If you’ve ever met Teresa Wheelock, you know there’s no slowing her down.
This 24-year resident of the City of Nevada, IA, stays busy in the community volunteering for many good causes, all while being a full-time employee, wife, and mom.
A native of Stuart, Iowa, Teresa came to Nevada when her then-boyfriend (now husband), Jason Wheelock, purchased a house here.
“We met way back in the day, before cell phones, through an online site called LOVE@AOL,” Teresa said. After about a month of emailing back and forth, the two met in person – their first date at Meskawaki Casino – and the rest is history.
“Jason grew up in Ames, where his dad owned a restaurant for almost 50 years, and he worked there starting at the age of 14 until 2008,” she said. Jason now works at ALMACO in Nevada. The two have one son, Cooper, who is about to start his senior year of high school at Nevada. Cooper is involved in basketball, soccer, and a few other clubs and activities.
Some of Teresa’s volunteer time is given to supporting the school and school sports because of her son. “The Nevada Booster Board, although a lot of work at times, is great, because we provide so much for our student athletes,” she said.
Her own time in high school ended in 1986 when she graduated from Stuart-Menlo High School (now West Central Valley). She said college wasn’t for her, and with a lot of babysitting in her early years, she chose to work as a nanny after high school.
Through a nanny agency out of Connecticut, “I signed a one-year contract with a family that lived in a studio condo in South Salem, N.Y., but were building a house in Rowayton, Conn. They were expecting their first baby at the end of May, and at the end of July, 1986, I took my first plane ride to New York City, where the three of them (the couple and their new baby boy) were able to meet me at the gate at LaGuardia.”
Her time as a nanny (nearly 10 years) led to lifelong friendships with other nannies she got to know, and also led to another thing Teresa can’t live without – travel. She traveled with some of the families she worked for, and also with her nanny friends.
“I traveled out of the country in 1987 to Germany, Holland, Belgium, and Luxembourg to see my sister and her family, and last summer, Cooper and I traveled with about 25 others from Nevada to New Zealand and Australia, which was on my bucket list for over 40 years. That was my favorite all-time trip,” she said.
But traveling, whether overseas or to other places in the country has become a big part of her life. “We go on family trips every summer and spring break to see new things and relax. We went to NYC over Christmas break (this past year) for Cooper’s first trip there, and it was amazing.” She also travels to see her nanny friends. Teresa and her fellow nannies – a group of nine – have gotten together almost every year since 2013 to spend time. “Girlfriends for life,” as Teresa puts it.
As she looks toward fall, and her son’s last year of high school, Teresa said it will be a busy season and a busy year. “Fall means soccer for Cooper, as it’s his second year being in a league in Ames,” she said. “It also means ISU volleyball games with my mother-in-law and sister-in-law, volunteering for PTA events and concessions at the home football games, yard work to prepare for colder temperatures, doing puzzles in the basement, and starting to prepare for a graduation party next spring!”
No matter what she’s busy with or where she’s traveling, Teresa said the one thing she’s truly passionate about is trying to always be a good person. “I always try to show empathy, compassion, and decency toward every single person I come in contact with. I am passionate about trying to make others feel that way too. Common decency goes a long way.”
A few more points of interest about Teresa:
Her full-time occupation: She’s the Lead Payment Poster for McFarland Clinic Business Services, where she’s worked for 24 years. She’s been in her current position for about 10 years.
She’s a Hawkeye and Cyclone fan. “I grew up being a Hawkeye as was everyone in our household. When I moved to Nevada, all I owned was Hawkeye apparel. I started going to ISU events with my in-laws when Cooper was a baby… and it just kind of happened that I became a Cyclone fan and now my ISU apparel may outnumber my Hawkeye stuff, since I go to a lot more Cyclone events.” When they’re playing each other, however, she reverts back to her roots. “It is still Hawkeyes all the way!”
What are your hobbies/pastimes? “I like to walk, read, watch sports in general, but especially watch Cooper in his sports! I like reality shows, going to movies, and most recently, working on 1000-piece jigsaw puzzles.”
What do you love most about living in Nevada? “I like the small-town feel, which is what I grew up with, although I do love a big city occasionally.”
What places in Nevada do you enjoy? “I miss Minsky’s, Ben Franklin and now Starbucks, but I enjoy browsing in the Consignment Gallery (I used to work with the owner) and Main & Market, getting a donut at Bricktown, catching up with Eddie at Snack Time, and walking around the Downtown Market in the summer months.”
Why do you volunteer so much? “Because I am a people person, and I like being active. I love meeting new people and love talking with them. I like to give back to the community, which is something that my parents taught me, and I feel volunteering is rewarding.”
Her favorite volunteer assignments recently: “I volunteered every night for The Wall That Heals,” which was very emotional and rewarding. I loved helping people find names on the wall and just talking with them. Most recently, I enjoyed volunteering for RAGBRAI. I greeted riders as they came into town, answered their questions, and talked to so many people from all over the country and Germany!”
Is there anything else you’d like to share? “I love living in Nevada and enjoy seeing all of the friends that I have met over the past 24 years!”