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Ken Holmes -
Beautification Coordinator (City
Hall)
Hometown: Penfield,
New York
Favorite neighborhood in
Binghamton:
I'm partial to the West
Side, because I have lived
there for a year. I love all
of the neighborhoods,
though. Each one is
incredibly unique.
Why
did you become a VISTA here
in Binghamton:
I was named after my uncle,
who was in the Peace Corps.
So it's a natural
progression me to join the
AmeriCorps. More so, I truly
believe in service to the
community. I love the
Binghamton area and people.
An opportunity to improve
the area is an opportunity
worth taking.
What
is your favorite place to
get coffee? (in Binghamton):
I tend to brew my own
coffee, but Cyber Café West
has a nice selection.
Favorite place in Binghamton
to spend a Sunny Day?
I take a lot of walks around
the West Side. Rec Park is a
frequent destination.
What
do you hope to accomplish
(short term/long) in your
neighborhood?
I want citizens to feel
pride in the city. I see
beauty in every inch of
Binghamton and want to share
that vision with everyone
that I meet.
Service
Period: September 2007 -
September 2008
Barbara
D. Daly - Small Business
Coordinator
(City
Hall)
Hometown: Binghamton, NY
Favorite neighborhood in
Binghamton:
All of them; taken
together they share
important roles in the
City’s history and
separately each offers
unique opportunities to help
revitalize our city and
“restore the pride”.
Why
did you become a VISTA here
in Binghamton:
I’ve worked for 25
years as a small
businessperson in Binghamton
and I understand the
concerns and challenges that
face all small businesses,
whether they are a startup,
a struggling or a successful
enterprise. By bringing
small businesses together to
identify their particular &
shared concerns I can help
them work in partnership
with local government and
community agencies to
transform their challenges
into opportunities.
I also have a background in
the public sector with
considerable experience in
social work, education ,
government and community
organizing. My experiences
in the public and private
sectors, combined with my
dedication to social,
economic and racial justice
provide me with a unique
perspective and a set of
skills which I have been
using as a BNAP Vista
volunteer to help transform
and revitalize our
community.
What is your favorite place
to get coffee? (in
Binghamton):
TOM’S Coffee, Cards
& Gifts, 184 Main Street
on Binghamton’s Westside !
Favorite place in Binghamton
to spend a Sunny Day?
The park at the
“confluence” of the
Susquehanna and Chenango
Rivers.
What do you hope to
accomplish (short term/long)
in your neighborhood?
Civic engagement,
full participation and power
sharing are the hallmarks of
true democracy. By
identifying and developing
leaders in the small
business sector, as well as
in the neighborhoods, we can
create viable partnerships
that address mutual
concerns, build community
capacity and ensure
sustainability in our local
economy.
Service
Period: September 2006 -
September 2008
Andrew Reynolds -
Community Organizer
(City
Hall)
Hometown: Binghamton, NY
Favorite
neighborhood in Binghamton:
I live on the west side, so I would have to say, the west side is
the best side. Rec park is
what makes it my favorite.
During the winter, early in
the morning, when snow has
covered the ground, and
there isn’t a footprint to
be seen, you can momentarily
get caught up in the deep
silence of the park and
forget that you are in a
city.
Why
did you become a VISTA here
in Binghamton:
Binghamton has been where I
have lived for most of my
life. The Neighborhood
Assemblies and the VISTA
program are among the most
exciting and important
things that I have seen
happen here. After
finishing my degree program
at Binghamton University, I
was looking for something to
do that was in line with my
interest in social justice,
and I noticed that VISTA
positions were open on the
binghamtonneighbors website,
so I applied.
What is your favorite place
to get coffee? (in
Binghamton):
I like going to Sunrise
Health Foods and getting
some loose leaf tea or to
Tom’s and getting the China
Gunpowder Tea and taking it
home and brewing my own.
The China Gunpowder Tea
packs a powerful punch.
Favorite place in Binghamton
to spend a Sunny Day?
Riding my bike through the
city streets. Wide streets
like Leroy or Grand Blvd are
excellent for leisurely
rides, while the hillside
streets of the First Ward,
like Mygatt Street, and the
South Side, like Mill
Street, make for challenging
rides.
What do you hope to
accomplish (short term/long)
in your neighborhood?
I hope to continue to build
on the successes of the
residents and the first year
VISTAs to strengthen civic
engagement and pride in the
Binghamton area. Primarily,
I hope to increase the
opportunities for residents
to participate in the
assemblies. I also hope to
work with residents to
develop initiatives to
improve the quality of life
for every member of this
community.
Service Period: September
2007 - September 2008
Joe
Calvello - Community
Organizer
(City
Hall)
Hometown: Massapequa, NY:
Favorite
neighborhood in Binghamton:
I recently graduated from BU
in May. My senior year of
college I lived on Edwards
street. I currently live
just a few blocks away. That
being said I would have to
say that the Westside and
downtown area are my
favorite neighborhoods,
being that I I have had the
chance to live there for the
past two years.
