Brianna Nelson

Since 1965, Youth & Family Services (YFS) has provided high-quality programming and services to children and families in western South Dakota, due in large part to employees who are committed to professional excellence. This past Friday, September 30, YFS recognized Judy Burgess as she retired from the agency after more than 30 years of service. Judy Burgess started her career as Executive Administrative Assistant at Youth & Family Services in February of 1986. For three decades, Judy has worked hand-in-hand with YFS’ Chief Executive Officer, its Senior Administration, the agency’s board members, and other staff to help improve the lives of children and families in her community. While Judy has been instrumental in the development of several signature YFS events, she is most notably famous for providing her melt-in-your-mouth cookie recipe to YFS and helping the agency start its Valentine Cookie Project in 1998. The idea for the cookie project came as a way to provide YFS’ major contributors with a homemade, heartfelt thank you. Now every February, YFS uses Judy’s original sugar cookie recipe to bake, frost, and deliver more than 800 dozen cookies to its major donors. Judy still personally oversees the frosting and packaging of the cookies with her ever watchful eye. Susan Fedell, YFS’ Chief Executive Officer, says it has always been a joy to be around Judy and work with her. “Judy is a special woman who has committed more than 30 years to providing children, especially girls, with opportunities that help them reach their full potential and inspire them to dream beyond what they thought possible. We thank Judy for her dedication, enthusiasm, and giving spirit, and congratulate her as she enters the next phase of her life.” Although Judy will be retiring from her position at YFS on September 30, 2016, she will still play an important role within the agency as our goodwill ambassador, pastry chef, and volunteer. “We cherish Judy and look forward to working with her as she continues to support the YFS mission through her work on special event committees and other volunteer efforts,” Fedell stated.

On Wednesday, March 29 Scheels partnered with Youth & Family Services’ Girls Inc. of Rapid City and Fatherhood First programs to provide activities to girls that challenged them think creatively and work together to solve problems. Creativity is essential for academic, social, and emotional growth! Children who learn to be more creative become better problem solvers and are better able to adapt to and deal with change. Working together to solve problems bolsters children’s ability to communicate, develop self- confidence, and work toward common goals. Thank you, Scheels, for joining us to inspire girls to be strong, smart and bold!  

First Interstate Bank has granted Youth & Family Services (YFS) with $25,000 to support YFS’ 120 East Adams Street Facility Expansion project. This generous gift will aid in the construction of a new wing to YFS’ current facility, allowing the agency to better serve children and families in the Rapid City community. “First Interstate Bank is honored to support such a vital organization, whose outreach and services improve the lives of countless children and families in our region. I encourage other community partners to step up and support this very worthy cause,” stated Shawn Rost, President First Interstate Bank. First Interstate Bank supports a number of organizations within their service area which includes communities in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington, and Wyoming. First Interstate Bank shows their commitment to the communities they serve by supporting an array of community needs. They support businesses and professional associations, as well as organizations that provide support in the arts, education, and economic development and social services areas. “Youth & Family Services is so thankful for this incredible gift from First Interstate Bank,” stated Connie Olson, YFS’ Development Director. “Each year, YFS provides thousands of children and families with services and programming that truly make a positive impact on their lives, but we realize there is still much work to be done. By expanding our current facility on East Adams Street, we will be able to provide services and support to an additional 2,100 children and their families. The generosity of First Interstate Bank will truly make a difference in our community and we are so appreciative of their support.” When YFS originally built its current East Adams Street campus in 2003, the agency was serving 8,500 children and their families annually. Today YFS serves more than 14,000 children and are desperate need of more space. The YFS East Adams Building Expansion Project will add 67,525 sq. ft. of indoor program space and 32,794 sq. ft. of playground/outdoor learning space. This expansion will allow YFS to provide transformative opportunities for more children and families by increasing the depth of the agency’s current services and adding new programming to meet unmet needs within our community.

Each year an amazing group of quilters spends hours and hours of their time working together to create beautiful works of art that also keep children warm. We would like to thank the South Canyon Lutheran Church PieceMakers for their contribution to the children and families served by YFS.

Youth & Family Services would like to recognize the generosity of the FL Clarkson Family Foundation and Pioneer Bank and Trust. Together, these two organizations are supporting YFS’ 120 E. Adams St. Building Expansion project. YFS’ expansion project will allow us to provide services to thousands of additional children and their families in our community. Both Pioneer Bank and Trust and the FL Clarkson Family Foundation are long-time supporters and partners of YFS.

Youth & Family Services staff members Vonnie Ackerman, Pat Schulte, and Tony Walking, together with Mike Long of Rapid City, recently attended the 28th annual National Leadership CADCA Forum (Communities Anti-Drug Coalitions of America)  in Washington, D.C. These individuals represented the Rapid City Oyate Okolakiciye Prevention Coalition.  The goal of CADCA is to offer education and support to prevention coalitions throughout the country to support substance abuse prevention. As a part of the conference, the group met with their national elected leaders to discuss specific challenges and successes within their communities as they related to drug and alcohol use/abuse and suicide prevention.

RCS Construction is supporting the development of communities in more ways than one! In January of 2018, RCS Construction announced that their Woodstave Penstock Replacement project in Spearfish, SD was selected as the recipient of the 2017 AGC Build South Dakota Award! The recipient of this award is gifted with a $500 check made out to the charity of their choice. RCS generously chose to donate their $500 reward to Youth & Family Services to support children and families in the Black Hills community. Congratulations, RCS Construction, and thank you for your support!