Williston’s Randy Dahl has been described by his supervisors and family as being a dedicated, hard worker who always completes his tasks and does them well. A few months ago, he was officially recognized for his strong work ethic.

Dahl, 43, is a dishwasher at Trapper’s Kettle Restaurant in Williston. He’s held the position for 10 years and in April received an award from the North Dakota Association for Persons in Supported Employment for his work.

Dahl was one of six employees in the state who received a Best of the Best Award for Supported Employment at the 2009 Best of the Best Awards ceremony in Minot on April 29.

Tom Hugelen, a manager at Trapper’s Kettle, said Dahl is a very good worker who always gets his tasks done. He said Dahl is a dependable asset to the restaurant and everyone is glad to have him there.

“He’s very dependable and everybody gets along with him very well. He definitely deserved the award, there’s no doubt about that,” said Hugelen. Dahl said he likes working at the Trapper’s Kettle, as everyone is always really nice and treat him well.

Dahl also said he was happy to find out he had won the award and it was a nice trip to Minot.

“Oh yeah, I was happy. It was fun,” said Dahl.

Roxanne Raymond is the Human Services Program administrator in Williston. Raymond oversees the Supported Employment Program, which currently works with 32 people, including Dahl.

Raymond said their work is in vocational rehabilitation programs for people with disabilities. She said they provide job coaches who help train the individual for the job they’re working so they can learn to eventually do it unassisted.

“They need some extra support, so my people are referred to them. We provide them with a job coach until they’re able to do the job themselves. It also helps so that the employer doesn’t have the extra time teaching them himself,” said Raymond.

Raymond said Dahl is one of their people who has succeeded at learning the job and progressed to their extended service program. The extended service program is when the person has achieved a level of success and independence where they only need to be checked on periodically.

Seeing someone like Dahl succeed and achieve such independence is a gratifying sight for Raymond and her staff.

“It’s very satisfying. It lets us know what we try to do is worthwhile; it’s a very good feeling,” said Raymond.

Also happy for Dahl is his older sister, Judy Skaar of Stanley. She said the awards ceremony in Minot was a thrill for her brother, the youngest of 11 children.

“He was pretty proud, you could just see it on his face. We’re very proud of him and all he’s done,” said Skaar.

Skaar said on top of his work ethic, he’s also a very positive and warm person. She said he is always there for family and friends and also enjoys karaoke and just being out and about in Williston.

Shortly before the award ceremony, Dahl had been sick and in the hospital briefly. Skaar said her coworkers thought enough of him to come visit.

“They just love him at work. It just shows how much they think of him,” said Skaar.

Another one of Dahl’s sisters, Bonnie Belcourt, Williston, said she was proud of him. She said her brother has always been able to succeed, noting this was the second time he‘d won a Best of the Best Award. Belcourt said he first won it in 1998 while an employee at Wal-Mart.

Belcourt said Dahl also participated in the Special Olympics in Louisiana when he was 21 and placed fifth in the country in gymnastics. He also met former President Ronald Reagan, performing a pantomime for him.

Belcourt said Dahl has been very independent, living on his own with a roommate for 23 years. She said it’s great to see him so productive in a pleasant community.

“I’m really pleased with how accepting and supportive the community is of him,” she said.