Kimberly Makinen, 30, of Berrien Springs, has volunteerism running through her veins.

A long-time volunteer with United Way, Makinen typically takes the lead in volunteering for United Way’s annual Day of Action, where she volunteers to aid seniors throughout in Niles and throughout Berrien County.

How did you get involved with volunteering through United Way?

Through my job. I’m the assistant manager for the collections department at United Federal Credit Union. We’ve kind of always partnered with United Way in the past, and I enjoy it. So, once I started, I’ve just done it every year since then.

What do you do during the Day of Action?

We help out seniors through little acts, like raking leaves. We do gutter cleanup and things like that. We will also winterize their homes, so we do window kits and last year, we did door kits as well, just to kind of help them prepare for winter.

What do you like about volunteering with United Way?

I like the people. The seniors are always happy to see us. You know, we are a small group in a small community, but volunteering kind of has a ripple effect. You have one small good deed here, and then it kind of inspires other people to do it. Our task can start out small, but over the years, you can see more and more volunteers sign up. I think it works out well with that.

Why is volunteering something you prioritize?

It gives you a kind of satisfaction knowing you’ve helped someone out with something.

What do you find rewarding about working with seniors, specifically?

They have usually lived in the area for a long period of time and they have given so much to the community over the years, it’s kind of nice to give back to them. The seniors that sign up for it are always happy to see us. I can’t count the times that they just wanted to talk a little bit. It’s nice to talk to them see what they’ve done throughout their life. It’s also nice because we help them with things they can’t normally do by themselves.

How would you encourage the community to do similar types of volunteering?

Just pay it forward. It’s a small act of kindness that can create a ripple effect for everyone else in the community.