Heading into the next round of planning, coordinators of DeSoto's May salute to Vietnam veterans say there's a need for mulch for landscaping at the site of the Vietnam Traveling Wall, plus bottled water and snacks for volunteers who'll be there around the clock.

"During the time the Wall is here, we'll need 10 to 12 volunteers for each four-hour shift during the peak hours of 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and four to five volunteers for four-hour shifts from 9 p.m. to 9 a.m.," said Vanessa Lynchard, county official and salute coordinator.

More committee meetings are scheduled, and more volunteers are needed, to refine planning:

Opening Ceremony Committee -- Feb. 15 at 9 a.m.

Landscaping Committee -- Feb. 21 at 6:30 p.m and Feb. 22 at 9:30 a.m.

Hospitality Committiee -- Feb. 21 at 6 p.m. and Feb. 22 at 9 a.m.

Name Locator Committee -- Feb. 23 at 1 p.m. and Feb. 28 at 6 p.m.

All meetings will be in the DeSoto Supervisors' third-floor hearing room of the County Administration Building at 365 Losher St. in Hernando. Day and night meetings are for convenience; volunteers need only attend one session.

Lynchard says it's important to keep the Wall open at all hours: "We've learned that after-hours is when some veterans will feel more comfortable coming. They want a quiet time, not a lot of pomp or activity going on around them."

Among volunteer needs are people to read names for recorded roll-calls of veterans.   

For more information or to volunteer for a committee, call county administrative assistant Gia Matheny at (662) 429-1460 or e-mail gmatheny@desotocountyms.gov, or go online to our website www.volunteernwms.org and go to Volunteer! and click on View Current Opportunities or click here.   You can also contact Anna Dickerson at VNM for more information.  Volunteer@cfnm.org or 662.449.5002.  

To read the rest of this article and find out more about the Wall, visit the Desoto Times-Tribune and read the article here.    

Volunteer Northwest Mississippi (VNM) is seeking outstanding volunteers for the 2012 President's Volunteer Service Awards (PVSA). Twenty-five awards will be presented at a reception in April, date to be announced.  

To nominate an individual send in contact information for the nominee along with a brief description of their volunteer service. Contact information on the person making the nomination is also needed. Send nomination information to volunteer@cfnm.org, fax to 662.449.5002 or mail to The Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi, 315 Losher St. Suite 100, Hernando, MS 38632. Deadline for nominations is April 1, 2012.  

1. Make sure your volunteers are happy! Check in with your volunteers- if the job is not a good fit for them, offer them another opportunity to try.  Volunteers will keep coming back if they enjoy the job they are doing. 
2. Be sure to offer choice and flexibility when possible.  
3. Listen to why people are volunteering and try to fill that need for them.   
4. Let volunteers know upfront what is expected of them and what your organization will do to support them.  Provide training and share the workload when possible.  
5. Be willing to make changes or add roles to an opportunity.  Support your volunteers and their interest to improve or add something special to your opportunity.  

Spread the word:  

1. Establish a relationship with local newspaper editors and reporters.  Be sure to follow up with personalized thank you cards.
2. Work every angle you have available to you.  Digital media, newspapers, radio, word-of-mouth, flyers, presentations, collaboration with other groups are all great ways to get the word out. 
3. Include a blurb about your organization or event in local church bulletins, realtor newsletters, etc.  Visibility is the key to success!
4. Personal connections are the number one way to make sure you and your organization are memorable.  Get out there and connect with others and let them know about your program and how much volunteers are needed and valued.
5. Make sure your current volunteers know when you need to find more volunteers.  They are a great resource that you already have in your corner!

Show Appreciation: 

1. Be sincere in your appreciation.  It may sound simple, but letting a volunteer know just how necessary and important they are to your organization can go a long way.  
2. Treat every volunteer with respect and appreciation.  Remember, they do not have to give their time-- it is a precious gift that they are giving to your organization.   
3. Establish a volunteer appreciation plan.  Send out thank you cards, arrange thank you calls from Board members, and send out birthday and holiday cards to your volunteers.  
4. Use what you already have to reward your volunteers!  Offer discounts or free memberships to your organization or events.  The best recruitment tool is an enthusiastic volunteer who brags about the benefits of volunteering with your organization!
5. No one is going to turn down a volunteer appreciation party!  It can be as simple or as elaborate as you want to make it.  Remember the four F's. Fun, Friends, and Free Food and you can't go wrong!