A good volunteer is a valuable addition to any organization. Good ones are hard to find. People volunteer for many reasons: interest in a given organization, a desire to help or to meet people with similar interests or as a way to obtain a permanent position in an organization.

Perhaps the most important reason people volunteer is to receive recognition. A well-written thank-you letter is one of the easiest ways to show appreciation to good volunteers.

Any such letter should be sent out in a timely manner. It should also be personal and specific to the volunteer. Address the volunteer on a first-name basis to set the tone of familiarity and belonging. Proofread your letter to make sure the volunteer’s name and address are correct. You don’t want to insult the volunteer by misspelling his name. Detail the work the volunteer has done and the amount of time she or he has devoted to it. You may include the dates of service and the hours the volunteer has logged in.

In your letter write about how much you and your organization have enjoyed working with the volunteer. Use personal pronouns such as you, me or us when composing your sentences. Remember, keep it personal.

Mention the attributes that the volunteer has brought to his work. Does he show up on time? If so, thank him for it. Is she enthusiastic and organized? Again, mention this and thank her for it. At this time, you may write about how much the volunteer’s efforts have contributed to the mission of your organization and how you have benefited. You may want to tell a story about how this happened. You may call to mind a recent event the volunteer took part in. For example, if the volunteer has worked at a special event to raise money, you may say that his efforts allowed your organization to reach your fundraising goal.

Keep your door open for more opportunities in your letter. Tell the volunteer that you will keep in touch about future activities of your organization. If there is an ongoing need for people to help out, stress how much you would appreciate having the volunteer come back. If the volunteering was a once-only event, ask the participant to come by and visit to see the results of her efforts.

Have someone important to your organization sign the letter. You may also include a hand-written, personal note in a postscript. A postscript lends an air of ease and further personalizes the letter.

It’s a good idea to make the thanks in the form of a physical, personalized letter in order to stand out. Emails often go unnoticed or get lost in spam folders. While the value of a hand-written letter is important if you must send one via email, put the word thank you in the subject line along with the name of your organization.

Good volunteers can be hard to come by. Show them how much they count.