Honor your volunteers!

Students helping out in Williamsburg.
By vastateparksstaff [CC-BY-2.0
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)],
via Wikimedia Commons

Your most important constituents are your volunteers.

For event driven organizations, they provide the programming that keeps members coming back.

They make events run smoothly so that members and guests are comfortable and well-served.

Volunteers, in turn, have to feel appreciated. They need to sense the value in their service to your organization. There is always a quid pro quo in the volunteer relationship.

Sometimes, it's a basic desire to help out. Often, it's an understanding that the service a volunteer gives builds his/her credentials and skills.

Keep your volunteers interested in your organization. Honor their contributions with public thank yous. Value their priorities.

See also http://assnpracticum.blogspot.com/2014/03/in-top-five-most-stressful-jobs.html on this site.