VOLUNTEER FLORIDA ANNOUNCES 7th ANNUAL FLORIDA VOLUNTEER MONTH
~Governor Rick Scott issues proclamation designating April as Florida Volunteer Month~
TALLAHASSEE – Recognizing the millions of Floridians who volunteer annually and also
encouraging other Floridians to serve our state’s communities, Governor Rick Scott has
proclaimed April 2011 as Florida Volunteer Month. The Florida Volunteer Month celebration,
sponsored by the Governor’s Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service (Volunteer
Florida), kicks off today and will continue throughout April.
This year’s Florida Volunteer Month campaign — VOL NTEER: all that’s missing is U! —
seeks to engage new volunteers in service while also giving thanks to and honoring the great
work by Florida’s volunteers. To highlight the dynamic ways in which volunteers are making a
real difference in Florida’s communities, Volunteer Florida is collecting video and photo
submissions from volunteers throughout the state; to see examples of these and for more
information about Florida volunteer month, visit www.volunteerflorida.org.
“Research has shown that the majority of volunteers sign up for service when they are directly
asked, and also, to retain volunteers it’s extremely important to show appreciation for their
service,” said Wendy Spencer, CEO of Volunteer Florida. “Florida Volunteer Month is a great
opportunity to ask Floridians to start serving in our communities while also commending our
current volunteers.”
The Governor’s Commission on Volunteerism and Community Service was established in 1994
by the Florida Legislature to administer grants under the National and Community Service Trust
Act of 1993. The Commission grants funds to Florida AmeriCorps and National Service
programs; encourages volunteerism for everyone from youth to seniors to people with
disabilities; and trains and organizes Florida’s volunteers for disaster preparedness and response.
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