Rewarding Working Club Members?

[jr37]

Whats does your snowmobile club do to reward members that actually do the work?

We have a club that is well diversified. We have many that are good at different things. We don't really need to rely on just a couple people to do all the work. We have a few that are great at fundraising, a few good at groomer maintenance, a handful of groomer operators, a bunch that do trail signing and brushing, some are the brains behind the scenes.

How do you reward the people that actually do the work for the club? What criteria needs to be met? Is rewarding workers a good idea at all? I think that the club, as a whole, needs to appreciate the workers, but is this just opening a can of worms? Will rewarding workers tick-off the non-workers? I am not sure what to think.

I am looking for ideas from clubs that do something for their workers.

 

[mrsrunningbear]

This is something I really wanted to do for the volunteers too!! I brought this up to the club as a volunteer incentive program to show appreciation and how we could ask local businesses for a certificate or something we could give to the volunteers. One of the BOD members owns Headwaters Polaris and offered to give us 4 $50 gift certificates, another owns Greenland Pit Stop and gave us pizza certificates.The club decided that each month we would put the names of the people who volunteered in a hat and draw for the $50 certificate and you could only win once, just to be fair. The pizza certificates are handed out to the volunteers after a work day as a thank you. These have been real nice gifts for the volunteers. We keep track of all the volunteer hours because it's nice to have these hours for grants and such. It also gives a nice numbers to talk about at the annual banquet.

 

[ezra]

who cares if it ticks off the non workers any ways?
do u really need there 15 bucks ?
do u need them showing up just for the cook outs and the free hot dog?
I would also think just a recognition of the of the top 5 hrs submitted members. do it at the first meting every yr with the club picking up the tab for there diner that night is deff not much to ask other members to pull from the general fund as a thank u for doing the time so they dont have to.
I know a few guys over the yrs who just silently stewed till they quit.
people just want a thank u from time to time for what they do.if they get no recognition they start to think on one cares then say screw it why am I busting hump no one gives a rats ars.

 

[whitedust]

This is something I really wanted to do for the volunteers too!! I brought this up to the club as a volunteer incentive program to show appreciation and how we could ask local businesses for a certificate or something we could give to the volunteers. One of the BOD members owns Headwaters Polaris and offered to give us 4 $50 gift certificates, another owns Greenland Pit Stop and gave us pizza certificates.The club decided that each month we would put the names of the people who volunteered in a hat and draw for the $50 certificate and you could only win once, just to be fair. The pizza certificates are handed out to the volunteers after a work day as a thank you. These have been real nice gifts for the volunteers. We keep track of all the volunteer hours because it's nice to have these hours for grants and such. It also gives a nice numbers to talk about at the annual banquet.

Mrs RB is on the right track but to be honest they don't do what they do for a reward. Volunteers are volunteers some or very dedicated some are in it for a beer. Ezra makes good points too & to me volunteering is a burn out job so just be happy people step up!.

 

[MZEMS2]

I agree with Whitedust. I think those that volunteer, then step up to actually do the work, will behave like that no matter what type of organization they're in. I like to think I fit into that slot. I do like some recognition for a job well done, but I certainly don't EXPECT it. I think there are those that DO EXPECT it though. I think a gift certificate to this or that, is a nice gesture. Just being acknowledged in a newsletter or a meeting makes me feel a bit better about giving my time. We have a lot of people in our club, that I've never ever seen, at any function. Those are the ones that pay the dues and feel like that's enough. And, maybe it is. The ones that show up to do the work, are the ones that are gonna do a good job of it. DO we really wanna listen to someone gripe all day long while signing trails??? Heck no, I'd rather be out there goofing around having fun while I work. People feel rewarded in different ways. Most of the time a sincere pat on the back and "thank you" is enough for a "true volunteer". Just my $.02

 

[ezra]

in 1 of the clubs I am in I talked about giving any one under 18 a free membership with 6hrs of time. I think we are going to go ahead with it and bring it up at the snowmobile training class this yr along with discounts on class for being a member of a club .
I thought the kid should have to be a member of a club to eave take the class but that was shot down.
I still think they should have to be a member of a club if not now when they are getting a license to use the trails on there own when?

 

[Deleted member 10829]

One of things our club does is we give nice jackets with our logo on the back, your name on the front and either Groomer Driver or Volunteer going down the sleeve. It's really a nice touch and people love them. I wear mine around all the time.

We also hold an appreciation dinner or breakfast for all of the volunteers once a year. In our club, it seems to be the same group of people that do most of the work, but we all love it, and as said above, we don't expect anything, we just enjoy doing it. I'm getting anxious to get out and mow the trails this fall!

 

[chords]

just a outside view - a trail pass or equivalent on top of pancake hot dog bbq. And give them the floor with a live mic :}

 

[ezra]

I could be just a bit bitter .
but I think guys who put in X amount of hrs per yr should have say 2or 3 votes on club issues.
especially votes pertaining on what the club spends its recourses on.
was in 1 for yrs that always voted down worker bee requests for map boxes extra under the table jugs for land owners highly visible lake exit trail markers .but always funded boat trips and x mass parties deck parties and food shelf type stuff.
needless to say more than a few of us bees moved on.

 

[jim_golding]

Interesting post as this is something I have thought about. I think people who volunteer do it because they believe in the cause and it makes them feel like they did something worth while. What these volunteers need every now and then is recognition for the hours they work. Since I am the secretary for our club, I mention in the newsletters who helped with the various projects the club is working on, or where they went above and beyond. Hopefully it motivates some of the less active members to do more.

 

[durphee]

Our organization has an annual chicken dinner and two golf outings, or whatever activity that members enjoy. The activities are really well attended and appreciated by the members, but nothing is perfect. For those who want to contribute they will, the one's who do not want to put the work in won't.