We have a Volunteer Tea every May. We serve tea (or course) and pastries, cakes, etc. The teachers give invitations to the parents who have helped them out throughout the year, along with the various PTA board members, chairs, etc. We give awards for things like most hours, newest volunteer hero, etc. The PTA and the Foundation also give a few awards for those that have been extrememly helpful to them throughout the year. And everyone leaves with either a small gift or flowers. I have not been involved in the planning of this event, so I am not sure who supplies the gifts and flowers. I think some if it is donated/solicited, and some is paid for by the PTA.
Every year we have a volunteer appreciation dinner which has been great. It is usually attended by the PTA executive board and the two or three volunteers we had that year. This year we decided to add a spring dinner and dance to our events so we figured we could just recognize our volunteers then. Since it will be a larger audience it will show the rest of the parent who have not volunteered yet that we do appreciate them and hopefully increase volunteerism for next year.
Our group also thanks volunteers monthly. We put at the end of the list: if we somehow missed your name, it's not because you're not appreciated. Please let us know and we'll add your name to next month's list. That way we cover our bases.
We have a parent who owns a pizza parlor and they do a pizza party for our volunteers towards the end of the year. Our PTSO supplies the beverages and a big cake that says Thanks for all you do. We usually have it at someone's house. It's a great social night and I think it makes people feel appreciated. Not sure what will happen when their kids move up to the middle school ; )
We have a thank you wall of fame in our school and in our monthly newsletter. We ask that when people volunteer they add their name to a running doc we have associated with our website.. that way we know who to thank. At the end of the year we have a volunteer appreciation tea -- it's drop in and the kids make magnets for their parents as a thank you.
---Ev
I still have not figured out a way to thank everyone... Just about ourentire Exec Board are employed full time and we really don't have timeto hand write a thank you to every person... I still have written outmy Christmas cards... We need to be more organized though. We need tohave a sign in sheet for volunteers for every event. That way we willknow who is there & who to thank.
