CISV Atlanta Area’s Founder— Tait Anberg

The idea of CISV Atlanta Area started in 1999 when Tait Anberg spoke extensively with then National Expansion Chair, Phil Long.  After seeing the enthusiasm and tenacity of the Denver Steering Committee, the seed was planted and was allowed several years to germinate.  In late May of 2004, with his daughter Emma about to turn 4, Tait called Eleanor Cooper of the Chattanooga Chapter to see if he and his family could join their chapter.  Eleanor relayed that Chattanooga’s constitution and bylaws had a 50-mile radius rule for membership and so Tait made the next phone call to Mary Brophy, and asked “how do I start a chapter?”  Within two days, with the awesome help of email and enthusiastic CISVers in the United States, the Atlanta Area interest group had several past CISV families representing several different chapters.

 

On June 6, 2004, Hilary Leland, Lisa Howe, Laura Aday, Melissa Ribeiro, Lindy Day, Joni Tyson, Emma Anberg, Tait Anberg, Kimber Arrington, Sara Hannah, Shannon Miller, Sherrie Miller, and Andrea Duke all met at Tait and Joni’s house and officially decided to become an interest group of CISV.  We set our sites on becoming a steering committee at the National Board Meeting (NBM).  CISV Atlanta Area brought Kimber Arrington, Hilary Leland, Lisa Howe, Melissa Ribeiro, Tait Anberg, Tim Banning, and Anjellica Miller to NBM in October 21-24, 2004 to witness the first step in our dream becoming reality when the National Executive Committee granted us steering committee status.

 

In the summer of 2005, CISV Atlanta Area:

· participated in our first Regional Mini Camp in Chattanooga, staffed by Tait Anberg and lead by Jay Stallworth,

· sent our very first Village Delegation, lead by Lakwanza Williams, to Paris, France,

· sent our very first Junior Counselor, Tim Banning to Springfield, Massachusetts,

· sent our very first Village Staff Member, Garry Banning, to Maine. 

 

In October of 2005, we brought twelve CISV Atlanta Area representatives to NBM: Thletha Yates, Anitra Brooks, Bill Howe, Lisa Howe, Laura Aday, Hilary Leland, Melissa Ribeiro, Garry Banning, Tim Banning, Kaitlyn Banning, Maayan Schechter, and Tait Anberg.  It was exciting to see new and old members alike having a wonderful CISV experience.  Here is where we heard Denise Longino, President of the Gulf Coast Chapter, thanking CISVers for their generous financial support in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, and asking for people to come down and help clean up.  This lead to CISV Atlanta Area coordinating with CISV Chattanooga, and CISV Jacksonville, to collaborate on two CISV Gulf Coast Relief Weekends in December 2005 and February 2006.

 

In the summer of 2006, CISV Atlanta:

· hosted its first Regional Mini Camp,

· sent our second Village Delegations to Copenhagen, Denmark, lead by Lisa Howe, and to Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil, lead by Jay Stallworth,

· our second Junior Counselor, Daniel Stallworth, to Denver, Colorado, and

· our very first Seminar Camp delegate, Tim Banning, to Lappeenranta, Finland.

 

In October of 2006, we were voted in as an official chapter by the National Board of Trustees.  Atlanta area members Lindy Day, Jay Stallworth, Daniel Hollingsworth, Emily Clay, Thletha Yates, Anitra Brooks, Bill Howe, Lisa Howe, Laura Aday, Melissa Ribeiro, Garry Banning, Tim Banning, Kaitlyn Banning, Lakwanza Williams, and Tait Anberg were there to witness our accomplishment.

 

We are truly grateful to all who have assisted and continue to assist us on our journey.  We are striving for excellence, building on the shoulders of those who have come before us.