Thank you!

This picture was taken when I was a little girl walking with my Grandmother and sister in downtown Edmonton. I didn't look very happy because I was wearing a polyester pant suit and the concrete jungle we were strolling through made the temperature feel like 30 degrees celsius! I did have a good time on that trip and I was thankful for my grandparents and all that they did for me. You just couldn't tell by looking at me.....

When you are in the middle of an event it is sometimes difficult to convey how appreciative you are of your team, your volunteers, etc. because you are busy....extremely busy. You are focused on the task at hand and because of that, those around you may not know how thankful you are that they are on your team!

The first thing you should do following an event is write good old fashioned thank you notes. Yes, the paper kind (you can get eco-friendly thank you cards), the ones you write on with your own hand, address and mail with a real stamp!

Do this before you forget because there is a "golden week" in which a thank you note should be received, any later and it becomes an afterthought.

In your thank you note, reinforce why they were important to your project. Be specific. You want them to know that you noticed the little/big things that they did for you or which contributed to the success of the event.

I cherish the thank you notes which I have received over the years and have kept each and every one of them. They are tacked onto my bulletin board and I currently have one on my fridge. When I am working on a particularly difficult project, they are a pleasant reminder that I am doing a good job.

J