A Day On, Not a Day Off

Next Monday, the country observes Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - the day before the historic inauguration of the nation's first African American president. For many of us, that means a day off from work. Let me challenge you to make it a day of service instead.

Hands on Northeast Georgia's MLK Day of Service includes more than 20 service projects around town from clean-ups in historically African American cemeteries to beautification projects at schools and in area greenspaces. Service projects start at 9 a.m. and run to noon, at which time all participants are invited to the Lyndon House for lunch and commemorative celebrations.

As part of the MLK Day of Service, SingleServe will launch with its first project, clearing the nature trails behind Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary School for use by the students and the general public. Other projects offer opportunities for families to serve together or for you to support important causes like AIDS outreach and services for the homeless.

The day is about serving side by side and making our "beloved community" the best it can be for all who live here. Hands on Northeast Georgia expects more than 600 people to volunteer.

Click here to view the list of projects and decide which one inspires you to make it a day on and not a day off.

One Need Not Be the Loneliest Number

At times, being single and almost-30 sort of feels like second grade when the teacher tells you to pair up and after the urgent whispers and frantic eye contact, you're the leftover. I found this especially true after making the first move of my life that didn't involve school, a.k.a. the built-in friend network. Suddenly, I wondered, how do you meet people? Where do you go? And what do you say, "Hi, I'm Ashley. Be my friend."? (No, wait, that's Facebook.)

As I thought about where to go and meet others of my kind, I considered volunteering. The question of which one of the many worthy causes to support and thoughts of my potentially awkward entrance into a regularly scheduled meeting put a temporary damper on my volunteerism. The more I thought about it, the more I wished there was a way to sample the area organizations and figure out which one is a fit for me. And even better would be if I didn't have to go by myself.

A good friend put me in touch with Hands on Northeast Georgia, a program of Community Connection that helps individuals, groups, families and corporations find flexible volunteer opportunities in Athens-Clarke and Oconee counties. Hands On NEGA had everything I needed - an existing volunteer base, relationships with nonprofit organizations, and an infrastructure in place to help me establish the group.

Enter SingleServe, a volunteer opportunity for parties of one. Each month, we'll be arranging a volunteer opportunity for singles at an area nonprofit. It will be a way to help the community, try out different opportunities, and make friends. The first meeting is Tuesday, December 2 at 5:30 at the Community Connection offices at the corner of King Avenue and Old West Broad Street. We'll be talking about what SingleServe is and how those interested can get involved.

Join us! It's hard to be single, so remember, there's safety in numbers.

Lend a Hand, Athens!

This Friday, September 26, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. a monumental event will occur at The Classic Center.

The Athens Volunteer Service Expo is going to be the place to be on Friday, so you better make plans to be there.

I can hear the questions now. "What is the Volunteer Service Expo? I've never heard of it before."

It's OK! In fact, this is the first time Athens has ever had something like this.

Over 40 nonprofits in the Athens/Oconee area have registered to set up a booth in the Athena ballroom in hopes they'll find some awesome volunteers to help serve in different capacities.

What does this mean for you?

The Athens Volunteer Service Expo is presenting the perfect opportunity for you to find an organization that fits your personality, your passions, your skills and your strengths the best. Let's face it, not everyone wants to volunteer for the same organization. This is YOUR CHANCE to find your perfect service niche!

The idea behind the Expo came from local philanthropist and former Mrs. Georgia, Sherri Goggin. After bringing on the support from Community Connection (aka HandsOn Northeast Georgia), things really started moving! Art Ordoqui-Payton of Community Connection helped recruit the attending nonprofits.

The bottom line is this: take 30 minutes out of your day, whether it's during lunch, after picking up the kids, after going to the gym, before your 2 o'clock meeting, or before you start happy hour before the Bama game, to stop by and support Athens and Oconee nonprofits.

Encourage your friends to come, too! It's more fun to tour around when you have a buddy.

Lend a Hand, y'all! I have a great feeling that Friday is going to be an awesome day.