AmeriCorps Week highlights the work of more than 1,800 AmeriCorps members in the District of Columbia and hopes to motivate more Americans to serve their communities. To commemorate AmeriCorps Week, Serve DC will host service projects at Turner at Green Elementary School, a volunteer recognition ceremony, training sessions, and conferences across Washington, DC.

Sponsored by the DC AmeriCorps Leadership Council and Serve DC — The Mayor’s Office on Volunteerism, the seventh annual All Corps Service Day will organize volunteers — including community members, Corporation for National and Community Service staff, and AmeriCorps members, alumni, and friends — to tackle numerous beautification projects at Turner at Green Elementary School, located at 1500 Mississippi Avenue. SE. Projects include planting flowers in the school garden, cleaning up a storm canal that runs adjacent to the school, painting murals, and repainting the playground.

May 13th and 14th, Serve DC will also host the DC Conference on Service and Leadership, “From Nice to Necessary.” This two-day conference will focus on bridging the gap between episodic, occasional volunteering and daily, consistent volunteerism to help develop a lifetime of service. As part of the conference, Serve DC will host its 2009 Volunteer Recognition Ceremony on the evening of May 13th to honor outstanding Serve DC sub-grantees and recognize the 2008-2009 Mayor’s Community Service Award recipients.

The District’s week-long celebration culminates on Saturday, May 16th at the 7:05 pm Washington Nationals’ game. This pre-game, on-field tribute recognizing the service of more than 600 AmeriCorps members will include special recognition for the outstanding work of Serve DC AmeriCorps Program Officer Natalie Wasserman.

Every year, more than 75,000 Americans serve as AmeriCorps members across the nation. In Washington, DC, more than 1,800 AmeriCorps members provide needed services to residents in all eight wards every year.

For further information, please contact M. Rene Arnold at (202) 341-4012 or Emily A. Batchelder at (202) 727-7927.

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