I spent last weekend “down the shore,” as we say in northern New Jersey, because I wrote a donor appeal letter and related messages for Cantigas Women’s Choir.

I donated my services. So did several other current and former choir members, who managed processes, designed materials, stuffed envelopes, kept track of donations, and tackled other tasks.

So Rebecca, the volunteer who organized the campaign, invited us to a beach weekend.

The thank-you went way beyond what I had given. But it made me feel special and appreciated. Will I donate time to Cantigas again? I will if Rebecca is in charge!

How do you thank your volunteers? Do you make them feel special and appreciated?

First steps:

• A sincere spoken “thank you” every time people show up
• A handwritten note from time to time
• An annual volunteer appreciation event

Those are tried-and-true strategies. Can your thank-you go above and beyond? 

You’re thinking, “We can’t afford a beach weekend!” But this weekend didn’t cost Cantigas a dime. Rebecca got a friend to donate use of his shore home. She paid for food herself. Attendees paid for their travel, beach passes, and other incidentals.

Rebecca and her friend were extraordinarily generous. 

But then, so are your board members, donors, and staff. Someone in your virtual Rolodex has access to the equivalent of a beach house (horse farm, top-floor clubhouse, pool or pool table, giant beagle-shaped B&B, or something equally appealing).

Or maybe someone has a skill to donate to the cause of volunteer appreciation. The Cantigas member who solicited the most program book ads this year, for instance, got a hat custom-knitted by a board member.

Go wild! Right now, before your inner editor takes over, brainstorm 10 ways you could offer your volunteers a special treat. The more unusual, the better!

You can look at the list with a practical eye later. Don’t discard anything until you have consulted your Rolodex. If you need a thinking partner, I’m here for you