Salvation Army will give area residents a musical 'thanks!'

On Saturday, May 12, the Muscatine Salvation Army will turn its annual volunteer recognition program into a musical thank you to the community.The theme of this year's program is “Thank You, Muscatine” in recognition of the agency's successful 2011 Red Kettle Campaign.Salvation Army Captains Kim and Rick Ray invite area residents to join them at the Muscatine Community School District Administration Building, 2900 Mulberry Ave., for a free concert featuring the Salvation Army Heartland Divisional Brass Band.In January, Tim and Debbie Nelson, the 2011 Red Kettle chairpersons, reported that the campaign brought in nearly $140,000, surpassing its goal of $110,000.

The annual Freezing for Food and Toy Time campaigns, conducted for the benefit of the Salvation Army, were also very successful.Kim Ray said this year's Toy Time drive brought in enough donations to give more than  1,200 area children Christmas gifts.Salvation Army Advisory Board member Norma Lewis said the36-piece Salvation Army Heartland Divisional Brass Band is from the Salvation Army's  Heartland Division Headquarters in Peoria, Ill. That band has invited Muscatine Community School District students and members of the Muscatine Symphony Orchestra to join them in for the performance, said Lewis.

Muscatine Mayor DeWayne Hopkins will also be on hand. He'll put down his gavel and pick up his drumsticks as a member of the percussion section.The concert will be followed by refreshments provided by the Salvation Army Women's Auxiliary, and a volunteer recognition program.This year, the Salvation Army will present Volunteer Recognition Awards to the Nelsons; Andrea Scott, president of the Young Profes-sionals Network; former Young Professionals president Nick Gau; Chuck Morgan, manager of the KWPC radio station in Mus-catine and Jeff Canfield, former director of the Musca-tine HyVee grocery store.

Getting the Best Thank You Gifts Online

Imagine there are things to be said, people to be thanked and expressions to be made with a straight face. There are people who has made your success possible and played a good role in making you what you are today. Send different thank you gifts that include chocolates, cookies, flowers, trinkets, handmade gourmet food, scented candles and much more. Shower your appreciation and respect by sending a unique gift .There are large, personalized selections from whole range of manufacturers and retailers who make that special two words, more expressive and emotion filled.

Ensure that your flowers and messages are delivered fresh and quick the very next day. At nominal prices it eliminates the headache of giving that loved one a bunch of surprise roses the very next day. Incase you have forgotten the wife's birthday or anniversary when on a business tour; why not send her a bouquet of next day flowers.What if your special one is madder that you know or is allergic to flowers. The best way is to combine different small or big elements and make one big hamper of goodies. More than one gift shows more love and dedication.

Promo Gifts Say More Than Thank You.It is mainly a wicker basket full of multiple goodies like chocolates, gifts, candies, flowers for special occasions like Easter and Christmas. Charity hampers made up of different things assist in charity. It can contain food, gifts and toys. It's a package of happy goodies that can be used and gifted on any special moments of life. Hampers make you cherish and enjoy festivals like the way they should be.Thank that special person in your life for everything that has been done for you. Your parents or loved ones, they deserve the love and support for being there for you.

Promo Gifts Say More Than Thank You

Companies that need to value customers can do so the best by offering extra special advertising gifts. Products that you want to sell can be played up tremendously when you say thank you to employees and customers by handing out advertising merchandises. A promolike this is one that not only says thank you, but leaves the name of your small business open for the whole world to see. Umbrellas, pens, and T-shirts have long made excellent thank you gifts to customers and employees, and they're both something that can give your corporate sector a lot of exposure with the general public out there. 

The sky is the limit where marketing merchandises are concerned. There are few things that don't make excellent promo devices, though there are some things that offer more advertising space and attention than other gear. For example, a T-shirt imprinted with goods about your venture will have much advertising space.You can put the name of your corporate sector, a motto, contact information, and any other information you want to put in that huge T-shirt space. Pens are a smaller space but still draw a lot of attention from the people that use them. Chances are that people using a marketing pen will have a good reason to look at the name on the pen, something that helps your corporate sector a lot. 

