Hoffman’s book “Your Winner Within.”
The Sidney Area Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture will hold their annual banquet January 21st at the Sidney Country Club. Annual awards will be presented. There will be a social beginning at 6 pm, with the dinner following at 6:30 pm. This year’s speaker is Holly Hoffman, who appeared on the show “Survivor”.
Holly (Wanner) Hoffman was born and raised in Eureka, a small town with about 850 residents, in north central South Dakota. Being the youngest of three children and the only girl in the family, Holly definitely considers herself a tomboy at heart.
Growing up, life wasn’t always easy for Holly. Her father was an abusive alcoholic who went in and out of treatment many times and started gambling. Holly’s parents divorced when she was in the sixth grade and her father basically disappeared, coming in and out of their lives. However, Holly stayed as strong as possible to have a regular life growing up.
Her senior year of high school, she was voted the Female High School Athlete of the Year for the entire state of South Dakota. At that moment, she realized hard work pays off. Holly started dating Charlie Hoffman her senior year of high school and their courtship continued while she attended college. Charlie and Holly married in 1985 and started their new home on a cattle ranch in rural Eureka.
Starting their family early in the marriage, they welcomed son Austin in 1985, daughter Alexandra in 1987, and daughter Elizabeth in 1990. Sadly, her father passed away the same year in August. He was only 46 years of age and had paid the ultimate price for a lifelong addiction to alcohol.
After starting up a swim team, coaching for 17 years, raising her children, and sending them off to college, Holly decided she wanted a challenge and an adventure in her own life. She wanted to step out of her comfort zone, and that is when she decided to apply to be on the CBS reality show, “Survivor”. After sending in one application, one audition DVD, and having one casting call, Holly made the show for season 21, “Survivor Nicaragua“. Little did she know, this was only the beginning of her journey. Holly feels that what she learned from being on the reality show, she has been able to apply to the real world of survival. Holly finished fourth at the end of the season and was the last woman standing as well as the last member of her tribe.
Soon after coming home from Nicaragua, Holly became an inspirational and motivational speaker. Holly encourages others to take opportunities and also focus on attitude, confidence, determination, desire, and faith, which is what her new book, ‘The Winner Within’, explains in detail.
She believes her childhood experiences grounded her to become the determined person she is today. Not realizing it at the time, but now looking back, Holly feels you sometimes must go through hardships in your life to become a more determined person. Her mom was a true example of how to never give up in life.
When asked about what she hopes people come away with after listening to her speech, “I hope you will walk out of the room realizing you can do anything in life you set your mind to. When you face your fears, you gain strength and courage. Don’t let your past mistakes define your future,” Holly stated, “nobody can go back and make a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new end.”
For more information go to http://www.hollyhoffman.org.
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