As we begin a new year—AWWA's 140th, by the way—I cannot help but feel hopeful. Even though there isn't a true bright line between years and we still need to wear masks to protect each other's health (at least as 2021 begins), I feel hope.

From time to time I have been known to say, “The world is run by those who show up.” The last time I publicly used that phrase was at the Young Professionals Summit last February. The point I make with this phrase is that if you want to change the world for the better, you must engage in the solution—you must show up. From the number of tweets, it appears the phrase and the concept resonate with the young professional audience. That, too, provides hope.

Almost seven years ago, AWWA, Engineers Without Borders USA, and the American Society of Civil Engineers banded together to create Community Engineering Corps (CECorps). CECorps’ noble mission is to bring underserved communities and volunteers together to advance local engineering solutions.

The three founding partners felt it was important to give back, especially to those communities that most needed help with infrastructure solutions. We had an instinct and a hope that we could make a better world through this partnership and, to be candid, we were mostly operating from a gut feeling. Now, seven years later, we are proud that we trusted our gut and acted on that feeling.

Learn about the Community Engineering Corps at www.CommunityEngineeringCorps.org.

Every year, CECorps “shows up” to change the world for the better. While the technical support CECorps provides to underserved communities is critical, the magic of CECorps is the power of hope its volunteers bring to the communities they serve. Two recent examples show how CECorps helped with water infrastructure solutions.

The Culver Lake Water Company—despite the implication of its name—depends on a single well (not a lake) as its water supply. The well is situated in a 1910 concrete structure. The system was challenged in meeting New Jersey regulatory standards, and the company lacked the necessary engineering analysis and funding to address the infrastructure issues until a small team of CECorps volunteers from AWWA's New Jersey Section stepped in to help. Today, equipped with a detailed report and analysis from the CECorps team, Culver Lake Water Company has a clear path for financing and improving its system.

In Seattle, the educational opportunities at Nathan Hale High School include a commercial‐sized greenhouse and a half‐acre school garden—known as the Nathan Hale Urban Farm. The educational idea is to provide students with hands‐on experiences that connect them to the earth, the food they eat, and their community. With the program's introduction came increased water demand for the school and the need for a better water solution. CECorps volunteers provided a preliminary design and concept for a rainwater collection system to supply the garden with water. The preliminary design and concept were used as part of a grant application which, along with additional assistance from the CECorps team, successfully led to a finished project for the school.

CECorps’ core values require it to go beyond the technical projects, knowledge‐sharing, and providing hope to these communities and groups. CECorps members also are committed to addressing infrastructure challenges in a socially responsible way. This includes promoting solutions that improve equity in access to public infrastructure, considering the needs of diverse populations, and engaging volunteers who reflect the communities helped by CECorps.

In 2020, in support of advancing social responsibility, CECorps entered into a cooperative agreement with the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). NSBE is a 45‐year‐old, student‐governed, nonprofit organization. Cementing this collaboration is the fact that NSBE's mission also envisions hope for a better world. NSBE's mission is to increase the number of culturally responsible Black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally, and have a positive impact on the community.

Even with great partners like NSBE, CECorps may not solve all the infrastructure challenges for all the underserved communities; but that will not stop us from showing up, providing hope, and solving what we can where we can. Steve Barr, who leads AWWA's CECorps work, puts it this way: “Solving these infrastructure challenges sometimes seems like pushing a big boulder uphill, but through CECorps I see the passion AWWA members have to help those who need help the most. I like showing up for that. It gives me hope.”

It is a new year, so if you'd like to become a volunteer for CECorps, contact Steve Barr at sbarr@awwa.org to learn about how you or your section can get involved.

在我们开始新的一年（顺便说一句，AWWA成立140周年）时，我不禁感到充满希望。即使多年之间并没有真正的分界线，我们仍然需要戴口罩保护彼此的健康（至少在2021年开始时），但我还是感到希望。

我不时会说：“世界是由那些出现的人统治的。” 我上次公开使用该词组是在去年2月的年轻专业人员峰会上。我用这句话表达的意思是，如果您想让世界变得更好，那么您必须参与解决方案，您必须露面。从推文的数量来看，短语和概念似乎引起了年轻专业观众的共鸣。这也提供了希望。

大约七年前，AWWA，美国无国界工程师协会和美国土木工程师协会联合起来创建了社区工程团（CECorps）。CECorps的崇高使命是将服务欠缺的社区和志愿者聚集在一起，以推进本地工程解决方案。

这三个创始合伙人认为，回馈非常重要，特别是对于那些最需要基础架构解决方案帮助的社区。我们本能并希望通过这种伙伴关系可以创造一个更美好的世界，坦率地说，我们主要是出于直觉。现在，七年后的今天，我们为能相信自己的直觉并采取这种行动而感到自豪。

在www.CommunityEngineeringCorps.org上了解社区工程团。

每年，CECorps都会“出现”，以改善世界。尽管CECorps向服务欠佳的社区提供技术支持至关重要，但CECorps的魔力在于希望其志愿者将其带入所服务社区的力量。最近的两个例子显示了CECorps如何协助水基础设施解决方案。

卡尔弗湖水公司（Culver Lake Water Company）尽管有其名称的含义，但其供水依赖于一口井（而非湖泊）。该井位于1910年的混凝土结构中。该系统在满足新泽西州监管标准方面面临挑战，并且该公司缺乏必要的工程分析和资金来解决基础设施问题，直到来自AWWA新泽西州部门的CECorps志愿者组成的小团队介入以提供帮助。如今，Culver Lake自来水公司配备了CECorps团队的详细报告和分析，为融资和改进其系统提供了一条清晰的道路。

在西雅图，内森·黑尔高中的教育机会包括一个商业规模的温室和一个半英亩的学校花园，即内森·黑尔城市农场。教育理念是为学生提供动手实践的经验，将他们与地球，他们所吃的食物和社区联系起来。随着该计划的推出，学校对水的需求增加，并且需要更好的水解决方案。CECorps的志愿者为雨水收集系统提供了初步的设计和概念，以为花园供水。初步设计和概念被用作赠款申请的一部分，再加上CECorps团队的额外协助，成功地为学校完成了一个项目。

CECorps的核心价值要求它超越技术项目，知识共享并为这些社区和团体提供希望。CECorps成员还致力于以对社会负责的方式应对基础设施挑战。这包括推广解决方案，以提高获得公共基础设施的公平性，考虑到不同人群的需求，并吸引反映出CECorps帮助的社区的志愿者。

为支持推进社会责任，CECorps在2020年与美国黑人工程师协会（NSBE）签订了合作协议。NSBE是一家拥有45年历史，由学生管理的非营利组织。NSBE的使命也预示着建立更美好世界的希望，从而巩固了这种合作。NSBE的使命是增加在文化上负责任的黑人工程师的数量，这些工程师在学术上表现出色，在专业上取得成功并对社区产生积极影响。

即使像NSBE伟大的合作伙伴，CECorps可能无法解决所有的基础设施挑战所有的不足的社区; 但这并不会阻止我们露面，提供希望和解决我们能做到的事情。领导AWWA CECorps工作的史蒂夫·巴尔（Steve Barr）这样说：“解决这些基础设施挑战有时看起来像是推大石块，但通过CECorps，我看到了AWWA成员迫切需要帮助那些最需要帮助的人。我喜欢为此而露面。它给了我希望。”

这是新的一年，因此，如果您想成为CECorps的志愿者，请通过sbarr@awwa.org与Steve Barr联系，以了解您或您所在的部门如何参与其中。