gmhTODAY 16 gmhToday Sept Oct 2017 | Page 68

The Hunt ’ s Magic Ingredients

The Art of Keeping Volunteers Engaged

Maureen and Bob Hunt took over the chairmanship of the Morgan Hill Freedom Fest ’ s Fourth of July Parade in 1996 . Over the past 21 years , they have developed a volunteer base that is second to none . gmhTODAY asked them how they managed to keep such a dedicated group of individuals engaged from year to year . Basically , their formula for success boils down to treating people with respect and never forgetting their value .

The thank you cards that the Hunts send out to their volunteers each year after a successful event reads : “ The reason volunteers aren ’ t paid is not because they are worthless , but because they are absolutely , positively , PRICELESS !! Thank you for all you do to ensure that the Morgan Hill Freedom Fest July 4 th Parade is a Huge Success .”
After each event , they host a “ thank you ” potluck dinner complete with gift prizes that Maureen and Bob have collected throughout the year . This year it was held at the Senior Center . The above photo is of those who attended the event this year . But the dinner is just the beginning ; they don ’ t stop there .
Volunteering for the parade is basically a year-round commitment , with various parade committee team meetings held to plan for the coming year , Christmas cards and other communications
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GILROY • MORGAN HILL • SAN MARTIN SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2017 gmhtoday . com