Momentum of Energy Helps Grow Volunteerism for Nevada

“Nevada Volunteers Commissioner Janet Wright, Shawn Lecker-Pomaville, CEO for Nevada Volunteers and Bryan Guiot, Nevada Volunteers program director, returned with valuable resources for increasing volunteerism in Nevada’s AmeriCorps programs.

 (Reno, Nev. June 5, 2008) –  For the Nevadans attending the National Conference on Volunteering and Service last week in Atlanta, the trip was well worth the effort. This year's theme, "The Urgency of Now!" was inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King and is a call to action for a new generation of civic leaders. Shawn Lecker-Pomaville, CEO for Nevada Volunteers, said the conference was an incredible event. 

"This was a particularly exciting conference as there is a palpable momentum of energy growing around the subject of volunteerism", said Lecker-Pomaville.  "The increase in citizens responding to natural disasters and the prominent platforms on national service by each of the presidential hopefuls help to increase awareness of the idea of active citizenship and the importance of giving back to community.  

“This comes at a great time for Nevada Volunteers, since we’ve recently expanded our role in supporting volunteerism.  The training our people received will be invaluable to the success of the expansion".

Bryan Guiot said the conference gave him the opportunity to interface with volunteer management from around the world.  

“I had the opportunity to attend an advanced volunteer management institute with 80 participants from all over the US, Canada, Australia and Korea, Guiot said. “It was an extraordinary experience to learn from so many people with so many years of volunteer leadership experience.” 

“This annual conference provides the unique opportunity to network and consult with AmeriCorps grant managers from around the country which allowed valuable time to share best practices, compare notes and brainstorm to discover solutions to common challenges,” Guiot added. 

About Nevada Volunteers: 

Nevada Volunteers creates countless opportunities to inspire, teach, train and recognize individuals, organizations, and businesses across Nevada to develop a legacy of service and citizenship. The Nevada Volunteers is the Governor’s Commission that administers AmeriCorps programs statewide and hosts the annual Governor’s Points of Light award.  Since 1998, over 1,100 AmeriCorps members have served throughout Nevada recruiting more than 14,000 volunteers who donated over 97,000 hours of service to local communities.  

In September 2007, First Lady Dawn Gibbons was named the Honorary Chair of Nevada Volunteers and considers the commission one of her top priorities. The Website www.NevadaVolunteers.org eventually will become a single source for Nevadans to go statewide for volunteering opportunities.  

Those interested in determining how they can participate should subscribe for e-mail updates at the Nevada Volunteers website, www.NevadaVolunteers.org.