Mayor's Day of Recognition for National Service

Unknown to most Havre residents, every day tough problems are tackled, and our community is strengthened by AmeriCorps and VISTA members who give their time and skills in national service. Sometimes they tutor and mentor children in after-school programs at the Boys & Girls Club. Sometimes they gather people in roundtable discussions and focus groups so that, together, they can learn what the needs of the community are and, together, decide how to create a better future for us in north-central Montana.

Tim Solomon

Sometimes their work is as down-to-earth like helping people learn how to recycle and how to make their homes and businesses more energy-efficient.

And sometimes they assist teachers in classrooms or health care providers with patient care.

These helpers are the men and women of the Great Futures Corps, Montana Campus Compact, Energy Corps, and Compact Service Corps, all part of the Corporation for National and Community Service.

To spotlight the impact of national service and thank those who serve, mayors across the country are participating in the first-ever Mayor's Day of Recognition for National Service on Tuesday, April 9. On behalf of the City of Havre, the Mayor's office is hosting a reception at City Hall at 3 p.m.

Almost 700 cities across the nation will be hosting events to recognize and thank national service members for their service to our communities.

The Corporation for National and Community Service is a public-private partnership that stresses local control and local impact.

National service members play a vital role in demonstrating that good citizenship will always show itself in service to the community. Believing that every American has skills and talents to share, CNCS annually engages more than four million citizens in service at 70,000 sites across the country.

Serving at present in our community are Michael Stone, originally from Ohio, an AmeriCorps VISTA member working on the Vibrant Futures program, http://www.vibrantfuturesmt.org, and Evan Johnson, originally from Portland, Ore., and Jay Ball, originally from Fort Belknap, both of whom are Energy Corps members, http://www.energycorps.org, working through Opportunity Link here in Havre. And literally dozens of students at Montana State University-Northern serve the community while pursuing an education.

Numbers of other women and men have first come to Havre to serve in AmeriCorps but have stayed and continue to benefit the community in their work.

They represent the power of citizens to solve problems, change lives and strengthen communities.

On behalf of the city of Havre, welcome to our community and thank you for your service.

(Tim Solomon is mayor of Havre.)