Our volunteer rescue squad was established in 1940, but just last year we began using a "theme" to spice up our annual Banquet & Installation of Officers. The theme that year was "Volunteering." I ordered 200 copies of "Chicken Soup for the Volunteer's Soul" at the non-profit cost directly from the publisher, and a local business was kind enough to fund this purchase. Each squad member and guest received a book, and the keynote speech was geared around volunteering. This was a hit! This year our theme was "Mentoring to Make a Difference," and this year's book was "Mentor: The Kid & the CEO" (the purchase funded once again by a local business.) Tables were decorated with candle-lit hurricane lamps, surrounded by rings of live greenery and fresh mint sprigs for the centerpiece--the "Mentor" theme smelled wonderful! We also spread Andes' mints around the centerpieces. Our speakers both gave outstanding speeches about their personal mentoring experiences and encouraged everyone to become a mentor, whether in a volunteer agency, in a school, at home, etc. The gift of a book as a memento makes our event's message/theme more personal and remembered. Plus we encourage our members and guests to "pay it forward" by giving their book to someone else after they've read it.