OFFICE OF LT. GOV. BARBARA O'BRIEN

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MONDAY, MAY 12, 2008

 

Contact:

Ellen Dumm, 303 866-6361 (office), 303 829-0194 (cell)

 

 

LT. GOV. O'BRIEN LAUNCHES AMERICORPS WEEK AT RED ROCKS

 

Lt. Gov. Barbara O'Brien today welcomed hundreds of AmeriCorps members to Red Rocks Amphitheater this afternoon, launching the national AmeriCorps Week.

 

Among those given special recognition were original Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) members, now in their 90's. CCC, a predecessor of AmeriCorps, was created as part of President Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal legislation and was originally designed to combat unemployment during the Great Depression. In 1941, CCC members built the amphitheater at Red Rocks.

 

"There are more than two thousand AmeriCorps workers here in Colorado working in 38 cities and towns creating their own legacies right now," said Lt. Gov. O'Brien. "They are doing everything from planting gardens to rehabilitating housing."

 

Hundreds of AmeriCorps members spent the morning working on a trail improvement project and other community service projects around Red Rocks.

 

Located in the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, the Governor's Office on Community Service hosted today’s event, which kicks off AmeriCorps Week nationwide.  Lt. Gov. O'Brien was joined by Director of the USA Freedom Corps Henry Lozano and Chief Operating Officer of the Corporation for National and Community Service Liz Seale.

 

Five individuals and two organizations were given Governor's Awards for their exemplary work in community service. Receiving the Colorado AmeriCorps Achievement Awards:

• Michael Moreno of Greeley
• Sara Morfitt of Saguache
• Keenan White of Denver
• Chantal Pierre of Boulder