Sarah Bush Lincoln recently presented Scott Hampton with the Volunteer of the Year 2022 award. He was selected out of many dedicated volunteers for his innovation and meticulous work on SBL Guild programs.
Hampton’s background in business and healthcare drives his desire to give back. The Mattoon native moved to New York City in 1986 after graduating with his business degree. After a few years, he decided to pursue his nursing degree to help others and give himself a unique skill set. He moved home and enrolled in Lake Land College of Nursing.
“It’s nice to get away and live in a big city, but being home is comforting, too. I love this community, and I was so happy when I got a job at Sarah Bush Lincoln right after graduation,” Hampton recalled.
He stayed at Sarah Bush Lincoln for 22 years, serving in the Emergency Department, floor units, and Information Systems. Hampton helped implement Meditech®, an electronic medical records system, at Sarah Bush Lincoln and eventually started his own healthcare software consulting firm. In 2017, he retired at 53 years old, but he didn’t stay idle for long.
“I spent three months on the couch binge-watching Game of Thrones with my two dogs until my husband told me that I needed to find something else to do. I thought ‘you know what, I know so many people at Sarah Bush Lincoln, I’ll just volunteer at the Gift Shop,’” Hampton remarked.
He has volunteered since 2018, serving as secretary on the Guild Board, the Gift Shop Advisory Committee, and the Disaster Emergency Team. Hampton also volunteers at the local food pantry once a month.
“I like working in the Gift Shop because I get to visit with people and make them laugh. It’s so nice seeing former colleagues and other community members,” Hampton said.
Recipients of this award excell in the SBL standards of performance; attitude, appearance, communication, commitment to coworkers, responsiveness, privacy, safety and ownership. Hampton was honored on April 20 at the annual volunteer luncheon.
“Hampton consistently covers shifts when another volunteer can’t make it into the Gift Shop, and he goes the extra mile with customers to make sure they feel satisfied. He stocks merchandise and builds new, creative displays, which inspire customers to come in and look around the shop. He is funny, respectful, and a problem-solver. It’s easy to see that he makes a substantial contribution to the continued growth of the SBL Guild,” one of his nominators said.
For more information about SBL Volunteer Services, please contact Tracy Haddock, Volunteer Services Director, at 217 258-4180, or visit our website at https://www.sarahbush.org/volunteerservices/.