Issuu

Paula Wimp

Radiant Road to Success

We’ve always believed that dining should be a social occasion, a time when friends, family, and coworkers can enjoy great conversation over a great meal.

We believe in supporting our local artisans and staying connected to our Black Hills community. At a time when the area is growing and expanding, we’re striving to keep the flavor of the region alive.

Inspired by the history of this area, both the aesthetics of the building and the diversity of the menu are true to our local roots, something no nationwide franchise can duplicate. Certainly, there are other steakhouses out there, but none like ours.

By Molly Barari; Photography by M Photography

We are humbled by all of the heartfelt nominations we received. We have some phenomenal women in the Black Hills! Stay tuned. We can’t wait to ‘crown’ a winner in our May issue! Here’s a sneak peek of our nominations so far!

“As a full-time student in the Accelerated RN program at Dakota Wesleyan University (DWU), she has shown extraordinary commitment to her education, earning a place on the Dean’s List despite facing significant challenges, including health issues and learning disabilities. Her story is a powerful reminder that with courage and determination, it is possible to overcome adversity and achieve greatness.”

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“She excelled in high school, playing 3 sports, worked 2 jobs and took college courses, graduating with a 4.20 GPA. She entered the University of Wyoming, pursuing a career in law enforcement, culminating hopefully, with the FBI. After only three years, she will graduate Magna Cum Laude, with a double major in Criminal Justice and Psychology and a minor in Honors.”

Every month Black Hills Lifestyle showcases local human interest stories along with beauty, fashion, family, home, career, health and nutrition information all with beautiful photography. Black Hills Lifestyle also feature businesses, men and women in the Black Hills region. Want to subscribe to Black Hills Lifestyle and receive a copy in your mailbox every month?

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© Copyright 2025 Michels Communications Corporation. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the expressed written permission from the publisher. Black Hills Lifestyle does not necessarily endorse or agree with content of articles or advertising presented.

www.michelscom.com

P.O. Box 91606 Sioux Falls, SD 57109 | 605-332-0421

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Patty Stover 605-390-2617 | patty@michelscom.com

Teresa Nestor 605-484-0918 | teresa@michelscom.com

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Melissa Chinn

TEAM OF WRITERS

Dorothy Rosby, Elizabeth Freer, Kory Lanphear, Kristina Roth, Lauren Johnson, Maggie Lepa-Wince, Molly Barari, Natalie Frazier

COVER PHOTOGRAPHER

M Photography

EDITOR

Margi Culhane 605-940-4724 | margi@michelscom.com

DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL MARKETING

Cory Johnsen 605-951-3567 | cory@michelscom.com

REGIONAL MANAGER / GSM

Kevin Culhane 605-661-8509 | kevin@michelscom.com SENIOR

Radiant Road to Success

Molli Barari; Photography by M Photography

Paula Wimp

From the Deep South.... .....to South Dakota

Inspired by her grandma who was a nurse and many wonderful teachers, Paula Wimp, 51, grew up in Louisiana thinking she’d pursue teaching or nursing. She never imagined that she would own a floral shop in South Dakota, but life took her down a unique path. A path she’s forever thankful for. A path that’s radiantly Paula.

The Black Hills became part of Paula’s story when she moved from Shreveport to Rapid City in 2000 for the love of her life, Bill. She had met him six months prior on the Internet playing cribbage, which evolved into long conversations and eventually dating. She was attracted to Bill’s dry sense of humor and his deep voice.

“This was back before people really did much Internet dating,” says Paula. “With Bill, everything felt right, and it was more logical for me to move because of Bill’s job at Black Hills Fibercom. So, I took a gamble on Rapid City. I wasn’t even quite sure where South Dakota was!” She laughs.

By this time, Paula had put nursing and teaching aside to nurture her creative passions and love of flowers. She’d passed the Louisiana state licensing test to become a certified florist, then worked a a few shops in Louisiana to gain experience.

Contemplating her move to Rapid City, Paula knew she’d need a job before relocating across the country to be with Bill. That’s when fate stepped in.

It started with Paula picking up the phone and randomly calling Flowers by LeRoy to inquire about employment. At the time, Wally and Judy Evans owned the shop.

