Message from the CHF President - February 2025

Dear Fellow Board Members of CHF and CHS:

Thank you to everyone who attended the Quarterly Meeting in Pierre last month. If you missed it, the minutes are available on Boardvantage.

Board Members had the opportunity to meet with and listen to our partners from JLG Architects, Gustafson Builders and our Tegra Construction Risk Manager Dick Strassburg. We reviewed updated Rapid City Campus building design plans and our partners answered our questions. The new projected construction total, Children’s Home Society’s budget projections for the next five years and plans for moving forward were also discussed. At the end of the meeting, the Society Board passed a new construction budget not to exceed $33 million.

This is a significant milestone in our Children’s Home Board history. It is the first time we are taking on a project of this size and while it is ambitious, the outcome will be worth it for our clients. To quote my friend and Board Chair Jack Marsh, “We are taking a risk to transform.”

I am confident in each of you and our fundraising abilities. I know that we will stick to our budget and make our goal.

Thank you for your ongoing commitment to helping some of the most vulnerable people in our state. Personally, I am excited to see the transformation of our campus and our resulting ability to help more Black Hills area children and families with more efficiency and effectiveness. Now, let’s start raising money and turning this dream into a reality. This is a huge project and it’s going to take teamwork from both boards to get it done!

Best wishes,

Bob Baker
Children’s Home Foundation Board President