Each year the Davies Program partners with local Meadville Area non-profit agencies to place Davies Leaders at the agencies that best suits their desires for service. These are some of the agencies Davies Leaders have worked at.
Meadville Area Chamber of Commerce
www.meadvillechamber.com
211 Chestnut Street Meadville, PA 16335
The Chamber of Commerce works on projects that address the economic, social, educational, and political well-being of the Meadville community.
One of the original community agencies partnering with the Davies Community Service Leaders program, the Chamber has hosted a Davies Leader since 2003. Work by a Davies Leader has helped the Chamber initiate steps to develop a more efficient and expedient tool to communicate with members about pressing legislative issues. Another Davies Leader organized informational seminars for Chamber members.
Karen Staudt, the supervisor of the Chamber's Davies Leader, points out that Davies Leaders are "one step ahead...they just have something about them."
Redevelopment Authority of the City of Meadville
www.redevelopmeadville.com
948 Water Street Meadville, PA 16335
The Redevelopment Authority plays a vital role in the Meadville community by focusing on downtown, neighborhood, and community revitalization.
The Redevelopment Authority joined the Davies Community Service Leaders program in the Summer 2007 with the launch of the "Main Street" project.
Andrew Walker (Previous Executive Director) stated: "In my opinion, many local agencies, including the Redevelopment Authority, do not suffer from the lack of creativity or ingenuity, but the lack of capacity to implement new initiatives. The Davies Community Service Leaders Program provided the Redevelopment Authority with the capacity to focus full-time on the research needed to get an active downtown revitalization program off of the ground. The dedicated effort of our Davies Service Leader shaved many months off of the time needed to prepare a competitive grant application for state funding from the Main Street Program."
Meadville Family YMCA
www.meadvilleymca.com
356 Chestnut Street Meadville, PA 16335
The Meadville Family YMCA provides recreation classes and resources, childcare opportunities, and a safe-haven for youth. The YMCA takes on the mission to build strong kids, strong families, and strong communities.
The Meadville Family YMA joined the Davies Community Service Leaders program in the Summer 2007 to work on "Developing a Youth and Teens Program." Since then, there has been significant progress with the program and a Davies Leader continues to contribute to the positive energy at the Youth and Teen Center.
Hannah Fuller states: "A helpful aspect of the Davies program is the community service feeling of the leader. The leader has the sense they are working with a community service program, therefore they have a great attitude to help in the community. Having a Davies Leader has helped us here at the YMCA to target an age group to provide them with recreation for the summer. The Davies Leader is another set of hands to help focus an outreach project for the youth and teen age group. The Davies Leader assisted in putting forth the mission of the YMCA by providing an organized recreation program for the youth and teen population of our community. It was a great experience to work with a college student that was motivated to make our community better. We successfully reached a group of children this summer that were excited to return to the program each day."
Meadville Council on the Arts
www.meadvillecouncilonthearts.org
Market Square, 2nd Floor 910 Market Street Meadville, PA 16335
The Meadville Council on the Arts is a small, multipurpose non-profit agency that reaches out to children and adults interested in the world of art. MCA hosts a variety of adult and youth education classes as well as sponsors a number of community events, including: Clown College, Summer Art Camps, Drum Lessons, Meadville Ethnic Festival, etc.
A recent Davies Leader was responsible for organizing "Taste of the Arts" as well as updating MCA's advertising strategy to increase awareness about available programs.
Kate Radivojevich, Executive Director of MCA, will be overseeing the Davies Leader in her Taste of the Arts work and in developing a community awareness program.
Center for Economic and Environmental Development
http://ceed.allegheny.edu
Allegheny College 520 North Main Street Meadville, PA 16335
The Center for Economic and Environmental Development (CEED) is a not-for-profit effort sponsored by Allegheny College that engages faculty and students with the community to create innovative approaches to environmental stewardship, environmental education, and regional revitalization.
