This past week, McCook lost yet another member of the community who was passionate about his hometown, who was a tremendous supporter of the arts and music, who was constantly coming with ideas which stemmed from his interests and hobbies.
After putting up a good fight for the past nine months, Tor Olson passed away earlier this week at his home in McCook. With him went a lot of plans, tremendous passion, and expertise in everything from photography to computers, from biking to beer, just to name a few.
But what he left behind is even more important. Tor left behind a model of how to make his community a better place to call home - both for himself and for others.
Tor was always coming up with ideas, of doing things you are passionate about, of making things happen even if it’s not going to be easy.
For example, Tor was instrumental in getting the walking trail system going in McCook, which is used by thousands every year. He garnered support from a variety of different areas and helped make it happen. Now the entire community is a beneficiary of that work. And with the backing of Community Hospital and the city of McCook, hopefully those walking trails will be expanded even more over the next year or two.
When Tor got excited about project, he went full in.
Early last spring, Tor had the idea to expand the walking/hiking/biking trails at Red Willow State Recreation Area, north of McCook. Working with our area’s Nebraska Games and Parks superintendent Aric Riggins, Tor mapped, designed and plotted new trails to make the system in place even better.
Yes, he was doing it because he wanted more bike trails close by, but he also wanted others to enjoy the area as much as he did. He wanted visitors and residents alike to understand what the area had to offer.
Then Covid hit and the world shut down, but not for Tor. He saw it as an opportunity to get things done while we could, with regular texts asking to meet him at the lake to work on the trails. So with weekends and weeknights suddenly open, Tor and his wife, Holly, and a core group of volunteers took to the trails, digging and chopping and mowing additional trails.
While it is unfortunate that Tor wasn’t able to see the trails reach completion, his passion will live on as the trails are connected on both sides of the dam, new signs marking the trails will be installed this upcoming year, and a bike loan program will be put in place at the campground.
All because Tor had an idea.
We will remember Tor for his beautiful photographs, his love of music, his unmatched enthusiasm for craft beers, which he was always willing to share. But the one thing I will take from Tor’s passing is that we need to get out there and do the things which are important to us, to do the things that will bring joy to our friends and family, to do the things which will make our community even better. Because we are not promised tomorrow and you never know when it will be the “last time” you can do something.
On my phone is a video of Tor almost taken exactly one year ago at Potter’s Pasture near Brady, Nebraska. As he maneuverers a deep ravine on his mountain bike, he approaches a rickety bridge with broken boards. At the last second, he says “no big deal,” swerves around the boards onto another path and casually coasts to the bottom of the hill.
The video is bittersweet to watch.
It shows him doing what he loves, both riding his bikes to just being with friends and family. But it was also the last time we went to Potter’s…we just didn’t know it at the time.
Most of the time, we don’t know when it will be the last time: the last time you will see someone you love, the last time you will talk to a friend, the last time you will be able to something to make the world a better place than you found it.
As Tor’s wife Holly has rummaged through paperwork in recent weeks, she has come across many of his projects from over the years, many of them accomplished. Others were not implemented, yet they are still viable such as downtown Christmas lights on all the buildings to additional bicycle racks throughout the community.
We have the opportunity to accomplish some of those unfinished projects which Tor had conceived. And we also have the opportunity to get out there and do things which bring us joy, which will benefit not just ourselves but also our fellow community members, which will make our community an even better place to call home. Because there is no perfect time; there is only now.
McCook's last hometown bakery closed this past week, leaving a void not just for donuts but for connections.
Many organizations and businesses in McCook offer the opportunity to recycle, reuse and repair items that may just end up in the trash.
Organizer for Buffalo Commons Storytelling Festival and former librarian named Oct 2025 volunteer of the month.
McCook's Third Thursdays were created to get businesses and organizations involved and designed to create life-long memories for the community.
Long-time community advocate Barb Ostrum received the Sept 2025 McCook Volunteer of the Month award.
