Audience: business or civic groups
Message: Thank you for your contributions; let’s celebrate the benefits.
Tone: informal
Timing: 2 minutes

A dollar goes a long way now. You can carry it around for days without finding a thing it will buy. Well, we’re carrying around lots of dollars now; and we’ve found something to buy. Thanks to your efforts, we have collected a total of $(amount) to build a [insert details of project].

Money flows to great ideas. And (name of campaign) has been a great idea. This tremendous response evidences that fact. With these funds, we as employees will now be able to

[Insert benefits or results of the effort.]

That’s not to say the project has been easy or the task has been without lavish effort and loving sacrifice on the part of many. First of all, I want to commend (name) for her leadership throughout the entire campaign. No emergency was too big or detail too small for her personal attention and time.

The others involved have headed committees, which are the hands and feet of any organization. And able-bodied committees these individual teams have been! The committee chairs included.

[Insert all those who chaired committees.]

Finally, let me thank each of you who served on a committee in any way. These committee chairs will agree with me, I’m sure, that it’s rather difficult to lead if there’s no one to follow. You individually and we collectively have made this effort a success. The employees and other professionals here for years to come will reap the benefits of your far-sightedness and your energy.

Let’s celebrate. Give yourself a hand. [Lead in applause.]

Audience: business or civic groups
Message: Thank you for your contributions; the world will be a better place because you cared.
Tone: formal
Timing: 3 minutes

Someone has quipped that most Americans drive last year’s car, wear this year’s clothes, and live on next year’s income. Well, I don’t know about the veracity of that statement—I suppose it’s true for many of us. But this I do know: Despite the state of your own bank account, you have not let selfishness seep in.

I’m so pleased to announce that we have collected $(amount) for the (agency). We didn’t meet our rather high goal, but we came within a whisper—95 percent. With sheer courage and determination, we set a goal higher than we could easily reach. (number) percent higher than we’ve raised in past campaigns. A goal that would push us in a bad economy. In my way of thinking, $(amount) is a tremendous accomplishment.

Volunteerism is on the upswing. You have been generous with lending your skills and expertise to these efforts. We’re proud to have talented volunteers such as you—but then we knew you would do well in this arena because you’ve already proven yourselves to be the finest paid employees. We can’t alleviate all the problems our community is facing—but you have gone a long way with this project.

$(amount) is no small sum for a group our size. This $(amount) represents food, clothes, shelter, and, for some, skills training and a job.

Some people who were once cold are now warm. Some people who were once in rags are now neat and cleanly dressed. Some people who went to bed hungry have full stomachs this morning. Some people who were once filled with hate now understand love. Some people whose self-esteem had hit rock-bottom can now hold their heads higher when they enter the workforce. Some who once despaired now have hope.

Although those individuals will never learn your names and will miss the opportunity to say thank you, I want to speak for them.

First of all, I want to express my appreciation to (name) for bringing this need to our attention. He spent several hours in trips around the city to check out the work the agency does and to interview the directors and members of the staff. Thank you, (name). Would you agree that in helping others we also nourish our own spirits? As the old epitaph goes, “What I gave I have; what I spent, I had; what I kept, I lost.”

In short, I stand before you to say that I’m proud to be a member of such a group. You are a group of unique individuals—people who care deeply about their community and who are willing to work hard to do something about that concern. Each one of you has made an important contribution. The money collected represents the depth of genuinely compassionate people. God bless you for your giving.

Audience: family, employees and civic associates
Message: We remember her contributions to our corporation and to our personal lives.
Tone: formal
Timing: 3-4 minutes

Winston Churchill said it best: “We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.” As those of you gathered here today will agree, (name) made a life. Her sudden and tragic death grieved us, but it also focused our thinking on what is good and right about our spirit here at (corporation). I can’t think of a better example of that spirit than (name).

