Volunteers are the heart of LincolnHealth. They greet patients and visitors, lead bingo games, help landscape the grounds, provide companionship to residents and patients, (sometimes with a therapy dog by their side), and much more.

“Volunteers enhance the patient and resident experience and help make a positive difference each and every day,” explained Director of Volunteer Services Connie Bright. “In 2017, 257 active volunteers donated more than 16,000 hours of their time to LincolnHealth. We are extremely grateful for their service every day, but wish to extend our gratitude next week during National Volunteer Week, April 15th through the 21st.”

One of the many volunteers, Herb Watson, began volunteering at LincolnHealth in December of 2001. Since then, he has volunteered more than 3,000 hours of service. “I began volunteering when they were adding an addition to the front of the hospital,” Herb commented. “My job was to show patients and visitors where to go during construction. Nearly 17 years later and I am still greeting patients and visitors at the front door and helping them any way I can.”

Herb also spent time volunteering in the physician’s library. Doctors would leave notes of what they wanted to look up, and Herb would find the articles for them. As technology advanced, that role was no longer needed.

Herb’s wife, Roberta, began volunteering at LincolnHealth a few years before him. She started out operating the switchboard, then worked in the lab, and currently helps in the volunteer office.

“LincolnHealth is such an asset to our community,” commented Roberta. “It is nice to be a part of it. I don’t think Herb and I would have ever realized how valuable of an organization LincolnHealth is if we did not volunteer here and really get to know and see how caring the staff is.”

“I think it is easy to tell that Roberta and I enjoy volunteering,” commented Herb. “Volunteering is an opportunity to give back to the community. It is a great investment of your time and is very rewarding. I have met a lot of nice people through volunteering.”

To honor all of the volunteers in Lincoln County, the new health center that is under construction on the LincolnHealth – Miles Campus in Damariscotta is named “The Herbert and Roberta Watson Health Center.” The Watsons hope that in the future, when someone asks, “Who are Herb and Roberta Watson and why is this building named after them?” that the answer will always be “they are are just a couple of volunteers who were honored to represent all the hundreds in the community,” Roberta explained.

For more information about our volunteers or volunteering at LincolnHealth, please contact Connie Bright at 563-4508 or visit www.lincolnhealthme.org.