On May 13, during National Volunteer Week, Lifeline South Coast honoured its 300 volunteers - 100 work as telephone crisis supporters and 200 in Lifeline shops - by hosting a recognition lunch and dinner at Warilla Bowls and Recreation Club.

About 200 volunteers attended the events with many receiving awards for their years of service and completing training to be telephone counsellors.

Lifeline Kiama shop volunteer Edna Campbell was recognised for 20 years of service and others were honoured for more than 10 or 15 years of service in Lifeline shops and at Big Book fairs.

It was also a chance for Lifeline to thank its many supporters, including Wesley Church on the Mall, the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District, and the organisers of Autorama Illawarra car show - the NSW Muscle Car Association and Rotary Club of Wollongong - which raised thousands of dollars for Lifeline.

Lifeline South Coast chairman Bruce Elder said Lifeline volunteers had picked up and sorted thousands of books for the recent Big Book Fair, raising a record $131,000. They had also collected and sorted tonnes of clothing and household goods.

Mr Elder said that had enabled Lifeline to train and support 100 telephone crisis supporters, who answered more than 17,000 crisis calls in the region.

"They are answering on average four suicide calls every day," he said.

Lifeline Research Foundation executive director Alan Woodward said 40 per cent of Lifeline Australia's more than 3600 volunteers were under 34 and 70 per cent were in regional and rural areas.

He said the phone crisis supporters showed those who felt alone that there were people who cared.

For crisis support, call 13 11 14.