It's National Volunteer Week and in Lacombe, FCSS held a gathering Tuesday night to celebrate the work of its 340 volunteers.

Special projects and volunteer coordinator Jan Pocock says it's important that they get a chance to say thanks for the 2,168 hours they've put in.

Special projects and volunteer coordinator Jan Pocock.

“There’s a quote saying you could never pay a volunteer because they’re absolutely priceless and it’s true. Without them, the community is simply not the wonderful place that it is,” Pocock says.

“We need them to know how precious they are to us. We need to have this night to celebrate the great work that they do, so that they will continue to do it.”

Volunteers came from a few FCSS programs including Meals on Wheels, which brings hot meals to seniors; Rainbows, a support program for families undergoing significant loss or transition; Backyard Friends, which organizes community meals; and Lifeline, a personal emergency response system.