Gwinnett Great Days of Service
PHIL LEE

For one weekend in October, thousands of volunteers will gather for what has become one of the largest volunteer initiatives in the country. Celebrating its sixth anniversary, The Gwinnett Coalition’s Gwinnett Great Days of Service will be held October 20th and 21st.
Janet Schwalbe, VP of Physician and Community Alliances for Gwinnett Hospital is the 2006 event chairperson. “This is a great opportunity for the community to come together and help those non-profit agencies who assist those in need,” Schwalbe said. “Everybody has a chance to make a difference.”
Not just your typical volunteer opportunity, the Gwinnett Great Days of Service provides support to local nonprofit agencies that struggle with growing needs and limited resources. Private businesses, churches, civic groups, schools, individuals and families volunteer with local nonprofit agencies, bringing valuable skills and resources to those nonprofits that would otherwise not be able to afford them.
Landscaping, building handicapped accessible ramps, food drives, painting and other renovations are just a few of the typical projects that local non-profit organizations seek and receive help with because of the Gwinnett Great Days of Service. Last year, there were more than 170 projects completed by the more than 70,000 volunteers and donors.
Alice Cunningham, executive director of Hi-Hope Service Center, a non-profit agency that provides services to adults with developmental disabilities, has seen Great Days of Service grow tremendously over the years. “The service that these volunteers provide saves Hi-Hope money that can be spent on client services.” Cunningham also said that this volunteer weekend is a “fabulous experience for our clients to build lasting relationships in the community.”
The J.M. Tull–Gwinnett Family YMCA has participated in the Great Days of Service since the beginning. Teresa Welborn of the YMCA has seen first hand the difference that volunteers have helped to make. “It makes us feel like the calvary has arrived,” Welborn said referring to the arrival of the volunteers with tools in hand. “ It may seem like a day out of the office for them, but for us, it is more than exciting and we know the value of what they are contributing,” Welborn said.
Many of the nonprofits like Hi-Hope and The J.M. Tull-Gwinnett Family YMCA that benefit from the various projects make a special effort to send their own volunteers to other sites. Volunteering promotes team building, leadership development and is an excellent way to show that you too believe that Success Lives in Gwinnett.
There is something that anyone who wishes to help out can participate in. If you or your company would like to volunteer or if you would like to donate specific items, visit the Great Days of Service Web site at www.gwinnettgreatdaysofservice.com or call 770-995-3339 for more information.

Things you can do to help make Great Days of Service successful

1. Hold a “supply” drive. Your group can hold a supply drive and collect things like canned food, toiletries and pet supplies to name a few.
2. Dollar makes a difference. Make cash donations that will be used to purchase additional supplies needed to complete projects.
3. Collect school supplies. Help ensure that each child in Gwinnett County has all of the school supplies that they need to have a great school year. Needed items include: backpacks, notebook paper, pencils, erasers, calculators and binders.
4. Donate landscape materials. We receive project requests from agencies that ask for assistance in beautifying their grounds. Mulch, fertilizer, potted plants, pine straw and trees are all useful.