Spotlight On Dustin Cesarek, Volunteer Appreciation Week 2021

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As a founder of our organization, Dustin has been around since before we even sent the paperwork into the IRS 7 years ago.

"In those days there was just three of us: Dustin, Justin Nicolay, and me. We all had a slightly different vision of what Jack's should be known as, what its purpose was, and what we hoped it could become. Reflecting on those days, I have a deeper appreciation for Dustin's contributions, mainly because I was a much more difficult person to work with in those days. I was full of myself and also not dealing with the trauma in my personal life the best ways possible. But also because Justin and I were really close. I know for a fact that Dustin sometimes felt like a third wheel - and a squeaky wheel at that.

"It's not that I think we ever disrespected him or anything like that, it's just that I'm sorry that we ever made him feel that way. The last thing a caregiver in Dustin's shoes needed was to finally find a group that was just for him and then feel alone at times in that group. 

"What inspires me about Dustin is that he didn't back down from what he believed in so that he could fit in. And if you ask me that's one of the primary reason Jack's went on to become something that really matters today. Groups who simply follow a leader and think, feel, and act like each other are riddled with mediocrity. I'm grateful that never happened to us and if you ask me Dustin deserves the majority of the credit for that.

"To this day Dustin remains a volunteer leader for us. He recently became our Jack-to-Jack Program Champion. His role is to help us evaluate the effectiveness of the program so we can improve it. He'll also be checking in with our Jack-to-Jack Coaches to make sure they're feeling informed, supported, and equipped to create great experiences for the 'new recruit' caregivers. It's a very important and brand new volunteer role here at Jack's and I cannot imagine a better guy for the job!! We are overwhelmed with gratitude for your years and years and years of volunteer service Dustin Cesarek!"
-Kyle Woody, Jack's Founder & Executive Director-