Discovery House Says Farewell To Long Time Executive Director And Welcomes New One
Discovery House Says Farewell To Long Time Executive Director And Welcomes New One
October 29, 2021Steve Schwaller
(Spirit Lake)– Discovery House in Spirit Lake is saying farewell to its longtime Executive Director Julie Scheib, who is retiring after 15 years…
“I just, I love what I do. I’ve loved working with the people I’ve worked with and I will miss them, but I’ll be back to visit, so. But I’m looking forward to the next chapter, the next stage of my life. I still have not wrapped my mind around retirement, the whole concept, but I’ll get there.”
Scheib says there’s one thing in particular she’s enjoyed the most about her work at Discovery House…
“It was the people. The people who come here that are broken and to see the light come on in their eyes, to see them form a relationship with their higher power, with God, and to just get back on their feet, to feel loved and worthy, to believe that they deserve the good things and then to see that happen for them.”
Scheib says she plans to stay in the area and looks forward to spending more time with her children and grandchildren.
Replacing Scheib as Executive Director at Discovery House is Jessica Amendt of Spencer. Amendt has worked in the human services field for nearly 20 years in a variety of different capacities. Amendt says the new opportunity is perfect for her…
“I have a passion for working with substance abuse, mental health, homelessness, and to be in a place where I can do all of that and it be faith based, it is truly an answer to the prayers that I have had about where I was going next in my career. And it came at a perfect time. I was considering leaving the field and doing something different because it’s taxing, it’s hard on you. Emotionally this field is so gratifying and so difficult at the same time and so I was considering a change and then this happened and I came in and I knew right away this is where I was supposed to be.”
Amendt urges anyone in the general public with questions about Discovery House to stop by for a visit…
“And I think that that helps people to really see what it is, because it is a home. It’s not an institution, it’s not some office, it’s a home. And to come in here and see the residents interact with each other is so powerful. That was my favorite. When I first started I would sit at the kitchen table and just watch them in the kitchen interact with each other. They’re people that would never be friends outside of here. You know they never even would have taken the time to get to know each other and they’ve built friendships and relationships that will last a lifetime for them.”
Amendt says she looks forward to continue to build on the services and successes of Discovery House, along with getting more of the public involved in what goes on there.
