Many hands make light work.

It’s an old adage that, according to Google AI, dates back to at least “the early 1300s in a knightly romance known as Sir Bevis of Hampton.” Please do what you will with that tidbit, given its source.

In the nonprofit world, we know that many hands make lighter work. This spring and summer, the work at Sheridan County YMCA, Habitat for Humanity of the Eastern Bighorns, and Sheridan Community Land Trust was made quite a bit lighter thanks to the help of a team with many hands whose chivalry could qualify as Arthurian.

That team was the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC), a group of ten young adults who traveled the country as part of a year-long hitch. They responded to the needs of local communities by assisting with disaster preparation, recovery, and response, building affordable housing, conserving the environment, and more.

In Sheridan County, the AmeriCorps NCCC team spent three months doing precisely that.

At Sheridan County YMCA, the team performed many “spring cleaning” tasks, like staining fences and supply sheds, painting lines on the soccer fields for youth soccer season, and laying field turf for the Y’s childcare programs. They also experienced our singular spring snows as they got Camp Roberts open and ready for summer.

Desiree Pearce, Senior Director of Operations at Sheridan County YMCA, said the AmeriCorps NCCC team completed about four months of work while helping at the Y. “Without the help of the AmeriCorps NCCC team, some of the less important tasks would have been pushed back until later in the season. This means our focus can remain on more important functions of the Y and tasks that need more immediate attention.”

While working with Habitat for Humanity, it should come as no surprise that the AmeriCorps NCCC members grabbed the hammers and nails to help build homes.

“Affordable housing is a national challenge as well as locally,” relayed Dan Alsup, Habitat for Humanity of the Eastern Bighorns’ Resource and Development lead. “We have been trying to increase our capacity to build, and having ten dedicated AmeriCorps members on our sites helps us complete our homes at a greater speed.”

That effort culminated in completing and dedicating a new home in early June. Alsup said that wouldn’t have happened nearly as soon had it not been for the work of the AmeriCorps NCCC members who were “involved in all aspects” of the build.

The AmeriCorps NCCC team connected with land and nature while working with SCLT. Members were reacquainted with the tools of the trail trade as they helped with maintenance on many of SCLT’s community trails.

During an earlier hitch in the Oklahoma Ozarks, members helped build trails. Here, they got to experience time in our beautiful Bighorns backyard by roughing in a hiking-only trail that connects the upper and lower sections at Red Grade Trails. Using only hand tools, the team helped create about a mile of trail that, when completed, will take visitors through forest primeval that opens up into spectacular views of the Goose Valley below.

The team also fulfilled its conservation mission by helping at a wet meadow restoration along Sixmile Creek outside Ranchester. There, they joined a team of community volunteers who build rock structures called Zeedyks that control erosion, improve wildlife habitat, restore soil water storage, develop drought resiliency, and increase vegetation.

“We are very thankful for the AmeriCorps NCCC team’s work. By maintaining trails, helping build a new trail, and helping restore a wet meadow, their work will truly benefit people in Sheridan County for many years to come,” SCLT Executive Director Brad Bauer explained.

While the AmeriCorps NCCC team’s work alone was noteworthy, their commitment to service and can-do spirit truly stood out. They also helped at the Sheridan Dog and Cat Shelter, Clothing Connections, and the Bighorn Tail Run among other organizations and events.

“They have great personalities, work ethic, and a willing attitude to do anything that is asked. It is always a pleasure having them work with us, and we are always grateful for the extra hands,” Pearce concluded.

And for that, we salute these modern-day knights and thank them and their many hands for making lighter work here in Sheridan County.

During their stay, the AmeriCorps NCCC team utilized the SCLT Community Rooms, part of SCLT’s office at Bridges, as its living quarters and base of operation. The SCLT Community Rooms are now open for community groups to use. If your community group wants to utilize the SCLT Community Rooms, please complete the request form here >> https://sheridanclt.org/sclt-community-rooms/.