ROCK FALLS, IL - BlackhawkHills Resource Conservation and Development held its annual meeting on May 24, 2012 at the Freeport Country Club. The meeting was open to the public and featured Lynn Feaver of Prospering Together as the speaker.

Two awards were presented at the meeting. The 2012 Volunteer of the Year award was presented to Ron Colson, Sam Newton, and William Tonne for their hard work and dedication to the Northwest Illinois Broadband Opportunities Program. The 2012 Carson DeJarnatt Economic Development Award was presented to Prospering Together and was accepted by Lynn Feaver, Chuck Moen, Della Moen, and Sam Newton of Stephenson County.

Blackhawk Hills would like to recognize the following changes to the council. Ron Colson was elected as President. He previously served as Vice President for the past three years. William Tonne accepted the position of Vice President. He previously served as President for the past three years.

About the Volunteer of the Year Award

This award is presented annually to the person or persons who have shown outstanding dedication to a project or initiative within the six-county region. This award has been presented each year since 1976.

About the Carson DeJarnatt Economic Development Award

The Carson DeJarnatt Economic Development Award is given to a person, organization, or initiative that demonstrates commitment to regional economic development. The award's namesake, Carson DeJarnatt, joined the Blackhawk Hills council as the Whiteside County Board representative in 1987. He was instrumental in the establishment of the Blackhawk Hills' Economic Development District in 1992. The council of Blackhawk Hills created the economic development award in his honor after his passing in 1995.

About Blackhawk Hills RC&D

Blackhawk Hills RC&D is a not-for-profit corporation based in Rock Falls, IL, that serves Carroll, Jo Daviess, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, and Whiteside counties in northwest Illinois.  Blackhawk Hills RC&D's services include community planning, development assistance, natural resources conservation and protection support, and grant writing and administration. Blackhawk Hills RC&D is sponsored by local county boards and Soil and Water Conservation Districts and is overseen by an 18-member council, consisting of three representatives from each of the six counties.

Questions about Blackhawk Hills may be directed to Julie Jacobs at (815) 625-3854 or info@blackhawkhills.com.

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Staff Sgt. Nicole Dykstra
72nd Operations Brigade Public Affairs

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE DIX LAKEHURST N.J. -- When soldiers return from deployment to Joint Base-McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, they start the most important part of the reset process - demobilization. This crucial time allows soldiers time to resolve medical, dental, behavioral health, financial and administrative issues prior to their release from active duty.

Soldiers of the 200th Engineer Company, a National Guard unit from Pierre, South Dakota, recently returned to the Joint Base after a year-long deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. As a multi-role bridging unit, the 200th maintained, repaired and replaced military bridges throughout Afghanistan.

Returning soldiers understandably want to return home as soon as possible, and while leaders of the 72nd Operations Brigade, the South Dakota Joint Force Headquarters, First Army Division East, Army Medical Command, and JB MDL support this desire, they work hard to ensure all soldiers receive the individualized care, transition support, and understand all the benefits due to them before they depart the demobilization site.

"We have all the resources here that soldiers can take advantage of, whether it be legal, medical or administrative assistance," said Col. Michael Shrout, commander of the 72nd Operations Brigade.

The 72nd supports the First Army Division East mission of overseeing the demobilization process for all redeploying Reserve Component soldiers at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.

While active duty soldiers have all needed resources at hand, Reserve component soldiers may sometimes be hours away from those same resources.

"When they go back to being citizen-soldiers, the resources may still be available, but sometimes it's more difficult to get to them geographically, or it might be challenging to schedule them as they enter the civilian workforce. We want each soldier to be prepared to enter the reset process, and actually reset," Shrout explained.

"Demobilization is a necessary process, and soldiers need to be patient," said Capt. James Forbes, 200th Engineer Company commander, adding that one of the biggest challenges for a Reserve-component unit is the amount of time spent away from families and employers. For a year prior to the deployment, Reserve and National Guard units must complete additional training taking them away from their responsibilities at home. By the end of the deployment, soldiers have spent a considerable amount of time separated from their families.

Upon arrival at JBMDL, the 200th immediately began the process that prepares them to return to their families. In addition to medical, dental and behavioral health support, demobilizing soldiers receive information and resources on benefits, programs and access to care to assist their transition home. Representatives from TRICARE, the Veteran's Health Administration and Employer Support of Guard and Reserve are among the organizations who offer information and assistance. Soldiers also electronically registered for health benefits through the VA.

"This is the last stop before returning home but there is still a lot of work to be done and it's important not to lose sight of that," said Forbes. "Soldiers need to take a realistic look inside and assess what issues need to be addressed. You need to be able to ask for help if you need it, and you absolutely need to take the time we are given to get it taken care of."

Sgt. 1st Class Michael Dejong, a platoon sergeant in the 200th, was impressed by the quantity and quality of information provided at the demobilization site, especially compared to his experiences after his previous deployment to Iraq in 2004.

"When I returned from my first deployment, the process was much shorter and really only addressed medical issues," Dejong, a Sioux Falls, S.D., native said. "There was definitely a lot more information for us this time - you see the Army has learned a lot over the last eight years."

