Thank You For Attending the Class of 2022 Honors Ceremony
The Class of 2022 Honors Ceremony was an incredible weekend, and many memories were made. We are honored to champion the legacies of these ten newest inductees who joined the South Dakota Hall of Fame, and we want to thank you all for helping us celebrate their induction. From the first social hour kicking off the weekend to the closing statements of the Honors Ceremony Banquet, it was a memorable two days filled with the legacies of these great South Dakotans.
Inductees were introduced at a reception to kick off the Honors Ceremony weekend.
At the Friday night reception, the members of the Class of 2022 were officially introduced, and a special moment of silence was held for 2018 Inductee and South Dakota Hall of Fame Board Member Rod Bowar, who passed away on Sunday, August 28th. The evening reception was opened with current Miss South Dakota, Hunter Widvey, singing the national anthem. Hunter was not only proud to be there in support of her second cousin, 2022 Inductee Paul Gnirk, but to also support 2022 Inductee Shantel Krebs, CEO and Board Chair of the Miss America organization.
Saturday morning began with the Medallion Ceremony Brunch, where inductees were awarded their medallions, officially commemorating their induction into the Hall. Peggy Shlanta, wife of 2022 Inductee Mark Shlanta (1965–2022) accepted his medallion on his behalf, and Cheryl Zimiga, granddaughter of 2022 Inductee Grace Martin Highley (1895–1985), accepted Grace’s medallion on her behalf. Testimonial videos were shared during the brunch, featuring individuals close to each inductee congratulating them on their induction. Click here to view these testimonial videos online. Following brunch was a meet & greet with inductees at their display tables, where guests could get to know each of the newest members of the Hall.
2022 Inductee Bev Warne enjoying the meet & greet.
The Anniversary Reunion held on Saturday afternoon was a wonderful celebration of the continued inspiration of a legacy. Some of the inductees present to celebrate their anniversary, and to receive an anniversary reunion plaque were: Dwayne Beck, Adeline Gnirk (plaque accepted by her sons David and Paul Gnirk), Dick Gowen (plaque accepted by his wife Nancy Gowen), Gene LeBrun, Don Meyer (plaque accepted by his wife Carmen Meyer), Mary Olinger, Bill Walsh, and Myrna Williamson.
We are proud to share that the September Benefit Auction, which included a live auction held on Saturday during the Honors Ceremony weekend raised just over $18,000 dollars in support of the South Dakota Hall of Fame. We are deeply grateful for this support. As a nonprofit organization that does not receive state funding, your generosity ensures we can continue to uplift the legacies of dream chasers across the state.
The South Dakota Hall of Fame Class of 2022 Inductees
The weekend came to a close with the Honors Ceremony Banquet, which was filled with inspiring speeches from inductees and representatives of inductees. Each inductee’s speech will be available to view online later this month. A special moment followed the last speech of the evening; Bev Warne was ceremonially presented with a traditional Lakota star quilt by loved ones. It was a beautiful moment paying tribute to Bev's Native heritage.
Moments like these leave us in awe of the legacy of each individual inducted into the Hall, and we are honored to welcome these ten newest inductees into the South Dakota Hall of Fame.
Finally, we would like to thank our many amazing sponsors, donors, and partners for their support. To view a full list of our supporters, you can view the Class of 2022 Honors Ceremony Magazine online by clicking here.