Adventures in Storm Cleanup: Devlin Chambers' update
Intrepid former Collinwood resident Devlin Chambers has been busy since reaching his Americorps NCCC assignment in Sacramento, CA last October. As you may remember, Chambers is taking a year before entering college to participate in the National Service Corps Americorps NCCC program that places young adults aged 18-24 in service projects throughout the United States.
Due to the large number of severe storms in various areas of the country last fall, Chambers' recent service assignments have included traveling to Clay County in northern Florida, where following Hurricane Irma, his 10-member team spent four weeks assisting 234 People. They did 164 Damage Assessments, and 207 Wellness Checks. Assistance included the removal of many downed trees, tree damage being the primary destruction in the wake of Hurricane Irma. "We helped a family who had a tree go through their roof," siad Chambers. "The falling rain mildewed their clothes so their children didn't have anything to wear to school."
After a break at Christmas, the team returned to California and embarked on a four-week assignment in the Palos Verde Peninsula Land Conservancy just south of Los Angeles. They did habitat restoration, removing invasive, non-native plants, an effort that will benefit endangered species in the area and preserve the land for future generations.
Starting the week of February 12, Devlin’s team arrived to do hurricane cleanup for elderly homeowners in the southwestern area of Puerto Rico. “ The work is hard,” says Chambers, "but the local people are great and are feeding us. I can see we are making a difference.” Much of the work involves scrubbing the mostly concrete houses that not only flooded with sea water but sustained damage from the backed up local sewage plant.
Chambers’ assignment concludes at the end of July, when he will return to Euclid in preparation for starting college. His parents, Euclid residents, Dan Chambers and Louise Foresman, are, of course, proud that he has taken on a year of helping people and look forward to continuing to hear about all that Devlin is learning.
Danyl Chambers
former Collinwood resident, just next door in Euclid.