Volunteer Recognition program
Volunteers are like gold to us! They are valued members of our guild! This page outlines our "Volunteer Recognition Program" and its benefits. If you have any questions, please contact our Volunteer Chair, Sandy Foster.
Click on the Items below to read the information found in the different sections.
HOW TO QUALIFY FOR A VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION AWARD...Click Here!
❖ You must be a current member of Desert Quilters of Nevada (DQN) for the year in which you earn the award.
❖ You must provide a minimum of 4 hours of documented service to the Guild during the current membership year (you cannot combine service over multiple years).
a. Any activity specific to a charity whether within a specific Circle or within a group of members is not considered volunteering for the Guild and will not qualify for hours towards an award.
❖ Some combination of the following documented service criteria directly benefiting the Guild must be met to earn an award in each membership year:
(a) Serving as an elected officer of the Guild
(b) Serving as Chair of a DQN Circle
(c) Serving as an official Board member in the capacity as Chair of a Committee whether voting or non-voting, Circle Representative, or other appointed position such as SCCQG Representative, Sunshine or Grants Manager.
(d) Serving on a Guild Committee
(e) Working on a Guild project such as making Quilts of Valor for our Guild members for the 2024 Quilt Show
(f) Arrangement and coordination of a bus trip to a quilting event which is available to all Guild members
(g) Making an Opportunity Quilt and/or obtaining donations through tickets for such
(h) Volunteering for a minimum of 4 hours at the Quilt Show, either during actual Show hours or during Show week.
(i) Volunteering in some capacity for the Retreat
(j) Volunteering to act as Hostess for Sew Days
❖ The four (4) hours can be earned in increments or as one shift such as during the Quilt Show. The member must ensure that her/his different contributions are documented by the Chair or person in charge of reporting activity for each separate event.
❖ Hours are not transferable to any other member
❖ Be certain to sign in at each event where you have volunteered to ensure that your hours are recorded accurately.
❖ Only one award can be earned during any membership year which runs from January 1st through December 31st
❖ You must provide a minimum of 4 hours of documented service to the Guild during the current membership year (you cannot combine service over multiple years).
a. Any activity specific to a charity whether within a specific Circle or within a group of members is not considered volunteering for the Guild and will not qualify for hours towards an award.
❖ Some combination of the following documented service criteria directly benefiting the Guild must be met to earn an award in each membership year:
(a) Serving as an elected officer of the Guild
(b) Serving as Chair of a DQN Circle
(c) Serving as an official Board member in the capacity as Chair of a Committee whether voting or non-voting, Circle Representative, or other appointed position such as SCCQG Representative, Sunshine or Grants Manager.
(d) Serving on a Guild Committee
(e) Working on a Guild project such as making Quilts of Valor for our Guild members for the 2024 Quilt Show
(f) Arrangement and coordination of a bus trip to a quilting event which is available to all Guild members
(g) Making an Opportunity Quilt and/or obtaining donations through tickets for such
(h) Volunteering for a minimum of 4 hours at the Quilt Show, either during actual Show hours or during Show week.
(i) Volunteering in some capacity for the Retreat
(j) Volunteering to act as Hostess for Sew Days
❖ The four (4) hours can be earned in increments or as one shift such as during the Quilt Show. The member must ensure that her/his different contributions are documented by the Chair or person in charge of reporting activity for each separate event.
❖ Hours are not transferable to any other member
❖ Be certain to sign in at each event where you have volunteered to ensure that your hours are recorded accurately.
❖ Only one award can be earned during any membership year which runs from January 1st through December 31st
HOW IT WORKS...Click Here!
The Volunteer Recognition Chairperson gathers the lists of volunteers from the Chairpersons (referred to as Chair throughout this document) of all DQN events, including the Quilt Show, the Retreat, Board responsibilities, and other Chairs of activities designated as having benefit to the entire membership. (Where there are questions, they will be confirmed by the Executive Board.) Examples include assisting at the Membership table at a Quarterly meeting, assisting with the Challenge hanging/teardown, assisting with a special Guild project. It is possible that hours may accumulate over several events to reach the 4-hour minimum requirement for the year. It is the responsibility of each Chair to document accurately the hours for each volunteer.
In most cases, it is the responsibility of the Chair to ensure that the volunteers all sign in and document the actual number of hours spent for the specific activity. For the Quilt Show, each volunteer is asked to work a 4-hour shift which automatically meets the requirement for recognition for that membership year. Lists are to be compiled in alphabetical order and submitted to the Volunteer Chairperson in a timely fashion, i.e., no later than December 10th.
