| We have searched the Internet high and low for | | | | several months) and for college students, who |
| ideas - both inexpensive and expensive to | | | | can list the community award on their resumes! |
| celebrate your volunteer staffs. I hope that some | | | | Snowflakes |
| of the items generate some creative juices in | | | | This works great for organizations where there |
| your programs within your non-profit | | | | are large numbers of volunteers who come to a |
| organizations. Listed below is a list of several | | | | single location. Using a four-inch white paper doilles, |
| outstanding suggestions that we thought were | | | | we put the name of each volunteer on their own |
| "tops" in celebrating your wonderful volunteers. | | | | "Snowflake" and hung them from the ceiling of |
| Here are four suggestions that we have come | | | | the volunteer lounge. We added a poster that said |
| across and thought that you would enjoy them | | | | "Just as every snowflake can add up to a blizzard, |
| too. Here we go: | | | | so every volunteer's contribution adds up to a |
| Oscar Night | | | | storm of activity here. Thank you for your |
| You could present each of your volunteers during | | | | dedication!" This created a lot of fun as each |
| your "Oscar Night" for their hard work with a | | | | volunteer looked for their snowflake and also |
| votive candle that is turned upside down with a | | | | impressed staff and visitors with the extent of |
| pom pom for the head and googly eyes. Then | | | | volunteer involvement at our hospital. You could |
| you could use pipe cleaners for arms. These are a | | | | even adapt this for other seasons of the year. |
| HUGE hit and very inexpensive to create for your | | | | Also very inexpensive to complete and a HUGE |
| great volunteers! | | | | hit! |
| Above and Beyond the Call of Duty | | | | Hawaiian Lei Rotating Award Program |
| Each year, I'm sure, you probably celebrate | | | | A not-for-profit volunteer organization, which has |
| service awards for each of your volunteers. We | | | | very limited funding available for a recognition |
| recently came across this idea from Pierce | | | | program, and many of them usually have loads of |
| County, WA, where the United Way gives out | | | | volunteers who are so deserving of recognition |
| "Green Feather Awards" to individuals who | | | | for their hours and hours of service. At each of |
| volunteer over 100 hours a year. Several of the | | | | our meetings (we meet monthly), we pass |
| regular volunteers received a certificate (complete | | | | around an award that is an inexpensive Hawaiian |
| with the number of hours they volunteers) and a | | | | lei. It is an inexpensive way for individuals who |
| nice lapel pin. We thought this was a great idea | | | | work as a group to recognize eachother. For |
| for your regular volunteers. Contact your local | | | | example, one month it is "Jane Doe Award" |
| United Way, local parks administration, community | | | | where Jane Doe decides whom she would like to |
| hospitals, city offices, Rotary, Lions, Kiwanis, etc. | | | | recognize. The following month it becomes the |
| to find out if such an award is available in your | | | | award granted by the last recipient. It is a fun |
| community. It even applies to volunteer interns | | | | way to build a team and let others help recognize |
| (who often rack up hundreds of hours over | | | | each other. |