An annual Sandy Springs volunteering opportunity is joining the long list of events put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic. Leadership Sandy Springs has postponed the 18th Volunteer for a Better Sandy Springs event from April 25 indefinitely.
“The health and safety of members of our community comes first,” said LSS Executive Director Jan Paul in a letter to event sponsors such as Coca-Cola, Chick-fil-A at Sandy Springs and North Springs High School. “We are working with all constituencies to find a suitable date to reschedule.”
Paul said many of the work sites include outdoor projects like landscaping and planting, so LSS is considering postponing the event through the summer to cooler fall months.
Volunteer for a Better Sandy Springs is not the first LSS event sidelined by the ongoing pandemic. On March 13, the organization scrapped its Earth Day Celebration, previously scheduled for the same day.
Planned projects for the annual volunteer event included trail beautification at the Big Trees Forest Preserve, landscaping at Crooked Creek Park and painting at Sandy Springs Middle School, among others. Volunteers were scheduled to work at their selected sites from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. and then regather for the Earth Day Celebration in the afternoon.
LSS planned to divide volunteers among 16 local work sites for the 2020 edition.
Over 4,300 volunteers have contributed to the annual day of service since 2002, amassing 516,000 service hours, according to LSS.
LSS officials will reassess plans in a May 12 meeting with the board of trustees.
“VBSS might just be the kind of event we need as a community to come together, once we are able, to celebrate and support one another,” said Paul in a press release.
–Ryan Kolakowski