Volunteer leads with compassion

As a First Impressions volunteer

Donna Majeskie 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 at the Minneapolis VA, 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 VA. The compassionate care he received at VA during the last three years of his life ignited a fire within her to give back and serve others. 

Work with meaning

Majeskie specifically chose the curbside work because of her own experience with her mother while transporting her father. 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. 

This article was originally published on the VA Minneapolis Health care System site and has been edited for style and clarity.