photo of a gingerbread whoopie pie given for April's Volunteer Appreciation monthApril is “volunteer appreciation” month. Last week, the ED of a nonprofit gave whoopie pies to each of us on the board. In presenting them, she said, “April is volunteer appreciation month. So each year we do something to say ‘thank you’ to each of you on the board. But rather than chocolates, this year I thought we’d give whoopie pies.”

As I choose my gingerbread whoopie pie*, I remembered that she did indeed thank us each April. And I started remembering the other times I’d been thanked as a board member for this organization. This small act of kindness had a much bigger impact than I’d expected.

How are you thanking board members?

While you might take silence from board members as “no news is good news,” they may really be drifting away from you and your cause. Granted, some you might not mind to lose, but you not all of them!

Saying “thank you” is a great way to help keep them connected. You could:

  • give them a quick phone call with no other agenda than to say “thank you”
  • hand write a brief “thank you” note
  • or even buy them a small gift as a token of your appreciation

April’s not over. Why not reach out this week and say “thanks”?

* I agree with whoopie pie purists who argue that the only true whoopie pie is one with chocolate outsides and a decadently sweet white inside. But I try to venture out every once and a while. I choose the gingerbread one in the picture. It was ok, but I think I should’ve stuck with the chocolate ones. 🙂

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