User Options:

• View My Saved Content
• Save this page to My Content

Share this page

Everyday Heroes

Everyday Heroes are National MS Society volunteers who regularly go above and beyond to benefit the MS movement. An Everyday Hero is an ordinary person who does extraordinary things to help those affected by MS. We can't say thank you enough to these amazing people! Meet our Everyday Heroes …

Susan Stellmacher is an active National MS Society volunteer and activist who lives in Minneapolis, Minn. She shares her story with everyone to educate people about the MS movement. She said her diagnosis was not the end, but the beginning of her world, and that her work for the Society gives her the opportunity to give back and help those who have helped her.

When the Society was asked to be part of the Minnesota Secretary of State’s Disability Advisory Council, Susan volunteered to be our voice. This council works on civic engagement and voting issues in the disability committee. Susan has been a leader in our chapter’s voter engagement efforts leading up to the fall elections.

Each year, Susan volunteers at the Society’s booth at the State Fair, passing out literature and advocating for people living with MS. She enjoys making phone calls in the office, mentoring newly diagnosed people and can also be seen volunteering at a Walk MS rest stop or cheering at the finish line for Bike MS. Susan enjoys life and makes the most of every day. The Society is lucky to benefit from her amazing outlook and dedication.

Beth Swanson is a Sioux Falls, S.D., area volunteer. She previously volunteered for the On the Move Little Black Dress Committee and now serves on the Walk MS South Dakota Committee. Beth works for ADP in audit and compliance, where she puts her MBA to good use. She grew up in Nebraska and moved to Sioux Falls nine years ago. When Beth isn’t rooting for the Green Bay Packers, she likes to read and hang out with her friends. Being from Nebraska also means she’s a big Nebraska Cornhusker fan as well. In addition to volunteering and raising money for Walk MS, Beth also participates in the event. As a committee member, she contacts businesses to sponsor a booth at the vendor expo for Walk MS. Without great volunteers like Beth, Walk MS wouldn’t be nearly as successful.

Des Moines area volunteer Deb Olesen has worked in quality control for 22 years at ACH Food Companies, which is the world’s largest state-of-the-art production and distribution facility for spice products. She enjoys baking and cooking and is a food judge at the Iowa State Fair. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling with her husband and two children, and of course, cycling. This extraordinary volunteer has served on the Bike MS Iowa Committee for the past five years. She has planned the route, recruited volunteers and generally gone above and beyond the call of duty. This year marks Deb’s sixth year biking for her family friend Dennis, who has MS. In fact, she’s so dedicated to the cause; she recently got a tattoo of a bike. Now that’s dedication!

Dennis Hanold, whose wife had MS, is a dedicated National MS Society volunteer in addition to being a 15-year Bike MS veteran. He not only participates as a rider, but also volunteers before and after Bike MS events by loading and unloading trucks, marking routes and helping with product pick-ups. Dennis is a member of the Bike Promo Team, helping to recruit new riders. In addition to Bike MS, he’s volunteered for Walk MS and the Twin Cities Mud Run.

A full-time interior designer, Shelly Richard was raised in northern Minnesota but has called Fargo, N.D., home since 1986. In 2001, she joined the movement to end MS by participating in Bike MS, Walk MS, Run to Stop MS and serving on the former North Central States Chapter Board of Trustees from July 2008 to October 2011. In part due to her great work with the National MS Society, Shelly was awarded the YWCA Women of the Year 2010 ―Volunteer Division Award.

In her spare time, Shelly likes to run, bike, play volleyball, read and spend time with family and friends. She even likes to plow snow in the winter. The following Elizabeth Andrew quote is a constant motivator for Shelly: "Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart."

Sara Whitmer spends three days a week volunteering at the Upper Midwest Chapter Des Moines office. She’s been volunteering for the National MS Society for more than three years and currently volunteers as the office administrative assistant. She also procures auction items for Taste of Generosity, a wine-tasting event that will take place Feb. 18 in West Des Moines.

Prior to volunteering at the Society, Sara worked for 18 years as a health and welfare consultant in the Chicago area. While in Chicago, she became a Cubs and Bears fanatic. Her favorite Cubs baseball player was Ron Santo and her favorite Bear player of all time was Walter Payton. When Sara isn't volunteering, she’s reading a good book or driving her black convertible and dreams of one day owning a vintage 60s Mercedes convertible.

