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National Community Corps Program Brings Volunteers From Across the U.S. to Southwestern Colorado

Austin Cope
/
KSJD
Left to right, NCCC members Shepherd Coron, Stephen Mayfield, and Hayley Burns

Along with fireworks, barbecues, and time with family, the Fourth of July holiday can give people time to reflect on the idea of patriotism and what it means in our modern world. A quote from John F. Kennedy may come to mind: "Ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country." The volunteer work of the National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) exemplifies what people can do for their country-- volunteers between 18 and 24 years old travel the country and volunteer with local organizations. A group of 10 NCCC members arrived in Southwestern Colorado in April, and they have been helping the Montezuma School to Farm Project in local school gardens. Corps members Hayley Burns and Stephen Mayfield sat down with KSJD's Austin Cope on Morning Edition talk more about their program and to reflect on their experience.

Austin Cope is a former Morning Edition host for KSJD and now produces work on a freelance basis for the station. He grew up in Cortez and hosted a show on KSJD when he was 10 years old. After graduating from Montezuma-Cortez High School in 2010, he lived in Belgium, Ohio, Spain, northern Wyoming, and Himachal Pradesh, India before returning to the Cortez area. He has a degree in Politics from Oberlin College in Ohio.
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