The 28th annual celebration of Public Service Recognition Week (PSRW) takes place Sunday through Saturday, May 6-12, 2012.

First designated by the President and Congress in 1985, PSRW offers local governments an opportunity to “honor the men and women who serve our nation as federal, state, county, and local government employees.” PSRW is the perfect time for city, town, and county managers and their staffs to help increase public awareness of and appreciation for the contributions they make toward enhancing the quality of life in their communities. PSRW is co-organized by the Partnership for Public Service and the Public Employees Roundtable.

This year’s PSRW theme is “Honoring Our Public Servants. Connecting Citizens with Their Government.” Again this year, PSRW organizers have scheduled a series of events that will take place in Washington, D.C., including a public service town hall on Tuesday, May 8, and the announcement of the 33 finalists for prestigious Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medals (Sammies), which “pay tribute to America's dedicated federal workforce, highlighting those who have made significant contributions to our country.”

Outside the Beltway, millions of other local, state, and federal employees across the country will celebrate PSRW through local festivals, open houses, parades, special recruitment efforts, recognition celebrations, and educational outreach initiatives. According to the PSRW website, “Throughout the country, mayors, governors, communities and public service organizations participate in PSRW by issuing proclamations; hosting award ceremonies and special tribute events; and delivering messages about the value of public service.” It is also an excellent opportunity to encourage students, young people, and career changers to explore how they can make a difference by choosing a public service career.

How can cities, towns, and counties use PSRW to educate citizens about the value of local government and professional management? The 2012 PSRW Celebration Toolkit offers ideas your community can use to recognize this important week and a number of useful resources, including a How to Celebrate PRSW Guide; a Teachers’ Guide; a sample radio PSA; small, medium, large, and extra large PSRW logo downloads and posters; a sample proclamation and language for mayors and governors; and other resources.

Following are a handful of suggestions from the 2012 How to Celebrate Guide on how your local government can be part of this year’s celebration:

Community Outreach

• Have your mayor, board chairman, or other elected official develop a proclamation declaring May 6-12 as a time to recognize the good work performed by the employees in your organization.

Employee Recognition Activities

• Time an employee recognition or awards program to coincide with PSRW and use that opportunity to spotlight the work of the public employees within a single department or team or your entire organization.
• Run an ad in your local paper that publicly thanks employees for all their hard work, especially during these stressful economic times.

Education Outreach

• Encourage the schools in your community to use PSRW as an opportunity to teach students about their local government, who works there, what they do, and how they do it. Volunteer to speak to students yourself and offer to bring/coordinate presentations and discussions with other local government employees. And don’t forget to use the week to promote careers in public service, specifically the local government management profession.
• When you visit your local schools, take along a copy of the Teacher’s Guide, which PSRW developed for middle- and high-school instructors who teach civics, social studies, and American government.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to use this week-long celebration to educate citizens about the work that you do, why you’ve chosen that work, and what a career in public service means to you. Encourage your staff and residents to Celebrate Public Service Recognition Week by coordinating an event in your community to take place May 6-12, 2012.