“I told Judy I was planning to move, and she hired me over the phone. I was shocked.

Paula and her cousins when they were younger - known as the “Fab Five”

It was written in the stars for Judy to offer me that job,” says Paula. “She and Wally are generous, kind and trusting people. Some of the best people you’ll ever meet. I am fortunate to have their support.”

Paula fit right in at the floral shop, and she became part of the Flowers by LeRoy family. In her personal life, she was growing her own family. She and Bill had a daughter, Grace, now 24, and a son, Porter, now 23.

Things at Flowers by LeRoy only got sweeter as time went on. Paula eventually became the manager and enjoyed being in that role for several years. Then, an opportunity arose that she couldn’t pass up: ownership. She decided to take the leap and purchased the shop on March 1, 2022.

The family together in Pittsburgh before a Steelers game

Paula takes immense pride in her involvement with Flowers by LeRoy. “It’s been part of Rapid City since 1968. We’ve been involved in celebrations for countless families over the years.”

Regarding other floral shops in the area, Paula says each one has their place. “Flowers by LeRoy is the best at what we do, and others can be the best at what they do. We have distinctive styles and goals, and there is room for all of us. We can be supported and so can they. Our goal is to do whatever we can to make our clients’ visions a reality.”

“I want to leave employees with positive memories and skills they can take with them wherever they go.”

Flowers are obviously the staple at her store, but there is also a large gift shop that appeals to customers with a variety of budgets. “I grew up poor, so it’s important to have that aspect, that someone with any budget can come in and find a nice gift.”

The six employees at Flowers by LeRoy have created a warm, close-knit environment, which is invaluable to Paula. “We all love and respect each other.

“You don’t always know when you’re influencing someone’s life, but I hope I have moments where I make choices that ensure someone else’s success. My goal is to never do harm.”

This desire to be a positive influence on someone’s life traces back to Paula’s upbringing. The family lived across the street from Paula’s grandmother, Nan.

“I was remarkably close with my grandma. She was kind, generous, confident and reassuring. She was also very artistic. She was crafty and she could sew or fix anything.

She had rummage sales twice a year, and she knew how to save money and make money out of nothing. I want to inspire someone like she inspired me.”

Paula’s background has influenced how she has raised her own children. Paula says because of the difficult relationship she had with her mother, she tried to be extra sensitive to her children’s needs.

“I want my kids to be able to say they had my full support, that I was there swinging for their success and happiness.”

There’s nothing Paula loves more than spending time with her family, and she calls her husband and kids her best friends. Sports has always connected the family. They root for the Steelers, Yankees, Celtics and Penguins. In fact, once a year they attend a Yankees game in New York City. In addition to New York City, they’ve seen the Yankees play in Seattle, San Diego, Denver and Minneapolis. They also go to Pittsburgh once a year for a Steelers football game.

Paula and family at Yankee Stadium in 2019

Paula grins. “Funny thing is, I graduated high school in 1991 from Woodlawn High School, and our claim to fame is Terry Bradshaw from the Pittsburgh Steelers. Also, we named our son after a Steelers player, Joey Porter.”

When she isn’t at the flower shop or cheering for her favorite teams, Paula can be found in her garden, where she tends to a myriad of flowers and plants. Her garden and her home are her happy places, and she enjoys doing any kind of home improvement project. She is also preparing to be a first-time grandma, as her son, Porter, and his wife, Cayley, are expecting a baby boy in August.

In the future, Paula would like to be more involved in causes she cares about. Border Paws Dog Rescue of Rapid City is especially important to Paula. It was through them they adopted their dog Frankie. A portion of monthly sales at Flowers by LeRoy also goes to this cause.

“I’ve been an animal lover my whole life, and we rescued our dog Frankie from Border Paws,” says Paula. “All animals have an innocence about them, like a newborn baby, and they should all be loved and cared for. We have the responsibility to spay and neuter our pets, so the population doesn’t get out of control.”

Paula says she’ll be thrilled when she can devote more hands-on time to these organizations. This proves she has a big, radiant heart—and the light within her shines onto everyone she crosses paths with.

