TV host Ellen Degeneres rewards waitress Sarah Hoidahl's generosity 300 times over Waitress Sarah Hoidahl meets Ellen DeGeneres. Picture: WMUR-TV/Ellen A New Hampshire waitress who picked up the lunch tab of two National Guard soldiers affected by the US federal government's shutdown has been repaid - more than 300 times over - by television star Ellen DeGeneres. Sarah Hoidahl, a waitress in Concord, New Hampshire, just wanted to do a nice thing for the soldiers, so she recently picked up their lunch tab. It cost her US$27.75 ($28.66). On Friday, DeGeneres squared the tab and then some, giving Hoidahl US$27.75 in cash and a check for US$10,000. "I always end each show by saying be kind to one another, and our first guest is a waitress from Henniker, New Hampshire, who did just that," DeGeneres told her audience. An emotional Ms Hoidahl buried her face in her hands and thanked DeGeneres as the talk show host repeated "You're a good person." In that moment when she opened it and I saw, I just couldn't even contain my emotions. I just started crying," she said. I have medical bills, student loans, some debt to pay off. Obviously, I have a 15-month-old. I do plan on donating some of it to charity. DeGeneres caught wind of Ms Hoidahl's act of kindness when the New Hampshire National Guard posted a picture on its Facebook page. The story spread quickly online, producers saw it and invited Ms Hoidahl to Hollywood. Waitress Sarah Hoidahl's generosity was rewarded more than 300 times over by TV host Ellen DeGeneres. Ellen also gave her a 127cm television. "It feels like I'm dreaming and I'm going to wake up and I'm going to be like, "Oh man, I wish that was real,'" Ms Hoidahl told WMUR-TV.