Sara Stadem | Editor
Adam DeJong has always felt immense pride in his hometown of Hartford and the West Central Trojans and giving back to his community is a huge priority to him, according to the Hartford Area Chamber of Commerce. This factored into DeJong being the recipient of the Hartford Area Chamber of Commerce “Volunteer of the Year” award.
Originally from Sioux Falls, DeJong moved to rural Hartford when he was 10 years old. After graduating from West Central, he enlisted in the Army National Guard which he served in for eight years.
DeJong and his wife, Kim, of 18 years, have three children; AJ (21), Lainey (17-year-old junior in high school) and Elliot (12-year-old 6th grader).
“I lived in many different communities but ultimately I knew I wanted to settle in Hartford to raise my family because of all my wonderful friends and family that live here,” DeJong said. He continued, “On top of that the community has a strong sense of supporting each other and I know how rare that is.”
DeJong currently owns Pizza Ranch in Hartford, an adventure that started for DeJong in high school. DeJong started working at Pizza Ranch in high school, working his way into buying the store with his partner Todd Pharis. According to DeJong, after 12 years partnering with Pharis, he chose to venture out with himself and his wife. On July 1, 2017, they bought out Pharis and became the sole owners of Pizza Ranch.
With being the owner of Pizza Ranch, DeJong finds several ways to help the community through his business.
According to the Hartford Area Chamber of Commerce, whether donating food, employing local youth and running fundraisers every week, it’s evident of DeJong’s desire for serving others.
“We love to donate food to many different groups of people. Especially now during COVID we were able to get hundreds of meals out to community members that were unable to leave their homes,” DeJong stated. He continued, “We have been so blessed by so many people that stepped up and bought food or gift cards to keep our business running. Josh Mueller started a monster campaign to help feed the elderly and others that needed some support.”
Outside of his business, DeJong continues to volunteer in the community in other areas as well. The Chamber explained you may also find DeJong ‘reffing’ local basketball games, coaching, and running basketball camps. His love for sports and his hometown high school has made him a lifelong fan and supporter of the West Central Trojans.
“I am very honored to receive it. It’s hard for me to talk about it because I really don’t enjoy talking about myself or what I do,” DeJong said. He continued, “I just enjoy people and value the relationships I’ve made over the years.”
The Chamber also stated from the beginning of the pandemic, Adam partnered with local businesses to ensure that all children and families in our community were being fed. He also delivered meals to the elderly who were no longer able to safely leave their homes. Adam is truly a community Hero!
DeJong concluded, “I just want to thank the Chamber for honoring me with this award. I also want to say thank you to each and every one out there that helped keep our Pizza Ranch open through this pandemic. I am truly humbled by the support. There is way, way too many people to thank but just know that I am forever indebted.”