When it comes to monumental events like the Book Festival of the MJCCA, volunteers are invaluable – and essential. From November 4 – 20, the Book Festival will celebrate 26 years of bringing culture and conversation to the greater Atlanta community. This year’s repertoire of 45+ authors has something to offer all book lovers. More than 13,000 people from across the Southeast will come to engage with and listen to their favorite local, national, and international authors, celebrities, and influencers. Program highlights include: speaker programs, book signings, panel discussions, and more. Most events will be held at the Marcus Jewish Community Center of Atlanta (MJCCA), 5342 Tilly Mill Road, Dunwoody.

But none of this would be possible without the tireless help of the festival’s many volunteers. Case in point: Marcy Bass, who has lived in East Cobb for more than 29 years with her husband, Scott Fisher. Marcy and Scott have two grown sons, Jeffrey and Michael Fisher.

Marcy began her career as a Book Festival volunteer seven years ago and has taken on many different roles within the festival. In addition to being a Book Festival co-chair for two years, Marcy has been an integral part of the Author Selection Committee, and has travelled to New York for the past six years to help select authors for the festival.

Marcy has been a part of the festival’s Community Partners Committee, as well as its Connections Committee (which helps to select the “In Conversation” personalities that accompany the author events). This year, Marcy is the Author Transportation co-chair and sits on the Festival’s Marketing Outreach Committee.

In addition to volunteering at one of the MJCCA’s largest programs, the Book Festival, Marcy brings a great deal of non-profit experience – the American Jewish Committee, Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, and the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival – to her eclectic volunteer portfolio.

“From the onset, working on the Book Festival of the MJCCA has been a labor of love for Marcy. She embodies the true spirit of volunteerism,” said Book Festival Director Pam Morton. “Not only is Marcy selfless with her time, but her enthusiasm for the annual Book Festival never wanes. Marcy epitomizes what this Festival is all about as far as community engagement goes. I firmly believe that the Festival belongs to the community and to people like Marcy, who help to shape and define it.”

This year’s Book Festival of the MJCCA headlining authors include: Senator Al Franken, Former First Daughters Jenna Bush Hager & Barbara Pierce Bush, News Icon Dan Rather, Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, Celebrated Inventor and Entrepreneur Joy Mangano, NYT Best-selling Author and Journalist Walter Isaacson, Diet Guru and Lifestyle Expert Lisa Lillien, NBC National Investigative Correspondent Jeff Rossen, NYT Bestselling Author and National Book Award finalist Nicole Krauss, NYT Bestselling Author, Producer, and Social Commentator Reza Aslan, and New York Times Bestselling Author and Humorist Dave Barry.

Notable local Book Festival authors include: Donnie Winokur, Sam Massell, Gail Saltz, Dylan Dickson, Pam Sampson and Henry Gallant, and Harry Maziar.

“For 17 days, we invite people from across the Southeast to attend this festival that takes nine months of planning, hundreds of meetings, and 30+ committees to put together,” explains Marcy Bass. “But what the community sees when they walk through our doors are wonderful programs filled with everything from comedy to cooking, politics to fiction, history to mystery, Holocaust to Israel. I am so proud to be a part of this wonderful festival.”

Ticket Info: Tickets are on Sale Now. atlantajcc.org/ bookfestival, 678-812-4005.