She didn’t just make a living here; she made a life. First, she offered her friendship. To those who worked around her most closely, she was known affectionately as “(nickname).” You could not attend a day-long meeting or seminar with (name) without her asking about your family, your vacation, or your health. Not routine were your answers, either, because as you talked to (name), you got the sense that she really listened to what you said,… that she really cared about your happiness and well-being.

And she valued each employee and client who passed through her door as an individual of worth, and she dealt with them all that way.

(Name) didn’t just make a living here; she made a life. She offered her integrity. Integrity is what you have when no one else is looking.

No detail was too small for her to handle. No risk was too minimal for her to give the pro’s and con’s full consideration. No financial decision was too large that honesty did not count.

(Name) didn’t just make a living here; she made a life. She offered her compassion. Many of you will remember her efforts in helping the community to rebuild after the (tragedy). She was also involved in our own annual charity efforts such as (names of campaigns). Pain and suffering pricked her heart, and she did more than bleed. She acted on behalf of those who needed her financial support and her personal energy in [insert details of the cause].

We honor her today by placing her photograph and a small plaque about her work here in our hallway. It’s our hope that those who pass by every day will be reminded of her contributions here at (corporation).

We also encourage you to emulate her commitment to make a life—not a living. To give rather than to receive.

Employment here is more than a paycheck. It is friendship, integrity, and compassion toward our fellowman. We honor (name) today and want her family to know that we share in their loss and respect their wife and mother’s contributions to our lives.

Audience: business or civic group
Message: Bless the family of this individual and the ongoing contributions of the deceased’s memory.
Tone: formal
Timing: 1 minute

Dear Lord, (name) has been Your faithful servant on earth for many years. She has served long and well. As we as friends and business associates have gathered to remember her contributions to our lives, we ask that You particularly be near her family.

Rather than lessen the pain of the loss of a loved one, the years seem only to heighten our appreciation of that great loss. Specifically, we ask Your guidance for her son and daughter as they settle matters of (name)’s concern. Those of us who know her children well know that their adult lives have already produced gain in the world. Much of that, we know, is a direct influence from their mother’s life.

And then as business associates, we realize that many of our successes on the job are a result of (name)’s direction, advice, and knowledge.

Together we are thankful for her contribution and example before us. Those of us who didn’t get an opportunity to express our appreciation to her directly ask particularly that Your spirit grant her that knowledge in the afterlife.

Even now, her compassion in word and deed continues to glow within us. As she has honored us with her life, we ask that You help us honor her and her family today.

Thank You for Your eternal provisions for us all.

Audience: family, peers, and supervisors of long-term employee
Message: Thank you for your contributions.
Tone: informal, light
Timing: 2 minutes

Someone has said that “growing old is a habit that a busy man has no time to form.” During the (number) years (name) has been with us, that’s certainly been the case. (Name) has a reputation for boundless energy, great enthusiasm, long hours, and hard work.

Experience gained over time is something we value here at (corporation). Often in our culture we focus on the young—their idealism, their energy. But I don’t think we give enough attention to the wisdom of years and experience. Good judgment comes from experience—and experience comes from poor judgment. I don’t know that you, (name), can recall any uses of poor judgment over the years, but I’d suspect you might. To temper that, however, let me be quick to add that we remember the good judgment, the leadership, the talent, the successes.

They say that education is what you get from reading the small print in a contract. Experience is what you get from not reading it. Well, (name), you’ve learned much around here, but your learning is far from over. You may agree with former president Harry Truman. This is how he put it: “The only things worth learning are the things you learn after you know it all.” From your experience, I’m sure you, in turn, have taught and will continue to teach others. We thank you.

Please accept this (gift) as a small token of our appreciation. Congratulations and best wishes for years and years of more experience, health, and happiness.

Lead the audience to appreciate the achievement with a history and details of the distinction and with names of other individuals or corporations who have excelled in this way.

Mention the effort, time, or expertise this distinction required.

Express pride in the individual or the company’s contributions.

For Employee’s Distinction
Create a desire in the audience to emulate the honored employee’s achievement.

For Company’s Distinction
Share the credit with employees who have contributed to the company’s achievement or distinction of honor.