Utah Conservation Corps get grant
Thanks to a $63,000 grant from AmeriCorps, the Utah Conservation Corps, along with Campus Recreation, will be able to provide even more services not only to students at USU but also to the Logan community.
Since its beginnings in 2001, the UCC has been awarded a grant that is used for natural resources, conservation crews and having members work with organizations throughout the state.
“The second grant will focus more on local conservation efforts,” said Sean Damtiz, UCC program director.
Twenty new AmeriCorps members will be able to work on a local level concerning issues such as recreation for people with disabilities, air quality and healthy lifestyles. The three programs used to address these issues are Access to Service, Aggie Blue Bikes and Nordic United.
Kate Stephens, UCC program coordinator, is working closely with the creation and implementation of the Access to Service group and said the main project the eight members, four with physical disabilities, will work on is accessibility on public lands. They will do an inventory report and make suggestions for easier access for those with disabilities to the Logan Ranger District and possibly areas in Ogden.
With the moving of the USU Community Garden, Access to Service will also be helping to make sure the new site is accessible for everyone. Stephens said these two projects will mainly take place in the summer, and they are looking for people interested in the positions. Those interested may contact the UCC at 797-0964 for more information.
Aggie Blue Bikes also received a part of this grant to help them expand their service. The student-run bike checkout is set up like a library, founder Adam Christensen said. Two new employees have been hired with the grant, a mechanic and a public relations/advertising specialist. New PR hire Sarah Wagstaff is working on providing classes to teach about bike safety and air quality, and helping bikers become road certified. The Cache Valley Bike Festival and Friends of Santa program are also in the works.
Christensen said he and Aggie Blue Bikes have been working closely with Logan City government to make the city a bicycle friendly community. This is an award that is presented by the League of American Bicyclists.
“There are more layers than an onion,” Christensen said concerning the steps in the application process, but he said they are steps he is willing to take.
The final area the grant money will go toward is allowing members to work in cooperation with Nordic United. They will groom Nordic ski trails and help with outdoor education programming in and around the Sink Hollow area in Logan Canyon, Sean Damitz said. These members began working in January and will continue throughout the season.
The UCC hopes that with the success of these programs, they will be able to apply for the grant again next year and continue to improve these programs.
-albaugh@cc.usu.edu