{"id":7719,"date":"2025-12-07T21:30:00","date_gmt":"2025-12-07T21:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7719"},"modified":"2025-12-07T21:30:00","modified_gmt":"2025-12-07T21:30:00","slug":"veteran-volunteer-gives-28000-hours","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7719","title":{"rendered":"Veteran volunteer gives 28,000 hours"},"content":{"rendered":"

Originally published:<\/strong> 2025-12-07T21:30:00+00:00. Historical source article: benefits, rules, amounts and deadlines may have changed. Check the official source for current information.<\/p>\n

Veteran and volunteer gives back through art<\/h2>\n

\u201cIt all started with art,\u201d said volunteer Maggie DeRee. That\u2019s how she began what is now a 25-year relationship with VA, clocking in nearly 28,000 volunteer hours.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

DeRee, also a Veteran, went to basic training at a time when women were still referred to as \u201cWACs,\u201d the Women\u2019s Army Corps. She served for 20 years in the Army Reserve as a chef. During that time, she served in Korea, where she learned a lot about kimchi, and also deployed to Saudi Arabia during Desert Storm.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Her love of art led her to the Veterans Creative Arts Festival. It was through that experience, and the people she met, that she became a volunteer<\/a> and began giving back to the Veteran community.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

A lifelong mission to serve through creativity and compassion<\/h2>\n

DeRee\u2019s commitment and tireless efforts have touched the lives of countless individuals. Primarily assisting the Recreation\/Creative Arts department with events and projects, she has contributed significantly to the Center for Development and Civic Engagement (CDCE) <\/a>office. Since its inception, she has volunteered at the Monthly Pop-up Veteran Food Pantry, distributing fresh produce to those in need. She also played a vital role in the National Veterans Wheelchair Games, both 20 years ago and again this past summer when the Games were held in Minneapolis.\u00a0<\/p>\n

DeRee is a pillar of resilience, displaying her unwavering grit and commitment daily. Her radiant energy and enthusiasm infuse the entire office with positivity, lifting spirits and fostering a joyful atmosphere. Even in the face of adversity, she never fails to light up the room with her humor and infectious spirit.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Unfazed by inclement weather or any obstacles thrown her way, DeRee consistently demonstrates her devotion to serving Veterans. She is a perfect example of selflessness and dedication, enriching the lives of others through her unwavering commitment to VA\u2019s mission.<\/p>\n

Interested in volunteering with VA?<\/p>\n

Fill out this form<\/a> and your local representative will contact you.<\/p>\n

\n

This article was originally published on the VA Minneapolis Health care System site <\/a>\u00a0and has been edited for style and clarity.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\n

Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs<\/a>. Its Veterans is an independent publication and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Maggie DeRee has a 25-year relationship with VA, clocking in nearly 28,000 volunteer hours.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":311,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7719","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community-veteran-stories"],"yoast_head":"\nVeteran volunteer gives 28,000 hours - Its Veterans<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Maggie DeRee has a 25-year relationship with VA, clocking in nearly 28,000 volunteer hours.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7719\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Veteran volunteer gives 28,000 hours - 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