Sheldon, Iowa — An employee of a Sheldon institution has received an award from a state association.
Officials with Village Northwest Unlimited — or VNU — in Sheldon tell us that their Mag Vander Wilt has received the 2020 Frontline Supervisor Community Builder Award.
Vander Wilt received the award, given by the Iowa Association of Community Providers — or IACP — during a virtual ceremony held on Thursday, August 27. The IACP supports Iowa community providers so they in return can fully support Iowans in need of mental health and disability service. Vander Wilt was nominated for this prestigious award by the Cabinet and Managers at VNU.
Officials there tell us Vander Wilt has worked for VNU for over 30 years, serving in both residential and vocational settings. Today, Vander Wilt serves as the Community Program Director where she supervises VNU’s Community Day Habilitation Program. The program is made up of over 30 employees, providing services to nearly 70 individuals. The program Vander Wilt developed with her team, is a curriculum-based program, with over 400 different curriculum topics or areas of interest that focus on community integration. Many of these curriculums provide the consumers with the opportunity to get “inside” their community while getting “outside” of the classroom.
Vander Wilt’s peers and Cabinet members say she is hands-on and is willing to help where needed. They said she often will take a lead role in setting the standard for what is expected. They also said that Vander Wilt believes with all her heart that the individuals served by VNU deserve to experience all of the best things in life.
Village Northwest Unlimited provides services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, or traumatic brain injuries.
