LLA In The News: From podcasts to programs, what Lake Lanier Association hopes to do in new home

Published by Jeff Gill | September 15th 2023 | Gainesville Times

 

Lake Lanier Association has a new home where it can conduct the advocacy group’s business, hold programs, meet with residents and even produce podcasts.

“This is the first time since our inception in 1966 that we’ve got a physical presence in the community,” executive director Amy McGuire said.

The new, 1,700-square-foot office is in the lower level of an outparcel building of the Village Shoppes at Gainesville shopping center off Dawsonville Highway. The building is between Texas Roadhouse restaurant and Chick-fil-A, and the office is across from Shoe Carnival.

The organization had maintained a small office — probably less than 500 square feet — off Oak Street but otherwise, “we operated sort of conceptually,” she said. “We went to the community. We’d go to boat shows, community events and speaking engagements.

“With this new space, we’ll be able to have guest speakers, safe boating classes, volunteer appreciation events and open houses, where people can come and learn more about the work that we do.”

When people walk into the office, “eventually, all of our available wall space will be marketing and branding,” McGuire said. “There won’t be any question about the work we do or who supports us.”

She added: “We’ll really be able to invite people in and immerse them in the work that we do.”

The organization went through “an entire rebranding,” including a logo redesign, she said.

The previous logo “was very similar” to the city of Cumming’s logo, “and so, there were misconceptions about who supported us financially,” McGuire said. People “thought we were an extension of Forsyth County or the city of Cumming. They thought we were supported by tax dollars.”

The organization is supported by memberships, which range annually from $50 for an individual to $1,000 for a household.

The motto also was tweaked by adding the word “together” to the existing words “clean, full, safe” Lake Lanier.

Lake Lanier Association holds and sponsors numerous programs, from social to environmental, including a water testing program. A big upcoming event is its 35th Annual Shore Sweep, which brings together about 1,000 volunteers to collect roughly 140,000 pounds of trash from the lake.

 

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