Winter Wonderland Volunteer Appreciation

The Playhouse was transformed into a Winter Wonderland to celebrate our Volunteers at GiGi’s Playhouse Lancaster! Over 30 volunteers gathered at our “Volunteer Appreciation Winter Wonderland” event on January 26, 2025. It was an event to honor the incredible group of individuals who give their time and energy to our Playhouse. It was a chance for us to express our heartfelt gratitude and celebrate the countless ways volunteers make a difference in the lives of our participants, their families, and our community. 

Kahoot Game 

We kicked off the afternoon with a spirited round of Kahoot, a trivia game that tested everyone’s knowledge of GiGi’s Playhouse Lancaster. It was a close match, but ultimately, Andrew and Gabby were the champions, earning the title of Kahoot masters. A huge congratulations to both of them for their quick thinking and knowledge of all things GiGi’s!  

Sharing #BestOfAll Stories 

After the excitement of the game, we gathered to share “Best of All” stories, where our volunteers reflected on their most heartwarming and memorable moments. It was such a special time, and it truly reminded us of the profound impact we all have on each other. The stories brought about laughter, smiles, and tears of joy in the crowd. 

Linda, a volunteer 1:1 literacy tutor, shared a touching story about Parker, who is primarily nonverbal and has developed a love for books—particularly those about bedtime, nighttime, the moon, and sleeping. She smiled as she recalled how Parker has now started saying, “(L)inda (Sl)eep!” to get her to pretend to fall asleep while they read the book together. The room filled with warmth as Linda’s story captured the joy of small moments of progress at our Playhouse.  

Treats & Hot Cocoa Bar 

Our winter wonderland volunteer celebration also included enjoying yummy treats together. Volunteers indulged in cupcakes, snacks, and the highlight of the day: the hot cocoa bar. With marshmallows, whipped cream, and an assortment of toppings, it was the perfect way to keep warm while enjoying each other’s company. 

Impact 

Our board president also prepared and shared some quotes about volunteering, updated numbers that reflect the impact we have made, and how thankful he is for all the volunteers are doing. He specifically shared how GiGi’s Playhouse Lancaster has grown over the past 5 years in the number of families, number of participants, number of purposeful programs offered, and number of free program hours delivered. It was evident that the volunteers make a huge difference in our Playhouse and this growth is thanks to volunteers living our mission of being Generation G: Being Accepting, Being Generous, and Being Kind.  

A Heartfelt Thank You 

This event was a beautiful reminder of the incredible group of volunteers who help make our Playhouse such a special place. Whether they’re assisting with programs, sharing their creativity, or simply offering support, our volunteers bring an energy that is contagious and uplifting. 

Some of the participants and families shared in a compilation video of why they are thankful for specific volunteers. In the video, two of the participants shared about a volunteer, “Hey Mags! You’re a great leader. You’re the best. We love you!” This video was shown at the event and is now posted and can be viewed on youtube. Here is the link to watch the video: https://tinyurl.com/bdhr672b  

Some participants, families, and other volunteers also wrote notes of thanks on snowflakes that were displayed on a wall at the event. For example, one of the snowflakes read, “Heather, you make such a positive impact at Achievers!”.  

A huge thank you to each and every volunteer for your dedication, kindness, and passion. You truly are the heart and soul of our Playhouse, and we’re so grateful for everything you do. We were excited to give each volunteer a new GiGi’s Playhouse Lancaster Volunteer t-shirt, with the word ‘Volunteer’ across the back, for them to take home. 

We can’t wait to continue this journey with you all! We look forward to the many more memories we’ll create together and the Best of All moments we will celebrate together! 

As you can see, we are SNOW thankful for our volunteers!