AmeriCorps volunteers hand paint plaques on Grant Avenue in the Vicksburg National Military Park Monday afternoon. The River 6 team, including from front, Hailee Schmidt, 19, of Reno, Nev., Alyse Sadalis, 24, of Washington, D.C., and Trisha VanTrojen, 20, of Auburn, Wash., began working on the plaques a week ago near the Shirley House where the previous team left off last year. They plan to continue the project through next week and hope to complete all of the plaques on the Union side of the park. Each plaque takes about three days to complete. First, each is pressure washed and primed; then blue paint is applied and allowed to dry overnight; and, finally, two coats of white borders and lettering are applied by hand. (Katie Carter*The Vicksburg Post)