‘A lasting impact on everyone they meet’: People of the Year Andrew and Jamie Dahl
In the region, the name Dahl is associated with a family’s over-a-century-old auto dealership. In the La Crosse community, it is also synonymous with generosity, initiative and heartfelt commitment to causes across the board.
Jamie and Andrew Dahl have “been giving back for decades,” and their efforts are being recognized today with their naming as the La Crosse Tribune’s People of the Year.
An accolade typically bestowed on one individual, Jamie and Andrew were nominated by Heather Steinhoff of Dahl as “a team unit.” Steinhoff, on behalf of the Dahl staff, wrote in her letter: “They are such a wonderful example of a marriage, a team, a true partnership leading their family, the business and the community. They rely heavily on their Christian faith to guide them on how best to serve through daily prayer time together.”
Those minutes of prayer, shared each morning at 6:20, have led the couple to dedicate themselves and their resources to addiction recovery, mental health, youth, the arts and more.
Says Andrew: “We’re just trying to be obedient to what God calls us. We have learned that when we answer the call, he hasn’t let us down yet.”
Sharing the gift of recovery
Addiction hits close to home for Andrew Dahl, who lost his mother to alcoholism and battled alcohol and drug addiction himself. He began recovery after finding God and put forth a message of hope and forgiveness with the founding of Adult & Teen Challenge of Western Wisconsin, a faith-based residential recovery center and sober living facility for women.
“Andrew and Jamie believe that impactful philanthropy happens when three things align: life experiences provide wisdom and empathy in a particular area; God given gifts and talents are used to help others; and an overwhelming need exists in the community,” says Steinhoff.
For Andrew and his brothers, mental health and addiction were “very much a part of our world,” with their mother in and out of treatment centers before her traumatic death. The siblings formed a foundation in her honor that ultimately helped Andrew and Jamie establish ATCWW, which focuses on women who, often, are the nucleus of the family.
“If we can get mom healthy, there is a ripple effect (to spouses, kids, etc),’” Andrew says. “We have seen it in graduates — they develop new relationships.”
Unique to ATCWW is its holistic approach to recovery — healing the mind, body and soul — with the understanding that addiction is often rooted in trauma. The year long program has served over 70 women since its opening in 2019, with 78% of graduates remaining sober post graduation. The center expanded last June to add a seven-bed aftercare wing that offers affordable, safe housing for up to 12 months.
“They are truly world changers who aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty. They possess the perfect amount of grit and grace, and ATCWW wouldn’t exist without them,” said Kevin Schaler, executive director, and Jess Schaler, program director of ATCWW. “This is not just something they threw a couple bucks at and walked away. Not only did the two of them help create this program from the ground up, but they are also personally connected to our clients. They are familiar faces around the facility and make it a point to be involved as much as they can.”
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