Getting to Know: Long-time supervisor helps people with disabilities

Lynette Schimke currently oversees the employment of Kalix clients but has filled several roles over her time there.

Schimke has worked with Kalix for around 30 years. She had a short period in which she left Kalix but said she came back because Kalix is good to the employees and works diligently to help people with disabilities. She said Kalix is one of the agencies that makes sure services are there for people who need them.

Schimke said we have all had people in our lives with disabilities, and working at Kalix provides training and opportunities to better how we help others.

She described her role as an employment supervisor as supervising staff who coach clients in their work and encouraging clients to have a purposeful employment.

She said all kinds of things happen daily working at Kalix, and much of it encourages learning for those both providing and receiving services. They often learn most from each other.

Schimke originally worked in the healthcare field and found some of those skills were useful when working with certain residents in residential services. She described being able to help older residents using her previous experience.

Moving from residential to employment taught her more about what Kalix does. She said employment is more about helping people succeed in what they do.

Client employment that Schimke oversees includes working with confidential shredding for individuals and businesses, cookies sold online to be picked up or delivered, custodial services at two U.S. Air Force bases and services at thrift stores in Belcourt and Rolla.

Schimke said meeting different clients, learning what they enjoy and assisting them in accessing those things is meaningful to her.

She wants people to know that Kalix strives to make sure people with disabilities have access to the resources that will help them live easier.

Schimke said Kalix as an organization has had a total of three CEOs, which "speaks volumes to how committed Kalix is" and that the "doors will always be open. Services will always be available."