We have two priceless volunteers leaving this year, We are going to take picture of their kids, put them in frames. We are using the wide white matting to write our thanks on.
It is something they would want to keep and hang up. I looked around at the volunteering gift but decide to go with this, personally all the awards and stuff that is out there just wasn't as special as we thought the pictures would be.
Also, It costed very little about $8.00 each. I was very careful not to spend a large amount of money and to be careful of setting a standard to be followed in the future. Next year I have even more volunteers leaving, so I needed to keep cost down.
One of our departing parents was PTO Pres for 4 yrs and Chairwoman of our Carnival for 5. The PTO Pres likes to give flowers, but I think something more lasting would be appropiate. I like the mug/tote idea, the scrapbooks, as well as the framed poems/sayings. Whatever it is, make sure it is something well thought out that will mean as much to the recipient as his/her years os service have meant to the school & students.
I always thought it would be nice to identify outgoing volunteers early in the school year, and make sure that sometime during the year someone takes a snapshot or two of them "on the job", so to speak. Put the pic on a card, and have volunteers who worked with that person write a brief note or comment. That's something that 10, 15, or 20 years down the road would still be treasured, and bring back memories.
And of course it's something to show your kids as they get older (LOOK at how I gave the best years of my life, slaving at your school), which can be useful now and then.
i am one of those parents who is moving on after several years of dedicated work.. what would mean the most to me is a letters and or pictures somehow in a scrapbook or even " stapled" together.. that would mean a whole lot more than mugs, t-shirts or plaques....
I am a brand new president of a PTO of a small church school. We have some students leaving at the end of this year to change schools,-both in town and out of town- in addition to our graduating 8th graders. Do you have any advise on sending a letter to the out going children of both groups?
I have the same thing going on this year. Losing both my Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer (woe is me) and one other amazingly active member.
I want to try to have a plaque made for distinguised PTO members who have moved on and put their name and possibly officer positions held and the year. Could even incorporate photos. Would get it big enough to have it used for years before a new one is required.
Talked with the Principal about having this hung in the main lobby.
Secondly I am looking to have an active PTO barbeque and would want to display this at that event.
