More than 40 dedicated AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) volunteers from the Vicksburg, Mississippi, Southern Region Campus assisted Keep The Reservoir Beautiful (KRB) volunteers Bob Stribling and Jerry Palmer in a Great American Cleanup beautification project around the Brandon Reservoir area on Saturday, March 11.

The NCCC volunteers came out in the chilly spring weather to plant 40 trees, 300 daylilies and 100 daffodils in the Turtle Point Nature Area and Timberlake Campground. Another team shoveled a ton of mulch around the playground equipment in Lakeshore Park, while another group of volunteers weeded three 50-foot wildflower beds in Pelahatchie Shore Park – all in Pearl River Valley Water Supply District parks around the Ross Barnett Reservoir. The trees were donated through a Keep America Beautiful/UPS Community Tree Planting Grant, while the daylilies and daffodils were donated through Keep Mississippi Beautiful.

“I personally believe in the value of NCCC,” said Jeannine May, executive director of Keep The Rez Beautiful. “Years ago, when I worked for the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, we had an NCCC team that helped build boardwalks for cabins at the Mississippi State Hospital. They worked hard for weeks in the cold December weather and did an outstanding job!” 

The NCCC focuses on disasters, environmental stewardship and conservation, among other areas. May indicated that she received a recent call from the Southern Region Campus office asking if KRB needed assistance on any upcoming projects, “and the fun began,” she added.

AmeriCorps members located at the NCCC Southern Region Campus are from across the country – from California to Massachusetts, and all points between.  In fact, KRB is proud also to have one of its KRB board members – Holly Lewis – who had served for the NCCC several years ago.  

May reported that she hopes to have more NCCC teams volunteering for KRB events in the coming weeks as well as in the fall.

For more information about KRB events and initiatives, check out its Facebook page or website at www.keeptherezbeautiful.org.