISTA volunteers
and the watershed community

Photos, clockwise from top left: Jerry Iles at the Carbon Hill streambank stabilization project, 1997 (MCRP files). Corie Thibault McCament and Jen Shimala Bowman help budding chemists measure the acidity of liquids from orange juice to drinking water at Murray City Kids Fun Day, 2000 (photo by Troy Mellott). Scott Miller and daughter Sophie on a tour of one of the watershed's wetlands (MCRP files). Norah Newberg and young volunteer treeplanter at Rutherford, 2002. The late Betty St. Clair of New Straitsville, 2002 (photo by Mike Steinmaus).

NANCY ROBERTS HAINES My favorite memories of the Monday Creek Restoration Project are of the watershed tours I conducted or participated in. The experience I received as a VISTA strengthened me as a person and much of that philosophy is applied at the veterinary clinic where I work now. I was glad for the opportunity to serve on the project, but am happy that I have moved into another arena that is very dear to my heart, pet care. Best wishes for the continued good works of the Monday Creek Restoration Project!

TRACY SCOTT I would first like to say happy anniversary to the MCRP partners. The partners have had many successes, small and large, over the ten years. I will never forget my experiences with the MCRP and Rural Action. I am pleased to have contributed if only in a small way by first serving a VISTA term, and then working as a private water quality contractor with the Wayne National Forest.
I enjoyed meeting with the watershed residents the most. They were very concerned about the water quality, although a little hesitant at first about the project. If you are reading this and are a watershed resident but not a member of MCRP I urge you to join or volunteer for an upcoming event.

JERRY ILES My time as a VISTA volunteer at Monday Creek gave me the opportunity to get hands on experience in field sampling and project administration. It allowed me to pursue a career in watershed restoration.
One of my main duties was assisting with water sampling. I partnered with ODNR to push legislative aids towards putting into a House Bill a section that allows ODNR to give money directly to watershed groups for things other than construction costs. I also worked on the Rock Run reclamation project. The borrow area had to have the trees cleared from it. I arranged an agreement with Hocking College and Wayne National Forest to get the trees cleared in time to get the project done. This resulted in $8,000 in lumber fees for the MCRP, and that money is still used today!
In the next ten years, I hope to see aquatic life, especially fish, to return to ALL sections of Monday Creek.

NORAH PONS NEWBERG I enjoyed the time I spent working at Monday Creek. I loved the woods, the field work and the wildness of the area. The people of New Straitsville befriended me and proved to be great allies. The people of the Little Cities of Black Diamonds welcomed me into their group as well. I really enjoyed working with all those fine people as well as SPiCYAM. I met some very fine people through our affiliation with Rural Action. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to work for the Project and hope someday to come back to see a cleaner, healthier watershed.

TROY MELLOTT When I began as a VISTA volunteer, I could not have explained to anyone just what MCRP stood for, as I was clueless to watershed restoration. Norah Newberg became my guardian angel. Norah...worked hard to make many friends and get the office set up initially in New Straitsville. I felt that Mike, Norah, and I made a good team, and I always looked forward to going in to work. I particularly enjoyed doing the water sampling with Norah and will always equate the experience with pulling over to help about 25 tortoises across the road safely throughout the spring. I actually used that experience at a conference as an example of how we can set our minds to the long process of the healing that needs to take place to improve our watershed... "one tortoise at a time."
What a great group of people. I feel very fortunate to have met and worked with the dedicated MCRP crew. As for what I see in the MCRP's future, the staff will always be patient in moving forward with the overwhelming work that needs to be done, always be courteous to the local people most affected by decisions being made and, most importantly, have some fun doing it.

HARRIET MARTIN I learned a lot in my 3 months as a VISTA at Monday Creek...a lot of water sampling techniques and the origin of some of the small communities in the watershed. I had a good time! I think all the watershed groups in the state are very valuable. I hope that the MCRP gets more funding in the next ten years for projects and...can continue the next ten years.

CORIE THIBAULT McCAMENT One memory that I have from MCRP is about Norah Newberg. She told me that her legacy was getting the office for Monday Creek and asked me in a joking but serious way what my legacy would be. After working with the community on different projects like AMD and Art and other projects, I didn't have anything concrete to show. However, when I first arrived as a VISTA I called up the local highway departments and had them put up Monday Creek signs at all of the state highway crossings. It's silly that a small thing like that made me feel that my year of volunteering left a mark, so I told Norah that my legacy was the road signs. Monday Creek left as its legacy to me the friendships that make me feel like a part of the community now, and that I fit in a place that I now call my home.

SHANA ANDREWS During my VISTA term, I never forgot the work of the past VISTAs. They worked so hard and did so much for Monday Creek that needed to be appreciated. The most important thing about my experience at the Monday Creek Restoration Project was the people that I connected with.
I met some wonderful people -- from the senior citizens I had lunch with in Murray City, the gentlemen at the 'Liar's Table' in Karen's Kitchen in New Straitsville, to the past VISTA volunteers and Interns I learned from.
Betty St. Clair, Ron Eaton and Hubert Dunkle were just a few of the great people in New Straitsville. Betty St. Clair was an amazing woman. She was a great supporter of what we did at the MCRP and was a true steward for New Straitsville.
Norah would take me out to do water sampling. I would sometimes get very frustrated fighting the weeds, bugs, and mud. I'll also never forget Mike dressing up as Watershed Man for the kids! The Monday Creek Restoration Project really is about the people in and around the watershed. We worked for the benefit of the people. And you have to talk to people, connect with people, to get things done for a community.

MATT WOODS We had some good times at the MCRP. The field work with Sue and Rebecca was great. I also liked working with EPA and USFS and ODNR, seeing how the funding and projects got going. I wasn't that crazy about the trash pickups. It seemed like it encouraged the people to go ahead and litter, because someone will come around and pick it up. All in all, it was a good year as a VISTA. I didn't get rich or anything like that, but it was a good experience.

RAINA OOTEN My fondest memories about my time as a VISTA with Monday Creek will always be about the children of the watershed. My time working with them has been so rewarding. Visiting the schools and helping the kids understand the problems that are endemic to Monday Creek makes me feel like I am making a real difference for the future. Seeing that spark in the eyes of a child who truly cares about their watershed makes all the work worth it.

BETSY GOSNELL (MCRP Volunteer and former Rural Action VISTA)
In all honesty, the quote that best sums up how I feel about the Monday Creek Restoration Project is not mine. It is a quote from Margaret Mead: "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, concerned citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has."
I see that quote reflected in the work that the Friends of Monday Creek and the MCRP has done in the watershed. Just look at the Rock Run site-- that is indeed a testimony to what folks can do if they put their mind to it!
I also think of that quote when I'm out cleaning trash from the side of the road. I could just look at the trash and say, "Why doesn't somebody do something about that?" Well, I DO! It's only one thing, but if everybody did one thing then the community, and eventually the world, would be a nicer, cleaner, better place to live! Good luck for the next ten years, Monday Creek!

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