SOUTH DAKOTA SPORTS AWARDS

#SDSportsAwards, community impact: Using athletics to help the community

Jacqueline Palfy
Argus Leader
Clockwise from top: The Run for Food organized by Rob Sevold and Jeff Schmitt, Nick Perry of Brookings, and Elk Point-Jefferson's Todd Larsen

Across South Dakota, residents take their pride in their communities and turn it into action. It’s a strong and proud tradition that we were happy to recognize. We asked for nominations for people who have used athletics to make a difference where they live. Out of that pool, a committee chose three people who we felt best represented community spirit, outreach and sportsmanship. The award is sponsored by Sen. John Thune.

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Nick Perry is a senior at Brookings HS, where he plays football. His talent on the field led him to national invitation-only football camps. At the camps, Perry learned about Kick It – a national program that tries to raise money for children’s cancer research.

MORE: See other winners of the S.D. Sports Awards

Perry wanted to be part of it. He set a goal of raising $1,000 based on his extra-point kicks.

While raising money, Perry had his own struggles at home. Still, he was able to focus and maintained a 3.3 grade point average and plans to attend N.D. State College of Science to play football.

In the end, Perry raised $5,958 for the Kick It program.

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Todd Larsen of Elk Point helped develop the baseball/softball complex in his community. Daryl Fletcher, who nominated him, touted Larsen as being solely responsible for the complex.

“He is responsible for everything – the mowing, the sprinkler system, the new grandstand, the new scoreboard, the batting cage, the sound system,” Fletcher wrote. “He does it because he wants the youth of our community to have a great place to play baseball.”

The complex also has hosted tournaments, including state baseball tournaments.

And when it was time to choose a name, the community knew just what to call it: The Todd Larsen Complex.

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Jeff Schmitt and Rob Sevold grew up together in Sioux Falls.

The lifelong friends turned into running partners, and one day they lamented why Sioux Falls doesn’t have a Thanksgiving Day run. The members of the Sioux Falls Area Running Club knew that people often go for a run that day, and they hoped to bring them together. But more than that, they wanted their run to make a difference.

They decided to hold a charity run starting at The Banquet, a feeding ministry in downtown Sioux Falls. All proceeds would go to The Banquet. That meant no race shirts, no timing chips, no bibs and no frills. Instead, family and friends stand on various corners and direct hundreds of runners on 3 and 6-mile courses through downtown.

On a day when many people reflect on what they are grateful for, Sevold and Schmitt looked for a way to take that gratitude a step further – and in 11 years, they have raised more than $60,000 for The Banquet.

The Run for Food unites community members for health and good works, all because two runners wanted to make a difference.