CEED has sponsored a number of Davies Leaders since the conception of the Davies Community Service Leaders program in 2003. Leaders have worked on the Sustainable Communities and Environmental Health projects. Currently, Prof. Amara Geffen is supervising the Davies Leader's work on renovating Shadybrook Park and developing art outreach programs to be hosted there.
French Creek Project, Meadville Markethouse
http://www.paconserve.org/french_creek/about/index.html
910 Market Street Meadviile, PA 16335
The French Creek Project is dedicated to conservation and education that will create a thriving, healthy relationship between community and environment. Under the management of the French Creek Project, the Meadville Markethouse initiated Project ONE, a community-supported agriculture program in the summer of 2007. The mission of Project ONE is to bring local, sustainable foods to the Meadville community.
Alice Sjolander, Market Master, stated that getting Project ONE off the ground would have been impossible without the help of the Davies Community Service Leaders program.
Economic Progress Alliance of Crawford County
http://www.economicprogressalliance.com/
764 Bessemer Street Suite 101 Meadville, PA 16335
"The Economic Progress Alliance focuses on promoting and enabling sustainable economic growth for Crawford County. Designated as the official Industrial Development Agency by the county government, the Alliance works closely with state, regional, county and local officials, agencies and organizations striving to promote and enhance economic health."
One of the original community agencies partnering with the Davies Community Service Leaders program, the Economic Progress Alliance has hosted a Davies Leader since 2003. A Davies Leader completed a study that was presented to the Meadville community demonstrating the successful impacts that the Economic Progress Alliance has had on the Avtex Industrial Park site.
Nick Felice, Director of Business Retention and Expansion, states that: "As a non-profit organization, resources are always stretched to the max. The Davies program has provided an important source of intellectual manpower capable of helping staff complete various information gathering type projects. Quite often staff becomes so enveloped in pursuing daily activities that we lose research perspective and lack the time to complete the information gathering process. The Leader's fresh mind and youthful vigor provided a refreshing presence in our office environment. I would characterize my overall experience with the Davies Program as very positive." Beth Rekas also notes that having a Davies Leader at the Economic Progress Alliance stimulated cooperation and collaboration between staff that otherwise would not have existed.
Active Aging Inc.
1034 Park Avenue Meadville, PA 16335
Active Aging, Inc. is a resource for healthy senior living throughout Crawford County, PA. Active Aging sponsors a Senior Center that holds adult classes, social gatherings, volunteer opportunities, health and wellness classes, and meals. In addition to the Senior Center, Active Aging also offers in-home services, support groups, and hosts a number of community events.
One of the original community agencies partnering with the Davies Community Service Leaders program, Active Aging, Inc. has hosted a Davies Leader since 2003.
Meadville Area Recreation Authority
www.marc4fun.com
800 Thurston Road Meadville, PA 16335
The Meadville Area Recreation Center (MARC) provides a myriad of recreational opportunities to Meadville residents; including: ice arena; aquatic center; and park facilities. MARC also provides swimming lessons, public skating, and other social activities as well as access to ski trails and a skateboard park.
MARC has been involved with the Davies Community Service Leaders program for two consecutive summers.
Mike Fisher, MARC Executive Director, summarizes his experience: "great program, great community contribution, great potential."
Tamarack Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center
www.tamarackwildlife.org
21601 Stull Road Saegertown, PA 16433
"Tamarack specializes in the rescue, treatment and release of injured, orphaned and sick wildlife. Additionally, Tamarack provides public education programs and materials on the behavior, feeding habits, and natural habitats of many of Pennsylvania's species of wildlife."
Tamarack Wildlife Rehabilitation and Education Center has had a Davies Leader for two consecutive summers. Davies Leaders have been responsible for designing and creating a mural to welcome visitors to the Center, for updating Tamarack's computing systems and creating visual appeal at the center through maintenance, reconstruction and artistic design.
