(from Susan's Tip of the Month in the Monthly e-Mail Update)
Does your community have a Convention and Visitors Bureau? Are there conferences that come to your city or town, bringing small and large groups of conventioneers? If you can accommodate small or large groups to do something meaningful as volunteers, approach your C&V Bureau with the idea of offering visitors a community service project as an alternative conference "special event."
In recent years, it has become common for volunteer management conferences and other socially-aware groups to sponsor a local "day of service" while in town. There is no reason why any convention might not be interested in this concept--but, as with any other volunteers, they have to be asked.
Service projects give visitors a chance to get off-site (escaping their hotel) and introduce them to neighborhoods not usually on the tourist circuit. Special events can be boringly similar. Think of how many boat rides, museum receptions, or other such activities you've seen on conference schedules. Volunteering is a novel way to meet other conferees, dress casually, learn new things, and do something worthwhile. In groups, it is usually fun, too!
You'll be most successful if you can link the project with the theme of the conference or the skills of attendees. Keep in mind that a conference may already be renting buses for other activities and may be able to transport volunteers to your site at the same time. Finally, work with the conference organizers to arrange some press coverage--it will be local media giving your program attention because someone from "outside" approached them with the news item.