Top to bottom: Paula and Bill in their Steelers Den; Porter and Cayley’s wedding

Left to right: Family at Yankee Stadium; Nephew, Hunter, graduates from Air Force Bootcamp; Daughter, Grace, graduates from college; the day they adopted “Frankie” from Border Paws

In Her Own Words

Five Fun Facts About Paula

I make up songs and nicknames for my dogs and sing to them every day. Rooney’s song is based off the Cajun song “Don’t Mess with My Toot Toot” and changed to “Don’t Mess with my Rooney Toot Toot.”

My husband says I am very random. A thought about something from days or hours ago will cross my mind, and I blurt it out leaving him questioning what I am talking about. My mind is always going about multiple things at once. I forget to include context into my statements.

I am competitive in everything. I feel like if I am not striving to be the best that I am not setting a good example for my kids, my family or my friends. I believe you don’t always have to be the best, but that shouldn’t stop you from working to be the best.

I cry with every emotion, whether it’s happiness, sadness, anger, or something else. It’s a joke within my immediate family how easily and frequently I am brought to tears and overcome with my emotions.

I love scary movies, and I have always been FASCINATED BY GHOST STORIES Growing up in Louisiana, there are a lot of ghost tales and folklore about ghosts.

Ways to Connect with Nature and the Arts

By Maggie Lepa-Wince Rapid City Arts Council Staff

Nature and the arts are deeply intertwined, offering endless inspiration, reflection, and sometimes even art supplies. Whether you’re painting beside a stream, reading under a tree, or watching films that celebrate adventure and the environment, there are many ways to immerse yourself in both. Here are five meaningful ways to connect with nature and the arts.

1. Leave No Trace: Protect the Beauty That Inspires Us

The best way to appreciate nature is to ensure it remains for generations to come. The Leave No Trace principles remind us to respect the outdoors, whether we’re painting landscapes, sketching wildlife, or simply taking a walk to seek inspiration. By minimizing our impact—packing out what we bring in, staying on designated trails, and respecting wildlife—we allow the natural world to continue inspiring artists and creatives

everywhere. When exploring our public lands like the Black Hills National Forests and Wind Cave National Park, be especially mindful of these principles to preserve the beauty that fuels artistic expression.

2. Using Water from Streams and Lakes for Watercolors

There’s something magical about painting in nature with nature. Watercolor artists can collect small amounts of water from nearby lakes and streams to blend their pigments, creating pieces that are literally infused with the landscape. This simple

act strengthens the connection between the artist and the environment, making each painting a true reflection of the place where it was created.

3. Earth Day: A Celebration of Art and Activism

Every April, Earth Day serves as a powerful reminder of our responsibility to protect the planet. It’s also an opportunity for artists and creatives to use their talents to raise awareness. Participate by creating nature-inspired art, attending the Banff Film Festival, or join a community clean-up. Art has long been a tool for advocacy, and through painting, film, poetry, and performance, we can inspire positive change

4. The Big Read: Reading in Nature

Books have the power to transport us to different worlds, and what better place to read than surrounded by the beauty of the outdoors? As part of this year’s Big Read, consider bringing a copy of The Bear by Andrew Krivak to your favorite natural spot. Reading outside allows you to fully immerse yourself in the themes of survival, resilience, and our connection to the wild, deepening both your literary and environmental appreciation.

5. Banff Film Festival: Adventure, Art, and the Great Outdoors

For those who find inspiration in storytelling and visual art, the Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour is a must-see event. Taking place on April 21 & 22 at the Elks Theatre, this festival brings together breathtaking films about outdoor adventure, environmental stewardship, and human resilience. From mountain expeditions to cultural journeys, the festival highlights the intersection of nature and creativity, leaving audiences inspired to explore and protect the wild places showcased on screen.

Find

Your Own Connection

Nature and the arts offer endless possibilities for connection and inspiration. Whether through conservation efforts, creative expression, or simply enjoying the beauty around us, these five ways provide a starting point for deepening your relationship with both. Explore, create, and protect the world that fuels our artistic spirits!

How to Find Your Cellphone in Six Easy Steps

By Dorothy Rosby

Well, I’ve done it again. I’ve misplaced my cellphone. When I’m at home, I always keep it on my desk. Except when I don’t. And apparently I didn’t. Thus begins my frantic search, some variation of which takes place in my home practically every day and sometimes twice a day for all manner of misplaced items.

