Citizen of the Year

A job done well. A job done.
For nearly 40 years—with just over the last 13 spent in Custer—Rex Jorgensen has dedicated himself to communities, families and children of four different YMCAs.
For that reason and many more, Jorgensen has been named the Custer County Chronicle’s Citizen of the Year for 2024.
All told, Jorgensen has dedicated 37 years of his life to the YMCA. He began his career at the Custer YMCA in August 2011, but began his career at the Aberdeen YMCA in 1985.
At previous YMCAs Jorgensen was in child care, sports and camp director, which included a stop in Aledo, Ill., where he was the CEO of that YMCA.
“Rex came to the Custer YMCA at just the right time. Corbin Herman, the director at that time, had the Y on solid ground with a decent amount of members and a good rapport with the city,” said Gene and Linda Fennell, Y’s Men (Custer YMCA service club) original members. “Rex took that lead and magnified it. He has taken the Y to another level. Memberships have flourished and the Kids Campaign has brought in thousands of dollars to help families in need have programs and memberships.”
The Fennells also note Jorgensen has a way with people in the community.
“Everyone calls him by name and most become members because of his way of making every individual special and important, no matter their age, status or ability,” the Fennells wrote.
Since being hired at the Custer YMCA, Jorgensen has spearheaded a variety of programs and initiatives, including:
• 21st Century Program successfully restarted. Programs operating in Custer and Hermosa.
• Revamped youth swim lessons to conform to RCYMCA programming.
•Adopted Haunted House and Festival of Trees from the museum’s programming.
• Organization of the Southern Hills Soccer league.
• Created a basketball program in response to the school’s change at the fifth and sixth grade to accommodate kindergarten through sixth grades.
“Our relationship with the city has grown to position ourselves to be able to collaborate in creating the Custer Community Center plans and the move to an expanded facility,” said Elaina Kempin, director of marketing for the YMCA of Rapid City.  “School district collaborations have improved. For example, we have the head basketball coaches involved with our programming this year.”
This doesn’t count the hours upon hours spent running up and down the court as a basketball official, the countless balls and strikes called as an umpire, the endless miles run as a soccer official and the other hours spent supervising and officiating all of the other sports and activities that have flourished at the YMCA under Jorgensen’s watch. Jorgensen has also spent many hours volunteering and helping the community as a member of the Custer Rotary Club.
There was a time Jorgensen left the YMCA after his time at the Aledo YMCA, but according to a story printed in an August issue of the Custer County Chronicle, Jorgensen said he began to once again feel the call of the YMCA.
“I missed it,” he said at the time. “The Y got into my blood.” Jorgensen said getting back into the YMCA in Custer made him feel like he was making a difference once again.
Roger Gallimore, the now-retired former CEO of the Rapid City YMCA, said  it was a privilege for him to work with Jorgensen.
“I took great joy in watching Rex interact with people in his good-natured way as he daily put his shoulder to the wheel to make sure everything was in place for all the Y programs and activities,” Gallimore said. “More than that, Rex embodied the YMCA values of honesty, caring, respect and responsibility on a daily basis and consequently contributed greatly to the wonderful character of the Custer community. Being named as Citizen of the Year is a well-deserved honor and is quite fitting for one who has given so freely of himself.”
The Fennells wrote that as Y’s Men, service club to the YMCA, Jorgensen has been right there helping with every project, including the YMCA Rummage Sale.
“He was there to help with loading and unloading the donations, and almost each year he could be found napping in one of the donated rocking chairs. He was dedicated, always lending a hand where needed and we would not have been successful without his continual help,” they said. “Rex will be missed, but since he is not moving out of town, we’re certainly hoping he will still be involved in all our special projects.
“Rex has and always will hold a special place in the history of the Custer YMCA! He’s a great man!”
This isn’t the first time Jorgensen has been honored in the City of Custer. He has been honored in the past by the Custer Area Chamber of Commerce at its annual award banquet, having been twice named the city’s Individual of the Year for his work at the YMCA twice.
“Rex is such an amazing part of our community. He loves Custer and it shows,” Custer YMCA board member Kris Zerbe said. “ As I said during my speech at his retirement party, Rex is everywhere. You can find him  participating in chamber banquets and mixers.  You see him walking around during Gold Discovery Days and Christmas Parades.  He is at most if not all of the school sporting events from refereeing the games to being in the stands supporting the Custer Wildcats. You can find even find him driving the kids to these sporting events.
“Rex is a true example of what a community leader should be.”
Jorgensen officially retired from the Custer YMCA Dec. 20. He will undoubtedly be missed at the YMCA but will still be a presence in Custer. We’re sure he will still be found volunteering or assisting the community and its people in some form or fashion.
“He will be missed, but we are excited for him on his new journey into retirement,” Kempin said.
Congratulations, Rex!