ONe last note on how to thank volunteers: I was in a book store last
night, and they have a Chicken Soup for The Souls for Volunteers book
out! I know it's a little spendy at 12.95, but what a nice gift! Just
thought I'd let those who were interested know:)
>Dear LMnetters,
>Enough people requested the hits to my question in regards to thanking
>volunteers that I thought I would just pass it on to the whole list. What
>follows it a complete (I hope:-) list of hits. Again, many thanks for the
>great suggestions.
>
>Angelika Ross, Librarian
>Oakland Christian School
>Auburn Hills MI
>ah1300@wayne.edu
>
>I had great luck this year with a bookmark, personally and economically made
>for each volunteer (I have 60). I took a digital picture of each
>volunteer's child (or children) in the library "reading" a favorite book.
>This took a few moments a day for about two weeks. Then I created a
>bookmark in a graphics program "Thanks for booking me into your schedule.
>I'm glad you were here." was my caption and I put a decorative border around
>it. 5 to a page; landscape printed. Between the two sentences (top large,
>bottom small) I pasted the picture of the child, about 1"x2" (or smaller).
>Before laminating the bookmarks, I brought them to the classrooms and had
>every child in the class sign the back - after all, each student enjoyed the
>care and concern of the parents who helped them. Laminate and deliver and
>WOW what a response!
> I told this story to a woman on vacation in Jamaica recently. She
>laughed and pulled a bookmark with her son's photo on it - made in school 5
>years ago. Beaten up and beloved.
>
>Our school holds a volunteer "breakfast" with muffins, bagels, danish, etc.,
>coffee, tea and juice. To cut costs each teacher who forwards names of
>volunteers provides a plate of goodies for the breakfast. The school
>provides the drinks. Each class in elementary then makes something that can
>act as a gift that is then presented to each volunteer. Items in the past
>have included plants grown from seed, custom-made bookmarks, and collages.
>We hold it in the library from 7:30 - 9:00 in the morning and invite all
>interested parties (volunteer and staff) to drop in anytime during the
>session to chat with each other. We have a junior-high special needs class
>that organizes this event every year as part of their life-skills unit. It
>works well and everyone always has a nice time.
>
>I checked my favorite recipe site www.allrecipes.com and found they have =
>lots of cookie in a jar recipes.
>If you don't want to follow the links (click on "cookie" first), this =
>URL should take you to the cookie in a jar recipes.
>http://allrecipes.com/cb/kh/cookie/jar/default.asp
>
>Here is a great book to use for these projects:
>
>Title: Gifts in a jar : cookies, recipes to make your own gifts.
>Publication info: Waverly, IA : CQ Products, c2001.
>
>A tea for volunteers. Be sure to recognize them in your school newsletter
>or any other public way (website too). A personal thank you note, hand
>written. Even better if you do stamping etc. and create your own
>notes. Any handmade/homemade item. Dedicate a book in the library with a
>bookplate for each volunteer, or for every so many volunteer hours so that
>those who work more hours receive more recognition.
>
>Why not pass this on to your students as a problem-solving activity.
>Will heav more meaning for the volunteers if it comes from the kids, is
>a good way to cover off organisational/teamwork outcomes as an
>educational activity for the kids and raises the profile of the Library
>and the amount of work actually performed by volunteers rather than
>staff.
>
>We do a volunteer luncheon for all. Another nice idea are theme basket
>gifts (stationary, gardening, reading, etc.- we've done these for
>fundraisers as well as gifts for boss's day. Sometimes you can find
>inexpensive items at the dollar stores. Food places are usually willing to
>donate coupons, etc. You can arrange items nicely in cheap baskets, add some
>ribbons, wrap in clear cellophane, and they look like a millon bucks. Hope
>this helps some.
>
>We always have a luncheon buffet for the volunteers with food provided by
>the faculty and have the first grade perform a little song. Students make
>placemats in art class thanking the volunteers which are laminated and then
>can go home with the moms. Any gifts are usually very small--spring flowers
>(we have a parent who owns a nursery/greenhouse) or herbs--"To thank you
>all of the time you have given us we would like to give some thyme to you".
>
>One of the things we do here at our school is have a special day set
>aside for the volunteers who have helped during the year. Every teacher
>brings some home cooked food item (casserole, pastry, bread, etc.) and
>we invite these wonderful people for a work free day with lunch.
>Sometimes they also receive small (very small) gifts from individual
>teachers if that volunteer has worked with one certain teacher. An
>article with pictures is sent to the local newspaper praising them and
>letting the community know about the volunteer program in the school.
>
>We take them out to lunch at a nice place at the end of the year and we give
>them a little something - a book mark? a book certificate? The first time we
>did this we did the lunch at my house and shared the cooking chores between
>us. The volunteers love being thanked in this way for all the boring jobs
>they do for us.
>
>I have several ideas.
>1. Have a breakfast or luncheon in the library for them
>2. I have given bookmarks as gifts
>3. I have given small potted flowers they can transfer to their garden.
>4. I order Christmas pins from Oriental Trading Co. I think they were a
>dozen for $10.
>
>We have gotten "cheap" but very appreciated stuff from Highsmith. Last
>year, I
>found a 365 things for parents to do with their kids instead of t.v. kind of
>book at a bargain book store for cheap. We have a luncheon at the end of
>the
>year to thank the volunteers, which does come out of our budget and/or our
>petty
>cash, and then we present these token gifts.
