Supporting Rapid City: Denny Menholt Toyota’s Community Involvement in 2022

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After a crazy couple of years, things are ever-so-slowly getting back to “normal” (whatever that even means now). We never stopped being involved in our community, but we are excited to be able to take part in more face-to-face events in 2022. From providing meals and warm clothes to families in need, to helping local nonprofits care for people with disabilities, we love being able to give back. Here are some of the things we’re involved in this year. If you’d like more information, follow the links in the article or contact us. To request a sponsorship, please visit www.menholtcommunity.com.

Fall

Love Inc.

Love Inc.’s annual fundraiser, the Hope & Love Dinner and Dessert Auction is Nov. 21. The faith-based organization help local families acquire things they need like linens, kitchen items and furniture. Like many organizations, they have noted the rising inflation costs and the effect it has on those already struggling. To support their organization or to learn more, visit www.loveinconline.com.

Box Elder Patriot Day Parade

Robbie Herring, Bryan Carrier, and Wade Asbjeld represented us in this year’s Patriot Day parade in Box Elder.

This year’s Patriot Day parade in Box Elder was a blast! We joined Rapid Chevy and Rushmore Honda in the parade, which included throwing candy to some very excited kids. It was a beautiful day for a community event, which also included food vendors, games, live music, and other family friendly activities, capping it all off with a fireworks display in the evening. We loved being part of it, and look forward to seeing you there next year!

Tom Pfeifle Memorial 5k Run/ Walk

This year’s event was Sept. 10 at Raider Park. Funds from the race go to developing Raider Park in Rapid City. Visit www.tompfeifle5k.org/ for more details or to support the park’s development.

Hope for the Hills Mediathon

LifeScape is a nonprofit that provides therapy and psychological services for children in the Black Hills. Their Sioux Falls base serves adults and children. The HomeSlice Hope for the Hills Mediathon is a day dedicated to sharing stories about children with disabilities who have been empowered to live fulfilling lives through LifeScape’s services. This year’s event raised $20,875! Proceeds from the event support LifeScape’s efforts with West River children.

The MIX 93.9 FM https://939themix.com/

Big 81 Ranch Radio 105.5 FM & 910 AM https://www.kbhbradio.com/

The Fox Real Rock 100.3 FM https://www.foxradio.com/

Hot 93.1 FM https://www.hot931.com/

KAT Radio 98.7 FM https://www.katradio.com/

The Cowboy 104.7 FM & 920 AM https://thecowboyradio.com/

Summer

Colton Derr Foundation

The eighth annual Knights of Columbus Charity Golf Tournament to support the Colton Derr Foundation was July 17 at Prairie Ridge Golf Tournament. It was hot this year, but we still had a good time! The Colton Derr Foundation is a veteran advocacy organization that helps soldiers transition back into civilian life, and is especially working to reduce the number of military and veteran suicides. For more information, visit www.sergeantderrfoundation.org/

Tees for Keys

Habitat for Humanity’s golf tournament fundraiser, Tees for Keys, was June 2 at The Golf Club at Red Rock. It’s a fun way to support a great local organization, and this year’s event raised more than $45,000 for homeownership and repair projects. Visit www.blackhillshabitat.org/ for more information on Habitat’s work in our community and how you can support them.

Black Hills Playhouse

If you haven’t been to the Black Hills Playhouse, we highly recommend it. Nestled in Custer State Park, you get to enjoy nature and support local theater. This summer’s season included the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical “Cinderella,” Neil Simon’s classic comedy “The Odd Couple,” “Something Rotten,” and “The Mountaintop.” They also hosted the Black Hills Players Jr. summer camp, giving youth connections with experienced theater artists and educators. Visit their website at www.blackhillsplayhouse.com/ to see what they’re working on next!

Happy Tails Haven Horse Rescue & Sanctuary

We know the cost of everything is going up, which hits places like Happy Tails Haven Horse Rescue & Sanctuary just as hard as the rest of us. Hay, for instance. The price keeps going up, which means it’s only getting more expensive to feed the horses at this non-profit horse rescue in Piedmont.

If you’d like to support their efforts, there are many different ways. To learn more about this nonprofit, visit their website here. Or, to see what their most pressing needs are, follow them on Facebook.

Paint the Rock Pink

The annual golf tournament raises funds for the Monument Health Cancer Care Institute Image Restoration Program. It is the largest all-woman tournament in South Dakota, and this year’s was Tuesday, Aug. 9, at the Golf Club at Red Rock.  We helped raise $33,800!

All contributions stay local and help buy wigs, hats, scarves, camisoles and other reconstruction items. We always enjoy being part of this fun event, and seeing the creative ways ladies decorate their carts. You can read more about this year’s 14th annual tournament here. 

Rapid City Does Drove charity golf tournament

Speaking of golf, the Benevolent Patriotic Order of DOES Drove #33 hosts a charity golf tournament each year to raise money for Rapid City-area charities. This year marked the 30th annual event, and raised $5,900 to help local organizations and families in need. The DOES are a sister organization to the Benevolent, Protective Order of Elks.

