2014 Volunteer Year in Review

By Kelli White, Special Events/Volunteer Coordinator

As 2014 is coming to a close, we reflect back on all of the wonderful accomplishments achieved during the year.  Here at Hemophilia of Georgia, many of these accomplishments would not have been possible without the support of our kind and generous volunteers. We want to highlight the successful year that our volunteers made possible, and the many ways they participated during 2014. The year brought a number of new volunteers to HoG, along with many familiar faces returning to assist. HoG is thankful for all of the loyal volunteers who continue to support us year after year.

National Volunteer Week
During National Volunteer Week, April 6-12, HoG used a social media campaign to highlight the various ways our volunteers contribute to the success of our events and programs. The campaign was tied in with 11Alive’s #Unselfie campaign and many of our volunteer photos were featured on the 11Alive News website and social media outlets. This was a great way to provide our volunteers with recognition and appreciation for giving unselfishly of themselves to make the community a better place!

Volunteer and Donor Appreciation Reception
Our volunteers and donors were honored at the annual Volunteer and Donor Appreciation Reception on April 22 at Villa Christina in Atlanta.  More than 120 donors, volunteers, and HoG staff members attended the event. This special night provided us the opportunity to not only show our appreciation but thank our dedicated volunteers for their time and service.

Trot to Clot Walk and Run
HoG held three Trot to Clot Walk and Run events this year in Stone Mountain, Augusta and Lawrenceville. As the number and size of our events increase, so does our need for committed volunteers. We had a total of 76 total volunteers that helped out this year; and a number of those volunteers assisted with multiple events. Volunteers helped with everything from registration to cheering our racers on at the finish line, and many of the volunteers withstood the heat and rain to provide a welcoming race atmosphere.  All of the events were very exciting and many of the volunteers said the events  were  “well organized” and “a good forum in which to make friends while improving the community”.

Camp Wannaklot
This year Camp Wannaklot celebrated 21 years of serving children who have hemophilia or other inherited bleeding disorders, and our group of dedicated volunteers continued to grow.  As one volunteer counselor, who was once a camper put it, “This is my home. These are my brothers and sisters. I can’t imagine a summer without my family.” Camp Wannaklot is made possible by more than 70 volunteers, medical staff and HoG staff who commit to making a difference in the lives of our campers.

Hit 'Em for Hemophilia Golf Tournament
The 32nd Annual Hit 'Em for Hemophilia Golf Tournament was once again a big success and we had a number of new volunteers at the event this year. Our Golf Planning Committee helped us organize a wonderful outing and everyone contributed their time and energy to ensure the success of the tournament.  Many volunteers assisted with our mobile bidding process, which was a new and exciting project that greatly contributed to the success of our silent auction. We had 39 volunteers this year and everyone enjoyed the gorgeous fall weather. Many volunteers stayed all day to assist from set up to breakdown! We appreciate our team of volunteers and their continued dedication to making this event a highlight on the HoG calendar.

As we look forward to 2015, we are continuing to work on projects and make improvements to provide an even better volunteer experience. We look forward to working with all of YOU who help us fulfill our mission here at HoG. There are a number of volunteer opportunities coming up soon, so be sure to check our website and follow us on social media. If you are interested in helping in the office, on a committee, or at an event or program, contact me at kmwhite@hog.org. Thank you for all of your kindness and service to the community.