American Red Cross volunteer awarded for excellence in humanitarian services

(WAND) - An American Red Cross volunteer was recently awarded for their work and dedication.

The American Red Cross of Illinois celebrated South & West Central Illinois volunteer Scott Clarke of Springfield for receiving the Red Cross Presidential Award for Excellence in Humanitarian Services at the 2026 American Red Cross National Awards Dinner.m

The dinner was held in April in Washington, D.C.

Clarke was also recently honored for 50 years of services to the American Red Cross. He has helped respond and help to nearly 60 disaster responses, overseeing operations across all five Illinois Region chapters.

CEO for the Illinois Red Cross Kellie O'Connell said, "The work that Scott does for the American Red Cross is truly amazing. When I first connected with him, he was such a wealth of knowledge, and you could see the compassion for our communities and the passion for our mission pouring out of him. I'm so honored to work alongside him."

Clarke also mentors interns and volunteers.

Executive Director of the South & West Central Illinois Chapter of the American Red Cross Dawn Morris said, "When you think of someone who has given 50 years of his time, efforts and wisdom to our mission; that alone speaks volumes. The profound impact that he brings is incredible and there are truly no words for what he brings to the mission."

"You might not hear his name right at the beginning of what we do, but you know that Scott is always planting seeds and putting the mission and the people that we serve first. The amount of time and efforts, being a volunteer, that he has given to this mission every single day is truly irreplaceable."