COUDERSPORT — A number of community projects in Austin and Ulysses were addressed by young adults serving with the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps.

Eight NCCC members and a team leader were in the area June 10 to 24.

NCCC is a community service program for 18- to 24-year-olds. College students and other volunteers receive modest compensation as well as help with college expenses and/or student loan relief. Drawn from the models of the Civilian Conservation Corps of the 1930s and the U.S. military, NCCC is built on the belief that civic responsibility is an inherent duty of all citizens.

In Ulysses, working under the supervision of a committee headed by Pastor Marty Zdrojewski, corps members worked at the former firehall, cleaned cemetery monuments, painted welcome signs, stained benches, and worked on landscaping at Northern Potter schools.

“The work they did was a great help to an already busy community, which expressed itself with many thanks to the team,” Zdrojewski said. “Beyond the physical work, they created a public awareness of the ongoing need for volunteerism. Hopefully, they helped spur community pride, which will translate into each of us asking what we can do for our communities.”

In Austin, the team painted the gazebo on the town square and helped borough employees with several small projects. They worked at the Austin Dam Memorial Park, inventorying and restoring more than 20 campsites, preparing the Welcome Center/Gift Shop for the summer season, sprucing up the pavilion and grounds, and planting landscaping. Crew members also traveled to the Odin Cemetery to clean grave markers.

Businesses, community organizations, churches and individuals supported the NCCC team through financial donations and other contributions. Obtaining the AmeriCorps NCCC services was a project of downtown revitalization consultant John Bry, who was retained by the Potter County Board of Commissioners and worked with local governments and community leaders.