125 years of service certainly calls for a celebration, and for the past year, we have been doing just that. As Volunteers of America’s 125th anniversary approached on March 8, we knew we wanted to highlight and thank the people that make it all possible: our incredible staff. They serve every day with compassion, and deserve to be thanked for helping build our legacy for the next 125 years.
The celebration started with a cupcake delivery to each of our 40 programs on our anniversary day. Every single staff member would be able to enjoy a delicious treat from a local bakery, kicking off a year of fun.
Our next event was a Quizzo competition in July. Hosted by our CEO and President Dan Lombardo and COO Kathy White, VOADV staff formed teams answer questions about our own affiliate’s history, national history and other fun trivia. Staff definitely got into the competitive spirit, as they went head to head for VOADV swag and lunch at a restaurant of their choice.
A few weeks later, the celebration continued with an ice cream truck making a stop at our Collingswood office – available for all staff to come grab a treat and spend some time together.
125 years is significant and we wanted to be decked out to show that this year. Every staff member and office location received special 125th anniversary t-shirts, lanyards, pens, coffee mugs and more.
As our 125th year came to a close, we wanted to give supervisors a chance to say thank you to the staff they felt went above and beyond – or even just needed a little pick me up. They were able to nominate any team member to receive a VOADV swag item, including North Face jackets, backpacks and more.
While the clothing and giveaways are fun, they are really a way to say thank you to our amazing team at VOADV: we appreciate your hard work and you are the ones who make it all possible. We’re looking forward to another 125 years of service!