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Hands On Georgia held its first statewide conference, The Georgia Summit on
Volunteerism, Monday, October 16, at the Georgia International Convention Center
in College Park.
More than 400 attendees, including volunteer leaders, managers and those
interested in learning how to engage volunteers in their community were in
attendance. Volunteer leaders from non profit agencies statewide as well as
AmeriCorps members serving in Georgia participated.
Governor Sonny Perdue delivered the keynote address. In addition, he saluted
the Georgia Volunteer of the Year and awarded Hands On Georgia Challenge Grants
to those Georgia communities committed to the implementation and development of
sustained volunteer programming.
Eric Saperston, founder of Journey Productions, Inc. opened the conference
with an engaging presentation that resonated with the audience. Journey
Productions was born out of a documentary film project about four young people
in search of the meaning of life.
Bill Bolling, founder and CEO of the Atlanta Community Food Bank was the
luncheon speaker and shared information on how one person can make a difference
in a community. Bolling opened the Atlanta Community Food Bank nearly 30 years
ago; it now serves all of north Georgia in a sincere effort to eliminate hunger.
Workshop sessions focused on trends in volunteerism today, diversity in
volunteerism and promoting the need for volunteers in communities.
Eric Tanenblatt, board chair of Hands On Georgia was encouraged by the
attendance and invites all Georgians to take more volunteer leadership roles in
their communities. "The summit is just one way Hands On Georgia seeks to provide
opportunities for Georgians who work directly with volunteers or manages an
agency that depends on volunteers the opportunity to enhance their skills,
deepen their commitment and understand the evolving trends that affect
volunteerism as a whole in the state," he said.
Partnering with Hands On Georgia in presenting the Summit were the Georgia
Department of Community Affairs, the Georgia Commission for Service and
Volunteerism, the Georgia Association for Volunteer Administration, Inc. and the
Council of Volunteer Administrators of Metropolitan Atlanta, Inc.
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