Most Impactful Volunteer
David Thompson has a heart for giving back. While his list of volunteer commitments is an impressive one, it’s his passion for helping people that shines the brightest.
Thompson, who served as an assistant manager at Sam’s Club for several years until his recent move to Zimmer Radio Group, made his home in Jefferson City in 2015. He was inspired by the community members he would meet at multiple events throughout the year, including at Salute to America and the concerts held at the prison. After each event, he would continue to ask how he could help even more the next year.
“I’ve lived in a lot of different places, and Jefferson City feels more like home than other places,” Thompson says. “It’s a very welcoming community. When I would go to volunteer at events, it would be the same people, and I would start to build a relationship with those people.”
In addition to Salute to America, Thompson is also an active volunteer with Children’s Miracle Network, Relay for Life, Hero Fund, and Big Brothers Big Sisters’ annual chili cook-off event. He also hopes to get more involved in the United Way moving forward. He views his volunteer time as his greatest service to this community.
“My impact is to help other people, because I don’t like to see
people struggle. I can’t financially help all people, but I can put in the time,” Thompson says.
“My impact is to help other people, because I don’t like to see people struggle. I can’t financially help all people, but I can put in the time.”
This passion for helping people has also led Thompson down unique and perhaps even unexpected roads over the years. He is an ordained minister, and he performed three weddings in the past year because he likes sharing those special moments with people. After having some medical issues back in 2017 and then getting healthy again through a keto diet, he’s also been inspired to help people with their health journey through recipe and information sharing, including hard lessons he’s learned along the way.
Thompson points to his family as a source of inspiration. His fiancée, Karen, and their blended family of three kids, Fabian, Xander, and Kaiden, have been behind him every step of the way.
He also acknowledges the support of Sam’s Club for bolstering his community service efforts over the years, including times where they’ve given grant money to local organizations with the amount tied directly to the number of hours team members volunteer in the community. It’s a strong connection he will take with him as he begins a new professional career in this community in 2020.
“I think it’s important for organizations to encourage community service,” Thompson says. “I live here, and we make our community what it is. We need to put in the time to make it what it is.”