>
>I find that most volunteer moms are readers, so maybe giving them a
>package of book plates would be nice. I've seen bookplates in library
>catalogs or at Barnes & Noble. Demco offers to customize them for you.
>
>I have:
>-bought an ad in the school yearbook
>-given cups with tea bags, coffee, hot chocolate
>-given boxes of candy at Valentines
>-BUT the best gift I've given is a personal note thanking the person and
>mentioning what they have done that I truly appreciate (come every week,
>learned the children's names, put books away carefully, stamped books-
>whatever they did-) specific praise reaps more benefits than a pay check!!
>
>Does your school have an Art class?
>These kids could design some beautiful thank you notes
>(or even sets of note cards as a thank you gift).
>A small tea and cookie party is always appreciated.
>
>I have a volunteer luncheon in the library in June. My library technician
>and I prepare all the food, set the table with pretty tablecloth, napkins,
>etc. and generally just treat the volunteers like royalty. We also give
>them little gifts at Christmas and during Volunteer Appreciation week. I
>also make a point of thanking them each and every time they come in so
>they know they are greatly appreciated.
>
>I've done a small luncheon in the past nothing too elaborate. In the past
>I've gotten a deli to fix sub rings and served soft drinks. One year I gave
>each volunteer a small flowering plant.
>
>i! I'm sure you are aware of the many gift items available through the
>different Library supply venders like Demco or Upstart. I am in the same
>quandry although I don't have a good core of volunteers I do have one or two
>and I am also thinking of end of the year presents. Looking at my Upstart
>catalog, I see a variety of coffee cups starting at $6.95. Other less
>expensive items include embroidered bookmarks at $1.95 each and note pads
>for $5.95. You can check them online at www.highsmith.com
>
>If you have a theme like "growing with books," then you could always give
>each volunteer a plant!
>
>A luncheon and appreciation certificates. A luncheon is an immediate
>gratification, token of thanks. The certificates are something they can
>hang on to and its a record of their "unpaid employment" that they can add
>to a resume for future reference. Also guarantee them a good reference
>should they ever need it or write up one that they can keep for future use.
>I was a volunteer for 5 years in my children's school before returning to
>the work force in a new career, and the lunch is something I remember and
>cherish as a thank you and the mention of the experience and references for
>job placements have been a lifesaver.
>
>
>I try to have a luncheon - very simple and usually in
>the library. You could just do a morning coffee or an
>afternoon tea.
>
>I also give some kind of token gift: coffee mugs with
>school or library logo if budget will stretch. (ALA
>or Upstart catalog) If not, I found some lovely paper
>bookmarks at the local book store. I think they were
>$1.95 ea.
>
>hen I was the librarian at an elementary school with a lot of parent
>volunteers, we had an appreciation tea for all the school volunteers in the
>spring or towards the end of the school year (not June; June is usually
>harried enough as it is!) If every teacher bakes a square or some kind of
>goodie to bring, and you can coordinate some students to provide some sort
>of entertainment (skits, singing, dancing, the like), you'll be able to
>easily use up at least an hour or two. Since most of our volunteers were
>females (I think typically we had two fathers and about twenty or thirty
>mothers), we sometimes arranged to have one of their children present them
>with a single rose or carnation as well. A short thank you speech from one
>or more staff members would also be nice.
>
>I think a luncheon is always nice...you could even ask key library
>students to host and hostess. A small pin (see ALA graphics) would be a
>nice gift.
>
>I cook a nice meal for my volunteers. Whatever is on my mind. I think
>I'll do lasagna this year. I'll serve them right here in the library,
>with fresh flowers, and I wait on them, and we sit for a few minutes and
>just visit, and enjoy a nice lunch together. It's the most economical
>way I can thank them, and every year they come back, so it must work:)
>
>>From the Dollar Store, I got a toy spade (big, bright, plastic)...on it
>painted "We really Dig You."
>Also from the Dollar Store, a big toy bug and the note on it said "I would
>go buggy without your help."
>Also from the Dollar Store, a toy compass and the note said "We Would Be
>Lost Without You."
>I attached a note to a pack of flower seeds that said "You Helped Us Grow."
>To a candy Millionaire, I attached a note that said "You Are Worth a Million
>Bucks."
>
>One idea (and I've done this, with good results) is to look in the
>Upstart catalog from Highsmith. They have lovely "Love my Library" logo
>things like mugs and note cubes (and more expensive stuff, too, like
>tote bags). If you can afford $5 for each that's a great place to
>shop.
>
>We recognize volunteers at a luncheon every year. The cafeteria ladies
>make their famous baked chicken with wonderful side dishes. After lunch,
>students and teachers meet in the gym to recognize the volunteers.
>Students make cards, recite poems, sing songs, and give hugs. The school
>gives each volunteer a pin in recognition of the contributions made to
>the school.
>
>HOw about a nice note done on the computer and purchasing some nice
>bookmarks?
>
>One way (which we do) to honor your volunteers will not cost you anything.
>Just choose new books from your most recent book order and put a bookplate
>in a book in honor of each volunteer. I put their names and date of
>volunteer services on the book plate and then send them each a letter
>thanking them for their help, telling them how valuable they are to the
>library, how we would like for them to volunteer again next year and give
>the name of the book which is in the collection in their honor. They really
>seem pleased by this and it is almost free.
>
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Raynette Schulte
Lincoln School Librarian
Watertown, SD
rschulte@wtn.k12.sd.us
"To every complex situation, there is a simple solution. But it's the
wrong solution."- Anonymous
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