Gail Thayer, standing, watches Merriloons the clown paint a rainbow on the face of Madelyn at Lake Placid Community Day in 2024. (Enterprise photo — Andy Flynn)

LAKE PLACID — Lake Placid Community Day is for all the people who keep this village running, whether the work is paid or not.

The seventh annual Lake Placid Community Day is this Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. at the North Elba Horse Show Grounds. There will be live music from The McGraw Project, food and beverages provided by the Lake Placid Olympic and Paralympic Training Center and activities for kids around this year’s theme, “Surf’s up.”

During the celebration, the 2025 Distinguished Volunteers of the Year — Parker Scanio and Dave Balestrini — will be recognized. There will also be more than 50 nonprofit organizations present to share information about their work.

Lake Placid has been recognizing volunteers with this award since 2008, said Val Rogers, a member of the organizing committee for Lake Placid Community Day. When the idea for a community “block party” was proposed, they decided to combine this concept with volunteer recognition, and the Community Day concept was born.

“There are so many people, either new or even people who have lived here for years, who want to volunteer and just don’t know what’s available,” Rogers said. “We get everybody there in one spot and you can see what they’re doing and if there’s something you want to do.”

For years, Lake Placid residents and leaders have noticed a crisis of volunteers aging and burning out, which is partially why they have made volunteer recognition such a big part of Community Day. However, Rogers wanted to emphasize that this day is not just for volunteers. It’s for anyone — from bartenders to electric department employees — who keep Lake Placid going strong.

“It’s as much about the people that live here and work here,” she said. “It’s as much for them, and they’re very much as important as our volunteers. Without them nothing happens.”

The event has grown significantly over the years. They’ve gone from having 30 organizations to around 50 this year — almost maxing out the space they have available, Rogers said.

This day is a collaboration between the Lake Placid/North Elba Community Development Commission and the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism. Hudson Headwaters Health Network is this year’s Marquee sponsor, and other major sponsors include ROOST, Highmark Blue Shield, the Premier Lacross League and the Rotary Club of Lake Placid.

Rogers said they make a point of trying to find other sponsors besides local businesses — although businesses do donate items for the gifts given to the volunteers of the year. Rogers said local businesses already do so much for the community, and the committee wants them to be recognized for that.

“We want everybody to be able to come without a dime in their pocket and have a good time,” she said.