Majerek, of Niles, volunteers with the Niles Education Foundation, an all-volunteer group that provides students educationally-based opportunity beyond what the Niles Community School system can currently fund.

 

Q: What do you do for the Niles Education Foundation?

I am the projects chairman. All the teachers and administrators who are looking for money or help with a project or grant, they have to submit a proposal to me. I then bring it to my committee and we go over it. Our recommendations then go to the foundation board and it is voted on there. We do that two or three times a year.

 

Q: How long have you been on the Foundation board?

I’ve been on it for two years, although I’ve probably volunteered 25 years of my life. Right now I’ve had to scale it back and I’m only volunteering with the foundation because of my work schedule.

 

Q: How did you first get involved with the Foundation?

Jane Brandstatter (Foundation chairman) and I go way back and we’ve been on every volunteer committee possible, so she asked me to join.

 

Q: What do you enjoy about it?

Helping the kids. Helping the teachers. Because I am from Niles I want to see Niles succeed and I want the kids to succeed. I want to give everything possible to help them succeed. Through this I can give back because I had a great education and I want the students in Niles to have a great education.

 

Q: Why is the Foundation such a positive thing for Niles?

There is no one out there like us giving money to the schools to buy different things for their projects, like microscopes or the grape seed program at Northside. We are helping provide innovative ways to help the students learn.

 

Q: Why do you volunteer?

I was brought up that you should always give back. My parents volunteered and that’s how I learned. Nothing is handed to you on a silver platter. You have to be thankful for what you get and then you give back because you were given something.

 

Do you know a volunteer worthy of recognition? Nominate him or her as the Volunteer of the Week by contacting Craig Haupert, community editor, at (269) 687-7720, or craig.haupert@leaderpub.com.