One retired teacher has given his spare time to help out at Knoxville Hospital and Clinics; and at Saturday night’s Knoxville Hospital Foundation Trivia Night Gala, his friends and colleagues took the time to honor him for the work he’s done.

David Thomas has been recognized with the foundation’s McKeever Award of Excellence, presented in honor of longtime Knoxville physician Dr. Earl McKeever.

Thomas was cited for volunteering his time over the past ten years welcoming patients to the surgery waiting room; those who have come to know him during this time say his outgoing personality have made him beloved by patients and staff alike.

He was held in equally high esteem during his career; for 30 years until his retirement in 1998, he taught science at Knoxville Middle School and has seen generations of students come through his classroom. Several were in attendance at Saturday night’s benefit.

Thomas says working in the waiting room requires a lot of interaction with patients and their families, and that it feels good to know he’s helped to make a difficult time a little easier for the people he’s worked with.