I interviewed my mom, Donna Weekes, because I wanted people to know what she does and to make sure she is appreciated for the work she does as a working single mother, firefighter, and EMT. Everyone should appreciate what she does and every firefighter and EMT that helps our community.

Q: Where and when were you born?


A: I was born in Flandreau Hospital on May 27, 1966.



Q: What were your surroundings like as you grew up?


A: I grew up on a farm by Rutland with my Mom, Dad, four sisters and two brothers.



Q: Did you enjoy living where you grew up?


A: Yes, we had chores to do, but we always had a lot of fun.



Q: What did your family consist of?


A: My family consists of my Mom, Dad, sisters: Margaret, Ruth, Sharon, and Karen, and my
two brothers: Dean and Gordon.


Q: What was your first job and how old were you at the time?


A: I was fourteen when I started working at the school during the summers. My first real job
was working as a waitress at Country Kitchen when I was sixteen.


Q: What school did you go to?


A: I went to Rutland Elementary and High School, after graduation I went to Lake Area Vo-
Tech for Dental assisting.


Q: What was your favorite thing to do as a kid?


A: I loved to go rollerskating.


Q: Where did you lived after you moved out from your parents' house?


A: I moved to Brookings in an apartment above Pizza King for six months then moved to
Aurora.


Q: What were you doing as you were on your own?


A: I drove to school in Watertown and worked at Country Kitchen and the Hy-Vee Deli.


Q: How many kids did you have and what did you name them?


A: I had 3 sons and named them Dustin, C.J., and Dylan.


Q: What do you do now for a job?


A: I work at First National Bank+Trust in the card service department, but will start working at
Excel Storage Ruck in the Inside Sales Dept. on Monday.


Q: What made you want to be a volunteer firefighter?


A: It was something I have wanted to do since I was a kid. I like to help people and it is also a
way to give back to the community that I live in.


Q: Why did you also want to be a EMT personnel?


A: I wanted to help people who are sick or hurt, do what I can to help and/or get them to the
hospital.


Q: What do you enjoy about being a Firefighter/EMT?


A: I like the feeling you get when you work hard on the scene, put the fire out and everyone
goes home safe. I also like the feeling you get when you are appreciated for what you do.


Q: What do you do while also being a Firefighter/EMT?


A: I go to firefighter training and schools, the physical work like climbing ladders, manning the
hose, putting on SCBA and entering burning buildings.


Q: Is it hard to balance being a Firefighter, EMT, a working job, and being a single
mother?

A: It has it's moments, the hardest thing is not knowing when you will get a call. A lot of calls
are in the middle of the night, so you may not get much sleep before you have to got to work in
the morning.

Q: How long are you going to continue to be a Firefighter/EMT?


A: I am going to be a firefighter as long as possible. I hope to make it another fifteen years.


Q: What do you see yourself doing twenty years down the road?

A: I hope to be retired, but I will probably still do something to keep busy.


Q: Is it going to be hard for you when all your children move out and make lives for
themselves?

A: Yes, it was hard when my first son Dustin moved out, now C.J. will graduate this year, and
Dylan will graduate in two years. It is hard to imagine what it would be like to be alone in this
big house. I hope my sons will visit often. Otherwise, it will be me and my cats Leipschen,
Sebastian, and Samantha to keep me company.