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AmeriCorps hosts 14th annual ServeMontana Symposium

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Posted at 4:59 PM, Mar 15, 2023
and last updated 2023-03-15 22:40:05-04

HELENA — The 14th annual AmeriCorps ServeMontana Symposium brought over 200 AmeriCorps volunteers to Helena for the three-day event.

It's AmeriCorps week, and ServeMontana is once again providing AmeriCorps members all over Montana an opportunity to serve, learn, and meet new people from around the state.

"We have over 500 AmeriCorps members serving the state each year. Americorps has a dual mission, and that mission is to meet community needs as well as develop the AmeriCorps members, the contributors who are in service," said Sarah Sadowski, the Executive Director of the Governor's Office of Community Service.

Sadowski also says that this event is an opportunity to bring all the members of AmeriCorps together and do good.

The symposium usually offers a food drive, as part of its community project. Last year they had a hygiene drive, and this year, they're doing another change, writing letters of encouragement.

"This year, we're doing notes of encouragement and we'll be handwriting notes and cards that will go into meals on wheels here in our local Helena community with Rocky Mountain Development Council. So we're honored to do that as those meals go to seniors who are eligible and receiving food. They're also received a note from an AmeriCorps member who's here today through Friday with us," said Sadowski.

Sadowski has been serving with AmeriCorps for two years and has been with the governor's office of community service since 2015, and being able to coordinate events like ServeMontana means a lot to her.

'It means to me is the world. Each one of us has gifts and talents and skills that we can contribute. And if you're outgoing person, if you're an introvert person, regardless of your personality, there's a role for you because it takes a whole community of us to come together and make a difference."

The ServeMontana Symposium goes from Wednesday, March 15 to Friday, March 17.