Host committee needs 7500 volunteers for RNC 2012

TAMPA - In a Largo warehouse, where they still hand-craft commercial signs sold to Tampa Bay area establishments, 29-year old Jennifer Griffin is proud to show us around her family's small business.

"We have big ties to Florida.  It’s our home and it’s where we're loyal," said Griffin.

Griffin is a University of South Florida graduate who volunteers in her free time.  But come summer, she is applying for a new opportunity.

"I think it's just a great way to get involved in the community. I think it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for anyone in Tampa Bay,” she said.

Griffin is a volunteer hopeful for Tampa's Republican National Convention in August. Volunteers will greet and direct thousands of visitors at Tampa International Airport, area hotels, administration offices or help set up planned events. Some will be on-call volunteers, in case they need extra help.

"A city like New York required more volunteers because of the geography. A city like St. Paul, Minnesota required less volunteers. A city like Tampa Bay though is going to require more because you've got not just Tampa, but you've got Pinellas County," said CEO Tampa Bay Host Committee Ken Jones.

The Tampa Bay Host Committee is looking for 7,500 volunteers minimum, but may enlist as many as 10,000. Two thousand have already shown interest.  Around 6,400 people volunteered for Tampa Bay's most recent Super Bowl.

"The faces that we see are similar. It's people who want to represent Tampa Bay. So volunteers that were here in 2009 representing the area for Super Bowl 43, are many of the same that we're seeing now," said Amanda Whitelaw, Tampa Bay Host Committee Events and Volunteers Director.

Volunteers can register online at www.2012tampa.com .

Though they won't be allowed inside the security perimeter at Tampa’s Convention Center or at the Tampa Bay Times Forum, volunteers will undergo a criminal background check.

For Griffin, it's a small concession to show off her hometown that has supported her family and their small business for nearly 40 years.

"I think we have so many great events. We have great sports teams. We live in a beautiful place. I think there are just so many positive things that people can take away," said Griffin.