Governor Perdue with the Southwest Georgia team at the Bishop Hall Charter School

Hands On Georgia Launch Week

For one week in mid-November, Georgians witnessed the power of individuals coming together in the spirit of cooperation and community service during the Hands On Georgia Launch Week. Five Georgia cities contributed 830 volunteers who worked more than 3,700 hours to improve the lives of others.

Hands On Georgia was launched on Monday, November 8, 2004 with the Governor’s Call to Service at a press conference at the State Capitol. Governor Sonny Perdue challenged Georgians to engage 20,000 new volunteers who would contribute 500,000 hours of volunteer service over the next three years.

“Hands On” projects began Tuesday the 9th with 125 volunteers completing several projects during Hands On Columbus Day. Volunteers built a greenhouse and entertained residents at Muscogee Manor and Rehabilitation Center, a local senior citizens residential facility. Congressman Lynn Westmoreland joined the volunteers and thanked them for working to improve their community.

Pat Chandler with The Home Depot team during HOGA Week

The hard work continued Wednesday in Macon. Under the leadership of Volunteer Macon, an affiliate of Hands On Georgia, 110 volunteers made extensive renovations to a county residence for foster children. First Lady Mary Perdue, an advocate and long time foster parent, addressed the volunteers, praising them for their commitment to others. Sue Nardelli, wife of The Home Depot CEO, Bob Nardelli, was also onsite in Macon working throughout the day, and pledged that The Home Depot would finish any renovations that could not be completed during Hands On Macon Day.

On Thursday Hands On Georgia week made a service stop just outside Gainesville to work on a local Boy Scout camp. Despite the inclement weather, Hands On Hall, the area’s Hands On affiliate, gathered 35 hard working volunteers to build a fence, chip wood and paint shower facilities for the Scouts. Congressman Nathan Deal braved the freezing rain to inspire the workers with his thoughts on volunteerism.

Hands On Georgia joined Hands On Atlanta on Friday for clean-up of the Georgia Environmental Organization’s (GEO) campus in the historically significant F.M. Robinson Memorial Preserve in Marietta. GEO is an education and advocacy group for the environment. Hands On Atlanta volunteers cleared trails, constructed footbridges and built picnic tables. Everyone left with mud on their shoes, muscles that ached, and a feeling of accomplishment that only serving others can bring.

The Hands On Georgia Launch Week culminated on Saturday, November13th in Thomasville where 500 volunteers worked at 12 project sites to contribute more than 2,000 volunteer hours in the very first program that Hands On Thomas County sponsored. Governor Perdue arrived in time to work at the landscaping project of Bishop Hall Charter School which is housed in a turn-of-the-century cigar factory. The Governor then addressed approximately 500 volunteers who gathered for the celebration lunch.

Hands On Georgia’s inaugural Week of Service was a tremendous success by all accounts. It will serve as a strong benchmark for the second annual Hands On Georgia Week scheduled for September 26 – October 1, 2005. For information on how your community can become involved with Hands On Georgia, please contact Kimberly Goff, Executive Director, Hands On Georgia at kgoff@handsongeorgia.org or 404-979-2910.