Complex Thoughts
Closure
“Don’t be dismayed at good-byes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or lifetimes, is certain for those who are friends.” — Richard Bach The year passes so quickly… and all of a sudden it’s time to say good-bye to the friends you’ve made in your organization. Here are some ideas to help make saying good-bye a little easier, or at least a little more memorable.
WAYS TO SAY GOOD-BYE
- Have a picnic or pot luck
- Create a photo album, scrapbook, or collage of pictures of everyone
- Create an individual collage for each member — have everyone cut out a picture that reminds them of each member and put them together to make a great memory
- Create an address book and include everyone’s summer address — photocopy for all
- Have an awards banquet
- Solicit nominations and present funny awards (flyer queen, tardy champion, etc.)
- Write farewell notes/card to each other
- Give a memento to members — button, shirt, mug, etc.
- Create individual autograph or message books for everyone to sign
- Create coupons for members to give to one another (good for one letter over the summer, one soda next year, etc.)
- Have a t-shirt signing party
- Have a graduation party for departing members
- Have a good-bye theme movie night
- Create certificates for all members (Successfully completing a spectacular year!)
- Gather all the “quotable quotes” (Funny things) that were said during meetings or programs and put in a book
- Have a slide show of activities from the year
- Evaluate the year
- Set goals for next year
- Have a gift exchange
- Plan a reunion over the break or when school resumes
- Share three things you will miss about each person in the group
- Have a joint retreat with the new officers to share evaluations of the year, answer their questions and give advice
- Make “credit cards” for each member (cards that list the good qualities or skills each person has… “I give you credit for being a great organizer, for being the peacemaker during meetings, etc.”)
- Share one thing you learned from being a member of the group
- Share your favorite memory from the year
- Assemble the group to create a file of what happened over the year — this will not only be great in sparking memories for the departing members, but will also be a good resource for the new members.
Above all, it’s important to finish that last chapter in your group’s book by finding some way to say good-bye. Keep in mind that not everyone in your group will like sentimental good-byes, so take their feelings into consideration before planning any activities. It’s time to leave… Our beginning is coming to a close and so we look toward tomorrow… But let’s look at yesterday and today. We arrived here alone and begin our adventure together slowly, carefully, not sure of what was expected or sure of what we wanted. But during our time we gave up our loneliness and insecurities. We gained new friends, confidence in ourselves, and a special feeling which cannot be defined by words… We leave so much stronger for we have shared deeply, I look at all of you and smile… For you are my friends. — George Betts
ADAPTED FROM LEADERBITS, THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS.
