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His Love for Helping Others Grew

Updated: Dec 23, 2020



Dallas Dietrich went to college (National College of Business) in South Dakota. He married Mary in 1969 and started a family. Dawn was born in 1970 and Deric in 1975. In the late 70’s, Dallas became the placement director for the college where he was able to take on a huge challenge and grow his passion for helping others. One of the goals was for the college to become the first campus in the country to be fully handicapped accessible. He was then appointed to the Mayor’s Committee for Employment of the Handicapped by the mayor of Rapid City to designate handicapped parking spaces in downtown Rapid City. My brother was incapable of walking away from a challenge.


Enter Ski For Light


In the 80’s, Dallas attended an International Ski for Light program hosted by Deer Mountain Ski Area. The event brought in 100 blind/visually- or mobility-impaired adults from all over the world to experience the joy of cross country skiing with their own personal guide. Dallas’s compassionate heart caught on fire. For the next nine years Dallas served as the Black Hills regional “Ski for Light” president. As it was the second oldest and largest regional Ski for Light program in the country, it was selected for The George H.W. Bush Points of Light award in 1990. And I have to proudly mention that President George W. Bush personally called Dallas to invite him to witness the signing of the American Disabilities Act.


Looking back, it’s funny how life places us in such serendipitous situations.



What One Dietrich Didn't Think of the Other One Did


I remember one year Dallas was ranting about their ski business and how there was no snow and how it was going to affect ski sales. I was on the phone with him and I said you need a snow princess. Before the end of the call, we had planned to bring models and snow to Rapid City… well, in the store that is. He created a Snow Princess event sale. I created models (food art) representing all three mountain peaks for skiing. Mom, dad, sisters and kids all attended. We made it a family event, again creating a good old family memory while having fun mixing business and family.



Scott McConkey

Southern Minnesota Law Enforcement Liaison

Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety


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