Curbside first impressions
By Don Checots, Minneapolis VA Volunteer, Air Force Veteran
Donna Majeskie, our VA Volunteer of the Month, has a story of compassion that blossomed from the daily struggles she and her mother faced while caring for her Veteran father.
From navigating VA appointments to maneuvering wheelchairs, these challenges planted the seed of empathy that led to a journey of dedicated volunteerism.
Majeskie is a First Impression Curbside Assistance volunteer, having accumulated nearly 500 hours of volunteer service since she started four years ago. In this role, she assists Veterans by helping them get in and out of vehicles, providing wheelchairs, and guiding them to their destinations.
Majeskie’s father was a career Air Force officer who received treatment at the VA. The compassionate care he received at the VA during the last three years of his life ignited a fire within her to give back and serve others.
She specifically chose the curbside work because of her own experience with her mother transporting her father around. She recognized that many women were bringing their spouses to appointments and sometimes struggled with parking, getting them in and out of the car, and locating a wheelchair to use during medical center visits.
After retiring early from a 30-year career at Kraft Heinz, Majeskie dedicated herself to offering a helping hand to Veterans and their families at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center.