At this point next week, the 7th annual Big Give McCook will be in full swing, kicking off at midnight on Nov. 3 and wrapping up 24 hours later. By now, people in the community plan for and look forward to Big Give McCook each year. 

The event gives everyone the chance to support their favorite organizations financially, whether they can give a little or a lot. It is the opportunity for individuals to choose with of the 34 non-profit organizations they would like to support with their hard-earned dollars. Maybe all of the donation goes to one non-profit. Maybe it is 9 or 10 organizations. Maybe it is all of them, which really puts organizers Lisa Felker and Melissa Stritt to work on the spreadsheet, but which they somehow truly enjoy.

Or another great option is to give to the Community Chest, which not only coordinates the Big Give McCook, but provides additional funds to nearly a dozen vital organizations throughout the year. These organizations were the original United Way groups, when the organization existed in McCook.

Funds donated during Big Give McCook are used for day-to-day operations, for special projects in the upcoming year or to continue the organization’s mission in the community.

And it is not just the individual donors which make Big Give McCook a success each year. The one-day of giving happens because of sponsors which donate the dollars used for matching funds for all the non-profits - a one-to-one match up to a level determined by the total sponsorship dollars given. 

Those sponsorship dollars also make the ever-popular “power hours” possible. At the end of each “power hour” throughout the day, envelopes filled during that hour are drawn randomly until a $1,000 in donations is met. If a $1,000 donation is drawn first, only one organization receives a match. But if several smaller donations are drawn initially, multiple organizations could benefit from that power hour. Again, more work for Lisa and Melissa, but they wouldn’t have it any other way. 

So mark your calendars for next Thursday, Nov. 3 and show your support for the 34 organizations which help McCook and Southwest Nebraska move along, day-in and day-out. 

While Big Give McCook takes place on an annual basis and supports short-term goals, there is also a focus on long-term financial planning. 

Recently reorganized, the McCook Philanthropy Council is focusing on planned giving with the hope of retaining generational wealth in the community. To start, the council held a Financial Planners Workshop earlier this week. Nebraska Community Foundation’s Director of Planned Giving Todd Mekelburg shared a variety of ways the attorneys, CPAs and financial advisors could help their clients make long-term plans financially. 

There are so many ways to make a planned gift. It is almost overwhelming but luckily there are professionals in our community to help guide the way. Your average Joe can show financial support for his community just as easily as those with larger estates. 

And I don’t know how to say this any way but bluntly, but we are all going to pass away at some point and we need to be prepared. Through planned giving, this is another opportunity to show support for our community, just like during Big Give McCook. 

The McCook Philanthropy Council is focusing on Five to Thrive, where people are encouraged to consider leaving 5% of their assets to their community. That still leaves 95% for the heirs, plenty of money for toys, retirement, vacations. But if those heirs don’t live in the area, that money leaves the community - forever. If just 5% is left to a local charity, the money stays in the community forever. 

There are so many ways to support your community, whether it is with your time or your talent. But sometimes it is the treasure that is needed and everyone will have their chance to make an impact with a donation at Big Give McCook in the short term and through planned giving in the long term. Whichever route you choose, both ways are great ways to make McCook and Southwest Nebraska an even better place to call home.