Thank a Volunteer - Service Appreciation - Service Recognition

It's an honor that so many of you have entrusted The Christian Gift to create appreciation plaques for people who are very special to your churches and organizations. In ten years many hundreds of orders for recognition plaques have been fulfilled - and I've learned about some truly dedicated folks in the process.

Sometimes it's simply by reading the personalization information you supply for your piece. (At one point last year, I went through a period when there were at least a handful of orders each week in celebration of 50 years on the job. Organists, ushers, Sunday School teachers....it was phenomenal!)

Other times, when I have the opportunity to chat with customers, we hear about the wonderful "back stories" associated with people who are being recognized. These are just a sample of volunteers we've learned a little more about:

• A couple who were dedicated to a local prison ministry for many years
• An organist/pianist who drove back and forth from one church to another every Sunday to make sure there would be accompaniment for a small congregation that had an unexpected vacancy in their music ministry
• A man who traveled 150 miles every single weekend to help the people of a community devastated by a tornado
• A team of volunteers who provided not only their time and talents, but also all the materials necessary to expand a home for a family who wanted to take in another foster child....building a bedroom to provide the space they needed
• A couple who used their annual vacation for five consecutive years to drive 1500 miles (one-way) to help rebuild homes destroyed by a hurricane

And so on..... Here's to volunteers who make such a positive difference for churches and service organizations all across the country. There are wonderful stories of dedicated service everywhere!