Nine AmeriCorps VISTA members working with Montana Campus Compact finished a year of service on Jan. 23, 2015, raising a total of $296,426.22 in cash, grants and donations.

The Flathead Valley was home to one of these volunteers: Ohio native Lacy Fiore worked with the Girl Scouts of the USA and Flathead Valley Community College.

Fiore, who is now employed as an AmeriCorps VISTA Leader with Montana Campus Compact in Missoula, said her volunteer experience in the Flathead was difficult but rewarding.

“It was challenging,” she said. “I had a hard time getting volunteers because FVCC has lots of non-traditional students. It was a little bumpy at first.”

AmeriCorps is a national service organization which utilizes more than 75,000 Americans every year to assist in their communities. The VISTA program is a branch of AmeriCorps intended to fight poverty. Members such as Fiore pledge a yearlong commitment to serve on a specific project at a nonprofit organization or public agency.

Working with the Girl Scouts at Flathead Valley Community College was Fiore’s project. She would set up events and try to get FVCC students and community members to volunteer when the girls came to campus.

One event in particular was a shining moment for her.

“The big one was a Halloween event focused on STEM, which stands for fields in science, technology, engineering and math,” Fiore said. “We had space for 25 girls and 31 showed up. I think it’s highly important that women are represented in these fields. Their numbers are significantly lower than men. So for the event I had spooky science things for the girls.”

The “Ghoul Scout” event had other VISTA volunteers and a few students make it a fun, educational event for the girls.

The Montana Campus Compact is a Montana offshoot of VISTA, where volunteers help a coalition of colleges and universities. Fiore worked with Wendy Jeschke, the service learning coordinator at the college, to help work with the more than 50 Girl Scouts in the area.

“We’re an affiliate of the Montana Campus Compact, we pays dues, and we are a co-sponsor for VISTA volunteers,” Jeschke said. “I totally think it’s a great program and Lacy did a lot for the Girl Scouts in town.”

Montana Campus Compact volunteers are supposed to organize events but not take all the burden on themselves.

“What I did was sort of indirect service,” Fiore said. “I would organize volunteers and step in when I needed to. I had a lot of one-timer volunteers.”

While never a Girl Scout herself, Fiore enjoyed working with the girls in the Flathead — despite the challenges.

“I did not have a car,” she said. “I did not have a place to live. I flew out here for the sole reason of starting my service.”

It stuck. She is now working with other young people like herself who want to volunteer their service on college campuses in Montana. 2014 was the 20th anniversary of AmeriCorps.

The nine Montana Campus Compact volunteers raised nearly $300,000, recruited 590 volunteers, served 1,614.75 hours, recruited 154 students, mentored 220 individuals and served 3,108 disadvantaged children in 2014.

The colleges served included Blackfeet Community College, University of Great Falls, Montana State University and Casper College.

Reporter Ryan Murray can be reached at 758-4436 or rmurray@dailyinterlake.com.