Meet the Staff & Board

Two years ago, Josh Tangeman was a client of ATLAS of Osceola County, seeking mentorship and support during a difficult time in his life.

His faith grew over that span and the 44-year-old recently walked through ATLAS’s doors in Sibley as the organization’s new director.

“Through all the brokenness and mess in my life, coming to know Christ and watching that relationship with Him unfold and build, He’s laid upon my heart a love of people and to help people,” Tangeman said.

“It’s a challenge, but it’s one that I, for whatever reason, have an overwhelming sense of peace and trust in God,” he said.

That sense of peace is something he’s chased for most of his life. As a young man, Tangeman struggled with alcoholism and depression, which at one time led to him and his wife being separated. Those struggles, he said, were born from feeling a void in his life and struggling to fill it with the wrong things.

“Everybody has a God-shaped hole in them and there’s only one thing that fills that and that’s God,” he said. “I tried to fill it with many other things. It just wasn’t working anymore.

“It got to the point where I’ve exhausted every other option and I needed to find something that’s going to bring me peace. We can find happiness in this world but you only find joy in the Lord.”

Tangeman grew up in the church but said he never felt a “close relationship” to it. He sought help from organizations like Alcoholics Anonymous and other groups, but never from the church.

Then five years ago, a growing relationship with a local pastor opened his eyes to what a relationship with Christ could bring. Tangeman started attending the Celebrate Community Church in Sioux Falls, SD, where he said other members “poured into me and supported me.”

“It was really through working with them, I just kind of started seeing a change of heart and started developing a love for people and wanting to help,” he said.

It’s around that time he started visiting ATLAS. Tangeman turned to ATLAS when he thought he needed a kind of support other groups he was involved with previously could not provide, particularly support from a faith perspective. One of the things that stood out to Tangeman about ATLAS when he walked through the doors was he could be accepted just as he was.

“There’s such a need in our world and our communities for a place for people to go to just be loved and to help the hurting,” he said.

“A lot of people may not be as comfortable walking into a church. I just love the fact that there is an organization like ATLAS that is there for any struggle that you’re going through, for whatever it is in life.”

Tricia, a direct service advocate, has lived in Northwest Iowa since 1997.  She is originally from Central Iowa; however, her husband, Tim, is a native of Sibley.  They have four children; two sons and two daughters. She comes to Atlas with several years of experience working with people in many different capacities. She and her family attend St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Sheldon where she stays active in many areas of her church; including helping her husband with his business through the Knights of Columbus. Tricia comes with a long history of working with people and finds it to be her calling in life.  She enjoys meeting new people and helping them through the trials and tribulations life throws in their path.  In Tricia’s spare time she works as a volunteer for the CASA program, Foster Care Review, and serves on Atlas Car Ministry in Sioux Center.

My name is Carol Reimer and I’m the Prayer and Mentor Coordinator at ATLAS in Sibley.  25 years ago, my “new-to-following-Christ” husband and I moved to this area so he could tell his family in person about his faith in Jesus and the Bible truths that had changed his life.  We have grown to love the small community, our church and ATLAS. 

My background did not begin in church and through various bouts of drug and alcohol abuse I maintained a curious distance from those that spoke about “Jesus stuff.”  God wooed me in His time, and the rest is ongoing “life.”

I was employed 12 years as job-coach and support staff for Osceola Employment Agency in Sibley before retiring.  I began volunteering one day a week at the front desk of ATLAS 5 years ago. I am now part of the staff for ATLAS 3 days a week, greeting at the front desk and scheduling appointments, as well as Coordinating Prayer Ministry and filling the Mentor Coordinator position.

A verse in 2 Corinthians I had never liked or understood was brought to the most beautiful clarity recently and I love to share an encounter with Jesus I had.  The scripture that day, 2Cor. 12:9 “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’  Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”  Christ’s love and humility were made effectually evident.  I will never see the weakness he speaks of as a hinderance or lack of strength, again.

Greetings!

For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Linda Fick.  My husband of 45 years is Glenn.  We have been blessed with 3 daughters and 7 grandchildren.

I worked at, what is now known as, Hood Packaging for 42 years before retiring.

Since retiring, I spend most of my time volunteering.  One day a week I’m here at ATLAS where I am at the front desk answering the phone, doing the bookkeeping and most importantly, greeting the clients and making them feel welcome.

I am very blessed to have the opportunity to be a part of ATLAS.

Linda is a “Champion” at volunteering throughout the community.