2025 Catalyst Club Good Neighbors

The Catalyst Club will hold their 43rd annual "Good Neighbor" Banquet at 1:00 pm on Sunday, September 21st at the Wall Community Center. The Catalyst Club originated in 1981 when Lyndell Peterson and Elnoris Kjerstad were fixing fence and having a discussion about their many good neighbors and how there should be a way of recognizing them for their good deeds.  That discussion led to the formation of the Catalyst Club whose sole purpose has been to nominate and select good neighbors each year and honor them with a luncheon.

This year one individual and two couples will be honored. The 2025 honorees are Wayne Shull of Wall, Carter and AnneMarie  Johnson of Rapid City, and Jake and Chastity Julson  of New Underwood. Honorees selected have demonstrated the    qualities of being exceptionally good neighbors; those who are always there to lend a helping hand when needed through volunteer work, community service, and just being a kind and helpful person to those who live and work around them.

Wayne Shull

Wayne Shull was nominated by Camden Sawvell. He said: "If anyone deserves this award, it is Wayne. Shull and his wife Mel have been a key asset to our community for years.  From helping at the church to participating in every community event possible, they were there."

Shull has been volunteering in many capacities for many years. However, since he retired, he has more time for neighborly deeds. Wayne graduated from Wall High School, and from there he studied auto mechanics in Mitchell. An instructor there was in the Guards and told him if he joined, he would get to go to Germany. So he signed up, planning to serve 6 years. Instead, he put in 27 and a half years, stating: “I keep getting drawn back by the people.” He went on to serve in Italy, Panama, Iraq and Kuwait. He retired from the Guards in 2005 as a Master Sergeant. He gave many years of his life to protecting his country and community.

In 1984, Shull began working for West River Electric Association  (WREA). He started out as an apprentice lineman and completed his career as the Operations Superintendent. He has many memories of working in storms. He said Atlas was the worst. However, the most dangerous was when he and Joel Stevens almost drowned crossing the Bad River. They truly put their lives on the line for their neighbors and community. At one point Shull was put in charge of summer help. He said that was special to him because there were always kids willing to learn and wanted his help. He said the things he enjoyed most about his job and will miss the most is the employees and the members. Shull said he always considered what was best for the members.

After almost 39 years, Shull retired from his job at WREA. That is allowing him more time to devote to community service.   Shull has been a faithful member of the Catholic Church since the day he was born. He, along with his wife Melanie, have been involved in the ministry of the Eucharist at the Saint Patrick’s Church in Wall for 30 years. Shull was a member of the church finance committee for a number of years. He was on the Parish Council, and he taught the youth at various levels for over 20 years. He was a sponsor for several young men and assists with maintaining both the church and rectory facilities/grounds including assisting with snow removal.  Shull and Melanie have been campaign volunteers for both of the Diocesan Missions in the past ten years.

In addition to his church involvement, he has delivered communion to the homebound, served as an "uber" driver for some of the elderly in our community who need assistance to and from doctor appointments, and even delivered groceries. Other tasks he has provided include cutting down trees and repairing walkers.  He currently serves on the board of the Wall Area Chamber of Commerce. He also is a volunteer driver (no pay) for the ambulance service in Wall, as well as the "go-to" person when there is a mechanical or maintenance issue with an ambulance. Upon retirement Shull said he was looking forward to more time with family and friends, wood working, traveling, cooking, pickleball, mechanic work, kayaking, reaching out to troops he served with in Iraq, playing Santa and, of course, helping others in need. ''For me, family is a place where one is accepted with unconditional love," said Shull. Family is home, a place of security and so much more. Everything I have done, I have had the support of Mel. Whatever I have decided, she has supported me." Melanie received the Good Neighbor Award in 2019".

Over the years Shull volunteered as a Jr. High Basketball Assistant Coach, Youth Baseball Coach, and a Women's Softball Coach. He has even taken up the challenge of being a substitute teacher. 

Shull and Melanie have four children: Miranda, Zach, Seth and Jennifer, who have blessed them with 13 grandchildren. Shull has been and continues to be a great asset to the Wall Community and definitely has earned the honor of being 

Carter and AnneMarie Johnson

Carter and AnneMarie Johnson were nominated by Patty Brunner She described the couple as perfect examples of people who go above and beyond to serve their neighbors, friends, and community. They are members of Our Lady of the Black Hills. Both serve on the hospitality and greeting committee. As for their professional and business involvement, Carter is an animal pharmaceutical rep for MWI Animal Health Supply. He visits vet clinics all over South Dakota, Nebraska, and Wyoming, informing them of the latest medicine and products. He helped organize a young vet conference through his work.