Why did you
become a VISTA here in
Binghamton:
I recently graduated from BU
in May with a degree in
philosophy politics and law.
Having spent four years in
the area, I've had the
chance to be a part of the
Binghamton neighborhoods and
communities. I value giving
back to the community which
supports you. The
neighborhood assemblies is a
great opportunity to give
back to the community and at
the same time pursue my
degree by being involved in
organizing planning, and
assisting in the development
in civic engagement and
citizen participation
What is your
favorite place to get
coffee? (in Binghamton):
I always enjoy a visit to
the Lost Dog café. It is
relaxing and the restaurant
has a really neat set-up.
Favorite place in
Binghamton to spend the
Sunny Day?
My favorite place to spend a
sunny day in Binghamton is
the park on Beethoven St. My
friends and I spend sunny
days playing football at the
park. It is a great place to
exercise and enjoy the
outdoors.
What do you hope
to accomplish (short
term/long) in your
neighborhood(s)?
I hope that during my time
as a VISTA with the
Neighborhood Assemblies I am
able to assist in the
process of making the
Binghamton community the
best it can be. I hope that
my efforts as a VISTA are
successful in improving
civic engagement and
residential involvement in
the neighborhood assemblies.
Service
Period: September 2007 -
September
2008
Emily
Garvilla - Research and
Training Coordinator
(BU,
Women's Studies Department)
Hometown: Wantage, New
Jersey
Favorite
neighborhood in Binghamton:
I just moved here, so I
don’t have favorites; I
appreciate all the
neighborhoods and what they
have to offer. However, the
South Side has a sweet yarn
shop.
Why did you
become a VISTA here in
Binghamton:
I moved to Binghamton on a
whim. Fortunately, I was
informed about the BNAP.
While doing my grad work in
Women’s Studies, I learned
how applicable feminist
theory is to social justice
practices. I realized that I
wanted to get involved in
social justice work and put
my theorizing to good use.
Working with Binghamton
citizens to implement
sustainable neighborhood
assemblies that are based on
civic engagement is an
excellent opportunity to do
just that.
What is your
favorite place to get
coffee? (in Binghamton):
I don’t really go out for
coffee. But I did have some
pretty tasty pierogi at
Sharkey’s in the First Ward.
Favorite place in
Binghamton to spend a Sunny
Day?
I’m into running and hiking,
so I think I’ll be spending
some time at the
university’s nature preserve
this summer or any other low
traffic area.
What do you hope
to accomplish (short
term/long) in your
neighborhood?
I hope that as a result of
the Neighborhood Assemblies
Binghamton becomes and
remains a safe, diverse,
stable, and sustainable
community based on civic
engagement and citizen
participation.
Service Period:
November 2006 - November
2007
Karen MacIntyre - Community
Organizer
(City
Hall)
Hometown: Greene, NY
Favorite
neighborhood in Binghamton:
My favorite neighborhood in
Binghamton is the South Side
East. I was on the Guiding
the Committee of area’s
Neighborhood Assembly, and I
raised my children there as
well.
Why did you
become a VISTA here in
Binghamton:
I became a VISTA in
Binghamton because I wanted
to give back to the
community that I love, and I
thought I might be able to
make a difference.
What is your
favorite place to get
coffee? (in Binghamton):
I don't drink coffee. I
never liked the stuff, and
it makes me shakey. The
first drink of my day is
Diet Pepsi.
Favorite place in
Binghamton to spend the
Sunny Day?
On a sunny day the best
place to be in this town is
Webster Park, now that it's
been remodeled. I love to
watch the children play.
What do you hope
to accomplish (short
term/long) in your
neighborhood(s)?
I want to increase
participation in the
Assemblies, because the more
people who are involved, the
more capacity the Assemblies
will have.
Service
Period: January 2008 -
January
2009
YEAR TWO
NEW PARTNERS:
§
Southern Tier
Celebrates!, Ellen Kodadek,
Executive Director (Site
Supervisor)
§
Municipal
Youth Bureau, Anna Shaello-Johnson,
City Youth Director (Site
Supervisor)
Though we are saying
good-bye to an extremely
talented crew of VISTAs, we
are excited to welcome new
energy and enthusiasm to an
expanded and ambitious
second year of the
Binghamton Neighborhood
Assemblies Project!
VISTA POSITIONS THAT
REMAIN OPEN:
- Youth
Coordinator
- Community Arts
Organizer
- Community
Organizer (x1)
- Racial Justice
Coordinator
- Media
Coordinator
To learn more
about and apply for
these positions,
please use the
AmeriCorp Program
Search page.
Search with the
following
parameters:
- STATE:
New York
- WORK
SCHEDULE:
Full Time
- PROGRAM
TYPE:
AmeriCorps*VISTA
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