A willingness to work hard and a great attitude – that is what Amanda Schwantes brought to her AmeriCorps year with the Parasol AmeriCorps Team in Incline Village, Nevada. Amanda took charge of her assignment as a volunteer recruiter for the Tahoe Rim Trail Association with gusto.

For the Rim Trail, a scenic trail system along the crest of the mountains surrounding Lake Tahoe, it was a time of major expansion. That meant finding more volunteers, lots of them. It was a huge job. Amanda understood she had to get out of the office and get her hands dirty—literally, working side-by-side with the volunteers on the trail, getting grubby, sharing blisters and jokes and small talk. She realized the secret to finding and keeping volunteers was the personal touch, letting volunteers know their effort would be recognized and appreciated. Attending every tabling event available in the Reno-Tahoe area, she reached out with a big smile and passion for the hard but gratifying work the volunteers would find if they signed up. The result: Amanda recruited more volunteers than ever. (more…)