Eight staff members have dedicated time and energy to making One Spark a reality starting next Wednesday.
But, they’ll also be aided by hundreds of volunteers who will lend a hand in making the five-day festival meet and exceed the expectations that come with an encore performance of a critically acclaimed event.
Roles include stagehands, manning voting and information kiosks, welcoming visitors, photographers, videographers and anything else the staff can’t do.
“They fill in the void,” said Meredith O’Malley Johnson, One Spark volunteer services coordinator.
This year there are 2,000 registered volunteers, but she’s expecting 600-800 to be on the ground level .
She came aboard in February 2013 and was charged with finding a handful of volunteers. This year, there are thousands more who will pitch in. She’s also handling local media responsibilities and community outreach.
Her five days will be filled with a cell phone and radio in hand, answering calls for those who need help and updating city officials as a liaison. Meetings, scheduling, coordination all will take large chunks of time.
Outside the One Spark role, she has helped with political campaigns, but said there is a noticeable difference between the two.
“At One Spark, everyone wins,” she said.
Winners, she said, are the creators who secure funding and visibility for their work and Jacksonville as a whole, in changing perceptions from outside markets.
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