Thanking your volunteers

Several months ago, we asked you how you thank your volunteers once your VBS is finished. Here's what you said:

• Had a steak cookout for them (J.J.)
• We have a staff get-together/party. (Z.W.)
• Last year I wrote and sent personal thank you notes. Big hand cramps! (B.K.)
• Gave out Dairy Queen gift cards. Teens loved them! (K.B.R.)
• Personal thank you notes and scripture cards for each person! (S.P.)
• I give them a thank you card and usually some kind of small gift or gift certificate to our local coffee shop (T.A.)
• Julie Van Manen Wiederstein At our closing program, we had all our volunteers come forward and gave them each a rose. I also wrote personal thank you notes to all involved. (J.W.)
• Sheila Bobo Eaton Each day of VBS we gave them a special treat....candy, trail mix, CHOCOLATE (S.E.)
• A round of applause at our final program and a huge personal thank-you on my rounds last morning. This year plan to do more. I like the special treat idea. (A.R.)
• We usually have a "treat" bag with thank note for each one at the end of VBS. This year - - - planning a something with a little "mystery" to it. We are busy gathering information about each person. We plan to prepare a re-useable plastic container with things they might need (hand sanitizer, kleenex, wipeys, band-aids, pony tail holder, etc.) and bottled water and their favorite snack/candy, some trail mix, energy bar, etc. We plan to replenish their supply each day with a short note of encouragement. (N.W.)
• In the past we have had appreciation dinners. Lately, we have been treating them each night w/ an encouraging note and chocolate!! (S.E.)
• Love the special treat ideas! Thanks for sharing! (C.C.)
• A really big thank you. (J.T.)
• Last year was our first vbs in almost 10 yrs, so as the director, I was new and so were all the other volunteers!As an incentive, we offered free t-shirts, then I picked a cute themed 1st day thank you to get the volunteers started-It was nautical themes so they all go a pkg of Chips Ahoy!, then midweek they all received a litle pick me up thank you; LifeSaver candies with a little note about leading kids to Christ is a life-saving job! Then on Friday, they all received a thank you card with special scripture enclosed from me. The leaders received a sand dollar along with the Legend of the Sand Dollar story about its meaning. Since we are a little more familiar with everything this year the thank yous will be more specific, but I plan to keep the LifeSaver midweek treat. (R.J.)
• In the past, a generous church member has offered to pay for ice cream for ALL volunteers...we pick one evening, after VBS and head to a local ice cream parlor and enjoy each other's company. It's a mid-week pick-me-up for all the workers! (M.B.)
• We have our VBS in the evenings so the meals of our volunteers are all provided for, plus we give extra treats like chocolate, fruits and some of the kids' snacks for dessert. Their t-shirts are also free:) Then on the graduation day, a banquet is prepared again for the volunteers. Hooray for them!!! (S.C.)
• We do a thank you each night, something like little Milky Ways with notes attached that say "you are out of this world!". We usually start the week off with a "Survival Kit" with all of the cute sayings too. (M.W.) One of our church members would host a pool party for workers and their families. (K.S.)
• Pizza party and hoping to do a pool party this year. We want them to know they are appreciated! (S.P.)
• We usually do a personal written thank you and include a couple of pictures from the week. (S.H.)
• We give a small gift that goes along with our theme for the year or that goes with a catchy saying. Also, we are sure to recognize all the hard work everyone put in when we give reports. (T.S.)
• I wrote personal thank you notes, after the program and then cooked a thank you lunch including a themed cake to thank everyone 2 months later. (P.D.)