Michaela Janssen is a one-of-a-kind volunteer. In 2011, she was involved in multiple National MS Society programs and fundraising activities. She served as an advisory committee member for the chapter’s first-ever MS Service Day and as a committee member for our On the Move Luncheon. Michaela was also a camp counselor at MS Youth Camp and a mentor to MS Scholarship Program recipients.

She completed all of this volunteer work as she was finishing her final year at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minn. While pursuing a career in grief and loss counseling, Michaela was also a leader with the Students Against MS group at St. Thomas. Her time commitment to the Society and her willingness to give make Michaela an amazing volunteer.

Ryan Bleau (pictured center) first connected with the National MS Society by participating in Youth Camp several years ago. Last year, he expanded his involvement and joined Teen Council, a group that helps plan and implement programs for young people affected by MS. He also participated in MS Day of Service and helped maintain and beautify the yard of a person living with MS. In addition, he became a counselor-in-training at Youth Camp 2011 to give back to a program that's meant a lot to him.

Most recently, Ryan participated in Teen Crew for Challenge Walk MS: Twin Cities. Every day, he loaded and unloaded luggage starting at 5:30 a.m., before most Challenge Walkers had their first cup of coffee! Despite the early hours, Ryan was an enthusiastic cheerleader and rest stop volunteer, even walking the last six miles of day two to support a walker who was slowed by an ankle injury! When asked if he was tired, Ryan replied “I’m good. It doesn’t really matter if I’m tired as long as I’m helping the walkers.&rdquo

Janet Nurnberg (pictured right), an energetic National MS Society volunteer, has been a member of the 20s and 30s Advisory Board since its inception. This past year, she launched an initiative to recruit volunteers from the 20s and 30s Crew to Society special events. Janet is also a youth counselor each year at MS Youth Camp and participates in Walk MS.

She’s dedicated, thoughtful and gracious in all she does to benefit the MS movement. Janet not only volunteers at just about every event, she also helps out in the office when she can. The commitment and leadership qualities she’s shown in her four years of volunteer work are truly remarkable.

John Schenk has participated in Bike MS: Star Tribune TRAM for 12 years, raising a lifetime total of more than $130,000 to end MS forever. John started riding TRAM because he loves to ride his bike. Now both the ride and his volunteer work mean a lot more to him, as he’s gotten to know staff, other TRAM riders and people living with MS.

John shared that volunteering has made a big impact on his life. He said, " [I'm] more passionate, a better listener, and I try to relate to people more. I really think it's helped me become a better person. I’m more friendly and less critical."

Every Friday (except when he travels to Florida to watch the Twins spring training), Mick Auger volunteers at the chapter front desk, answering hundreds of phone calls from people affected by MS — ensuring they get the information they need — and greeting staff, volunteers and visitors with a warm smile.

Diagnosed with MS in 1987, Mick also volunteers at a variety of programs and nearly all chapter special events. He’s also passionate about raising MS awareness in the community. Mick is well-known around the office for his kind personality, willingness to help out — even at the last minute — and for generously supporting chapter staff members participating in fundraising events.

When asked about why volunteering is important, Mick said, “Volunteering feels good to me … the National MS Society has been good to me.” He added that volunteering is a worthwhile experience and there’s always room for people’s talents at the chapter.

Diane Whitcraft does it all at the chapter office: covers the reception desk, works on special events projects, helps with the scholarship program, makes personal thank-you calls to Bike MS participants and MS Champions, and helps recruit new volunteers for chapter events. Diane has great ideas and tremendous insight. She is also valued because she always has a smile on her face and pays the highest attention to the detail and quality of her work. Diane walked for MS, and most recently, she joined the public relations advisory committee for the chapter.

Cindy Hirte-O'Neal (pictured left) grew up on the east side of St. Paul and now lives in St. Paul Park. She loves country music bands like Sugarland and the Zach Brown Band. If she were to do karaoke today, she would sing Shania Twain’s, “Man! I Feel Like a Woman.” Her current hobbies are knitting and crochet as well as spending time in Somerset on the Apple River. Cindy has three children and has been volunteering with the National MS Society for almost one year. Most of her volunteer work has been as a front desk helper Friday afternoons.