Couldn't help but get in here. Our PTA purchases small items out of hospitality to give to the board as they leave(I have gotten a plant and an orchid in a cup). It's generally not a cost of more than $20 (total) and it is given by the new board at the end of the last meeting.
Like it's been said before, someone is always going to have a problem with something and if everyone's happy, I'd question what has been slipped into the drinking water.

If you are over more than one school (like a council prez) I am planning on holding a Leader Appreciation month. Each week we will do something small from our budget, for each of the board members at every school. Perhaps on a grander scale, they can be recognized.
Our school district also hosted the first annual Parents Welcome, an evening for Parent Group leaders. They supplied us with neat little bags, food and some terrific speakers. Perhaps you can plant a bug in the ear of your district to hold such an event (and before anyone asks, everything was donated)
At the school level-At Christmas, we move the meeting to someones house and make it a potluck/gift exchange. It is a great re-energizing event and the Christmas spirit makes it that much more fun.

I would say that having PTO paying for an appreiacation meal would not be good. There is also some one who thinks that they did a lot of work also and think they should be invited. What we do at our school towards teh end of the year the teachers bring a food dish and there is a volenteer brunch. This would include room Moms PTO people and any one who put in some time through the school year. They will even give us plants, that some class grew as a class project.
Szav

I had to post on this! I would check your by-laws. Ours specifically state that no Board member can profit or receive in any way any funds or property of the organization. We ran into a similar situation when a volunteer gave out left over tervis tumblers from staff appreciation to the PTO Board without asking. While I agree that the board certainly is deserving of a cup, our by laws specifically prevent it. I gave mine to the bus driver, since they were not appreciated due to a shortage of cups!

Laurib, it sounds like you do alot to thank your volunteers. But you've got to ask yourself if it is working. You are still the same old group. You may want to try new ones and see if it get more people to step up. I'm not a big fan of certificates and pins. We are adults we are not going to hang them on the fridge, where do all those pins go. Your open house sounds great and it maybe a good time to put out some sign up sheets; low key. Would it be to crass to put out a sign saying "Thank your Room Representative today, they are shaping your children's future". Maybe they'll get the hint and it will spread.

I do understand that you need to be able to thank yourselves and not make that a new job for yourselves. Does your school staff send you thank you cards? Do you feel the "love" from them?

We ended up not having the dinner. We all got too busy with summer activities, most of us are on other boards during the school breaks.

I gather from most of the responses that I did not stress that we do thank each and every volunteer. During our open house, where almost every family is present (which we are very proud of in it self), the Parent Club buys volunteer pins and has our principal call out every name of anyone who has done anything for or at the school, they come forward and we, the parent club
board give our hugs, individual thanks and the pins.
School is almost ready to being, and unfortunately no one, except the usual crowd is helping to plan the welcome back luncheon, the back to school BBQ and the book fairs, all of which are in the next few weeks. The worst part is tha usual crowd is not very thrilled with the idea of another year of lots of volunteering and very little thanks except from one another. We do get a pin at open house, we pin them on each other and say good job.
ok done with my pity party, got to get busy planning for the next few weeks.

I'm kind of late in the game. But I really enjoyed this thread. What really stuck out to me was that Laurib kept saying that it was always the same old people and that they'd be the only ones to show up anyway. How do you expect that to change that if you aren't giving the new ones a chance? If some volunteers only put in a few hours and feel good about it and feel appreciated then maybe they'll take on more. When they take on more; than the 10 that are burned out won't have as much work and you'll have 20 at the end of the year pizza party. The next year maybe there'll be more.

Tim's right, last year's PTO show really focused on this topic. Even 1 hour is a great volunteer if you have many. We need about 200 for 4 hours at Fun Fair and we love and thank those volunteer for those hours. The usual groups there and many others that we need there just as bad.

They all have to be thanked. We have a volunteer tea, invitations sent home to all families. About 30 showed up and we had cake and coffee/tea and the honor choir sang and the superintentant and principals spoke. We also decided, as a group, to honor our committee chairs with a book of their choice donated to the library at the start of their tenture. We wanted to do this instead of as they leave the school, so they felt thanked early on. Their kids could also see the books with the family's name in it while they were still attending school. Our principal takes us out at the holidays and end of year by making a general statement at the previous meeting. The teachers provided goodies for us at meetings after we gave them money for grants they submitted. We of course use our newsletter any chance we get.

We could never count hours, for one thing who would do it. It's much easier and rewarding to open it to everyone.

I guess I can have pizza anytime, but to have a large volunteer base to provide events and programs for my children. That's what I really want. I work alot for our HSA, call me crazy but I like it.