If there has ever been a need to be adaptable, it is now.
When schools began closing down in mid-March, everyone - including myself - hoped that this pandemic would quickly pass and we’d be back to normal soon. As the weeks turned into months, there was hope that everything would correct itself over the summer. But as we head into fall, “normal” seems far off on the horizon and we are forced once again to learn how to adapt.
I don’t envy any school administrator who is dealing with this situation as the schools open this week and next. There is no good answer, no perfect answer.
As the saying goes, you can’t please everyone and those words have never been more true than right now as the circumstances change daily, even hourly.
At a minimum, we need to be gracious to those around us and to those making the hard decisions. None of us have all the information nor all the answers. So instead, we need to be flexible and ready to adapt to however we can make this work, whether it is returning to school, holding sporting events or even practicing a music lesson.
Adaptability and flexibility was never more evident that two weeks ago.
McCook High School seniors were fortunate to have an actual graduation ceremony two weeks ago, followed by prom the next evening. Both of those events very well could easily not have happened.
In the weeks and even the days leading up to the events, I was never 100 percent sure they would take place. But fortunately, the graduates were able to walk across the stage at the MCC events center. And then the following night, many of them returned to the event center in their finest duds for a couple hours of dancing and final event with their friends.
Both of those events were postponed from this past spring, but with careful planning and a lot of changes, they both were able to take place. At the end of the day, they happened because people adapted.
The graduation ceremony is usually packed with family and friends and even just members of the community who want to celebrate 12 years of hard work. Instead, graduates were limited to just eight tickets. Any ceremony with anyone in attendance was better than nothing.
As for prom, my husband and I have been prom sponsors for the past decade, spending a week with dozens of high school juniors and fellow teachers decorating for one night of dancing. This year, that week was condensed down to less than three hours and hundreds of decorations were traded for some tule and Christmas lights. With kids still on the dance floor at midnight, I’d call it a success.
As my mom often said, this too shall pass. She had a great way of putting things into perspective, particularly something that seemed difficult or perplexing at the moment. Ask yourself: Will this matter a year from now? Will this matter a week from now? Heck, will it even matter five minutes from now if you simply take a deep breath and put everything into perspective?
Yes, there are things changing in our lives that will have a long term impact from our kids’ education to the viability of our businesses. But in the end, the answer may lie in being able to adapt because change doesn’t have to be bad.
***
On a side note, today is the last day in the office for McCook Community Foundation Funds’ summer hometown intern, Lexi Gross. She has been a joy to work with this summer and I’ve learned from her as much as I hope she has learned from me, the foundation and the community.
Lexi begins her senior year at Fort Hayes State University in Kansas next week, continuing to use audio and visual mediums to capture special events.
Over the last three months, she has helped tell McCook’s story through videos, articles and social media posts as part of MCFF’s “Make It Happen Here” series. If you haven’t seen these great videos, please visit the MCFF website, mccookfoundation.org or find them on Facebook.
But along with capturing the story McCook, the purpose of the internship was to show that our young people can make it happen here. They can have those careers here that they think can only happen in a large city. They can do those activities here that they think can only happen elsewhere. They can create that business here that they have a hard time even imagining.
Lexi was probably tired of hearing it but I hope she, along with all of our young people, knows that we want them to return to their hometown and build their lives here.
Yes, we want our young people to go out there and experience all the great things our country and the world has to offer, but remember that we always want you to return home.
Most likely, we aren't going to be good at something at the start. But that shouldn't stop us from trying.
August 2025 Volunteer of the Month Bruce McDowell can be found walking around McCook for his health, to be helpful or maybe even attend a meeting.
It takes work and effort to be social but its vital to our community.
McCook's young people are shaping their hometown through a various projects.
MCFF Summer Hometown Intern Natalie Roberts shares how her perspective on McCook changed over the past few months.
With the McCook Aquatic Center closing soon for the season, another tradition - Mr. Bill and his 25-cent snow-cones - will likely be coming to an end soon too.
McCook among five Nebraska communities in Revitalize and Thrive Program
Getting Outside of National Night Out Nearly everyone can tell you their last interaction with the police or the fire department. And unfortunately because of the nature of the organizations, it is usually not at a positive moment. My last contact with the McCook Police Department was just a few weeks ago, when I was pulled over on B Street in McCook…on my scooter. I pulled into the wrong lane when making a turn, which is illegal. But in my defense, it was an act of self-defense to just get through the intersection of East B and Sixth streets alive. Since the drivers haven’t seen a stop-light since Holdrege, cars and semis regularly run the traffic light, which makes me a wee bit vulnerable as I pass through the lanes. I got off with a warning but the true punishment were the texts throughout the day from everyone who saw me with my scooter and the police officer. Since most exchanges with police and fire are not on good terms, National Night Out was created to have an evening of positive interactions, to remind the public that the police and fire departments are just normal people, doing their jobs, looking out for their friends and neighbors, trying to create a safe community for everyone. National Night Out is designed to simply join your friends and neighbors for an evening of fellowship and fun. It is an opportunity to meet local law enforcement, creating safer and more caring neighborhoods. McCook is joining thousands of other communities across the country in hosting National Night Out, which typically takes place on the first Tuesday of August every year. Planned for Tuesday, Aug. 5 from 5:30-7 p.m. in and around Norris Park in McCook, the night includes a bike parade, a walk, awards for bike decorating, desserts and more. In other words, it is simply a block party to hang out. Numerous organizations have come together to make the evening possible. CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) and the McCook Rotary Club are hosting a bike parade that starts at 6 p.m. Linda Maiden with State Farm, a bicycle helmet advocate, will also be in Norris Park. The streets around Norris Park will be shut down to provide a safe area to ride, as well as more space to cruise around the block. Participants are encouraged to decorate their bike, scooter, roller skates or anything on wheels. This could mean streamers, pompom balls, markers or even the old classic - playing cards in the spokes of your wheels. Some supplies will be available at the park for use if you show up and realize you are the most underdressed person at the party. If your bike has an inch of dust on it, this is a great time to get it out, wipe it off and get it rolling. And if your bike needs minimal fixes like a flat tire or a brake adjustment, bike tools will be on hand along with myself and my hubbie, who know just enough about bike repair to be dangerous but did manage a 300-plus mile bike ride last week so we must be doing something right. But let’s say you don’t have a bike or biking isn’t your cup of tea? Then you are still encouraged to join the “Walk in the Park,” hosted by Community Hospital. Designed to encourage a healthy lifestyle, walkers will stroll around the park and the neighborhood at whatever pace you feel like with strollers and dogs on leashes welcomed. And perhaps most importantly, there will be a chance to meet members of the McCook Police and Fire Department, getting to see police cars and fire engines close-up in a non-emergency manner, always the best way to see them. And if the weather cooperates, there may be a fire hose, water and spraying involved. If you have been at the Culbertson Fourth of July parade, you know it is up to you to stay out of the line of fire if you want to remain dry. We all have excuses for why we don’t want to go out at night, especially after a long day at work. But National Night Out in McCook on Aug. 5 is a great reason to get out your bicycle and lace up your walking shoes. Hang out with your friends, get to know your neighbors and meet your first responders. That is what makes our communities just a little bit better.
Judy McCune named July 2025 McCook volunteer of the month
Joyce Anderson named June 2025 McCook Volunteer of the Month
