Heart & Soul Talks: Mobilizing Volunteers For Small Town Success

Published: July 31, 2017, 12:50 p.m.

b'Small towns rely on volunteers for prosperity, but it can be a challenge to sustain volunteer energy and enthusiasm. With a resident-driven approach, Heart & Soul\\xae towns rally community members to increase civic participation and create positive change. Listen in for ideas to keep volunteers motivated and engaged for the long run.\\n\\nSpeakers:\\n--Sara Lightner, senior associate of programs, training, Orton Family Foundation\\nBefore joining Orton, Sara spent 13 years volunteering and working with volunteers in the Peace Corps. She was director of programming and training for the Eastern Caribbean and for Vanuatu in the South Pacific. Sara directed volunteer and partner trainings and programming opportunities, ensuring that volunteers received the support needed to be successful.\\n--Debbie Moreno, project coordinator, Galesburg on Track\\nDebbie is a journalist, a poet, a parent, and an active volunteer--skills and experience that have transferred to her role as project coordinator of Galesburg on Track, a Community Heart & Soul\\xae project in Galesburg, Illinois. Debbie is devoted to effective communication with residents and has built a strong and dedicated group of volunteers that represent the broad range of perspectives.\\n--Fran Stoddard, moderator\\nA national award-winning producer of video programs, Fran produced and hosted Vermont Public Television\\u2019s weekly \\u201cProfile\\u201d interview program for more than a decade. She frequently serves as moderator for community events and has served on numerous non-profit boards.\\n\\nFollow along with our Google Doc: http://bit.ly/2vcs6MD.'