Goodbye, Stream Team AmeriCorps Assistants!

Tiffany Frey wanted a career change. Marina Cannon just wanted to do something positive for a while. Neither of these women had any experience with river work prior to signing up with AmeriCorps Stream Team, but both had a great desire to learn.

AmeriCorps, (a year commitment of service, sometimes referred to as ‘the domestic version of the Peace Corps’) provided the training they needed. This education, combined with their diverse experience, they tackled challenges with a fresh approach. Working on projects that ranged in size, scope and formats, the two have been “Getting Things Done” (an AmeriCorps’ slogan). From education (for small, informal groups to large, all-day festivals) to assisting stream teams, the possibities seemed limitless. This duo has also taken on new challenges as well, from teaching and implementing storm water practices, to using new media to reach a broader audience.

In an ongoing effort to combine their prior experience with current challenges, the two have placed the first StreamTeam geocache in the area to expand their outreach efforts. Geocaching is a relatively new outdoor hobby, a treasure hunt in which participants use clues and a global positioning system (gps). Geocache hunters who finds this stash will be rewarded with a free sticker, as well as information about the Stream Team program.

The pair will complete their year (Tiffany’s second) in August. Tiffany will embrace her new career, working with the James River Basin Partnership, while Marina will return to civilian life, taking with her all the rewards and lessons of her AmeriCorps Stream Team experience.