Step 1: I dig through the piles on my desk a second time. It’s so unusual for me to put something where it belongs that even saying it belongs there is a stretch. Consequently I don’t always look there as carefully as I should before declaring it missing. That’s why on rare occasions— very rare—I’m pleasantly surprised to find something I thought was missing right where it “belongs.”

But not today. I do, however, find my car keys and the lid to my food processor, neither of which I even realized were missing yet.

Step 2: I race through the house looking in all the places I’ve been known to put the missing object until I got around to putting it where it belongs. In the case of my cellphone, that’s a very long list, including but not limited to my kitchen counter, dresser, bed, coffee table, couch, purse and the pockets of every coat and jacket I own. Then I look in all those places again. You’re probably thinking that if my phone wasn’t there the first time I looked, chances are good it won’t be the second time either. And you’re right.

Step 3: I look in all the places I haven’t been known to leave the item—yet. When it comes to my cellphone, there are fewer of those than you might think. I check the closets, kitchen cupboards, dresser drawers and the refrigerator and dishwasher. This might seem like a waste of time to you, but I once found it in the garbage can in the garage so it seems unwise to limit the scope of my search.

Step 4: If I still haven’t located the missing object I get creative which sounds more helpful than it is. I begin imagining the worst. That makes sense when you consider the garbage can incident. Maybe that happened again and my phone is gone for good. Or maybe someone broke into my house and stole it. Or maybe I left it out on the deck and it’s been carried away by a large bird. These things happen.

Step 5: I give up, exhausted, and trust that eventually the item will show up, most likely when I’m looking for some other missing object. It’s amazing how often this works. I regularly find things I gave up looking for long ago while I’m looking for something else I won’t find until I’m looking for another misplaced item months from now. Whew! Yes it’s complicated. Plus it takes too long.

I do have another option though. I could be patient, wait for my husband to come home and have him call my phone. I don’t like

this plan for three reasons. One, I may have silenced it. I do that often.

Two, when I tell him I’ve misplaced it, he’s likely to say, “Again? Is it silenced?” He does that often. And it’s hard on our marriage.

And three, I don’t know how to be patient.

Instead I make another mad dash through the house checking all the places where I leave my phone when I don’t leave it on my desk. Then, once more, I check all the places I’ve never left it. In case you’re wondering, it’s still not in any of those places.

Step 6: I begin systematically dismantling the kitchen, fully intending to do the same to every room in the house. Actually systematically isn’t quite the right word, unless that’s how you describe the way a tornado clears a cornfield.

Just then I hear the garage door open. I take a few deep breaths to calm myself and when my husband comes in, I tell him as nonchalantly as I can that I’ve misplaced my cellphone. To his credit he doesn’t say, “Again? Is it silenced?” He does say, “What are you doing under the kitchen sink?”

I tell him I’m reorganizing the cleaning supplies. He looks suspicious but before he can question me further, I ask him to call me. He does and we hear a faint ringing down the hall. I follow it to my office. And there’s my phone…under the piles…on my desk.

Dorothy Rosby found her checkbook while she was looking for her phone under the kitchen sink.

Photography by Raven Lily Creative

UNLOCKING YOUR POTENTIAL: WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP

By Elizabeth Freer

1200 University St., Woodburn 216 Spearfish, SD 57799

BHSU.edu/SDCEO • (605) 642-6948

In today’s fast-paced professional world, women are continuously breaking barriers and redefining leadership. Developing strong leadership skills is essential for professional growth, helping individuals build confidence, communicate effectively, and navigate workplace challenges. The Women in Leadership professional development summer intensive provides an opportunity to explore key aspects of leadership and personal development that will have a lasting impact on your career.

This program is a game changer. If you are a leader or becoming a leader, I highly recommend it. I left every session with goals and plans to incorporate into my business. You learn so much about yourself and how to lead others even if you have been in a leadership position before.

Tonya Dirks, Inspired Bliss Creative

Leadership is not just about holding a title—it’s about understanding your individual strengths and learning to use them to create meaningful change. The cohort begins with the CliftonStrengths34 Assessment, which identifies participants natural talents and how to leverage them for professional and personal growth. Recognizing these strengths allows for a more strategic approach to leadership, ensuring individuals develop their professional potential in a way that aligns with their goals.