 AnneMarie has been an occupational therapist for children birth to 21 in the Belle Fourche school district for 30 years. Through her tireless advocacy, boundless love, and readiness to help in any way she can, she has become a part of these families' lives.  Carter has volunteered for multiple aid stations for the Lean Horse Marathon (high school marathon for people). He has also volunteered to drive to school events and field trips. He served on the Central States Fair Board of Directors for 4 years. He was chairman of the livestock committee at the Black Hills Stock Show for many years. AnneMarie also volunteered for multiple aid stations for the lean horse marathon. She has been a 4-H leader for 13 years. She has been show manager for the Black Hills Summer Circuit Quarter Horse Show for many years, and helped with it prior to being manager. She arranges for year-end awards for Center of the Nation Quarter Horse Association,  Wyoming Quarter Horse Association, and previously for the South Dakota Quarter Horse A Association.   Like her husband, she has volunteered to drive to school events and field trips. She also helps with Special Olympics. Patty shared her own experience of being a recipient of the Johnson's neighborliness: "I personally have been the recipient of this couple's kindness. Help with hauling bales from the hayfield after Don passed away, helping prep horses for a show the summer I broke my back, and loaning their dually when mine had a breakdown in town. “I am happy to know this couple and blessed to call them friends”.

The Johnsons have a daughter: Emily.

Jake & Chastity Julson

Jake & Chastity Julson were nominated by Connie Simon. Simon said of the Julsons: “They are so busy that it was a challenge to get time with them to discuss everything they do for their church and community. Jake is the pastor for the New Underwood Community Church (NUCC) and the Elm Springs Church. Since Jake became pastor, the attendance has greatly increased, especially with the number of younger people attending. Jake takes on many more tasks as a pastor than just preaching sermons on Sunday. Some of those tasks include the following: pre-marriage counseling, marriage counseling, and conducting weddings and funerals. Jake is the New Underwood Volunteer Fire Dept. Chaplin. He participates with vacation Bible School. Jake is camp director for Yesterday's Kid's near Maurine, SD, along with other camps. He is Creator's Kids leader, Youth Group teacher, and Men's Bible Study leader.

Along with his numerous church related activities, Jake has been a volunteer for a variety of community events, including:  coaching AAU wrestling in Union Center, assisting with the Wall middle school wrestling program and aiding in many youth programs. It is obvious he loves kids, and not just his own. He welcomes youth group kids to his home to serve as a good role model/mentor. Wherever you see Jake, you will likely see a group of kids he is playing with; tossing a football, catching baseball, and even supervising the mutton busting at the Central States Fair. Jake also provides music and ministry to residents of the Good Samaritan Center every week.

 In addition to being a pastor, Jake served as the county road grader for seven years and is currently a rancher. He uses the ranch as a place to make people who do not feel comfortable in a church setting feel at home and loved.

Jake's wife, Chastity, is definitely is a very busy lady. Chastity is super blessed to live life with zest as she homeschools her children, serves as the women's and children's ministry coordinator at the New Underwood Church, directs all sorts of Christmas and Easter programs, meets with numerous women throughout the week for coffee and counseling or, just good old chats about the Bible, who God is, and how He pertains to our lives.

In fact, God is Chastity's one magnificent obsession, and she loves being in His Word and sharing it with other women and with children. Fleshed out, this looks like heading up and serving as a liaison for Creator's Kids, the K-5th grade Wednesday program where kids come to know God as their Creator's, Jesus as their Savior, and the Holy Spirit as their guide. Chastity also is passionate about helping with Vacation Bible School, though another excellent sister in Christ heads that program. Discipleship and counseling mean numerous meet-ups to open the Bible over a cup of coffee or tea, as well as taking part in as many of the group studies with other women as is feasible for the Julson family sanity.

Chastity also serves as one of the leaders for the music team at NUCC, though she is joined by about 20 other incredible people who share the leadership of worship and praise as they rotate through their monthly schedule. Chastity plinks around on the piano, violin, acoustic guitar, bass guitar, drums on occasion, and, most recently the steel guitar.

When not doing "church" work, Chastity enjoys advocating for best practices in education in a variety of settings and seeks to support teachers in the public and private school settings, as well as empowering parents to strive for excellence in whichever school setting works best for their children and their families, including homeschooling. Toward that end, Chastity enjoys the thriving homeschool community around New Underwood and does what she can to enhance that.

Chastity has had a tough but victorious health journey, so health and wellness are also passions for her. In addition to these, Chastity enjoys studying and reading on many topics while trying to maintain a house free of communicable diseases.

Beside her pursuit of Christ, Chastity spends her time seeking to be a helpmate to Jake, to love on and train up her seven precious children, and to bring all others into the saving faith of and growth  in Christ, so that as many as possible might know rich hope in a world marked by depression, peace that guards the mind in a world filled  by anxiety, and the power of love and a sound mind in a world  filled with fear.

Jake and Chastity have seven children: Chaisie, Piers, Faith, Cherish, Haakon, Cora Jean, and Tirzah.  Jake and Chastity were kind enough to share their children's talents at the Lakeside Memorial Day service. They sang, played instruments, and recited poems. They are indeed a very busy family, but they are always willing to take time to be good neighbors and help those in need. They are a great asset to the New Underwood community.