MILWAUKEE — A Wisconsin veteran is getting national recognition for his volunteer work.
Dan Jakubczyk has been a volunteer with the Milwaukee VA for the past 15 years. He and his wife started together and continue to volunteer once or twice a week.
While at the VA, Jakubczyk goes around to multiple floors of the hospital with a cart full of goodies to give out to veterans who have a bit of a longer stay.
He offers things like pens, paper, back scratchers and chapstick. However, to him, it’s more than just the stuff. It’s also about being a familiar face and someone for veterans to talk to.
“Talking to fellow veterans just gives me a good feeling,” said Jakubczyk.
He said he enjoys the conversations and hears plenty of stories. He said seeing the joy on veterans’ faces when he walks in to chat is worth the work.
Jakubczyk is an Airforce veteran and can relate to the many other veteran patients’ stories. He said he loves what he does and doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon.
“We’re doing a service to our fellow veterans,” said Jakubczyk. “I’ve got to know this hospital like the back of my hand. There are people here that I have known since day one, and I feel comfortable here.”
Jakubczyk is a longtime American Legion member in Oak Creek and was recently awarded the American Legion “Veteran Affairs Volunteer Service Worker of the Year Award”.
“It made me proud, it made me humble, that I would get that award,” he said.
The Milwaukee VA’s chief of voluntary service Jessica Serdynski said it’s an honor to have a volunteer like Jakubczyk on her team. She knows she can always count on him, and said he’s a great example for others.
“He’s one of those standouts because he is here weekly and sometimes bi-weekly,” Serdynski said. “He is a fixture. He is a face that people recognize in the hallways.”
Jakubczyk and his wife come on separate days and plan to continue volunteering with the VA until they can no longer do it.