A strong leadership presence involves more than just technical expertise; it requires effective communication, self-awareness, and the ability to connect with others. Whether through public speaking, understanding key financial documents, or networking with community leaders, developing these skills helps professionals stand out and expand their influence. Learning to articulate ideas clearly and engage with others in meaningful ways enhances credibility and opens doors to new opportunities.

Navigating workplace challenges is another critical component of leadership. Conflict resolution, emotional intelligence, and negotiation skills are necessary for managing relationships and fostering a collaborative work environment. Understanding how to approach difficult conversations and constructively resolve disagreements leads to stronger, more productive teams and healthier workplace culture.

Beyond these interpersonal leadership skills, effective leadership also requires the ability to manage time, delegate tasks, and establish priorities. Balancing multiple responsibilities while maintaining focus on long-term goals is a key factor in career advancement. The Women In Leadership curriculum provides practical strategies for managing projects and making decisions, helping participants refine their organizational leadership skills.

Financial literacy is another crucial aspect of leadership. Whether managing budgets, forecasting financial outcomes, or negotiating deals, having a solid understanding of financial principles is vital for making informed decisions. Learning how to read financial statements ensures that participants can lead their teams or project.

Celebrating

WOMEN IN BUSINESS

May 14, 2025

Holiday Inn & Suites Spearfish, SD

Successful business owners and corporate leaders come together to share their experiences, best practices, and insights to encourage attendees to view their own businesses and careers in new ways. We celebrate Outstanding Women in Business during this event with an award ceremony and luncheon.

As a professional individual who is content with her current career path, I initially had reservations about the potential benefits of attending this class. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find a diverse range of participants in terms of age and discovered that many of the topics covered were indeed relevant and beneficial to me.

The Women in Leadership cohort offers a chance for participants to reflect on their professional journeys and develop a plan for continued growth. Gaining leadership skills is a continuous process, and opportunities for learning and development can lead to greater career satisfaction and advancement. This cohort is designed to provide insights and strategies that support women in their leadership journeys, equipping them with the tools to take on new challenges with confidence and purpose.

Jayme Hunt, Sanford Underground Research Facility

The 2025 Women in Leadership Summer Cohort will be held on June 10-11 in Spearfish and July 23-24 in Rapid City.

If you’re looking to grow as a leader and refine your skills, consider applying to be a part of this transformative program.

To apply and take the next step in your leadership journey, visit our website bhsu.edu/sdceo or scan the QR Code.

Rob Carl was in need of a solution for his chronic back pain. Michael Huot, M.D. Pain Management Director at Monument Health worked to help Rob to overcome old, familiar agonies, get back to his regular life and even take on exciting, new challenges.

REGAINING QUALITY OF LIFE & MORE WITH PAIN MANAGEMENT AT MONUMENT HEALTH

By Kory Lanphear, Photos by Bob Slocum & Nate Dickerson

For his job as a Guest Services Specialist at Monument Health Rapid City Hospital, Rob Carl spends a lot of time on the move. “I do rounding, which is pushing big carts around the hospital to offer comfort items to patients,” Rob, 69, said. However, due to debilitating back pain, his newfound employment was almost not to be, save for the care he received from Monument Health’s Pain Management team.

Led by Michael Huot, M.D., Director of Pain Management, Pain Specialist, Anesthesiologist and Chief of Staff of Rapid City Hospital, Pain Management aims to help ease, or even eliminate the discomfort and sometimes profoundly lifealtering suffering that can come along with experiencing long-term physical pain. “I think pain can be one of the worst diseases to have for people,” said Dr. Huot. “I think people often think of pain as, ‘Well, I fell, and I broke my arm, and it’s going to get better, and it’s going to feel better.’ But chronic pain isn’t like that. Chronic Pain is a pain that will not get better without treatment.”

Rob had grown accustomed to enduring a life of constant pain. “I had chronic back problems all along, degenerative disc disease and I have bone spurs in my back,” he said. “Just before my wife and I moved back here to Rapid City. I was driving—I took her car over to get filled with gas—and as I was going back home, somebody T-boned me. So that added to the overall misery. After the accident, the pain just kept getting worse.”

