Volunteers, Volunteers, Volunteers! Can we ever have too many volunteers when it comes to VBS??!! Hopefully every person serving in our churches is drawn in because their heart is united with the vision to touch kiddos and families with the love of Jesus. Still, it’s always nice to know you’re appreciated, right? Whether it’s a silly card with a pun that makes you groan or a more touching story of saving a starfish, volunteers recognize the gesture of appreciation when we take the time to show them how grateful we are for their investment in this ministry.
Each of the resources below is available for download as a pdf file and/or image. In many cases, I have also provided the Canva Template Link so that you may edit the file to make it better meet your needs.
Looking for more gift ideas (beyond printables)? There’s a whole page of ’em that I’ve gathered from the suggestions of VBS directors on multiple sites. Click here to jump to them.
Please give me feedback regarding any issues with these resources as well as any additional resources you would find helpful.
PUNNY THANK YOU CARDS
What’s VBS without some great puns? And what better use for them than thanking your volunteers.
Last year we gave a “punny” card and treat to each volunteer every day during VBS. We made them in advance so they were all ready to go. The volunteers enjoyed the simple token of our appreciation. You can download the cards, 4 to a page, below.
If you don’t have someone whose time can be dedicated to handing out treats each day, you could also set up a volunteer snack room or cart. Each day, change out one of these posters (or 2) and the corresponding treat. If your VBS is like ours, volunteers don’t have much (if any) “free” time once the day gets rolling, but they still enjoy knowing there are treats ready for them before and after VBS. 8.5″ x 11″ posters can be downloaded below.
STARFISH THANK YOU
Ever since my early involvement in Royal Family Kids Camp (look it up if you aren’t familiar…AMAZING ministry to foster kids!), I have always loved the classic story of the Starfish…making a difference one child at a time! What could be a more perfect thank to volunteers during a beach-themed adventure? Use the Canva link to add the VBS logo or your church name.
CHOCOLATES TO GO WITH THE STARFISH STORY
Rosebudschocolate.com has this adorable gift bag available. You can order directly from them, but I thought I’d try to duplicate it as much as possible with some chocolate molds from Amazon. I ordered the molds and bags below and they are the perfect size to include a starfish and one of the shells. I’ll pick up some blue sugar/sprinkles and bows locally.
Full Disclosure: I don’t charge for anything on this site, but as an Amazon Associate, I earn commission from qualifying purchases.
VBS THANK YOU
Here’s another thank you option for Volunteers. We plan to give this out at our trainings.
Use the Canva Template Link to make any changes that better fit your context.
PRINTABLE THANK YOU CARD COVERS
Walgreens and CVS (among other stores) have fabulous deals with weekly coupon codes to order individual or sets of custom cards. Likewise, Staples often has a deal through Groupon for custom single or double-sided flat cards (we use these for our family’s Christmas cards and are always happy with the quality).
While gifts and snacks are a super nice gesture to let volunteers know they are appreciated, I honestly believe that the most meaningful form of appreciation is to take the time to write a personal thank you note. These 5″ x 7″ designs could be used for the cover of a custom card.
If you want to change up the wording or make these even more personal from you or your church, use this Canva link to access any of these designs.
Or you can download the pdf file below. There are two 5″ x 7″ images on each page.
THANK YOU GIFT IDEAS
There’s been lots of chatting about ideas of gifts to give to volunteers. Some prefer to stick to much-appreciated snacks throughout the week, while others like to give something that will last a little longer. I’ve perused various sites and gathered up a list of gift ideas for varying budgets and interests. Everything included here is something that I saw recommended specifically by someone in the VBS world!
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