Dean Aug, executive director of Maple Leaf Services, had been looking for a new building in Preston for years and then one seemed to drop into his lap. Maple Leaf Services had been sharing a rented office space a block from the downtown area of Preston, but was ready for a change. Aug brought up his search to Dan Christianson, CEO of F&M Community Bank in Preston and Christianson offered to sell him the lot next to the bank.
Procon, a construction company from Southern Minnesota and DJ Medin Architects were hired to oversee the project. David Medin, an avid bicyclist and railroad enthusiast, was familiar with the Preston area, having spent time here over many years. He took Aug’s vision of “days gone by” and combined it with the nature and feel of Preston. “He knew the area, and he wasn’t going to put something here that shouldn’t be here,” Aug said. “A lot of thought went into this place.”
The work began in September 2022 when Medin started drawing up his plans. The next step was to tear down the old shed that was on the lot. Aug noted that several surprises were found when it was being torn down, such as a basement that no one knew was under it and a 20-foot cistern. Nonetheless, they carried on and soon the lot was empty and ready for its new occupants.
On February 10, 2025, Maple Leaf Services officially moved into its new home. The building and off-street parking available next to it are 100% accessible, which means that it can more easily meet the needs of the people it serves. The location is a huge improvement, as it has great visibilit, which Aug hopes will increase public knowledge about what Maple Leaf does. When you enter the building, a small, but inviting waiting area greets you which leads to a hallway that wraps around the building or into a large meeting room. Architect Medin was intentional about the natural light in the building and the large, tall windows with high ceilings create a bright, spacious feel. No matter where one stands in the building, a window is in your line of vision.
Aug is incredibly thankful to everyone who worked on the project and made it possible, from F&M Community Bank for selling the lot, to the contractors who worked hard to ensure that the vision Aug had became possible, to the city of Preston which helped with setbacks, power, and more. Civil Engineer Steve Underdahl of Procon was dedicated to using local contractors as much as possible during the project.
Maple Leaf Services employs 90 people who all work together to keep it running and take care of its clients. “We provide services to people who have disabilities,” Aug explained. Currently, there are seven residential sites in Fillmore County, two in Rushford, one in Harmony, one in Spring Valley, and three in Preston. Maple Leaf also offers in-home services throughout the area. Just three or four people live in each residential site, called a Supervised Living Service, or SLS, allowing them to enjoy a home-like atmosphere with Maple Leaf employees caring for them. When Maple Leaf Services first started in 1975, it was called Fillmore County Handicapped Services, or FCHS, and its goal was to provide an alternative to the state hospitals that many disabled people lived in at the time. Aug, who has been with Maple Leaf Services since its beginning said that one thing that impacted him early on was watching the parents of the disabled people who were moving into the homes. “I realized that I needed to think like a mom,” he said, explaining how hard many of the moms and dads of the Maple Leaf Services clients advocate for their grown disabled children. He knows that many of them can’t advocate or speak up for themselves, so the responsibility and trust that is being placed on Maple Leaf is huge.
“There’s no cookie cutter thing we do here,” Aug said. “The people we support are just so amazing. It takes a lot more effort for them to do the things that we take for granted. We need to figure out what does each person need and how can we meet those needs.”
The dedicated staff of Maple Leaf Services are what keep the organization going. Because the SLS sites need to be staffed 24/7, there are no holidays or bad weather that can shut them down. “They (employees) make sure everyone is getting the support they need every day,” Aug said. “I can’t tell you how much I admire them. They humble me.” Aug also credits the communities and neighborhoods where the various SLS homes are with incredible support and understanding.
You can learn more about Maple Leaf Services at mapleleafservices.org.
Leave a Reply