Thirteen local students were recently recognized for their service to the hospital and awarded scholarships totaling $6,750 by the Vidant Beaufort Hospital Volunteer Department.

Vidant Beaufort Hospital Volunteer Department Manager Jan Hamblin said the nine-week summer program brings area high school students to the hospital for volunteer duties. To be eligible for the scholarship, the students must serve as a volunteer at the hospital for at least three summers during high school and work at least 34 hours each summer. Hamblin said the Volunteer Department funds the scholarships.

“We were fortunate to have enough money in the department that each volunteer got $150 for each summer they volunteered. So they either get $450 or $600, depending on whether they volunteered three or four summers,” Hamblin said.

The scholarship money is supposed to be used for educational expenses, Hamblin said. This includes the purchase of books, school supplies or tuition.

The junior volunteers, called “volunteens,” are instrumental in the daily operations of the hospital, Hamblin said. During the summer program, the normal adult volunteers are replaced by the volunteens.

“Their presence is very important,” Hamblin said. “When the juniors come, most of the adult volunteers leave for the summer. The junior volunteers are our front line during the summer. They handle all the responsibilities the adult volunteers normally do.”