Board and Staff

AAHFS is currently governed by a volunteer board of 10 members, who provide staff oversight and meet monthly to conduct the business of the program, as well as develop and move forward strategic priorities for continued program growth.

In Memoriam

Atwater Area Help for Seniors joins the family and friends of Robert (Bob) Meyerson in mourning his death on March 5, 2025, at the age of 80. Bob was a banker and community leader and served on the AAHFS board from 2014 to 2024, as well as on the Living at Home Network board. He contributed insight, thoughtful recommendations, and witty remarks to board meetings, and also participated in program events such as Dancing with the Atwater Area Stars and golf tournament fundraisers. Bob will be deeply missed by our board and staff. To learn more about Bob’s life, click here.

Connie Halvorson

Board Chair

Connie retired from teaching at ACGC, where she taught communications and history; she also taught in Ada, MN; Mason City, IA; and Willmar, MN, during her career. Besides regular classroom teaching she taught Adult Basic Education and Alternative Learning. Connie has been on the AAHFS board since 2015 and also serves as Fundraising Chair and helps with transportation and deliveries.

Donald Amdahl

Vice Chair

Don was born and raised in the Atwater area and graduated from Atwater High School. He married Sandy in 1968, and they had two boys. Alan, the oldest, is a teacher in Albany; he and his wife Donna have two children-Martha and Anders. Younger son Darren and his wife Jen have three children: Jaden, Ryan, and Ashlyn. Don has farmed all his life and now partners with son Darren and grandson Jaden. Don joined the AAHFS board in 2020.

Joan Gatzmeyer

Secretary

Joan retired in 2020 with almost 40 years of editing and administrative experience in marketing and health care consulting services. Joan grew up on a farm near Benson, MN, but lived in the Twin Cities area until 2009 when she and her husband, Dave, moved to a four-acre homestead north of Atwater. Joan serves as St. John Lutheran Church financial secretary and as Harrison Township treasurer. She has delivered senior meals for AAHFS since 2010, joined the board in 2021, and serves as AAHFS webmaster as well as secretary.

Keith Detlefson

Treasurer

Keith was born and raised in Lamberton, MN. He received his accounting degree from Ridgewater College in Willmar in 1976, after which he moved to Atwater and was in the banking field for more than 40 years. Keith and his late wife Donna have three children-Brian, Brad, and Kelly-and he coached many basketball, baseball, and softball teams. Keith has also served on numerous boards and committees and joined the AAHFS board in 2021 and serves on the Finance Committee.

Carolyn Poe, RN

Carolyn (who also answers to her nickname of Tudy) retired as an operating room nurse at Rice Memorial Hospital in Willmar after 32 years. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she served as a public health nurse administering vaccines across Minnesota. Carolyn and her husband Larry have 3 daughters and 4 grandchildren, and she enjoys being with her grandkids, gardening, and visiting with friends. Carolyn has served on AAHFS' board since 2013.

Connie Overlie

Connie has a degree in social work and her passion is for developmentally disabled and seniors; she has worked in both fields most of her life. Connie has served on the Atwater Area Help for Seniors board since 2012 and has met many great people in the community.

Sandy George

Sandy worked 40 years in public education starting as a kindergarten teacher in Moundsview, MN, and spending the final 14 years of her career as a school administrator in Lake Forest, IL. Sandy and her husband, Jim, moved to Diamond Lake in 2005. They have a daughter and a son and three grandchildren. Sandy enjoys meeting the Atwater residents when she volunteers for AAHFS events. She joined the board in 2019.

Pastor Christian Strickland

Christian has been pastor of St. John Lutheran Church and a member of the Atwater community for more than 15 years. One of his favorite parts of being a pastor is visiting with those who are not able to get out of the house as this provides him with an opportunity to visit on a one-on-one basis. He and his wife, Cynthia, have three kids. Pastor Christian has served on the AAHFS board since 2012.

Robin Johnson, CNS

Robin joined the AAHFS board in November 2024 and brings considerable health care experience; her career as a nurse includes Rice Memorial Hospital in Willmar, Minnesota, and more than 25 years at Willmar Regional Treatment Center. As a clinical nurse specialist, she provides mental health care to veterans at the Saint Cloud VA Health Care System. Robin is a long-time resident of the Atwater community; she enjoys time with her three sons and their families and appreciates many opportunities to serve as a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church.

Joe Groshens

Joe Groshens joined the AAHFS board in 2024 with valuable legal expertise. Joe moved to the area from Minneapolis in 2010 and doesn't ever plan on going back. Joe works for Harvest Bank as compliance officer. When Joe is not driving kids around to various extracurricular activities, he enjoys spending time on and in the water with his wife, Emily, and their five kids.

Debra Friedrichs

Director/Service Coordinator

Deb started at AAHFS in September 2015. Her background is working with elderly in assisted living settings and with people with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Deb's other activities have included the Recreation and Leisure Committee for Advocacy & Inclusion Matter (AIM) of West Central Minnesota, and in her church as a puppet leader and coordinator for Sisters at Heart women’s group. She enjoys time with family and friends and outdoor activities.

Lori Hutchinson

Volunteer Coordinator

Lori started at AAHFS in August 2016. She worked in web marketing for Marketing Concepts in Spicer for 21 years. After a short break, Lori took a temporary job working for a law office in Willmar and then had the opportunity to become the volunteer coordinator for AAHFS. Lori enjoys the opportunity to be part of our senior community and learn from our community members.

Stephanie Johnson

Health & Wellness Coordinator

Stephanie joined the AAHFS team in September 2022. She was raised on a farm in the Atwater area and graduated from Paynesville High School. Stephanie worked in the mental health field for over 15 years and serves as a volunteer emergency medical technician for the Atwater Fire Department. Additionally, she is part owner of PL Transport in Grove City and a member of the Atwater Lions Club. Stephanie has a daughter and two sons and enjoys spending time with family and friends and her many animals and in outdoor activities, gardening, canning, and crafts.

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