Steve Kereakos

After my wife joined the Mayo volunteers, she suggested that I also get involved. As I thought about it, I realized that I had been a volunteer almost my entire life! I was active in my church, civic organizations, and athletics, to mention a few. When I worked at the Rochester State Hospital, I was privileged to have some very dedicated volunteers who increased the value of the services I was involved in. So I thought why not give it a try?

My assignment is in the Patient Coffee Shop. I assist patients in wheelchairs as they maneuver themselves through the line. It is hard to move your chair while holding onto a tray! Others have walkers or canes or are just a little unstable on their feet. My favorite activity is to hand a small child a coloring book and crayons. Those wide eyes of appreciation are priceless. I've met and made new friends with my fellow coffee shop volunteers as well as many others, which expands my horizon of acquaintances.

Whenever I feel any aches or pains or have a little discomfort I think about those that I see in the coffee shop. It sure makes me stop feeling sorry for myself!

I was concerned about how much time this would take. However, I still have plenty of time for my family, church, golfing, athletic events, fishing, square dancing, and more. But one of the highlights of every week is my Thursday morning in the coffee shop. My wife and I winter in Arizona, and as I sit by the pool on Thursday mornings I think about the coffee shop and look forward to returning to Mayo in the spring.