ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

from The VERB - Summer 2023

by Vermillion Area Chamber & Development Company

CHAMBER VELOCITY YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

Spirit of South Dakota WHY VERMILLION? Jake Thurston

Where are you from, originally and what inspired you to move to Vermillion?

I’m originally from Richmond, Indiana! About three of four years ago, God had called me to start a new church somewhere. I didn’t know when, and I didn’t know where. All I knew was church “planting” was something God had in store for my family and I.

After a major move back to my home state of Indiana, my wife and I were led to move back to South Dakota to chase that dream of planting a church. As we were dreaming about where that could be, Vermillion quickly rose to the top of the list! Being a high-energy college town with a close-knit community feel, we knew this was where we were meant to be—not just to plant Resilient Church, but to dig our family’s roots deep for decades to come!

What do you do to be engaged in the community and how do you encourage others to be involved? Since our church staff works remotely, we love being able to set up shop in Vermillion and “office” in local businesses. You’ll often see Mason (my co-pastor) and I working at The Bean, Starbucks, Café Brulé, or on campus. Not to mention that our church meets at The Dakota Center on Sunday mornings, which has been an amazing way for us to partner with a local business for worship services!

Other ways our church and I engage in the community include being members of the Chamber of Commerce and Vermillion NEXT, serving on the Vermillion Area Community Foundation board, attending local events, hosting local service initiatives, and financially supporting local nonprofits.

The Chamber of Commerce has been an amazing go-to for us, both in learning about Vermillion and in keeping us connected with everything else going on in town. Vermillion NEXT, our young professionals network, was a game changer for me when we first moved here. Some of the first friends I met were from the network. And if you’re looking to support any community development opportunities, the Community Connection Center with United Way and the Food Pantry is a great place to start!

What are some reasons you really enjoy Vermillion?

Vermillion is an exceptionally welcoming community. My family and I were amazed at how welcomed we felt the moment we got here. We love the high energy USD brings, and the close-knit, family feel of the community. Furthermore, the people of Vermillion exhibit a ton of passion for this place. They’re all-in. Whether it’s with USD, a new business coming to town, local events, or serving initiatives, people love it here.

How have you grown here?

I’ve grown in so many ways. Planting a church is very similar to starting a business, which has been incredibly trying at times. But perhaps the greatest way I’ve grown is the desire for us to make Vermillion our home for the long haul. I haven’t had a sense of long-term “stability” since I graduated high school from my hometown in Indiana. Little did we know that we would fall in love with Vermillion so much—that we really, truly, want to dig our roots deep here. We’re here to stay, Vermillion!

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