January 8, 2002 **For Immediate Release**

Contact: Scott Welch, Director of Development, 503-249-0820,
503-515-4226

Charles Sams, III, Northwest Director, 503-407-1320

Salmon Corps begins Eighth Year

## Announces Partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Portland, OR - Over 100 young adults from the Pacific Northwest will
begin a year of service to their communities at the 2002 Orientation and
Training Camp held January 8 - 16, 2002 at Chief Obie Lodge in Happy
Valley, Oregon (Southeast of Portland).

"We continue to focus on salmon restoration and youth development," said
Charles F. Sams, III, Vice President Programs/Northwest Director. "With
the support of our Tribal, Federal, State, and local partners, we will
continue to preserve the salmon runs for future generations."

The camp, hosted by the Salmon Corps at Portland, marks the beginning of
Salmon Corps eighth program year and the seventh anniversary of
AmeriCorps. Each day, Salmon Corps members will participate in classes
in conflict resolution, defensive driving, first aid, HIV/Aids/
alcohol/drugs awareness, environmental history, introduction to service,
personal financial management, sexual harassment awareness,
teambuilding, and tool safety. In addition, Corps members will partner
with Portland Parks and Recreation to complete a habitat restoration
project on Powell Butte.

A dynamic group of partners including the American Red Cross, Government
Services Administration, NW Portland Area Indian Health Board, Portland
State University, and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian
Reservation will provide instructors.

2002 also marks the beginning of a new partnership with the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Salmon Corps has received a
three-year matching grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration Community-Based Restoration Program (NOAA) to complete
environmental restoration projects in the Pacific Northwest. This grant
will allow each Salmon Corps site to provide approximately 5 weeks of
service to our partners at no cost.

Salmon Corps Site Managers (formerly called Field Directors) are
currently working to identify potential projects and partners. Projects
must provide benefits to living marine resources to be eligible. This
includes riparian and upland habitat. Please contact your local Site
Manager for more information. We are looking to schedule projects during
the 2002 calendar year.

Salmon Corps Site Managers include:

### Nick Denunzio, Site Manager, Salmon Corps at North Sound, 360-856-3570

### Commercial Logger, Anderson Brothers Logging (1977 -- 1982), Commercial Fisherman/Boat Builder, self-employed (1986 -- 1995), Gaming Supervisor, Skagit Valley Casino Resort (1995 -- 1999), Carpenter, Upper Skagit Housing (1999 -- 2000), Site Manager, Salmon Corps at North Sound (2001 -- present).

### John Fred, Site Manager, Salmon Corps at Shoshone-Bannock, 208-478-3763

Member of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes. B.S. Civil Engineering, Idaho
State University. Land Use Commissioner, Shoshone-Bannock Tribes(1995 --
1997), Site Manager, Salmon Corps at Shoshone-Bannock (1997 -- present).

### Gina George, Site Manager, Salmon Corps at Yakama, 509-865-6262

Member of the Yakama Nation. Associate Degree in Business, Yakama Valley
Community College (expected 2003). President, Johnson-O'Malley Program,
Goldendale, Washington. Goldendale AmeriCorps program graduate (1994),
Squad Leader, Salmon Corps at Yakama (1995 -- 1996), Site Manager,
Salmon Corps at Yakama (1996 -- present).

### Marvin Hanks, Site Manager, Salmon Corps at Nez Perce, 208-843-7144

A.S. Science, North Idaho College, B.S. Biology and Entomology,
University of Idaho. Self-employed owner/operator recreational canoe
livery/outfitter, Site Manager, Salmon Corps at Nez Perce (1997 --
present).

### Roland Kalama, Site Manager, Salmon Corps at Warm Springs, 541-553-3233

Member of Warm Springs Tribe. Self-employed commercial fisherman and
woodcutter (1983 -- 1995), Range and Agriculture Technician, Warm
Springs Tribe (1997 -- 1998), Site Manager, Salmon Corps at Warm Springs
(1998 -- present)

**Willie Stacona, Site Manager, Salmon Corps at Umatilla**,
**541-276-5188**

Member of Warm Springs Tribe. Attended Haskell Indian Junior College.
Fleetwood Travel Trailers of Oregon (2000); Umatilla Tribes Housing
Authority (2001), Maintenance Supervisor, Museum at Warm Springs (2001),
Site Manager, Salmon Corps at Umatilla (2001 - present).

### Thom Wallace, Site Manager, Salmon Corps at Portland, 503-294-1357

B.A. American Studies, Dickinson College. Manager of Dickinson Center
for Sustainability (1998). Director of Programs and Education for Hoop
Dreams Scholarship Fund in Washington D.C (1999-2000). Co-Founder of
Ecofusion Multimedia Group (1998- Present).

Salmon Corps, an action program of the Earth Conservation Corps, began
in 1994 with the goal of inspiring Native American young adults (18-25
years old) to repair the disappearing salmon habitats of the Pacific
Northwest. It is a dynamic partnership among the Nez Perce,
Shoshone-Bannock, Stillaguamish, Swinomish, Tulalip, Upper Skagit, Warm
Springs, and Yakama Tribes; AmeriCorps; Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish
Commission; U.S. Department of Energy; BPA, Columbia Sportswear Company;
William and Randolph Hearst Foundation; and other corporations and
organizations.

Since its inception, over 500 young people have participated in the
program, 70% who enter the program without a GED or high school diploma
earn one within the program year, 27% who graduate have gone on to
post-secondary education, 47% who graduate from the program go on to
full time work in and around the communities they served, and 50% of the
graduates return for a second year of service. Members earn a modest
stipend and a \$4,725 education award.

Salmon Corps members have successfully erected over 420 miles of
riparian fencing, outplanted hundreds of thousands of native plants, and
released over 8.5 million salmon within the Pacific Northwest.

AmeriCorps, a primary partner of Salmon Corps, has had as many members
as the Peace Corps has had volunteers since its founding in 1961. In
that time, members have served more than 4,000 communities, mobilized
and recruited nearly 2.5 million volunteers, tutored and mentored more
than 4 million children, organized after-school programs for more than 1
million at-risk youth, and built or rehabilitated more than 40,000
homes.

Please contact Scott Welch, Director of Development, for additional
information, to arrange site visits and interviews, and for directions
to the Orientation and Training. He can be reached at 503-249-0820 or on
mobile phone at 503-515-4226.

Please use appropriate Site Manager information and bio for your region.

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