For Wayne Brown, some of the happiest results of his volunteerism are the connections he has made.
“I think about all the people I’ve met over the years that I wouldn’t have met if I wasn’t (volunteering),” he said. “It’s just a good way to give back.”
Brown, of Dubuque, served about 16 months in the Air Force in Vietnam and Thailand. Now, he volunteers as commander at the local Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9663. He has been commander for three years and a member of the post for 15 years.
Brown devotes more than 25 hours per month to VFW meetings, ceremonies and projects such as a flag disposal program. The VFW collects torn and faded U.S. flags deposited in four boxes in Dubuque and Peosta, Iowa, to be properly disposed of.
Brown also gives of himself — literally — as a blood donor. He began donating whole blood to the Red Cross about 50 years ago and now gives blood platelets every other Monday at ImpactLife, formerly known as Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center. In the past 12 years, he’s given 37 gallons of blood platelets.
Jason Schomburg, associate donor relations consultant at ImpactLife, said Brown has made 293 donations at the center.
Leave a Reply