Pillar Project awarded to Custer and Keystone residents

The Pillar Project is what Stevie Cummins described as “a very exclusive award for simply spectacular people.”

Cummins, owner of Jewel of the West (JOTW), started the Pillar Project as a way to pay forward the kindness that was shown to her. 

She said, “I was really blessed by some very nice people when I was a single mom, and I always wanted to do something to give back someday when I could to people who maybe have some tough circumstances, but no one knows it because they just rise up and do what it takes to live a happy life and to help others.” 

The Pillar Project award winner is gifted a brand new outfit from head to toe including accessories from JOTW and honored at the store anniversary celebration. 

“This year two totally different stories touched me to a level that over three months I could not decide who to pick,” said Cummins. So she picked them both. 

Custer resident Stella Johnson was nominated by her mother, Norma Foxx. 

“Your mom nominated you and wrote the most beautiful letter about you,” said Cummins. “I sat there at my desk and cried when I read it, and her letter went right on the top of the stack.” 

Foxx said JOTW is one of her favorite stores in the Hills. While on the website, she discovered the Pillar Project and decided to nominate Johnson for it. 

“I didn’t think she’d get the grand prize, but I thought she deserved at least honorable mention,” said Foxx. “Stella doesn’t need recognition. Her life is God and service to others. She does a lot of things, and she never expects anything in return.”

Johnson was diagnosed with two different syndromes, one of which is a genetic connective tissue disorder. 

“It doesn’t go away. It’s just a matter of you gotta stay strong and do the work,” said Johnson. “My faith and my spirituality was a big thing for me when I thought all was lost.”

In 2007, after the rally, Johnson found some weakness in her left side and had horrible headaches. Over the next six months, she lost the ability to eat and sleep, her speech slurred and she was in pain. 

One day the phone rang, and a lady said, “I’m on a mission from God, and I’m here to tell you everything’s going to be OK.”

The woman explained how to help Johnson sleep. After that, Johnson slept for six and a half hours straight and woke up crying. The woman then directed Johnson to a doctor in New York. Initially, the doctor was booked out for four and a half months, but after reading Johnson’s letter and seeing she had five of the red flags, the doctor got her in within a few days. 

Johnson flew to New York and there discovered the woman she had been talking to on the phone was her husband’s cousin. At the time, he had not talked to her in 22 years. She then helped Johnson get a room at The Variety House across from the hospital, which was significantly cheaper than a hotel. 

“When you have this disease, it’s a horrible disease. You can spend months at a time, and I spent the equivalent of three years in a hospital,” said Johnson. 

While sitting there, a little girl approached Johnson and asked her what was wrong. Johnson said, “I’m going to have brain surgery tomorrow, and I’m terrified.” 

“She just looked at me and started grinning. She says, ‘That’s nothing to be scared of. I’m 10 and I’ve had eight.’ All my fear was gone,” said Johnson. 

Five years later after many surgeries, Stella brought stuffed animals, games and books to the Ronald McDonald House like she did every time she went to New York. While in a wheelchair, Johnson visited with a little girl. She gave her a stuffed animal dog, talked about the girl’s desire to go outside and prayed with her. The girl said, “You know, prayer works.” 

Minutes later the nurse got a call to take the girl outside. Johnson went with her, and through their conversation, she discovered it was the same little girl who had talked to her before surgery five years earlier. Johnson is still in contact with the girl today. 

Johnson had a total of 38 neurosurgeries, and Foxx said she is always helping others and flying across the country to support friends and family members. 

“I try to stay in the moment. I try to keep recovery first. When I can give of myself to someone else, I do it. I look for it in everything I do,” said Johnson. “You begin to live when you learn to give.” 

To keep the award a surprise, Foxx told Johnson she had a doctor’s appointment and needed her to come along. They closed up their winter home in Florida early, and Johnson even rearranged a doctor appointment in Chicago to be back in Custer in time for her mom’s “appointment.” 

On the way, Foxx stopped at JOTW saying that she ordered something and needed to pick it up. It was then that Cummins broke the news. 

“We want to honor you and thank you for all the sunshine you put into other’s lives despite a lot of difficulties and health issues. So to honor you, you are here to pick out an entire outfit head to toe with accessories, jewelry, boots—whatever you want,” said Cummins. “We just want to give you recognition for the spectacular person you are.” 

“I can’t believe she (Foxx) did that,” said Johnson. “I’m grateful, and I’m really humbled. That’s very kind of you.”

Meanwhile, Keystone resident Nancy Gohsman was nominated by her daughter, Lynette Tyon. 

Tyon was nominated for the Pillar Project in 2023 and received an honorable mention. 

“So then I thought my mother would be perfect because my mother does everything for everybody and nothing for herself ever,” said Tyon. “I figured if she got honorable mention, that would be awesome.” 

When she found out Gohsman won, Tyon said, “I was excited. I never even told my mom that I was going to nominate her so she had no clue until Stevie called her.” 

Since Tyon knew Gohsman would never take time off work to go to JOTW, Cummins surprised her over the phone. Gohsman got the call at work and was confused as to why JOTW would be calling her. The news came as a complete shock.

Cummins said she chose Gohsman because “I just felt like she was a very selfless person who would never spoil herself or do something like this for herself. 

“I just felt like since she had always given to others her whole life that she deserved to be spoiled and pampered and have something nice done for her. I just felt like she was someone who never got to be a princess for a day.” 

Gohsman agreed she never was a princess for a day. She grew up with a handicapped brother with special needs and stepped up to help her parents at an early age. Gohsman took over the cleaning and cooking and became very independent along the way. 

“I’m very proud of the way my parents raised my brother,” she said. 

Gohsman got a job when she was in seventh or eighth grade and started buying her own school clothes so her parents would not have to. 

“There were times my dad wanted to buy a new suit, and mom and dad didn’t have the money, and I bought it for him. But that was me,” said Gohsman.

Tyon recalled times growing up when Gohsman walked around with holes in her shoes because she always put her children and her husband first. 

“She never bought herself anything new,” said Tyon. 

“That’s just me. My family comes first,” said Gohsman. 

Today, Gohsman still works five to six days a week. Tyon said, “She’s got four kids that she always makes sure she has money to take care of if they need something.” 

Gohsman also has eight grandchildren and a fourth great-grandchild on the way. As of next month, she will have been married to her husband for 56 years. 

“He has dementia so it’s a challenge, but that’s OK. I’ll meet the challenge somehow—act of God, trust in God. He keeps me going,” said Gohsman. “I’m just a normal person. To me, I’m not anything special. I’m just me.” 

“Thank you so much for this. I appreciate it. When you called me, I was so shocked,” Gohsman said to Cummins. 

“I don’t have any words. I’m used to helping everybody—my kids, my family, my coworkers and stuff like that—whenever I can. I don’t think of me,” Gohsman said. “I have a perfect life.” 

Cummins said we need to spoil people, and she was excited to return the kindness that was shown to her years ago.

Johnson and Gohsman were honored at the third anniversary celebration of JOTW April 19 at Chute Rooster. They wore their new outfits and received a copy of the nomination letters that Cummins received.

This year the two honorable mention winners were able to travel from Ohio and Nebraska for the celebration as well. They received a cozy blanket and a gift card to JOTW. 

Nominations are open for next year’s Pillar Project winner and will close March 1, 2025. Cummins asks that nominators send an email following the letter so none are missed. Once nominations are closed, Cummins sits at her desk and “bawls” reading the letters. 

“I wish I could select them all, but then I would be bankrupt,” said Cummins. 

Instead, she calls each nominator personally to let them know the results. 

More information can be found at jewelofthewest.com/the-pillar-project.