PARK CITY — Summit Support and the Summit County Mental Wellness Alliance will host a volunteer appreciation event at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Park City Library's Community Room, 1255 Park Ave.

The event is free and open to the public. John Davis, founder and chief executive officer of Summit Support, and Anna Frachou, director of the Alliance, will distribute certificates to volunteers.

Davis stated, "This is the last event of a month-and-a-half of mental health gathering that Summit County Mental Wellness Alliance, who is led by Anna Frachou, and Summit Support, as partners, have produced or publicized. We've done seminars, workshops and open houses, all kinds of stuff, in cooperation with different agencies throughout April and May, and we decided to wrap things up and show appreciation to these volunteers."

"Of course, volunteers usually aren't therapists, but they help these agencies put on events, help with outreach efforts, do fundraising and other things," he said. "They also carry the message of the agencies they volunteer for into the community." Participating agencies include Holy Cross Ministries, Jacky's Recovery Support Services, Jewish Family Service of Utah, Live Like Sam, Christian Center of Park City, Peace House, People's Health Clinic, and Summit County Clubhouse.

Steve Richardson, executive director of the Christian Center of Park City, said, "Volunteers support our efforts in a variety of ways, including serving in our food pantries, thrift stores, donation-receiving area and a variety of service events." Davis said, "They have clinicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and case workers, but all of them are understaffed, overworked and underfunded. That's why we want to recognize their volunteers."