Organizers Celebrate "Successful" Volunteer For A Better Sandy Springs Day

From LSS: With a record-breaking roster of nearly 600 volunteers and new corporate partnerships, Leadership Sandy Springs’ (LSS) wrapped another successful Volunteer for a Better Sandy Springs (VBSS) on Earth Day. VBSS began as a class project fifteen years ago and is now the largest annual volunteer opportunity for Sandy Springs residents community-minded businesses and civic organizations. After a spirited kick-off breakfast and a charge from District 2 Councilman Ken Dishman, participants spread across the city to 22 work sites to lend their talents to various improvement projects for Sandy Springs nonprofit organizations, public schools and parks.

Presenting Sponsors Comcast and Northside Hospital enthusiastically embraced VBSS, each sending more than 100 volunteers to various work sites. This year, VBSS and Comcast Cares Week coincided on Earth Day and both Comcast and LSS appreciated their new partnership by working together at the Sandy Springs Library. “We’ve been doing this (Comcast Cares Week) for 15 years and are so glad to be working with Leadership Sandy Springs. We want to continue this partnership,” said Vice President of External Affairs Andy Macke.

Participants unloaded, sorted, weighed and logged 5,000 lbs. of canned goods at one site, while others painted cleaned, spread mulch, raked, weeded, planted, and collected trash at other locations. “A huge THANK YOU from High Point Elementary for all your hard work at Volunteer for a Better Sandy Springs,” said Angie Mabry, High Point Elementary parent volunteer and PTO member. “We couldn’t have done it without your support!”

Additionally, Youth Leadership Sandy Springs sent volunteers to Lost Corner Preserve, where they joined with parents and neighbor volunteers to work on several projects to protect nature’s pollinators. At another site on Marsh Creek, Sherry Epstein, executive director of Watershed Alliance of Sandy Springs (WASS), added, “It was an amazing morning – best turnout ever! WASS volunteers cleaned a massive trash jam in a portion of Marsh Creek and pulled out approximately 25 contractor bags filled with plastic water bottles, tennis and sports balls, Styrofoam, broken limbs and more. It makes me so proud and thankful for all those who came together to work. Thank you Leadership Sandy Springs!”

Photos courtesy of LSS (Alexis Atwood and LSS alumna Dawn Reed sort and bag numerous canned goods at the Community Assistance Center (Photo credit: Sally Wyeth))