"Justin was diagnosed with autism at the age of 3. We went through all kinds of testing and poking and prodding and the school actually determined it was autism." Vicki Erickson is Justin's mom and the coordinator of 'Justin's Run' a charity motorcycle ride that's rumbled into its 10th year.

     But it didn't start that way. "It started out as just a ride through the Hills. All the adults decided to play hooky. We got to a place in Hill City and somebody asked us what we were doing, what we were riding for."  I said, 'We're just out to have a good time.' And a friend said, 'No, this is for Justin.' It kind of just stuck."

     Over the next few years Justin's Run was used as a fundraiser to raise money to help pay for Justin's medical treatments and education. Now as Justin prepares to enter his freshman year at Central High School his mom says she organizes the run each year to help GIVE BACK to the Rapid City community that's helped her family so much. And it wasn't hard to pick the right cause.

     Erickson says, "We chose Storybook Island because, during the summer, this is where my kids live. They love it here and all of them are teenagers or in their 20's and they still love to come here." Erickson estimates over the years Justin's Run has been able to raise $8,000 to $10,000 for the park and she's hoping to add at least another $1,500 to that total after today's charity run through the Hills.

Brendyn Medina