Sponsorship opportunities and tickets available now — join us to celebrate and support open government in Georgia.

The Georgia First Amendment Foundation’s annual Weltner Freedom of Information Award Banquet is the greatest source of financial support for our narrow and essential mission: fighting for free speech, government transparency and access to public information in Georgia.

Our 2018 banquet is scheduled at 6:30 p.m., Oct. 17, at the Silverbell Pavilion of the Emory Conference Center in Atlanta.

We will honor Cobb County Superior Court Senior Judge James Bodiford as recipient of our 2018 Charles L. Weltner Freedom of Information Award. Bodiford has earned a reputation for protecting the public’s right to courtroom access while presiding over some of Georgia’s highest-profile criminal cases.

Join us by buying individual tickets, or become a sponsor and invite your colleagues and friends. Sponsorship benefits extend beyond the banquet and are at four levels:

  • Platinum—Eight tickets with preferred VIP seating for the dinner, premium recognition as a host, including signage and a full page in the program; all benefits of being an institutional GFAF member, including legislative updates and one complimentary open government workshop for your organization or company, $10,000.
  • Gold— Eight tickets with preferred VIP seating for the dinner, premium recognition as a host, including signage and a full page in the program, $5,000.
  • Silver—Six tickets for the dinner, recognition and signage, and a half-page in the program, $2,500.
  • Bronze—Four tickets for the dinner, recognition and signage and a quarter-page in the program, $1,500.

For information about becoming a 2018 Weltner sponsor, please call Lenora Kopkin at 678-395-3618 or email [email protected].

The Weltner Banquet and the foundation’s annual Freedom of Information Award are named for Charles L. Weltner, a former chief justice of the Georgia Supreme Court who championed freedom of information and ethics in state government. The award honors his commitment to open, transparent government.

See photos from our 2017 banquet and a list of past Weltner Award winners at gfaf.org.