RAPID CITY, S.D. – The Rapid City Central High School Class of 1977 has been recognized with a South Dakota Hall of Fame Acts of Excellence Award for more than a decade of community service projects that have left a lasting impact across the Black Hills.
The honor was presented Aug. 14 in Rapid City as part of a statewide series of ceremonies recognizing the 2025 recipients. The Hall of Fame first announced the honorees in April.
What began as an effort to “do more” during the group’s 35th reunion in 2012 has evolved into a legacy of service. Over the years, the Class of ’77 has carried out three large-scale projects aimed at addressing needs ranging from housing to hunger.
In their first initiative, classmates partnered with Black Hills Area Habitat for Humanity to build an entire home over a reunion weekend for a single mother and her family. Five years later, they turned their attention to food security, installing raised-bed gardens at assisted living facilities and schools.
Their most ambitious project came in 2022, when the group joined forces with Sleep in Heavenly Peace to build and deliver 77 beds for children who didn’t have one of their own. They quickly surpassed that goal, ultimately constructing more than 800 beds complete with mattresses, quilts, sheets, pillows and stuffed animals. The group also created its own volunteer delivery team to continue supporting the organization year-round.
The Class of ’77’s efforts have inspired other alumni groups in Rapid City and across South Dakota to launch their own service projects, including clothing closets, prom dress drives and lunch debt relief programs.
The South Dakota Hall of Fame created the Acts of Excellence program to highlight stories of everyday people and organizations making meaningful contributions in their communities.