"We have a sacred responsibility to take these Active Duty, Federal troops and return them home as citizen-soldiers properly, with the dignity and respect they deserve as veterans," said Shrout.

"The Army isn't all about machines and weapons platforms - it's about people. If we want to sustain our operations around the world over the long haul, we have to take care of our people."

DAVENPORT, IA–Waste Commission of Scott County is extending hours on Mondays in June, July and August at the Scott Area Landfill, 11555 110th Avenue, Davenport.

Summer hours for the Scott Area Landfill are:

• Mondays (June, July and August): 7:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
• Tuesdays-Fridays: 7:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
• Saturdays: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon

The landfill is located west of Davenport on County Road Y-48, three miles south of Highway 61.

Waste Commission of Scott County is an inter-governmental agency whose mission is to provide environmentally sound and economically feasible solid waste management. For more information about the Commission, please call (563) 381-1300 or visit www.wastecom.com.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today announced that eight Iowa AmeriCorps programs have been awarded a total of $2,107,284 from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS).  A longtime champion of AmeriCorps, Harkin helped secure these funds as Chairman of the appropriations panel that oversees CNCS.  

"AmeriCorps volunteers provide vital services that help strengthen Iowa communities," said Harkin.  "In everything from mentoring kids after school to teaching healthy eating to protecting our natural resources, AmeriCorps is making a difference.  Despite the tough budget climate in Washington, I have fought - and will continue to fight - to support the AmeriCorps program."

AmeriCorps, which is administered by CNCS, engages 80,000 people each year in intensive, results-driven service through more than 14,000 organizations across the country.  Since 1994, more than 775,000 Americans have provided more than 1 billion hours of service to their communities and country through AmeriCorps.  Among other accomplishments, AmeriCorps members last year mobilized 3.4 million community volunteers, and tutored, mentored or served more than 3.5 million disadvantaged youth.  Interested individuals can learn about available opportunities and apply online by visiting AmeriCorps.gov.

Details of the Iowa funding are as follows:

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Mississippi Valley, BBBS AmeriCorps Consortium for Eastern Iowa - $130,000
This funding will help to support 14 AmeriCorps member positions.  AmeriCorps members will recruit and support volunteers to mentor disadvantaged youth at risk to leave school without a diploma.  The mentoring will result in improved academic achievement among these youth.  The program will serve students in Eastern Iowa.

Boys & Girls Club of Central Iowa Inc., AmeriCorps Education Enhancement Project - $216,468
This funding will help to support 25 AmeriCorps member positions.  AmeriCorps members will provide after school homework help, healthy choices programming and case management support in the education priority area to increase positive attendance patterns in schools.  The program will serve students age 5 - 18 in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, Council Bluffs, Carter Lake, Sioux City, Adair, and Davenport, Iowa.

City of Dubuque, Partners in Learning AmeriCorps Program - $210,587
This funding will help to support 48 AmeriCorps member positions.  AmeriCorps members will provide in-school, before school and after-school academic mentoring and summer learning opportunities to improve math and reading proficiency in the city of Dubuque, Iowa.

Community Corrections Improvement Association, Each One Reach One AmeriCorps Project - $460,435
This funding will help to support 49 AmeriCorps member positions.  AmeriCorps members will leverage volunteers to mentor youth and adult offenders resulting in fewer youth entering the criminal justice system and increased life skills of ex-offenders.  The program will also target families in the child welfare system for abuse and neglect in Linn, Johnson and Tama counties of Iowa.

Graceland University, AmeriCorps Youth Launch - $175,146
This funding will help to support 25 AmeriCorps member positions.  AmeriCorps members will leverage  additional volunteers to strengthen academic engagement through mentoring service learning cultural/enrichment opportunity programs and building 'developmental assets' as indicators of academic achievement in rural south central Iowa.

Habitat for Humanity of Iowa, Inc., Habitat for Humanity of Iowa AmeriCorps - $274,576
This funding will help to support 31 AmeriCorps member positions.  AmeriCorps members will recruit and support volunteers to build low-income housing units to eliminate substandard, unaffordable housing in the state of Iowa.  The program will serve low-income families in Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Quad Cities, Des Moines, Knoxville, Mason City, Marshalltown, Council Bluffs, Sioux City, Webster/Humboldt, and Greene/Boone counties of Iowa.

Iowa Dept. of Natural Resources, Keepers of the Land AmeriCorps - $506,727
This funding will help to support 87 AmeriCorps member positions.  AmeriCorps members will provide wildlife habitat restoration and trail improvement to reduce water quality decline in the Environmental Stewardship priority area.  The program will serve all residents, particularly in rural communities, throughout the state of Iowa.

United Way of East Central Iowa, Youth Achievement Corps AmeriCorps Program - $133,345
This funding will help to support 11 AmeriCorps member positions.  AmeriCorps members will provide early literacy activities and tutoring in out of school time programs to children and parents, and provide outreach services for children and families with disabilities. Members will serve in Eastern Iowa and the program will address the CNCS focus area of education.