This one’s mostly for the conveners.

It’s really not difficult.

Let the people who are donating their time to you know where and when they are supposed to be ahead of schedule. And I’m not talking about three days before they are supposed to be there. A week at the very latest. A week allows for them to make sure they are free, make sure everyone knows where they will be and why they will not be available for anything else. It also gives you enough time to make sure you have all the volunteers you want/need and that they are allocated to the areas you need them.

If you are supplying meals for them, please let them know. If you are not, please let them know. Again, ahead of schedule. It saves them from lining up and spending stupid amounts of money on terrible food which essentially amounts to them paying to work for you.

I get that it is difficult to reward excellent work in any meaningful kind of way, so please understand that we rally do appreciate a “thank you so much” or “you did an awesome job” when you see it. It really does make us feel as though our good work has been notice and is helping.

We get tired and cranky and petulant as much as a paid employee, without the added bonus of there being a pot of gold at the end of the monochromatic rainbow. Please, forgive us our snappiness as we try to forgive those who snap against us.

Thank you for the extra few minutes of break or sleep in in the morning. It is one way, without giving us money that you can show us you appreciate us.

But really, please do something about the coffee… 🙂