Fremont resident Alisha Peters could not believe what she was hearing – she was one of the 2009 Corpsmembers of the Year!

 

            Wow!

 

            The Corps Network selected Peters as one of six Corpsmembers of the Year from among corpsmembers across the nation. The award will be presented to her on February 9 at the Annual Corps Forum in Washington D.C.

 

            “It was a huge surprise. I definitely did not think it would happen,” Peters said of the award.

 

            The native Pennsylvanian had moved to Fremont at the invitation of her older sister, who herself completed the AmeriCorps program at WSOS Community Action Commission. Alisha joined the corps in October 2008 and completed successfully two terms of service when she left in October 2009. She had even become a team leader by the time she left. She said she really enjoyed her Corps experience and is grateful for the time she spent in the Corps since it helped her to grow and to see that there are may others in the community with struggles similar to her own.

 

            Lisa Heyman, the WSOS Family Advocate who supervises the AmeriCorps members, said that Peters was a good team member and an asset to the AmeriCorps group at WSOS.

 

            “Alisha has a heart of gold and the attitude I wish many others could have,” Heyman said. “She is so deserving of this award, and we are very happy for her.”

 

            As a corpsmember, Peters was an Ohio Benefit Bank Counselor, which menat she provided low-income families with assistance ranging from finding shelter for the night, applying for HEAP, food stamps, Medicaid, Ohio’s Best prescriptions, and other supportive service options. She worked with local Department of Job and Family Services and the State office of Ohio Benefit Bank (OBB), and they often complimented her on her professionalism. During tax season, she was the lead counselor. She worked around the schedules of the many families to help them complete and file their taxes.

 

            At the end of 2009 tax season, WSOS learned that of all the Ohio Benefit Bank outlets around the state, Peters had assisted the most families with tax preparation.  In addition, Peters took the lead in the Corps’ Make a Difference Day project even though she had completed her time in the Corps.

 

            For more information on how to enroll in the AmeriCorps or any other WSOS services, call 419-334-8911 or e-mail at info@wsos.