“My main goal was to get it so that I had a tolerable pain level, because I didn’t think it would ever go away.”

The car accident kicked off a four-year saga that started with back surgery and then found Rob needing the aid of a walker, with a job the furthest thing from his mind. “I play cribbage a lot. There’s a league, and I tried to get a seat where I’d stay stationed, because getting up and down was tough,” he said.

This isn’t atypical, according to Dr. Huot. “Having chronic pain is just so debilitating for a person, that you start to just think about it in a way that it takes over your life,” he said. “We’re very passionate about getting people their lives back. We do it every single day. We treat about 100 patients per day in the clinic. People drive from North Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, Montana,

to see us. We take pride in making a huge impact on people’s lives by treating chronic pain.” Not long after the accident, Rob and his wife relocated from Sioux Falls to Rapid City, but it wasn’t until the spring of 2023 that he began care at Pain Management. “My main goal was to get it so that I had a tolerable pain level, because I didn’t think it would ever go away.”

“We’re very passionate about getting people their lives back. We take pride in making a huge impact on people’s lives by treating chronic pain.”

Feeling hopeless is also very common, especially since nobody knows, or understands your level of pain, but you. “Pain is very subjective,” says Dr. Huot. “If somebody came in here and punched you in the arm and they punched me in the arm, we would perceive that as feeling different, because there’s a lot of things that flow into how we feel pain—emotions, past experiences—and so that’s why it’s so difficult to gauge how someone is actually feeling. Sometimes providers that aren’t pain doctors will say, ‘Well, the patient came in and they looked normal, so I didn’t think they were 10 out of a scale of 10 pain.’ And in reality, you can’t judge that based on things like heart rate, blood pressure, because it’s a perception of how it feels for the patient. And so in pain medicine, what we believe is your pain is what you tell me. It is when you tell me it is and where you tell me it is, because I have no measure of knowing how your pain feels for you.”

That’s why Dr. Huot and his Pain Management team take a multimodal care approach because not every treatment will work for every type of pain. “When a patient comes in and has a pain complaint, the first thing that we do as a pain team is we figure out the underlying diagnosis,” Dr. Huot said. Then, a treatment goal is established. It’s often not a realistic expectation to eliminate pain completely. Many patients simply want to reduce pain and regain some daily functionality. After the goal is set, a member of the team walks a patient through the available treatment options: medication therapy, rehabilitative therapy, surgical therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, alternative therapies (such as acupuncture) and interventional therapies. “If you’re a new patient and you come and see me, I’ll run through all those options with you, and you can try any or all of those options, if you want, or we can do a couple of them. It’s up to you.”

The patient can benefit by staying open-minded, as Rob can certainly attest. “The first step I had to take, is to start the medication management and see what it does to control the pain,” he said. “The second step was to have cortisone injections, which were supposed to work for six months, and after about three months, they stopped working. Then after those didn’t work, I had a few ablations, where they burn the nerves in hopes that that would take care of everything. They worked for a while, but they didn’t give me that relief that I was looking for. So the next step, after all that, was to get a spinal cord stimulator.” A spinal cord stimulator is a surgical implant that uses electrical signals to supplant pain response at the nerve so that the brain interprets the stimuli as a tingling sensation, instead of the typical, stinging sharpness. Rob had to undergo a psychiatric evaluation to ensure that he was not going to be adversely mentally affected

by a permanent device implanted into his body. After he passed, he did a test run with a temporary external stimulator for a week. “After I did that, I got a permanent, internal stimulator placed in my back, and that is helping me so well.”

This long-term care plan for Rob was the result of the efforts of several of the members of Dr. Huot’s team. “We kind of work in a team model, where we have four nurse practitioners and we have six pain specialist physicians, that essentially share patients,” said Dr. Huot.

Indeed, Rob recalls he was under the care at various times of Dr. Huot, Troy Nesbit, M.D., who performed the surgical procedure to implant the internal spine stimulator, Steven G. Frost, M.D. and Joseph Carda, M.D. “I had primarily been seeing Kelsey Johnson, CNP, the nurse practitioner,” he said. “When she wasn’t available. I saw Vanessa Pribil, CNP. But a person that worked very hard for me was Chris, Patient Access Specialist. She got me through the appointments, rescheduled the appointments. She made it so easy to do this, and when they referred me to physical therapy, she’s the one that set up those appointments. I couldn’t thank her enough.”

