I think sometimes people running volunteer-driven organizations like PTA put most of their energy into finding and recruiting the people they need to help. But once those people are recruited, what now? To retain them, you should thank them, of course!  Unfortunately, at the school where I chaired the PTA, we were all about recruiting and less about rewarding and recognizing our PTA volunteers. And on every level that is wrong.

Reaching back into my memory, I know how I felt when I judged 20 entries in a writing contest and didn’t even get a verbal “thank you” from the committee chair. I felt slighted and resolved not to take on that task again, or at least not for that person. Saying “thank you” goes a long way, cost nothing and really requires little effort.

Acknowledging volunteers doesn’t have to be time consuming or expensive, but the way it’s done does need to be meaningful. It never hurts to adopt more than one way of showing your gratitude either. Here are 15 ways other groups have used:

1. Say “thank you” often.
2. Host a tea or luncheon and publicly recognize all your volunteers.
3. The Blaney Elementary School PTA in Elgin, South Carolina, sponsors a “Parent’s Night Out” several times throughout the year. Participants must amass 25 volunteer points and then they can leave their children under the care of other PTA members and enjoy an “adults only” night out. (I love this one.)
4. Salute volunteers in a PTA or school newsletter. When Francine Kelly was president of the Parent Club at Valhalla Elementary in Pleasant Hill, California, volunteers were thanked in the “Drum Roll” section of the school’s weekly newsletter. (Another good idea.)
5. Ask teachers to get their students to make posters thanking the volunteers by name.
6. Take pictures of your volunteers in action and then make a scrapbook with the photos and captions for next year’s volunteers to browse.
7. Design a “We Missed You” card or letter to send to volunteers who miss a scheduled volunteer time.
8. Send a handwritten thank-you note to your volunteers at their homes.
9. Keep track of your volunteers’ hours and at the end of the school year provide a special gift for the one who’s logged the most “giving” time.
10. Ask volunteers to fill out a personal interest questionnaire that lists their birthday, hobbies, favorite colors and what other information might come in handy. Honor them with cards or small gifts like a $5 coffee card on their birthdays and other holidays.
11. Select a “Volunteer of the Month” and post their photo plus their accomplishments on a school bulletin board.
12. Call and personally thank your volunteers periodically, without asking them to do something additional.
13. Provide refreshments or snacks for volunteers.
14. Does your school have a fun and engaging assembly coming up? Ask the principal if you can invite some of your volunteers to that assembly.
15. Find a way to reward volunteers who recruit new volunteers. Then you’ve come full circle.