Hope moves the world

by Tom Johnson

I should be a statistic.

That’s what I often think at night when I’m alone and falling asleep.

Over the years, I’ve realized that it’s a thought that sticks with a lot of people who have come from a place of poverty or crisis.

Why am I here and not somebody else?

Mother pregnant at fifteen. Grandmother murdered when I was only 8. The list could go on and on. But somehow, I made it, decades later with two degrees and a professional career. Maybe I got lucky. Maybe my parents made just the right number of sacrifices. Maybe it was that one or two mentors along the way.

There’s also something to be said for hope. Love and compassion get all the headlines and bestsellers, but I think it’s hope that moves the world.

Welcome to this issue of Elevate, where we explore love, compassion, and hope through the stories of the people and organizations in the Black Hills who help those who have been less privileged, less than cared for, and less than elevated. There’s the story of Bridget Stone, who came out of retirement to volunteer at Love INC so she could help people living on the street. And then there’s the story of Tim Rogers, who spends his free time working with troubled youth as part of his role as a board member for WellFully. And finally, our cover story of Martha Rodriquez, Mrs. Anonymous, whose work with abused children through CASA, is rewarded not by money, but by hope and hugs years and years in the future.

And that, my friends, seems like a pretty good place to both begin and end any journey.

Stay safe and God-speed,

Tom Johnson, President & CEO