Care Force Chronicle- Milwaukee, WI

By Emily Kean
Partner: City Year Milwaukee
Volunteers: 150+
Service Partner: South Division High School
When: January 13-18, 2011
TCF: Emily Kean, Dan Nemiroff, Florence Capinding, and Dylan Morrill

During our week in Miami we found out that Dylan, Dan, Flo and I would be traveling to Milwaukee to help support City Year Milwaukee (CY MKE) prepare and execute their Martin Luther King Jr. Service Day (MLK Day). I knew it would be hard to adjust to the snowy temperatures we were about to endure in Wisconsin, however, I was looking forward to being back home in the Midwest. Our flight out of Boston was actually cancelled on Wednesday because of a snow storm in the Northeast so we had to miss a day of prep; however, we arrived Thursday evening ready to work.



City Year Milwaukee Physical Training.

 On Friday morning, we joined CY MKE in Unity Rally which definitely brought us back to our days as corps members. Their Physical Training was intense and definitely demonstrated the discipline and excellence that this site strives for in their service. Unity Rally took place in 4 inches of snow outside of South Division High School which was the service site for MLK Day. South Division is located south of downtown Milwaukee and has a City Year team that serves their year around keeping students in grades 9th-12th in school and on track to graduate. Our day was spent leading corps members in PC trainings and prep work. Most of the projects that were planned involved painting so we had a lot of sketching to do for murals throughout the school.

Maurice Turner, Principal of South
Division High School, welcoming
volunteers and City Year. 

On Friday evening we joined the staff and senior corps members of City Year Milwaukee at McBob’s Pub and Grill and spent time getting to know them over a Wisconsin fish fry! On Saturday and Sunday, we worked with Chelsea Pretz, Civic Engagement Senior Corps Member, and Emily Gorenz, Program Manager, to help finish up all of the prep work with several dedicated corps members. All of Team Care Force was impressed by the CY MKE corps members’ willingness to put in extra hours with a smile even after a long week of service in their schools. The staff and corps members at City Year Milwaukee were all excited and interested in learning how to do physical service.



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On Monday, City Year Milwaukee was joined with over 200 community volunteers to serve in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. at South Division High School. Volunteers came from Marquette University, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Frito Lay, Starbucks, and different Greek organizations, including Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. The Principal and several students from South Division also came out to help beautify their school. While helping to build a “beloved community” we painted over 50 murals throughout the school in classrooms, hallways, and on canvas. This day reminded us all that people from diverse backgrounds can come together for a common cause and serve! Special thanks to City Year Milwaukee for hosting us, specifically, to Chelsea Pretz, Civic Engagement Project Leader, Bryon Anderson, South Division High School Team Leader, and Lauren Feaster, Rogers Street Academy Team Leader, for your hospitality!



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After