Americorps brings volunteers to Cathlamet

Cowlitz Americorps Network visited Cathlamet last Saturday for a Day of Service.

Americorps is frequently likened to the Peace Corps, but the service they provide remains here in the United States. Americorps members receive a monthly stipend and training and are eligible for an education award at the end of the first and second years of service.

Americorps members and volunteers from Wahkiakum and Cowlitz County gathered at 8 a.m. for registration and a morning kick off at Erickson Park. The volunteers were then dispersed to different sites in the county to complete projects assigned for the day.

The narrow trail that connects Angle Street to the Pioneer Church in downtown Cathlamet was attended to by several volunteers who widened the trail, cutting back vegetation, laying down a tarp and a grid system to support the gravel that was brought down in wheelbarrows and raked into place by more volunteers.

At Erickson Park, volunteers cleaned the playground equipment, raked the horseshoe pits and removed invasive species.

At the Julia Butler Hansen White Tail Deer Refuge, more volunteers worked to extricate fencing from overgrown grasses.

“The really big take home,” said Sue Cameron, Director of Wahkiakum County Health and Human Services, “is that Americorps people and their friends selected Cathlamet to do a service project.

"Leading this effort was local Americorps volunteer, Sheila Mace from Cathlamet. The day was put together to help Cathlamet with a project that the Department of Health and Human Services had worked on with the Town of Cathlamet, that of building a trail that would be smoke free, a healthy activity to promote healthy living in Cathlamet.

"All volunteer help from local volunteers to Americorps volunteers primarily from Longview participated, with the Town supplying the materials for the new walkway behind the Pioneer Church. Local volunteers included Duncan Cruickshank, Chris Holmes, Mayor George W.ehrfritz and others. I was amazed at the turnout, particularly that people in Cowlitz would donate a day of their time to us in Cathlamet, and it was very heartwarming.”