Thank you 2009-10 AmeriCorps Members: Adrian Camacho, Janet Chen, Loretta Himmelsbach, Deborah Kavalar and Kristy Rogers. Great job this year and best of luck to you in your future endeavors. 

AmeriCorps VISTA
Habitat for Humanity of Dane County is now partnering with AmeriCorps VISTA. AmeriCorps VISTA is the national service program designed specifically to fight poverty. Founded as Volunteers in Service to America in 1965 and incorporated into the AmeriCorps network of programs in 1993, VISTA has been on the front lines in the fight against poverty in America for more than 40 years.

VISTA members commit to serve full-time for a year at a nonprofit organization or local government agency, working to fight illiteracy, improve health services, create businesses and strengthen community groups.

Welcome our AmeriCorps VISTA members: Albert Kallal, Kathy Utley and Kristin Needham

Albert Kallal - Database Specialist

I am proud to be working at Habitat for Humanity of Dane County fighting poverty with some wonderful people. I am using my education, life and work experiences to contribute to our community in the most meaning method that I know how.

I have a Masters of Science in Business from the University Of Wisconsin, Madison. I have a Mainframe Programming degree and an Advanced Relational Database certificate from Madison Area Technical College and have been continually updating my IT skills throughout the years, including last semester.

Over the past half dozen years plus, I have been a caregiver to: my mother, mother-in-law, aunts and uncles. For example, my mother-in-law: I stayed with her 48 hours straight, spelled by family friends for 24 hours then caregiver for 48 hours again until she was successfully placed in a dementia specific facility. I talked to doctors, social workers, nurses and many fine people from various helpful organizations on a daily basis. My desire is to help others the way others saw our family through, giving my all to this effort; using my education, training and life experiences.

I enjoy dealing with people. I believe that this is the best way that I can contribute to putting deserving families into affordable housing is by using my entire skill set. I love working for such a wonderful organization.

Kallal's Hometown: Waunakee

What I Expect to Enjoy Most About My Work at Habitat for Humanity of Dane County: Working with others to fight poverty.

Most Rewarding Life Experience: Building a kitchen for my mother.

Interests Outside of Work: Music, Toulouse-Lautrec prints, and dogs

Favorite Movie: O Brother Where Art Thou

I Wish I Could Meet: Obama

Dream Vacation: Europe

Kristin Needham, Development Associate
Hometown: Kalamazoo, Michigan

What I Expect to Enjoy Most About My Work at Habitat for Humanity of Dane County: I expect to enjoy working for this foundation and building relationships with others that share in my values and passion of social justice related work and community development.

Most Rewarding Life Experience: Doing service work in El Salvador, and Training then running the Chicago Marathon and qualifying for Boston.

Interests Outside of Work: Running, Reading, Biking, Photography, Traveling,

Favorite Movie: Freedom Writers

I Wish I Could Meet: Mother Teresa, Paul Farmer, Dalai Lama

Dream Vacation: My dream vacation would be to spend a year sailing around the world spending time in the Mediterranean, (Spain, Greece, Italy) Southeast Asia, (India,Thailand, Indonesia) New Zealand, Australia, and South America.
 

Kathy Utley, Construction Coordinator

Hometown: Peoria, Illinois

What I Expect to Enjoy Most About My Work at Habitat for Humanity of Dane County: What an honor and privilege to serve my community as the Construction Coordinator for Dane County. I am looking forward to a year of many opportunities for growth and service.

As Construction Coordinator, I will be working directly with Ben Delzer the Construction Manager, Judy Turner the Office Manager, volunteers and the families that we serve. Friday, July 31st, 2009, I took an oath of service to my country as a VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America). VISTA's mission is to end poverty by working with non-profits to help build capacity. My project this year is to build construction capacity through the development of specialty volunteer groups. Some of these special areas of construction are warranty, pre-fabrication, and tool warehouse. In addition, I am deeply interested in helping bring women out of poverty by advocating for women in the trades. This year's "Women's Build" project will be especially fulfilling for me and I look forward to helping build capacity in this area as well.

Most Rewarding Life Experience: If I had to choose one, I would say being a mother and a grandmother. I am the proud mother of three children all of whom have grown into wonderful, caring and giving adults. I am a grandmother as well. My favorite time spent is with my granddaughter, Olivia, 6, and who attends the School for the Arts and Technology in LaCrosse. Her mother, my daughter Sarah Utley Wells, is a student at UW LaCrosse, majoring in public health education. My daughter Jenny Utley, is an artist and works for Bobbi Brown at the West Side Boston Store. My son, Bryan Utley is a political science major hoping to continue on to law school and teach constitutional law. All three of my children are active in their communities working to advocate for civil rights and civil liberties of all people.

Interests Outside of Work: As for my personal life outside of work, I volunteer for many community organizations and I love to spend time with good friends. Recently, I started to enjoy riding my bike around the bike path around the lakes and will be commuting by bike to work. I have joined the Bike Federation and I am quickly becoming an advocate for alternative transportation.

Favorite Movie: My favorite movie is "Groundhogs Day" with Bill Murray and directed by Harold Ramis.

I Wish I Could Meet: I wish I could meet President Jimmy Carter and thank him for all the wonderful stewardship and leadership that he has given over the years.

Dream Vacation: One day, I hope to re-marry and spend a "dream honeymoon" in Hawaii! No pressure there, I am sure.