RAPID CITY, SD — Black Hills Special Services Cooperative (BHSSC) in partnership with the Black Hills Area Community Foundation (BHACF) is thrilled to announce the establishment of the Cathy and Ken Vogele Adult Education Fund. This endowed fund will help cover the costs of adult education testing services for adult learners across the Black Hills region.
“We are deeply grateful to the Vogeles for their generosity. Many of our adult learners cannot afford the fees associated with GED® testing, and this fund helps remove a significant barrier. Earning a high school equivalency opens doors to future careers and financial stability, creating long-term impact not only for families, but for workforce development across our community,” said Jeanne McKenna, BHSSC Education and Workforce Development Division Director.
Inspired after reading the Rapid City Journal’s 2025 “Nonprofit Wish List,” local donors, Cathy and Ken Vogele, reached out to the Black Hills Area Community Foundation asking how they could help. BHACF worked closely with BHSSC to understand adult education needs for the region, and the Vogeles stepped forward in a major way to meet those needs. They established the fund with an initial $50,000 gift from their Donor Advised Fund and recommended an additional $3,000 grant to BHSSC to help meet immediate adult learner testing needs in 2026.
Through a matching partnership with the John T. Vucurevich Foundation, BHACF provided an additional $12,500 match, bringing the total value of the endowed fund to more than $62,500 at launch. At this level, annual distributions from the fund will cover approximately one-third of BHSSC’s adult education testing costs each year.
“Cathy and Ken’s generous gift will help Black Hills residents get the credentials they need to take the next step in their educational and professional journeys. The Black Hills Area Community Foundation is grateful to them and to Black Hills Special Services Cooperative for all they do in our community. We are proud to steward these dollars, which will make a positive difference for generations to come,” said Chris Huber, President and CEO of the Black Hills Area Community Foundation.
Community members are encouraged to help grow the Cathy and Ken Vogele Adult Education Fund. Donations can be made in several ways:
By check: Payable to Black Hills Area Community Foundation with “Vogele Adult Education Fund” noted in the memo line and mailed to 243 Founders Park Drive, Suite 102, Rapid City, SD 57701
Online: Donations may be made by credit card online at Cathy & Ken Vogele Adult Education Fund
Additional giving options: Please contact BHACF directly about Qualified Charitable Distributions from an IRA, gifts of appreciated stock, or other planned gifts.
Beginning in 2027, BHSSC will receive an annual notification from BHACF detailing the value of the endowed fund and the amount available for distribution. At that time, BHSSC may choose to receive the funds, reinvest them for future growth, or combine both options. BHACF will continue to match new contributions to the fund at a 4:1 rate, up to an additional $7,500, increasing the fund by as much as $20,000.
