Dennis Bohm has packed a lot of volunteering into his 85 years.
From willingly joining the Marine Corps one month after graduating from high school to a Sunday School teacher to driving veterans to their medical appointments and covering more than a quarter of a million miles, Bohm has offered himself up to others throughout his life.
Never one to volunteer for his own benefit, he was named the Shawano Country Chamber of Commerce 2024 Distinguished Citizen of the Year.
“The love of my country, my feeling for my fellow veterans and the drive to serve our community, along with the love of those close to me, makes serving others easy with the grace of God,” he said.
Early life
Born and raised on a dairy farm, Bohm graduated from Bonduel High School in 1957. Just one month later, he enlisted in the Marines.
“I was good at athletics, and I wanted to be part of the best there was,” he said of his choice to join the Marines.
He served three years of active duty and three years in the Reserves. Bohm spent two years and four months on a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier performing security and intelligence work.
Back home, he took a job at Fort Howard Paper Mill in Green Bay, where he worked for nine years. He and Carol Shannon married, and they bought a home in Shawano. After the paper mill job, he started his own painting and decorating business that he retired from after 35 years.
A member of Peace United Church of Christ, Bohm taught Sunday School for three years, served as head usher and was a member of the church council.
Volunteering for veterans
Another veteran reached out to him to get him to join the AMVETS Post 10. Bohm found his volunteer niche.
He would go to serve as commander the post from 2003-10 and was instrumental in reorganizing the AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary.
Membership in the post grew, and Bohm was the top recruiter in the state for three consecutive years. The local post was named AMVETS Post of the Year, and Bohm would go on to chosen as the AMVETS Commander of the year in 2007.
Volunteering at several fundraisers over the years, the post collected and distributed funds to benefit homeless shelters, food pantries, cancer walks, community building projects, 4-H and Scout troops, and high school marching band from Shawano, Bonduel, Marion and Pulaski.
As post commander, he initiated a national program for students in grades K-12 in which students wrote essays or poems and created drawings about either the U.S. in general or against the use of drugs and alcohol.
First-place winners advanced to the state competition with a chance to win a trip to Philadelphia to visit historic sites. The local post has sent four winners, and this year, a Bowler student won.
Bohm is also a lifetime member of American Legion Post 117, for which he serves as chaplain. He was also once chosen as the post Legionnaire of the Year.
He also worked with the Bonduel American Legion Post 217 and received an certificate of appreciation for his efforts.
Bohm can still be found with his fellow veterans at parades, Memorial Day and Veterans Day ceremonies, and honor guards.
“At 85 years of age, his active participation provides vital services to enhance the quality of life for numerous individuals and families,” said Joe Skaleski, one of two men who nominated Bohm for the chamber award. “Dennis a role model for his dedication and enthusiasm for serving the United States of America, the state of Wisconsin, Shawano County and city. It would be hard to find someone more committed and dependable in their service to others though his volunteering efforts.”
Bohm didn’t serve in Vietnam, but that hasn’t stopped him from volunteering with those veterans.
With Vietnam Veterans Chapter 206, he reads and grades essays written by students seeking college scholarships.
The Associates of Vietnam Veterans of America (AVVA) presented him with its Fellowship Award, the highest award given to members.
“I’m an associate member of the AVVA, because even though I had three tours in the Far East, I wasn’t physically in Vietnam,” Bohm said.
In 2023, Bohm was presented with the Advocacy Award from the County Veterans Service Officer Association of Wisconsin.
Driving to new heights
For Bohm, one of the lasting impacts of his many efforts has been with the veterans he’s met over the years, particularly those he drove to medical appointments for more than 20 years.
“I still call some of them just to see how they’re doing,” he said.
From 2003-24, he drove fellow veterans to medical appointments in Milwaukee, Green Bay, Appleton, Madison, Tomah, Wausau and Manitowoc.
He finally stopped last fall when he decided he had enough of the traffic in places like Milwaukee.
Bohm was recognized for volunteering more than 14,000 hours, driving more than 270,000 miles and serving about 2,450 veterans.
“Dennis has touched the lives of so many people of all ages,” said Greg Stezenski, who also nominated Bohm for the award. “Dennis is an amazing person. It would be hard to find a person who is more deserving of this award.”
kpasson@newmedia-wi.com
Bohm celebrated for his service to community
