VEAP loves our volunteer corps of 3,000 people! In our Volunteer Spotlight series, we highlight their amazing work and dedication in advancing VEAP’s mission.
When did you get involved with VEAP?
February 2012. I was newly retired and my best friend, Terri, retired 3 months later. She called me up and said we’ve got to find something to do. She suggested VEAP. We became volunteers together along with her sister, Kathy. We actually went to high school together at Regina.
What volunteer roles do have with VEAP? What is your favorite?
Phone Intake, Data Entry, Volunteer Check-in, Exit Assistant, School Supplies and Holiday programs. I really enjoy data entry and phone intake and all the fun I have with the other volunteers.
What keeps you volunteering with VEAP?
I’d go crazy if I didn’t!
What makes volunteering meaningful for you?
I want to give back to the community. I’m the 4th of 6 kids, my father had a stroke at 36 years old, he never went back to work so my mother got a job and my dad was head of the household. We had a lot of fun growing up. My mother was a big believer in volunteering and she passed it on to me and my siblings.
What might someone be surprised to learn about you?
I graduated in Political Science from University of MN. I went to William Mitchell College of Law and I worked as a law clerk for a District Court Judge. I wrote a lot of opinions, I wrote all the time! I had a stroke at 38 years old and I couldn’t be a law clerk anymore so I worked in a different area of the District Court doing all sorts of things including connecting people to public defenders. I really enjoy history and visiting Presidential Libraries; I’ve visited the libraries for Lincoln, Eisenhower, Truman, Nixon, and Clinton.
What do you do when you aren’t volunteering?
I go to church at Nativity of Mary Catholic Church, I sing in the choir and for funerals. I cross-stitch, right now I am sewing a Christmas tree skirt for my sister and I’ve made a lot of stockings for my nieces and nephews. I read a lot of mysteries and enjoy going to plays. I am a member of the History Theater and St Paul Chamber Orchestra. I have season tickets to women’s Golden Gopher basketball and I’m a big Twins fan. I enjoy taking my nieces and nephews to games.
What would you tell someone who is thinking about volunteering at VEAP?
You should do it! Giving back to the community is #1!
Thank you, Pat!
Are you ready to become a volunteer like Pat? Sign up today!
