MVAC honors Waseca resident

Minnesota Valley Action Council (MVAC) held its 60th Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner to celebrate successes over the past year. Each year, MVAC honors an achiever or a supporter from each of the nine counties that represent the agency service area and names the Roger J. Wolfe Achievement recipient.

 

An Achiever is a service recipient honored for demonstrating success by overcoming multiple barriers, making vast improvements and significant achievements. Bailie MacIntosh was the Waseca County honoree. Bailie came to MVAC as a MFIP referral in Feb. of 2022. At that time, she had a 10-month-old son and was fleeing a domestic violence situation. Bailie and MVAC staff met and realized she needed a safety plan set up right away. Bailie was not working at this time, had no childcare lined up, and was living in her sister’s basement. She was working with the Crisis Resource Center with a domestic violence advocate and had an open Child Protection Case due to the situation.

 

Bailie wanted to make a better life for her and her son, and that is exactly what she did. She entered the MVAC Adult education program and graduated in Dec. 2024 with her Associate’s Degree in Administrative Office and Business Office from South Central College. She maintained an A/B average all through her classes. Bailie obtained Child Care Assistance and found a daycare provider for her son, so that she could focus time on her classes. She also applied for Section 8, was approved, and found her own apartment that was affordable.

 

Bailie accepted employment and is now working as a Case Aide for LeSueur County Child Protection Services and closed on MFIP due to being over income and self-sufficient.

 

Other achievers this year were Mylette Cabrera Martin County, Hope Winterfeldt of Brown County, Suzan Drill of Blue Earth County, Chloe Taber of Nicollet County.

 

A Supporter is honored for helping to support, strengthen, and sustain the goals of Community Action through their selfless donation of time, energy, materials, and knowledge. This year the supporters were Schmidt’s Bakery of Watonwan County, Bobbi Wendt of Sibley County, United Methodist Church of LeSueur County, Rep. Bjorn Olson of Faribault County.

Long-Time Board member Joe McCabe was named as the 2025 Roger J Wolfe recipient. The Roger J. Wolfe Achievement Award was established in memory of Roger J. Wolfe who served on the MVAC Board of Directors for 22 years. During this time, Roger contributed his time and energy towards improving the lives of others. This honor goes to someone who symbolizes the ideals that Roger demonstrated.