Do you have a milestone moment approaching?
A milestone anniversary is the perfect time to capture, preserve and celebrate your organization’s history.
Life can seem like a blur, especially the older we get, but periodically reflecting on what we’ve accomplished can help reveal purpose and meaning to the blur.
I’m not talking about quarterly or annual leadership reviews, I’m suggesting a look at the entire history, the “firsts.” Looking way back at the first customers/clients, the first employees, the first financial milestones hit, the first products/services, the first and early learnings from failures, etc.
All of these “firsts” make up your story, your culture, who you are as an organization. What better way to recognize your first and long-time customers and employees than by preserving their place in your history.
Cover of the RMR’s Legacy Book
I recently curated a legacy book for Rocky Mountain Region (RMR) USA Volleyball celebrating it’s forty-year anniversary. They went all out! Investing in the creation of a legacy book, weekly posts of historical fun facts and memories on Facebook and their website, then throwing an epic party to celebrate their anniversary.
40 Years of Artifacts Displayed by Decade
It was at this party that the legacy book was revealed alongside a display of 40 years of artifacts for the attendees to peruse and enjoy. A real blast from the past!
Members of this organization, especially those from the early decades, were truly grateful for the opportunity to reconnect with long-time friends and to relive such fond memories. Current board members were thrilled with how the legacy book, fun facts and celebration created renewed excitement about the organization. They reinvigorated a feeling of community.
Cover of TLI’s Legacy Book
Another organization, The Leadership Investment (TLI), decided to capture their story upon announcing they were closing their doors after twenty years. They wanted to preserve and capture the difference they had made in the world.
“It was not an easy decision to close, but we felt our work was complete in the community” according to Board Chair Emeritus, Anne Dupont. “As a result, we felt it was important to capture our legacy as well as honor our Founder and all of the key volunteers who made such an impact over our 20 year history.”
If your organization is approaching a milestone moment, consider taking this opportunity to celebrate and preserve what you’ve accomplished so far. Yes, it can seem like now is just a point in time, but pause and reflect on where you’ve been, what you’ve accomplished — then you can more purposefully move forward into that next chapter of your story.
