A Time for Gratitude and Thankfulness

As we find ourselves in the midst of the holiday season, I always start thinking of Thanksgiving Day. I begin by planning which weekend my family will be able to join me for our family’s favorite foods and a time of sharing about what is happening in their world.

Just the word “Thanksgiving” conjures up good feelings for me and the simple word - gratitude.

Personally, I have tremendous gratitude for what we are all doing for the future of McCook. We are working toward the new sports complex, new housing, new retail and a Creative District.

Several members of the McCook Community Foundation Fund traveled to Lincoln this past week and hosted a gathering with former McCook residents, who had moved to the eastern part of the state. The purpose was simply to share how McCook is on the move as well as to continue and strengthen their connection to Southwest Nebraska.

Several dozen people who used to call McCook home and who have fond memories of their time in McCook heard from MCFF Chair Matt Sehnert and I provided an update about city projects. City manager Nate Schneider and Chamber Director Sarah Schneider showed slides and provided handouts about all the major projects happening in McCook. Along with reconnecting with each other like it was a class reunion, our guests were impressed and left happy to see McCook’s progress.

Ultimately, the movement in McCook has been made possible because of all our current residents who are making great things happen in our community.

For starters, thank you for shopping locally. I serve on the National Retail Association’s retail board. They are predicting that the average family will spend $903 per person on food, travel and gifts this upcoming holiday season. Please remember to shop local as much as possible. Your sales tax dollars are what drives your community.

I have never seen sponsorships for the Red Willow County Fair events, YMCA youth leagues, or local high school and college sports say “Sponsored by Amazon or North Platte, Kearney, Lincoln businesses.”

McCook retailers not only collect your sales tax dollars, they return them to McCook. Sales tax dollars collected in other communities are retained by those communities to do their playgrounds, parks, streets and development. When you shop out of town, you are supporting the community you are shopping in. If we want to have those same amenities, we need to have those tax dollars to make it happen.

McCook has been able to complete some projects that may not have happened without the sales tax receipts that come back to the city. The city’s bond payments for the McCook Aquatic Center - that was enjoyed by a lot of families this summer - is being paid for by sales tax receipts. With the new sports complex hopefully completed within the next three years, we will not only have added tax receipts but providing increased retail for shopping and more housing options.

Before leaving town to shop, think about what you can buy locally.

This truly is a wonderful time of year. We have enjoyed a wonderful fall season and I am looking forward to a beautiful holiday season.

I encourage you to wake up tomorrow morning and think about what you are grateful for. We are so blessed to live in this wonderful community. By working together, we can make things happen in our community. I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving.

***

Along with serving as a member of the McCook Community Foundation Fund Advisory Committee, Linda Taylor is mayor of the City of McCook, owns VK Electronics and volunteers on too many organizations to count, all to make McCook an even better place to call home.

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Jan. 2026 Volunteer of the Month Devoted to Church and Community

By Ronda Graff • January 22, 2026

To kick off the new year, Jo Beebe has been selected as the January 2026 McCook Volunteer of the month. While many people might know Jo for her years at the Sports Shoppe, she can be found giving hours of her time to the community, especially at St. Patrick Church. Whether during the weekly Mass or for a funeral or wedding, Jo shares her beautiful voice from the choir loft, as well as leading the choir members. Jo, along with her husband Harold, also has served as the St. Pat’s GALA host couple in the past and continues to help with set-up and cleanup of the annual event. Jo is also active with the Fall Festival, the Rosary Rally and the Wild Game Feed in Curtis every year. She attends every the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults class and helps students prepare for confirmation. And since retiring from the Sports Shoppe, she is active in the Altar Society, and volunteers at the Bargain Bazaar thrift store. According to her nomination, “The way Jo gives of her time and talents to our parish and community is a reflection of her faith,” and the community and the church are better because of her generosity. The McCook Philanthropy Council selects the monthly recipient for the McCook Volunteer of the Month award as part of the McCook Community Foundation Fund’s McCook Volunteer program. If there is a volunteer in the community who should be recognized, please contact the McCook Chamber of Commerce at 308.340.3200 or visit McCook Volunteers on the MCFF website, mccookfoundation.org to complete a nomination form. The only requirement is that the nominee must be a resident of McCook or Red Willow County. Please have information about the nominee along with where and how they volunteer in the community.