Sample Press Release #3 – Focus: Call for Award Nominations

NEWS RELEASE

(date)

(ORGANIZATION) CALLS FOR VOLUNTEER NOMINATIONS

Individuals to be honored during Volunteer Week, April XX-XX, 20XX

Do you know someone who gives selflessly of his other time, energy and ideas? It could be your child’s baseball coach, the chair of your community hospital board, your next door neighbour who delivers meals to shut-ins, a volunteer firefighter, a Big Brother. It might be a colleague at work who collects the United Way donations, organizes the Cut for the Cure for Cancer event, or runs in a fundraising marathon. Maybe it’s someone in your family – your mother, spouse or child. Whoever it is, they deserve recognition.

(Organization) is calling for nominations of deserving volunteers to be honoured by the community during National Volunteer Week, April XX-XX, 20XX. There are two main categories of awards: Volunteer of the Year Awards (or alternate name, e.g. Barrhead uses “Rising Stars”) and Leaders of Tomorrow Awards for children and youth. Under each main category, there are sub-categories such as arts, sport, lifetime achievement, etc.

The winners will receive their awards at the Volunteer Appreciation Night to be held (day/date/time) at (place). Admission to the event is free OR Tickets to the event may be purchased by calling //// or at //////.

Volunteers can be nominated by individuals or organizations. Nomination forms can be obtained by calling /////, at ///// or on the website at //////. Deadline for nominations is (date).

Other ways (community) plans to recognize its VIVs (Very Important Volunteers) are (specify other activities – appreciation breakfast or tea, Captain Volunteer and candygrams, wall of fame, names in newspaper or newsletter, etc.)

(Community’s) Volunteer Week initiative is being organized by (your organization) with support from Volunteer Alberta and the Government of Alberta. There are 150 Alberta communities participating in Volunteer Week 20XX, an event designed to recognize the many people who donate their time and energy to the community. For further information, contact (name, position, organization & telephone number).

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Media Contact:

Name, Title

Committee or organization

Phone number

National Volunteer Week 1 Revised 2009