In This Issue
Volunteer Appreciation
 
$4.6 billion. That number represents the value of service that volunteers in Wisconsin alone give to organizations and their communities, creating a significant impact in our towns and cities. April was known as National Volunteer Month a
nd the governor of Wisconsin proclaimed the week of April 23-29, 2017 as Volunteer Appreciation Week throughout the State of Wisconsin.
 
While National Volunteer Week is the most popular time of the year to recognize the volunteers around us, recognition and appreciation needs to be ongoing and shouldn't be something that happens only once a year. Checking in with your volunteers, sending handwritten thank you and birthday cards, and featuring their stories and impact on your website or social media are some easy ways that you can show your appreciation for the volunteers that you work with all year 'round. Looking for something fun to give your volunteers? Pinterest has many creative ideas: https://www.pinterest.com/sueholst/volunteer-appreciation/. VolunteerPro also has a free e-book for volunteer managers titled Volunteer Appreciation: 50 Simple Ways to Show Your Love.
National, State, and Local Recognition Awards

Do you have a spectacular volunteer that always goes above and beyond or that has done something truly unique? Consider nominating them for an award, either at the local, state, or national level. Some awards like the Jefferson Award for Public Service and Volunteer Wisconsin's Volunteer Rock Star recognize volunteers year-round, so there's no need to remember a nomination deadline.
 
Pictured at right is Alnisa Allgood, one of the latest Volunteer Wisconsin Rock Star honorees.  Alnisa has volunteered at Olbrich Gardens in Madison since 2004, contributing over 1,500 hours developing online resources such as Wiki pages and introducing volunteer scheduling software.  And yet Olbrich Gardens is just one of many organizations that Alnisa freely gives time to!  No wonder City of Madison Mayor Paul Soglin recently featured Alnisa and the impact she is making in Madison in his blog. A shout out to Marty Petillo,  Volunteer Services Manager at Olbrich Botanical Gardens for making the nomination.
 
To learn more about awards for volunteer service and their nomination process, visit http://volunteerwisconsin.galaxydigital.com/. 
Governor's Service Award for Volunteer Engagement
 
 Every year, Serve Wisconsin and the Corporation for National and Community Service State Office present the Governor's Service Recognition Event, honoring national service participants and programs that have helped address social problems to meet their community's needs. On June 8, they will recognize the 2017 Honorees, including a Volunteer Engagement Honoree, a volunteer manager or volunteer center director who is innovative and inspiring and effectively engages volunteers that confront community needs through volunteerism. Last June, Bonnie Andrews from the Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee (pictured, center) was recognized for her 16 years of leadership and service and for her promotion of volunteerism in Milwaukee. Check Volunteer Wisconsin's Facebook page after June 8 for the 2017 inductee.  And start thinking about worthy candidates for 2018 now . . . Nominations are 2-page narratives accepted every March and April. Links to make a nomination for the Governor's Service Award for Volunteer Engagement will be posted on VolunteerWisconsin.org. 
Conference Time!
 
After the busy month of April and after celebrating the volunteers around us, the months of May and June are often host to a multitude of conferences, including those for volunteer managers and coordinators. Volunteer Wisconsin likes to say that volunteering is not "one size fits all" and neither is volunteer management. Each organization's volunteer program is unique but everyone can still gain advice, learn new practices and strategies, and make valuable connections. Below is a list of upcoming conferences throughout the spring and summer of interest to you as a leader of volunteers.  We hope that you will be able to attend one or more.  
  Can't make any of the conferences on the list? Our list of conferences and events for volunteer management is continually being updated.  Bookmark www.VolunteerWisconsin.org for easy access to our list of upcoming trainings. 
Keep on the Radar
 
Now that spring break and Easter have passed, many  families and students are  looking forward to summer break and what that might bring. Do you have any family-friendly volunteer opportunities at your organization that you can promote? Families will be looking for things to do with their kids. Are you looking for skills-based volunteers? If it fits, try calling those opportunities unpaid internships to attract students' attention. Now is the time to update and tweak online listings and volunteer postings to give them a summer-y feel for those thinking ahead.
Coming Soon . . . Website Makeover In Progress
 
Volunteer Wisconsin is in the process of creating a new website so you can more easily find and access all our useful resources.  All of your listings and the way you post and update opportunities will not change.  Our URL www.VolunteerWisconsin.org is still the same.  Only the look of the home page you land on and the increased ease of finding resources will change.  On the new site, you simply click an Agency Log In button and you'll find yourself in the "old" site you are familiar working in.  We will keep you updated on our website progress and the anticipated date to go live.

Marshfield Clinic Center for Community Outreach
www.VolunteerWisconsin.org