Guns N’ Hoses Blood Drive

Every year, the Rapid City Fire Department and Rapid City Police Department host a friendly competition to see which agency can bring in the most blood donations for Vitalant. We’re big fans of both Team Fire and Team Law, so we’re glad to support this drive each year. This year was the 17th annual event, and Vitalant reported people donated a total of 379 units of blood.

Team Law won this year, bringing in 192 donations. Team Fire brought in 186 donations. That means Team Law gets the traveling trophy this year, but there’s always next year for Team Fire to have another chance.

There is still a nationwide shortage of blood units, and donations are still needed. Our friends at Vitalant said even if someone has never given blood before, it’s never too late to start. Most people can donate, but only 3 percent of them do. Why? Vitalant said people’s top reason for not donating is that they are never asked. So, consider this our friendly neighborhood ask – if you’re able, go donate! You can look for times and sign up at donors.vitalant.org.

Homeless but not Hopeless

The Homeless but not Hopeless golf tournament raises funds for Cornerstone Rescue Mission. This is one of our favorite local tournaments to support, and we’re glad we could be part of it again this year in June. To learn more about Cornerstone Rescue Mission, www.cornerstonemission.org/home.html .

Spring

Make-A-Wish South Dakota & Montana

We are annual supporters of Make-A-Wish South Dakota & Montana. Over the last year, our gifts have helped grant 81 life-changing wishes to kids with critical illnesses during our fiscal year 2022. In June, we were able to be part of the wish reveal for a local teenager, Jakoby. You can read more about that here.

Autism Society of the Black Hills

This year’s Uniquely You 5K was Saturday, April 30, at Old Storybook Island (2911 Canyon Lake Drive). The seventh annual event raised funds to support the Autism Society of the Black Hills and its summer programs. Visit https://autismsd.org/2022/02/7th-annual-uniquely-you-5k/ for more information.

YFS Kids Fair

After two years of canceling the Youth and Family Services Kids Fair due to the pandemic, the event returned this year in April. We spent the weekend there with our electric-powered pedal cars, and the children had a blast taking laps around our “racetrack.” (It’s hard to break any speed records in a pedal car, but they did their best.) The event, held in The Monument, was packed with fun activities for kids. Strider bikes, bouncy houses, obstacle courses, a sand box, live performances — it was easy to see why so many kids weren’t ready for either day to end. (Their parents may have disagreed.) We had a great time, and are already making plans for next year! For more information, visit www.youthandfamilyservices.org/kids-fair/.

Club for Boys

The 28th annual Club for Boys Corporate Free Throw Challenge was March 22-25 at the Club for Boys Gymnasium. We always love participating, and it supports a great organization in Rapid City. For more information, visit theclubforboys.org/corporate-free-throw/

Our team for this year’s Club for Boys Corporate Free Throw Challenge: Nick Jacobs, Jason Krebsbach, Jeremy Klabunde, Mike Grant and Tim Lee. Way to go, guys!

Working Against Violence

The Working Against Violence Spirit of Peace Beach Social was March 26 at the Best Western Ramkota Conference Center. It is WAVI’s biggest fundraiser of the year, and includes an online auction along with the in-person festivities. WAVI started in 1978, and provides food, emergency shelter and other services for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. You can learn more here.

Toyota Hardwood Tournament

One of our biggest partnerships again this year is with A&J Screening to put on the Toyota Hardwood Tournament. The tournament brings in approximately 150 teams. This year’s tournament was March 12-13 at various venues in Rapid City.

Cornerstone Rescue Mission

This year’s Cornerstone Celebrates banquet was Saturday, March 5. This annual banquet raises funds for Cornerstone Rescue Mission, which provides food, housing and Christian counseling for the homeless.

Ellsworth Air Show

2022 saw the return of the Ellsworth Air Force Base Air Show on May 14-15. We helped provide transportation for the visiting performers, which included aerial acts and aircraft displays. It was a busy weekend, with cars backed up on Interstate 90 to participate, and we’re glad we could play a small part!

Winter

Vitalant Community Heroes Blood Drive

The Community Heroes blood drive is held every January to boost post-holiday blood donations, when the need is typically high. The annual event seeks to celebrate blood donors as everyday heroes. This year’s drive collected 154 units of blood over two days at Rushmore Mall, which is especially wonderful since COVID numbers were still high and keeping many people from venturing out. There is still a nationwide shortage of blood units, and donations are still needed. Our friends at Vitalant said even if someone has never given blood before, it’s never too late to start. Most people can donate, but only 3 percent of them do. Why? Vitalant said people’s top reason for not donating is that they are never asked. So, consider this our friendly neighborhood ask – if you’re able, go donate! You can look for times and sign up at donors.vitalant.org.

But wait, there’s more!

Can’t get enough community involvement? Here are some more publications/organizations we think you should check out:

Once more, if you’d like to request a sponsorship, visit www.menholtcommunity.com.