E-123 · A 90-day try-out

A club plan for Volunteer Appreciation Lunch

Use this as a starting point. Cross out what does not fit, add what is missing and make it your club's own.

Where this idea came from

Playbook entry
E-123 · Volunteer Appreciation Lunch
Theme
Theme 2: Engagement & Belonging · Subtheme 7: Recognition & Celebrations
Source material
Current playbook index title and category plus an internally authored detailed-guide draft

Initiative-specific development wave

How this draft was developed

These sources support general principles for Rotary community action, supported volunteering and accessible events; they are not an endorsement of the named Volunteer Appreciation Lunch initiative or evidence for any volunteer, contribution or partner claim.

Primary references consulted

Candidate District material consulted

These records remain draft evidence and still need a human source decision.

  • Club Playbook - Theme 2
    Candidate record 77 Project Team Shoutouts provides a related public-thanks concept for volunteers and teams. It is not a literal current-title match and does not supply broader-volunteer, partner-authority, contact, no-recruitment, lunch-equity, access, food, media or deletion controls.

Theme 2 source-assurance wave

What has been checked

  • 3 current primary pages used by this guide were reopened on 9 August 2026.
  • 3 attributed source claim(s) were mapped to their bounded use in this initiative.
  • Candidate District material remains separate and does not establish this result.
See each source's scope and limit
  • Our Clubs
    Supports: The 21 attributed Theme 2 claims attached to this source, limited to the implementation elements and supporting documents named in each initiative-level claim mapping.
    Does not establish: That the initiative is endorsed by Rotary International or District 9510, that it is permitted by the club's governing documents, that members want it, that it suits the local club, or that it will achieve the intended outcome.
  • National Standards for Volunteer Involvement
    Supports: The 32 attributed Theme 2 claims attached to this source, limited to the implementation elements and supporting documents named in each initiative-level claim mapping.
    Does not establish: The club's local need, legal position, capability, cost, safety, accessibility, suitability, likely effectiveness, authority to act or approval of the initiative.
  • Hosting accessible and inclusive in-person meetings and events
    Supports: The 71 attributed Theme 2 claims attached to this source, limited to the implementation elements and supporting documents named in each initiative-level claim mapping.
    Does not establish: Accessibility or inclusion conformance, the needs or preferences of any person or community, cultural authority to act, the suitability of a format or venue, or local approval.

What still needs a person to confirm

  • Confirm the member, prospective-member, past-member and community needs, preferences and consent that the local design assumes.
  • Confirm which privacy, safeguarding, incorporated-association, charity, work health and safety, food, liquor, copyright, licensing, screening and other duties apply to the club and the activity.
  • Test accessibility, cultural safety, belonging, language and alternative participation routes with affected people and recognise First Nations cultural authority rather than inferring suitability from the guide.
  • Confirm every local fact, starting point, cost, role, current service contact, measure, stopping condition and platform capability before the club decides to proceed.
  • Confirm the authority and current scope of each primary source, resolve login-gated or moved-page references and keep any candidate District material attributed and unapproved until its source decision is made.

The source-verification release gate remains closed.

Checks still on hold

Still an internal draft: source interpretation, local suitability, accessibility, governance and editorial approval remain open checks.

1. Is this worth trying here?

What we hope will change: Use Volunteer Appreciation Lunch to make recognition timely, genuine and fair across visible and behind-the-scenes contributions.

