Spring is the perfect time to thank those
who have been serving in your children's, youth and adult ministries for
the past year! If you have read articles from 'round about the church
for the past few years, then you know I am a strong advocate for taking
the time to thank your volunteers. There are many ways to thank your
volunteers, we will take a look at an idea that is easy to plan and truly
communicates the value you have for your volunteers. Consider making
this a part of your yearly calendar and commit to valuing and affirming
those who give of their time to serve the children, youth and adults in
your church!
- Volunteer Thank You Dessert
- pick a Date for an evening event to honor your volunteers
- find someone to provide special music and a special speaker
- make invitations to mail to all volunteers inviting them and their spouse/guest to the evening event
- decide if you will provide child care and if so, arrange for people to take care of the kids
- pass a sign up list around your adult sunday school classes asking adults who are NOT volunteers to sign up to make and drop off a desert that serves six - you are looking for a person's "signature" dessert, something sorta fancy and definitely special
- decide on decorations and arrange to decorate the day of the dessert
- determine if you are going to present your volunteers with a thank you gift -
- consider some of the following ideas -
- for churches with small or no budget . . .
- approach merchants and restaurants in your community and ask if they are willing to donate a gift certificate or certificate for a meal - most will if you ask
- ask people in your church who are not volunteers to donate their time to go to a specific volunteer's home and wash their car, take them muffins or coffee cake for breakfast - this is a fun event to involve children and youth in as well as a family could "adopt" a volunteer and on a specific day, go together to wash the car and take the goodies
- present each volunteer with a single flower and a small bag of Hershey kisses and hugs
- for churches with a budget or who asks non-volunteers to donate for a special offering to purchase a gift . . .
- I really like presenting volunteers with a pen as it is something they will use on even a daily basis and when they do, they will be reminded of how their church values them. Consider ordering a pen with your church children's ministry or discipleship ministry logo on it to present to each of your volunteers. Check the following sites -
- I had several companies send me some of their pens to include in this article, any of which would make a tremendous choice to present your volunteer of the year with a special, quality pen - if you honor a volunteer of the year, don't just give them an inexpensive pen. Match the quality of the volunteer with a truly quality pen to communicate the value you see in them. All the pens reviewed below are available on line direct from the individual companies or from Joon Pen Company - www.joon.com
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Dunas Collection
- Manufacturer - Caran d'Ache
-
Cost - $49 - $69
- favorite features -
- Fountain pen writes so smoothly - it just floats across your paper and is an absolute joy to write with! Even people who don't like fountain pens, will love this pen!
- available as a fountain pen, roller ball, ball point or pencil
- available in four colors - Tanami red, Sahara black, Mojave ivory or Gobi beige
- comfortable weight
- arrives in a box with a suede case to carry the pen in
- these pens are truly well made with attention to detail and quality. The Dunas pens are definitely classy pens that will be appreciated and valued by any who receive them. Tremendously well done Caran d'Ache!
- Vanishing Point Pen
- Manufacturer - Namiki
-
Cost - $119
- favorite features -
- the only fountain pen with a vanishing point -this pen is unique in that it is retractable.
- available in a variety of finishes and colors
- arrives in a nice presentation box
- it did take a bit of work to get this pen to write without skipping, but once it settled in and stopped skipping, it proved to be an enjoyable pen to write with. Very nicely done Namiki!
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Technixx
- Manufacturer - Pelikan
-
Cost - $50 - $60
- favorite features -
- available as fountain pens, roller ball, ball point or pencil
- available in a variety of finishes - matte black, red or blue and matte chrome
- fountain pen writes with a smoothness that makes it a truly enjoyable pen
- these pens have a very comfortable weight and feel to them. I really like the finish and especially appreciate the obvious attention to quality put into these pens! Tremendously well done Pelikan!
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Lalex Forme
- Manufacturer - Lalex
-
Cost - $145
- favorite features -
- available as a fountain pen, ballpoint or large ballpoint
- available in a variety of shapes - round, square and triangle
- available in a variety of colors - blue, orange, pink and black
- fountain pens writes like a dream - smoothly and clearly - a joy to write with!
- arrives in a nice presentation box
- if you have the funds to make this the pen your volunteer of the year receives each year, you will be selecting a truly quality pen - one that will be treasured and appreciated by all who receive it! The unique shapes and colors are reminiscent of pens my great grandparents used and I'm delighted to see them brought back with such attention to detail and quality. Tremendously well done Lalex!
- Consider asking each student in your church - from preschool through adult - to donate $1 to go towards the purchase of this, or whatever pen you select, to make this a gift that is truly from the students to the volunteer of the year!
- have someone film your volunteers in their areas of service or take photos and make a power point presentation
- the evening of your dessert, begin with coffee, punch and special music. Invite volunteers to select their choice of dessert from your dessert tables and then provide time for your speaker and presentation of your volunteer of the year as well as appreciation gifts for each volunteer. End the evening with a video or power point presentation showing your volunteers in action.
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