Giving away these products for birthdays and holidays is always a good idea. When an employee has a birthday, give them at least one marketing gear. When a customer visits the store, give out these things as gifts that they can take home if they choose to. Hand them out with purchases. Anything that gets those promotional products out in the open will increase awareness of your small business and make it much easier for people to find your store again when they need the product you're offering.
  

Find special ways to say 'thank you'

European aristocrats were probably among the first to give wedding favors, which are small thank-you gifts of appreciation for attending guests. The "Bonbonniere" likely contained something sugary (since the sweet stuff was once a very expensive and coveted substance) contained in a handmade porcelain or crystal box.

Today, brides and grooms still give an edible sweet (cookies, sugar-coated almonds and cupcakes are all popular ways to start a marriage off on a "sweet" foot) as a take-away treat from the wedding, but most give a non-food gift, and more often than not, it's something relatively useless (and therefore wasteful). Because so much of a wedding involves waste that can't really be controlled — from food to fuel — reducing where you can is a thoughtful way to go.

The first rule is to make sure that whatever you are giving as a favor is something people will really use.The lost art of the handwritten thank-you note. While your parents might love a mug or champagne glass that's emblazoned with your name and nuptials date, chances are that most of the other guests will send this kind of item packing to Goodwill the week after the wedding.

The lost art of the handwritten thank-you note

I recently had a conversation with a friend whose child did something beyond nice with love and time spent on a project. I mentioned “did you write a thank you note?” The response was “no but I could send a text.” Really? We all can do better than that. My kids still have the handwritten notes that I sent them almost a year ago displayed in their room. My kids also have the handwritten notes that they have received from teachers as well. Kids know how special a handwritten note is from a parent or teacher. Now we just need to take the time to make it happen.

My oldest is graduating from high school this spring and when I ordered his graduation announcements I also ordered thank you notes. Can I tell you how many thank you notes I received last year from the graduation gifts and money I gave? Maybe 1 out of 10? Sadly, parents, this begins at home. I am as guilty as the next person in “forcing” my children to write thank you notes to family after they are given a gift. Or worse yet, forgetting to “force” them to write those notes. But graduation is that time in life where you learn the art of the handwritten thank you note. If our children don't learn it by the time they leave high school … when will they?

I have also started in my business to send handwritten notes. I tell myself that I cannot deposit the client's check until the note is written. This is great motivation to get the notes written. I have other business owners that send me handwritten notes and I think it is a great personal touch. It really shows me that they are taking the extra time to thank me. My CPA will even laminate an article when I am in the paper and give it to me. Now that is going the extra mile.

Best Mother's Day Gift Idea: Personalized Gifts for Mom

Give mom what she really wants this year - a personalized gift she is sure to love. Our shopping experts at TheStationeryStudio.com have hand-picked perfect Mother's Day gifts. No matter what kind of mom you have - from a Classic Mom or Gourmet Mom to a New Mom or Posh Mom - we promise our favorites will remain keepsakes long after Mother's Day is celebrated May 13, 2012.Since no two mothers are alike, The Stationery Studio features custom gifts for everyone with unique taste and style. Our Mother's Day Gift section also features an exclusive 2012 Mother's Day Gift Guide, which will help shoppers find a tailor-made gift.

A Classic Mom is one whose refined taste deserves gifts of luxury this Mother's Day. In addition to colorful contemporary designs, our classic Luxury Stationery Collection is the perfect gift idea for moms who take gratitude and etiquette seriously. If your mother always taught you to write a classic Thank You Note, she will certainly appreciate receiving a beautiful set of Monogrammed Note Cards this year.Our section for the Entertaining Mom is perfect for the quintessential hostess who loves custom kitchen essentials. Check out our Lucite Lilly Pulitzer Serving Trays, which can be used indoors or out.

Best Stationery And Thank You Cards Made Easy.Monogrammed Wine Glass Sets, paired with our unique Personalized Beverage Napkins, are a lovely home accent that will show you appreciate her knack for entertaining.Every Mom loves to show off her kids any chance she gets. Personalized keepsakes like Photo Spiral Notebooks and Chunky Photo Notepads come in many designs and are an easy way to show off her precious little ones. Our latest and greatest Tech Accessories, including personalized cell phone cases, iPad sleeves and laptop bags, are perfect for any mom who wants to show off her personality as she dresses her technology with her chic and unique personalized style.