2. Our 90-day try-out

What our club will do for Volunteer Appreciation Lunch
StepWhat we will doWho could lead itOur dateHow we will know it is done
1Confirm the volunteer groups, partner-approved contribution and contact basis and approve no-ranking, no-recruitment and recognition choices.Volunteer lead and partner contactEight weeks before lunchA controlled appreciation scope
2Plan an accessible and affordable lunch plus equivalent written, delivered, online, team and private appreciation routes.Event and access leadsSix weeks before lunchAn equitable recognition plan
3Invite volunteers with accurate conditions and separate attendance, food, access, media, membership and future-contact choices.Invitation contactFour weeks before lunchInformed volunteer choices
4Verify numbers, dietary and access arrangements, brief hosts and keep volunteer information restricted to event delivery.Registration and venue leadsOne week before lunchSafe event readiness
5Deliver concise collective thanks, partner-confirmed outcomes and optional conversation without public hour, attendance or contribution comparison.Host and partner representativeAt lunchInclusive volunteer appreciation
6Send chosen no-attendance recognition, respond to concerns and delete dietary, access, registration and invitation records on schedule.Volunteer leadWithin two weeksComplete appreciation and data closeout

3. Checks before we start

Things our club needs to check
QuestionWhat it means for usWho will checkDone?
Check the idea with the people affected and confirm its purpose, owner and practical limits before putting it into use.
Protect member choice and privacy, make participation accessible, and do not infer belonging or satisfaction from attendance alone.
Cost, travel, food or timing excludes volunteers from recognition. — Provide subsidy and equivalent no-lunch routes and accurate advance information.
Appreciation becomes a membership or fundraising solicitation. — Separate purposes, prohibit uninvited asks and obtain distinct opt-in for any later contact.
Volunteer lists, dietary or access information are reused. — Restrict data to event delivery, separate media and contact choices and delete records on schedule.
Public thanks expose private volunteering or rank contribution. — Use collective and role-based recognition and require specific permission before naming anyone.
The club and partners must approve volunteer scope, contact, contribution claims, no-ranking, no-recruitment, event, access, media and deletion controls.
Recognition cannot depend on lunch attendance, payment, travel, food choice, membership status or public visibility.
Volunteer contact and event information must not be reused for membership, fundraising, publicity or future invitations without a separate valid basis.
Names, images and private volunteering require specific permission and no hours or contribution rankings may be created.

4. What changed?

What we will keep an eye on
What mattersWhere we are nowWhat we hope to seeHow we will checkWho
After 90 days, review Volunteer Appreciation Lunch. Look for a wider range of contributions being recognised, with consent, and for recipients reporting that the recognition felt appropriate.
Volunteers receiving a chosen form of appreciation whether or not they attend lunch.
No hour, attendance or member-status ranking used in recognition.
Food, access, cost, transport, media and contact choices communicated and followed.
Event and contact information deleted after chosen follow-up is complete.

After 30 days

Is it reaching the right people? Is anything unsafe, unfair or harder than expected?

After 60 days

Make one useful change based on what people have told you.

After 90 days

Compare with where you started. Decide whether to change it, continue it or stop.

Made for this initiative

Tailored supporting documents

These working documents use the decisions, safeguards and evidence needs of this initiative. Complete them with the people affected and keep the agreed version with the club's project record.

01

Volunteer Appreciation Scope and Contact Check

Define who is thanked and ensure contact and claims are authorised.

Open supporting document
02

Appreciation Lunch Equity and Access Plan

Make lunch and no-lunch recognition safe and equivalent.

Open supporting document

Before your club says yes

Does the idea fit?

Talk with the people it is meant to serve and check that the need is real.

Who can say yes?

Name the person or group that can approve the work, spending and any safety arrangements.

Are people protected?

Check privacy, consent and safety. Collect only the information you genuinely need.

Can everyone take part?

Check the language, format, place, technology and cost for barriers.

Are the facts and permissions right?

Check names, claims, images, quotations, partner references and Rotary branding.

How will we learn?

Note where things stand now, check in at 30, 60 and 90 days, and decide what to do next.

Worksheets for your club

Open them online, print them or change them to suit the way your club works.

01

Criteria rubric

Use this worksheet to recognise people's contributions fairly and ask before sharing their story.

Open worksheet
02

Safety and approval check

Use this worksheet to notice problems early, make the idea safer and know who needs to say yes or help.

Open worksheet