Development director seeks to meet the faithful

By DAWN PROSSER
Director of Communications
 
Heidi Probasco of North Sioux City, South Dakota, has been hired as diocesan director of the Office of Stewardship and Development. She started her position Aug. 18 and said she is anxious to travel to meet the faithful throughout the Diocese of Sioux City.

“I love interacting with people and getting to know them on a more personal level,” she said. “I love talking to people and being able to be of assistance to them.”

As the annual Bishop’s Circle Mass and dinner was held Aug. 23, the new director was able to meet a large group of supporters in one location her first week on the job.

“I’d never been to anything like it. It was great to meet new people. I really enjoyed listening to the bishop share his biography, his stories and his homily,” Probasco said. “I enjoyed meeting people from all over the diocese, not just Sioux City.”

As she is originally from Scribner, Nebraska – a town of 300 – Probasco understands small town life and said she looks forward to visiting the parishioners living in the small and large communities in the diocese.

“I want to reach the people and see what their opinions are and what their concerns are,” she said.

Background
The new director earned an undergraduate degree in business management from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. She worked in management for Walgreens for 13 years before owning a Farmer’s Insurance Company agency in Sioux City for the past decade.

She married fellow Scribner native, Nate, history instructor and online programs director at the University of South Dakota. He is also a member of the 185^th Air Refueling Wing of the Air National Guard in Sioux City.
Probasco at last weekend's Bishop's Circle eventThe couple has four children – Remy, 14; A.J. 13, Ari, 9 and Silas, 3.

Probasco said she was very involved in her parish while growing up and wanted to be sure to give back to the church as an adult. She is active in St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish, Dakota Dunes, where she volunteers as a mentor in the Youth Discipleship program. The director said the youth participate in a variety of service opportunities including the Warming Shelter, backpack program and Sleep in Heavenly Peace.

The Probasco family also finds it meaningful giving back to their community. After the devastating historic flooding last summer in nearby McCook Lake, South Dakota, they pitched in to help those with property damage.

Probasco and Remy spent a few days helping some McCook Lake residents clean out basements and assisted efforts at the Isaac Walton League.

“It was eye-opening. We had 7 inches of water - but there were people who completely lost their houses,” Probasco said. “It was a lot of work but we were giving back to people who need it.”

Probasco can be reached at [email protected] or (712) 233-7513.