• National Volunteer Week is an annual event endorsed by the White House.The White House image by dwight9592 from Fotolia.com
  
  National Volunteer Week is a White House-endorsed week that encourages Americans to give to others and to make a difference in the lives of a community, according to the official White House website. If you are participating in a National Volunteer Week event in which you are in charge of recruiting and managing volunteers, then you will want to thank the people who offered their time freely. Give your volunteers a gift that lets them know how much you appreciate their service.
  
  

Volunteer Party

• As a gift to the volunteers who helped at your charity or organization, throw a party in their honor. This type of event may be pulled together quickly and with simple elements. Have your party catered and consider a specific theme, such as a "Volunteer Cruise" or a "Volunteer Luau." Create a fun atmosphere where volunteers may relax, reflect on the week and say goodbye to the people who they have worked with.
  
  

Ice Cream Gift Certificates

• Give your volunteers individual gift certificates redeemable for an ice cream cone or another treat. This is a sweet and refreshing gesture of thanks that many volunteers will appreciate after an arduous week of work.
  
  

Patriotic Candy Bags

• Fill cellophane snack bags, which you can buy from craft stores or online vendors, with patriotic-themed candies. Some examples are chocolate U.S. flags and a mix of boxed candies or jelly beans in red, white, and blue. The patriotic theme plays on the spirit of National Volunteer Week as a unifying national movement of service. Tie off the bag with decorative fabric ribbon. Include a note card that thanks the volunteer for working toward a "sweet goal" -- national unity via service.
  
  

Certificate of Achievement

• When your budget is tight, consider a certificate of achievement. You can make these on your computer and print them out on sheets of card stock. Using a black marker or felt pen, in elegant script or other handwriting, write the names of the volunteers on the certificates. Present the certificates at an end-of-the-week ceremony, where you thank them individually for their commitment and hard work.