1. AMERICORPS NEWSLETTER GETTING THINGS DONE! Issue 1
AmeriCorps
Newsletter
Getting Things Done!
January 2016
HEATHER ALLEMANG LEADS IN HURON IN THIS ISSUE
AmeriCorps is a service organization made
up of individuals who have made the choice
to serve their communities through a year of
“intensive community service” (Wikipedia)
and receive only a minimal living allowance,
educational award, and student loan
deferment in return. AmeriCorps members
can serve with non-profits, schools, or
religious organizations and focus on fields
such as education, public safety, health care,
or environmental protection. Programs can
be funded by the U.S. federal government,
foundations, organizations, etc. CNCS
(Corporation for National and Community
Service) oversees the AmeriCorps initiative
as well as Senior Corps. There is the VISTA
(Volunteers in Service to America) branch,
the NCCC (National Civilian Community
Corps) branch and State and National
branches.
What AmeriCorps is Not
There has been great misconception about
what AmeriCorps is, especially in places like
South Dakota where it is a growing program.
It is often thought that AmeriCorps members
are always young adults just starting out and
needing a firm base to jump off from in the
career world. However, that is not the case.
AmeriCorps members come from all walks of
life and serve in all stages of life; from new
high school graduates to retirees; people
who are changing careers, working on
graduate degrees, or just getting into the
employment pool. What they all have in
common is a heart for service and a desire to
make their community better through hard
work and sacrifice. Similar to the Peace
Corps, members will benefit from their
experience and hard work in service, and
they make these sacrifices not because they
need to but because they want to!
AmeriCorps Serving the
American Red Cross
The members who are serving with the
South Dakota American Red Cross are called
Disaster Cycle Services Coordinators and
have been tasked with organizing,
implementing, and leading Home Fire
Preparedness Events, Pillowcase Project
classes, Community Disaster Education
classes, and many other projects to help
create more resilient and prepared
communities around South Dakota. They are
also called on to respond to local and
national disasters. They partner with local
volunteers, EMs, and Fire Departments in
order to carry out the Red Cross mission.
What is AmeriCorps?
AmeriCorps program is funded by a grant provided by
CNCS. Pictured above, ServeSD and AmeriCorps
members receive recognition for service to South
Dakota
Page 1
Service Year Recap
2015-2016 service term thus far. Pictured above,
AmeriCorps co-leads a Home Fire Preparedness event in
Rapid Valley.
Page 2
What is AmeriCorps?
by Bethany Watrous

2. AMERICORPS NEWSLETTER GETTING THINGS DONE! | Issue 1 2
The American Red Cross AmeriCorps 2015-
2016 service term began in August and will
continue through July 31, 2016. At the
moment there are 5 members enrolled, 2
full-time and 3 part-time. Heather Allemang
(full-time) and Marissa Tran (part-time) serve
out of the Sioux Falls Red Cross office and
Sally Weber (full-time), Christina Olinger
(part-time), and Stephanie Weber (part-time)
serve from the Rapid City Red Cross office.
Goals
Part of the members’ goals are to help the
region achieve the regional goals for Home
Fire Preparedness smoke alarm installations
and Pillowcase Project student numbers.
These Regional Goals are:
-Teach 1000 students in the Pillowcase
Project.
-Install 3500 smoke alarms.
Events
Our current members have already taken
part in several state-wide disaster
preparedness events including:
Mitchell Home Fire Preparedness Canvass
Aberdeen Home Fire Preparedness Canvass
Hill City Home Fire Preparedness Canvass
Sioux Falls Home Fire Preparedness Canvass
Madison Post-Fatal Fire Canvass
Rapid City Lindbergh Post-Fatal Fire
Canvass
Rapid Valley Appointment-Based Install
Getasmokealarm.org Appointment Follow-
ups
Home fire DAT responses
Pillowcase Instructor Trainings
Pine Ridge Reservation Hands-only CPR
EVENT STATS
AmeriCorps-Involved Events
(2015-2016 Service Term)
Events: 7
Homes Entered/Educated: 307
Smoke Alarms Installed: 733
Completed Regionally Since July 1, 2015
Events: 14
Homes Entered/Educated: 532
Smoke Alarms Installed: 1252
Heather Allemang
Heather is the full time member serving out
of the Sioux Falls office. She was an NPRC
AmeriCorps member with the Red Cross out
of Sioux Falls last year and continues the
same work now in her second term as an
AmeriCorps member.
Heather received her B.A. in Psychology
from the University of South Dakota and
hopes to one day work for the Office of U.S.
Foreign Disaster Assistance. While serving as
a full time member, she has also completed
EMT training and regularly volunteers at
places like the Habitat for Humanity ReStore.
An animal lover, Heather is a huge proponent
of the Animal First Aid and CPR classes
taught by the Red Cross and advocates for
animals displaced by natural disasters,
seeking shelter for them while their owners
are sheltered by the American Red Cross.
Goals
Some of Heather’s goals for her 2015-2016
term of service are:
 As our most veteran Pillowcase
Instructor, develop a team of Pillowcase
Instructors and instructor trainers
 Deploy on a national disaster response
 International Services being another
subject that is close to her heart,
develop an event for Red Cross Red
Crescent Day
Service Term Recap
by Bethany Watrous
Meet the Members!
Featuring: Heather Allemang - Sioux Falls, SD
Heather discusses operations with
Home Fire Preparedness event
volunteers in Huron, SD.
Christina Olinger and Sally Weber host a sign-up
table in Rapid Valley for appointment-based smoke
alarm installations