From Engines to Schools to Transportation: Don Schneider paves the way Don Schneider is a fixer – in the Navy he kept engines ticking, spent a career fine-tuning school districts, and helped smooth the path to medical appointments for seniors and veterans in Stoughton as an RSVP volunteer driver. Schneider spent many hours driving folks from Stoughton to and from medical appointments. “Don had a fan club, there were passengers that asked for him by name,” said Dick Hoffman, Stoughton RSVP Ride Coordinator. “Don treated all his riders with care and honesty. A true gentleman.” Schneider was a committed member of the volunteer drivers in Stoughton, who together provided 665 rides to veterans and seniors in 2017. “Every so often, I would get a call from a passenger who really needed a same day ride,” Hoffman shared. “These can be hard to fill, but I always tried, and when I called Don, he just never said no. He’s retiring as a volunteer driver, but he made a very positive impact in the years he served!” For Schneider, driving was a win-win. “Meeting people was always nice,” Schneider said, “but especially so when you drove them consecutive times because you got to know them.” He would recommend driving to others too. “You get more out of it than you put into it,” he said. “If anybody has any doubts, they should give it a try. Once they do it, they’ll enjoy it.” Schneider grew up in Minnesota and after high school graduation, signed on with the Navy where he served four years as a motor repair man, during the Korean War on the USS Bryce Canyon. After discharge, he attended Mankato State College, married his wife Donna and then graduated with a degree in Business Education. For the next six years, Don taught high school business classes in Somerset, WI, followed by 8 years as the school administrator in Holcombe and then Owen Withee, WI. Don and Donna moved to Stoughton, WI when Don accepted a job with the Department of Public Instruction, where he worked until his retirement 24 years later in 1996. Along the way Don volunteered with his sons’ Boy Scout troops, served as an usher in every church they attended, helped raise four children, taught hunting safety for 6 years, learned woodcarving, and golfed up a storm in retirement. If you are interested in driving, contact Mary Schmelzer, Driver Services Co-Manager, 608-441-7896 or mschmelzer@rsvpdane.org.
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.