How We Championed a Culture of Excellence in 2021
As we approach the last days of 2021, we want to pause and look back on this last year and the many ways South Dakotans have elevated communities across the state, come together for amazing causes and chased their dreams.
The South Dakota Hall of Fame’s mission is to Champion a Culture of Excellence in South Dakota. We take that mission seriously, and as the Covid-19 Pandemic has continued on in its second year, we have continued to adapt. We were honored to be able to celebrate the Class of 2020, in-person, for their Honors Ceremony in September. We did so with every safety precaution in place, and the weekend was a success, filled with so many wonderful memories. It was special to finally be able to celebrate this Class and their achievements.
We announced 10 new extraordinary individuals to join the South Dakota Hall of Fame, and we are gearing up to celebrate the Class of 2021 with a Virtual Medallion Celebration, February 9, 2022, and their in-person Honors Ceremony will be held on May 20 & 21, 2022 in Chamberlain/Oacoma, SD.
The Class of 2021 is: Gary Cammack (Agriculture), Jon Crane (Art), Ray Hillenbrand (Philanthropic), David Kapaska (Medical), Angela Kennecke (Communications), Dan Kirby (Philanthropic), Steven Lindquist (Medical), Ryan McFarland (Business), Marian Sullivan (Business), Craig Tieszen (General Professional).
Watch the First 2021 Anniversary Reunion Virtual Meet Up Here. Another Meet Up Forthcoming.
This year we also hosted the 2021 Anniversary Reunion Virtual Meet Up. We were thankful to be able to virtually catch up with Inductees from across the country and hear about their stories continuing to impact our great state! You can now watch the 2021 Anniversary Reunion Virtual Meetup recording and hear from Dream Chasers, representatives, and their families, like Bill Russell, Don Barnett, Watson Parker, Lynn Seppala, Stan Adelstein, Renee Flood, Roscoe Dean, and Rose Wilder Lane.
Programming at the South Dakota Hall of Fame continues to thrive and grow, and in 2021 we reached more individuals than ever, championing a culture of excellence.
In 2021, we launched the Casting Our Future Endowment Campaign, with a goal set at 4 million dollars. Thanks to the generosity of those who donated to the 2020 Vision Endowment Campaign, we are 83% of the way towards our goal. Endowment leaders help us bridge the gap between generations, and understand that through these stories, we have the ability to cultivate excellence in South Dakota.
Our Acts of Excellence program added multiple awardees and recognized the impact of individual excellence, one act at a time. 2021 also brought us Acts of Excellence Spotlight Interviews, which are now available to watch across our social media platforms and will continue to grow in number in the coming year.
The Legends & Learning Program has seen exciting growth in 2021, with the addition of a new Facebook page, updated activities, audio biographies to play in the classroom, and new legends being added to the program.
In 2021, the Legacy of Achievement program shared stories of Inductees like never before. We recorded 22 new Legacy Interviews, and are proud to announce the addition of the Legacy Podcast, which now has 20 episodes available to listen to. It has been amazing to be able to hear from Inductees, family members of Inductees, and representatives who have shown the power of a legacy and how it continues to grow and inspire with every new year.
2019 Inductee Bill Groethe, who’s exhibit was completed in 2021.
At the Visitor & Education Center, we have added the Bill Groethe exhibit, expanded on the South Dakota Rotary exhibit, and others. We have also launched a campaign to expand the Nicholas Black Elk exhibit like never before. We have the opportunity to house Black Elk’s bow and arrows, and partner with the Smithsonian Institute. We have launched a fundraising campaign to help make this amazing opportunity a reality, and you can read all about it by clicking here.
All of this would not be possible without you. Thanks to you, we have been able to grow, Champion a Culture of Excellence, and chase our dreams here at the South Dakota Hall of Fame. From all of us here, we want to wish you all a wonderful rest of 2021, and we hope 2022 brings you ample opportunity to be a Dream Chaser too.