2021 VOLUME 70 - ISSUE 1 The Vyas West therapeutic foster home in Rapid City started accepting young boys in February 2021. Triple your money! “Build Abbott” Ferley Joins Abbott Pg. 3 Motorcycle Project House Team Kicks Off Pg. 5 Pg. 4 605-996-2486 www.abbotthouse.org Abbott House Survives Pandemic Stronger Than Ever In 2021, Abbott House will serve more children and families than ever before. In just a few years, we have more than doubled the number of youth served by our Agency. In the past 18 months, we have opened three new Bridges Therapeutic homes; a boy’s home in Mitchell and boy’s and girl’s homes in Rapid City. These homes also increased the number of apartments we have available for older youth in both communities. While it has been a crazy year filled with the stress of the pandemic, the Agency has been blessed to come through this very busy time even stronger than we were Eric Klooz Executive Director before. The work of our staff and board have had a tremendous impact on services available in South Dakota. The investment in these children is very inexpensive compared to the impact that it will have on their lives and on society. Recently, I was out at a restaurant and ran into an alum. She wanted me to tell everyone “Hello”. She is married and has her own family, which includes two children. She is working hard and in her words, she’s “rockin’ it”! Speaking of rocking it, Abbott House has not one but two very generous donors who want to help us raise the much needed funds in 2021. They are providing a matching challenge of $50,000 each. All we have to do is raise $50,000 from new or increased gifts and both donors will match the gifts creating $150,000 to support the kids. The work that Abbott House is doing is changing lives and making our world a better place. This happens because of people like you who support our projects, volunteer time to help, and simply keep our children in your thoughts and prayers. Thanks for all you do to support these children! Jim Scull Joins the Abbott House Foundation Board of Directors Jim’s success and his love of community, along with his giving spirit and passion for working with youth has led him to serve James L Scull Jr. grew up in Rapid City. on numerousJim’s success boards and forhis lovethe Stateof community, and the community. Jim has With the exception of his US Army military beenalong named with his the giving South spirit Dakota and passion Philanthropist for of the Year and in services, Rapid City has always been home to 2019working was with inducted youth intohas led the him South to serve Dakota Hall of Fame. Jim has Jim. Jim comes from a family of construction beenon numerous married boardsfor 34 foryears the toState Mary. and Theythe have two children and professionals. His grandfather was a contractor sixcommunity. grandchildren. Jim has Welcome been named to the Southboard Jim! in West Central South Dakota and his father Dakota Philanthropist of the Year and in was a foreman/supervisor in the Rapid City area. 2019 was inducted into the South Dakota Jim graduated from the South Dakota Hall of Fame. Jim has been married for 34 School of Mines and Technology in 1974 and years to Mary. They have two children and six entered the construction market. He opened grandchildren. Scull Construction in 1985. Today Scull Construction serves a five state region, has an office in Dickinson, ND, and employs more than 300 people. Welcome to the board Jim! 2 Alums Share Life Giving Impact of Therapy Your support changes lives in so many ways. These are the voices of recent Abbott House youth and alums. • Abbott House has helped me a lot and I feel healthy and confident in my choices. ~ Lilly • If I feel as if my work and opinions are being discredited I tend to act negatively. I want to be successful but I’m still young and need a little assistance in being the best I can. ~ Mary • “I didn’t think I was good enough and I was comfortable with sadness. I deeply hated myself. Neurofeedback changed my life. I am a more confident person inside and I can talk to people now”. ~ LaToya • “Lately I’ve really been feeling working with children and teens that have gone through similar things in their past is my calling. I want to be able to help them heal and learn to love themselves even with what has happened to them. Just like Abbott House helped me” ~ Lindsey Triple Your Impact Abbott House has seen a 30% increase in the number of youth we are serving because of the opening of three more foster homes in the past 18 months. That means 26 more young people have a home and a family, but it also means we have more youth who need your help. Two generous donors, DeMaris Nesheim and Gopal Vyas, want to encourage others to help change children’s lives by becoming Abbott House supporters. So in essence, they have “put their money where their heart is” and offered $50,000 each in matching funding for any new or increased annual fund gift given for Abbott House children up to $50,000. That means if you give $50, Abbott House will get $150; give $100, Abbott House gets $300, give $100 more than you gave last year, Abbott House receives the amount you gave last year AND the matching $300. Please consider giving or increase your gift in 2021 to help Abbott House children heal. 3 Build Abbott Bike Rebuild Program Kicks Off Page 4 Abbott House Build Abbott is a three children have rebuilt five month classroom project damaged motorcycles giving Rapid City’s Bridges from 2011 to 2017 while by Abbott House foster rebuilding their own children the practical, lives. Since then Abbott hands-on experience of House had turned its repairing and customizing focus towards building a motorcycle. This group and rebuilding homes will be redesigning a 2013 to provide for youth and Harley Davidson Road young adults who have no King with 13,000 miles safe place to live and no on it. They will assess family to support them. the damage, take it apart Due to the success and create a new paint of the past motorcycle design and a name for projects and the completion of three new therapeutic foster homes, the motorcycle. All of the enhancements -- paint color, individual Abbott House has decided Buildto restart Abbott the motorcycle Bike Rebuild rebuild Program Kicksdesign, Off new handle bars, saddle bags, exhaust and other features, program with the youth living(put in picture the newly where established it fits best) therapeutic and hands-on work helps our youth understand they have the Abbott House Children have rebuilt five damaged motorcycles from 2011 to 2017 while foster homes. power and the skills to improve the motorcycle all while improving rebuilding their own lives. Since then Abbott House had turned its focus towards building and This reestablished project called “Build Abbott” brings their own lives. rebuilding homes to provide for youth and young adults who have no safe place to live and no together new facilitators, Katiefamily and to James support Washnok, them. owners of This one-of-a-kind motorcycle rebuilt by foster children, Blackout Industries, Black Hills Harley Davidson, and a new group will be raffled off. Tickets are $100 each. Only 750 tickets will of youth. This team of facilitatorsDue to andthe successAbbott ofHouse the foster past motorcyclehome beprojects sold, so and be surethe completion to get your ticketof three NOW! new therapeuticThe winner of this youth meet frequently in thefoster “shop” homes, at Black Abbott Hills HouseHarley Davidsonhas decided tobike restart will ownthe motorcycle a customized rebuild motorcycle program designed with and the rebuiltyouth by to create a beautiful motorcycleliving with in thea uniqueness newly established all its own therapeutic while at-risk foster youth. homes. Tickets can be purchased using the form below, at providing education, empowerment and encouragement. www.abbotthouse.org, by calling 605-996-2486, or by contacting This reestablished project called “Build Abbott”one of the brings Abbott together House new board facilitators, members. Katie and James Washnok, owners of Blackout Industries, Black Hills Harley Davidson, and a new group Win This Bike! ofOnly youth. This 750 team tickets of facilitators will and Abbottbe sold.House foster home youth meet frequently in the “shop” at Black Hills Harley Davidson to create a beautiful motorcycle with a uniqueness all its own while providing education, empowerment and encouragement. Tickets are $100. Drawing will be held in the Fall 2021. Need not be present to win. All proceeds go directly to provide therapy and education for Abbott House children. To order tickets Name: ________________________________________________________________ Address: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ City:__________________________________________________________________ State: ________________ ZIP: ________________ Phone: _________________________________ Email: _________________________________________________________________ Number of Tickets: _____________ $____________ Amount Enclosed ____Check Enclosed ____ Credit Card CC Number: _________________________ Expiration Date:_________________ CVV:________ 4 Ferley joins Abbott House team Beth-Anne Ferley is a Pittsburgh, PA native that has called Rapid City home for over 25 years. She began her Rapid City journey by opening Scribbles Engraving with her husband Steve. Beth-Anne has worked in recruiting and community engagement positions for more than 20 years spending time at United Blood Services as the Donor Recruitment Director, the city of Rapid City as the Sustainability and Recycling Education Coordinator, and most recently at Youth and Family Services as the Community Outreach and Donor Engagement Coordinator.