We are endlessly grateful to our volunteers for giving their time to better the lives of those impacted by Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Our volunteers are truly the heart of the Alzheimer’s Association here in North Carolina.
In honor of National Volunteer Week 2025, we’ll be spotlighting a different volunteer from our Chapter each day. Today we are featuring…
Steve Dozier
Stokesdale, NC (Guilford County)
What brought you to volunteer with the Alzheimer’s Association?
I watch my beloved grandmother decline due to Alzheimer’s disease and the emotional and physical impact it had on our family. I got engaged with the Alzheimer’s Association after that and when my mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, I knew right where to go for help. Alzheimer’s can make you feel powerless, but being able to volunteer with the Alzheimer’s Association allows me to help make a positive impact for the future of others.
What volunteer role(s) do you have with the Association?
I am currently an advocacy ambassador and help develop relationships with lawmakers; I serve on the Walk to End Alzheimer’s – Guilford County committee; I am an awareness champion, building community awareness about Alzheimer’s and dementia; and I serve on the national caregiver engagement committee.
What do you enjoy most about your volunteer role?
I enjoy seeing the progress we have made against this horrible disease over the years. I remember when my grandmother wasn’t able to be diagnosed until she died, to my mom able to receive an Alzheimer’s diagnosis with a PET scan. And, now we are in the age of treatment!
What piece of your role do you feel makes the biggest impact?
Advocacy and serving on the caregiver engagement committee are where I feel I have been able to make the biggest impact. Seeing bills that make a positive impact in the fight against this disease get passed – I get to say I was part of that progress! On the national caregiver engagement committee, I get to provide feedback to help others. Being involved with the Walk provides me with such a sense of community and I see firsthand the positive difference the event has on others. One year, I represented the purple flower during the Promise Garden Ceremony during opening ceremonies at the Walk. So many people thanked me for standing in front of the crowd and having my story read – it made them feel seen and not alone in this journey.
If someone were considering volunteering with the Association, what would you say to them?
As someone whose family has been touched by Alzheimer’s, this is a way to make a difference for others so they won’t have to face this alone! Also, on a selfish note, it makes me a better person and I have made some lifelong friends and met some amazing people along the way.
THANK YOU, STEVE!
Volunteers truly help move our mission forward. Interested in becoming a volunteer with the Alzheimer’s Association in NC? Visit alz.org/volunteer or call 800-272-3900.
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