Meet CORE ReStore Volunteer: Dave Skallerud

Meet Dave Skallerud, a long-time Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity ReStore volunteer! Dave is celebrating his 10-year Iowa City ReStore volunteer anniversary this March! We recently caught up with Dave to chat about his experience volunteering with Habitat for Humanity!

We promise that he LOVES volunteering with us!

​What year did you start volunteering with Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity?
"I started volunteering in March of 2015!"

What is your favorite memory of IVHFH?
"My favorite memory is doing ANYTHING with the guys. We get a lot done but have fun doing this work. One specific time all of us enjoy are the ball games (Cedar Rapids Kernels). Most of the time we don't even know the score, but we enjoy drinking a beer and socializing with the guys. We also like to go to lunch."

What drives you to continue to volunteer with IVHFH?
"It benefits the potential homeowners and community. But it also benefits us volunteers because it gives us purpose in life. I retired from two careers, which I enjoyed but when I left them, I created a void in my life that ReStore helps fill."

If you could give advice to any new volunteers or individuals on the fence about volunteering, what would you tell them?
"Pull up your bootstraps and prepare to get dirty and work. Develop a thick skin because we give each other a hard time but we receive a great number of challenges and job satisfaction. The backgrounds of our volunteers speak volumes: a Professor from the University of Iowa, a supervisor with AT&T, a watch repair technician/jeweler, county highway engineer, HVAC technician, construction technician, retired minister, and a retired Lieutenant Colonel."

Thank you, Dave, for all of your hard work and dedication to Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity! We are so thankful to have you as a volunteer and know that you are always willing to lend a hand when needed!

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