We need to celebrate our young people while they are here and encourage them to return.
While some like myself appreciate a rainy day, others dread them for a variety of reasons. We need to be empathetic as interact with others.
MCFF Fall Grant Deadline is Oct. 1. Complete list of former recipients on MCFF website
With so much going, it is time for a “This, That and the Other Thing” column, where we will cover several topics, not very deeply but hopefully with a sense of humor as we clean up and prepare for a busy week in McCook. *** McCook again made state and national news this week for ice. This time, it was in the form of hail that pounded the community for hours upon hours. Conversations this week begin with “where were you….?” or “how many windows did you lose?” And while they may be legitimate and are offering their services, it is like vultures with all the roofing repair and dent removal businesses which have descended upon McCook following the storm. As city officials noted, do your due diligence with any company doing repairs for you and follow the old adage, which is old and still around because it’s true: If something seems to be too good to be true, it probably is. And one last note on the storm, we need to be careful what we ask for. As storm after storm approaches McCook and then splits in two to go around the town, we finally got one to roll right over us. The storm liked McCook so much it slowed down and just there. I was in Lincoln during the storm and trying to determine when I would drive home. I thought the weather app had frozen or the radar was broken because every time I looked, the storm was still sitting over McCook, doing its damage. I guess we can be thankful the next time a storm seemingly just goes around us. *** We are in the thick of McCook’s Heritage Days celebration. Congratulations to all the Heritage Days Royalty, which was announced at the MNB Bank Mixer this week. A special shout-out to Bill Donze, better known as Mr. Bill and his wife, Kathy, who were honored as royalty for their impact in McCook. As many know, Mr. Bill is fighting cancer and the prognosis isn’t good. The chances of him selling snow-cones and candy out of his van next summer near the McCook Aquatic Center are not good. One judge of his impact was the response to my column about Mr. Bill a few months ago. The post was shared thousands of times, viewed nearly 70,000 times with just as many comments by people sharing their fond memories of Mr. Bill. So when you see Mr. Bill riding down Norris in the convertible this weekend in the Heritage Days parade, send extra prayers and well-wishes to the man who has brought so much joy to so many kids - and adults too - over the years. *** Continuing on the Heritage Days theme, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that the McCook Rotary Club is tossing all egos and formality out the window this weekend. As the president of the McCook Rotary Club, I invite everyone to at least watch, if not participate, in the Rotary’s first inflatable costume relay race on Saturday as part of the festivities in Norris Park. These are those giant, blow-up costumes you usually see around Halloween. The first costumes were usually T-Rexes but now there is everything imaginable available as a design. With the idea for the race originally conceived by Melanie Goodenberger, she has purchased everything from corn on the cob to a cowboy riding a chicken. This is a fund-raiser for the Rotary Club with a cost of just $20 for a team of four to participate in the relay race. But it is also a chance to giggle, perhaps make a fool of yourself and just have fun. Come to the park Saturday afternoon for the Wiener Dog races and stay for the Rotary Relay races. While the dogs will already be close to the ground, the relay race participants will likely just end up on the ground. *** With so much going on in McCook this week, I debated whether there should be another activity the next week but the response has already been great for the Lied’s Arts Across Nebraska’s next production in McCook. Hosted by the McCook Creative District, the Omaha Street Percussion ensemble will perform at the Fox Theater on Wednesday, Sept. 24. There is a matinee showing at 10:30 a.m. but I will be up-front…we are testing the capacity of the Fox with every seat already claimed with students. If that is the only show you can make, please come and we’ll find you a seat but it may be those up in the rafters. Otherwise, please plan to attend the 7 p.m. show on Sept. 24. And even better, there is no cost thanks to the Kimmel Foundation and the Friends of the Lied. This is a busy week and a busy weekend but this is a great opportunity to sit back and enjoy a fun, entertaining evening of live music.
Most likely, we aren't going to be good at something at the start. But that shouldn't stop us from trying.
