Reunion crew refurbishes a home on TEAM Buzz day

A reunion work crew of TEAM Buzz chairs, steering committee members and founder Tony Chan joined more than 2,000 Georgia Tech student, faculty and alumni volunteers across the country Oct. 21 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the community service effort.

Chan, corporate programs director for Atlanta-based Habitat for Humanity International, said more than 1,000 volunteers worked on community service projects in Atlanta.

"Our crew repaired and refurbished low-income families' homes along English Avenue near the Tech campus," Chan, IE 94, MS Mgt 98, said. "We are all still actively involved in TEAM Buzz so we see each other often, but it was good to roll up our sleeves and work together again."

Chan created Tech Enhancing Atlanta Metro in 1997 to provide an avenue for the Tech community to connect with the Atlanta community.

After receiving financial support from the administration, the student project soon evolved into a nationwide effort with volunteers from many Georgia Tech alumni clubs participating in community service projects in their own cities including landscaping at housing projects, schools and nursing homes, painting houses for low-income elderly residents, working at food banks, cleaning trails in parks and sponsoring blood drives.

Chan said more than 15,000 volunteers and 100 nonprofit agencies have donated time and resources to the projects in the last 10 years, including his favorites — planting trees along Tech Parkway in the inaugural year and the ongoing beautification of Reynoldstown, a low-income inner-city neighborhood.

"I just get such a sense of pride whenever I see them now," Chan said. "I would have never believed this would get so big."

Senior manager of Alumni Clubs Jane Stoner said about 40 Georgia Tech alumni clubs took part in community service projects this year.

"Service to others is an integral part of Georgia Tech tradition," she said. "That's why our alumni clubs throughout the country are promoting philanthropic spirit in their communities."