By late 2023, after several months of treatment, Rob felt good enough to apply for his current role in Guest Services at Rapid City Hospital. “I’m feeling great,” he says. “Now I’m here. I’m working. I’m walking up and down the halls. I go everywhere in the hospital and I’m very happy with where I’m at.” He is back playing cribbage, and sits wherever he wants because he can now get up and move around at will. He also takes walks with

his wife and short hikes with his dog. “We have a hill by where we live, and there was no way I could take my dog up that hill And she loves to go up that hill. Now I’m able to take her to the top of that hill. And if it had not been for pain management, I would not have been able to do any of this.”

It’s feedback that Dr. Huot and his staff at Pain Management get all the time, but that doesn’t make it any less gratifying. “People come and see us, and, maybe now they can work their job, or they can play with their grandkids, or they can do the things that they love again. The most common thing we get is like, ‘Where were you 10 years ago? Like, I didn’t even know there were pain specialists or pain clinics. I wish I would have come and seen you earlier.’ We just make such a huge impact on people’s lives.”

You won’t catch Rob disagreeing, “Anybody who can, I recommend that they get involved with the Pain Management office,” he said. “It’s been a very positive change in my quality of life.”

Nursing with Purpose

Nursing is often viewed as a fast-paced career, where care is delivered in brief interactions with a rotating, everchanging list of patients each day. At Black Hills Works, however, nursing takes on a deeper meaning – one centered around the building of impactful relationships, trust, and lasting connections.

Learn more about how the nurses at Black Hills Works don’t just provide medical care; they become an integral part of the lives of the people they support, offering compassionate care in a way that’s rarely possible in traditional healthcare environments.

More Than Just a Nurse: A Trusted Companion

Whether it’s helping someone manage a chronic condition, celebrating a personal achievement, or simply sharing a laugh, nurses play an essential role in enhancing the quality of life at Black Hills Works. Like most nursing careers, each day presents a new set of unique experiences and opportunities.

What makes a nursing career at Black Hills Works different is that, instead of treating a new set of patients each shift, care is provided for a case load of adults with varied intellectual developmental disabilities over an extended period. This allows nurses to better understand each person’s specific needs, preferences, and behaviors so that they can anticipate needs and adjust care accordingly.

These connections go far beyond medical care and allow nurses to share in the joys, challenges, and milestones of the people they support. They see firsthand how their compassion helps those they care for grow in confidence, independence, and overall well-being.

Join Black Hills Works in Making a Difference

Take the next step in your nursing career, and transform lives at Black Hills Works. Apply today at careers.blackhillsworks.org!

Why Nurses Thrive at Black Hills Works

Nurses who seek a more fulfilling, relationshipdriven career find that Black Hills Works offers unique opportunities:

R A sense of purpose by making a lasting impact on the lives of the individuals they support.

R A rewarding career where they feel valued and appreciated, not just by the team, but by the people they care for.

R A team-oriented environment where they can work alongside caring professionals who share their passion for helping others.

R Flexibility and a healthy work-life balance that prevents burnout.

R Competitive pay and benefits that include health, vision, and dental insurance; up to 5% 401K match; an Employee Assistance Program; and more!

Nestled in the prestigious Red Rock Estates at Red Rocks Golf Course, this stunning 5-bedroom, 3-bathroom home offers nearly 3,000 sq ft of beautifully designed living space. Step inside to find custom light fixtures, updated solid doors, and custom closets throughout, adding both style and functionality. The kitchen boasts updated appliances, perfect for any home chef.

Relax in comfort with a heated basement bathroom floor and an on-demand hot water heater ensuring endless warmth. The heated garage provides convenience year-round. HOA is $120/month, covering snow removal and lawn care, allowing for low-maintenance living. This home offers an unbeatable location with breathtaking surroundings and easy access to golf and outdoor recreation. Don’t miss the opportunity to own in one of the most desirable neighborhoods in the Black Hills!