The Volunteer Chairperson maintains the database where records are documented for each member’s participation in a membership year. The Volunteer Chairperson is responsible for ensuring that the person is a member of DQN for the year they are requesting recognition. This database generates the list of pins and stars which will be distributed to the members beginning at the First Quarterly meeting in the year after the award was earned. The Chairperson may identify additional members to help with the distribution at the meeting.
The Chairperson is responsible for maintaining an adequate number of pins and stars in inventory and requesting a budgetary line item when additional ones need to be purchased.
In most cases, it is the responsibility of the Chair to ensure that the volunteers all sign in and document the actual number of hours spent for the specific activity. For the Quilt Show, each volunteer is asked to work a 4-hour shift which automatically meets the requirement for recognition for that membership year. Lists are to be compiled in alphabetical order and submitted to the Volunteer Chairperson in a timely fashion, i.e., no later than December 10th.
The Volunteer Chairperson maintains the database where records are documented for each member’s participation in a membership year. The Volunteer Chairperson is responsible for ensuring that the person is a member of DQN for the year they are requesting recognition. This database generates the list of pins and stars which will be distributed to the members beginning at the First Quarterly meeting in the year after the award was earned. The Chairperson may identify additional members to help with the distribution at the meeting.
The Chairperson is responsible for maintaining an adequate number of pins and stars in inventory and requesting a budgetary line item when additional ones need to be purchased.
Awards...Click here!
Year 1 – DQN volunteer pin
Year 2 – yellow
Year 3 – red
Year 4 – blue
Followed by purple, orange, green, pink, teal, white
Year 2 – yellow
Year 3 – red
Year 4 – blue
Followed by purple, orange, green, pink, teal, white
HOW TO COLLECT YOUR AWARD...Click Here!
Awards earned in a calendar year will be available for pick up at the Annual Meeting held in the next calendar year, i.e., awards earned in 2023 will first be available at the 2024 Annual Meeting. You may pick them up there from the Volunteer Chair or her representative.
Alternately, you may use one of the following methods to retrieve your award:
1. Send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the Volunteer Chair.
2. Authorize your Circle Representative in writing to pick it up for you.
3. Authorize another Guild member in writing to pick it up for you. In all cases, you or your authorized representative (when the award is picked up), will be asked to sign the sheet indicating who accepted the award. In the case where the item is mailed, it will be noted on the Volunteer Chairperson’s records.
In all cases, once a signature is on the master form and the award is handed off to that person, it is considered delivered.
Alternately, you may use one of the following methods to retrieve your award:
1. Send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the Volunteer Chair.
2. Authorize your Circle Representative in writing to pick it up for you.
3. Authorize another Guild member in writing to pick it up for you. In all cases, you or your authorized representative (when the award is picked up), will be asked to sign the sheet indicating who accepted the award. In the case where the item is mailed, it will be noted on the Volunteer Chairperson’s records.
In all cases, once a signature is on the master form and the award is handed off to that person, it is considered delivered.
How to geT REPLACEMENTS Pins or Stars...Click here!
2024 Replacement costs are as follows:
$5 Pin $2 Star
Payable by cash or check only directly to the Volunteer Chair or Treasurer. Checks must be made out to Desert Quilters of Nevada (please spell it out, banks no longer accepting checks with initials only). (Note: DQN has a minimum $10 charge to use a credit card. Our bank fees do not justify accepting cards for a smaller amount.)
$5 Pin $2 Star
Payable by cash or check only directly to the Volunteer Chair or Treasurer. Checks must be made out to Desert Quilters of Nevada (please spell it out, banks no longer accepting checks with initials only). (Note: DQN has a minimum $10 charge to use a credit card. Our bank fees do not justify accepting cards for a smaller amount.)
Remember the guild runs on volunteers. Some of our members have been working for us for over 25 years. Please do your share to continue to grow Desert Quilters of Nevada! You are our future.
Committee chairs can help simplify this process by maintaining a master list of their volunteers and turning that into the Volunteer Recognition Chair. This includes but not be limited to the Quilt show and the Retreat.
Committee chairs can help simplify this process by maintaining a master list of their volunteers and turning that into the Volunteer Recognition Chair. This includes but not be limited to the Quilt show and the Retreat.
Prepared by Sandy Foster & Jeanne Spala Nov. 2023
Revised 5.14.25 hs