McCOOK, Neb. -- Birdella Nelson’s dedication to her only child not only served him well in his professional and political life, but will help put McCook in position to raise up leaders for generations to come.
The late cafeteria worker and doctor’s office clerk will accomplish that through an endowment in her honor to the McCook Public Library by her son, former U.S. Senator and Nebraska Governor Ben Nelson, who spoke to a small Heritage Days crowd Saturday afternoon at the library.
The $500,000 Birdella Nelson Endowment will yield about 4 1/2% annually, or about $22,000 the first year, and is projected to grow to about $900,000 in 20 years, yielding about $40,000 a year for improvements to the city library.
The permanent endowment is being channeled through the McCook Community Foundation Fund, helping to boost the MCFF endowment to more than $4 million.
Nelson said he was never lonely as an only child, “mainly because I was raised as an adult. You can’t get into trouble in the backseat of a car when you’re there by yourself.”
He worked his way through the Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts and Explorers systems, and was one merit badge short of the rank of Eagle Scout, when he was overcome by fumes -- “gas fumes and perfumes,” he said.
But his mother was adept at reverse psychology.
“Look,” Birdella told her 15-year-old son, “I’ll finish that merit badge, but I get to wear the badge.”
“But what was most important about that experience was learning how when you start something, to finish it. It was important that you take the responsibility of getting it done yourself, but your parents have to push you along the way … may I say shoved.”
The process started long before his teenage years, he said, when was about four when he found out what the library was all about.
“I watched Miss Slaby, who was right out of central casting for a librarian, take a steel-tip pen, dip it in ink, and then, very, very elegantly, write two, six, six. I was mesmerized by how she made her two, it was nothing like I’d been taught … but I treasured that library card. And my mother, because she didn’t have anything else to do but raising an only child, was able to take me to the library … as often as she could, and sometimes even more often than maybe I wanted to.”
“I’m just here to say thank you to my mother and thank you to the community, and all who have had any part in making my life what it’s become … my parents, my friends in the community, of teachers, pastors and everybody who’s ever cared about how I work and how things worked for me,” Nelson said.
“Well, Birdella Nelson was my cheerleader, and my champion, and so, this is a very small thing to do for the great, great things that she did for me.”
Nelson said one of his priorities for the endowment was that local decisions would determine how it would be used, one of many with local input was Mary Dueland, who recently discovered her own library card, “5358” issued in 1962 or 1963.
A retired teacher, and part of the Library Advisory Board and Library Foundation Board, Dueland explained how the funding would be used to help transition the library from strictly a place to check out books to include the Birdella Nelson Technology Center, an interactive space for innovation and creativity through the use of technology.
Andy Long, executive director of the McCook Economic Development Corp., explained that once he learned of the scope of Nelson’s planned gift, he recruited Mrs. Dueland as well as Dennis Berry, Denise Garey, Laura Ford, Linda Taylor, Steve Batty, Dawson Brunswick, Jody Crocker, Nate Schneider and Ronda Graff for input and feedback on how best to use the gift.
Long said Nelson’s gift was the catalyst that helped inspire him to believe that the “2020s are going to be McCook’s decade,”
“And I think in 10 years, we’ll probably come back here during Heritage Days and say ‘look at how the library has changed. Look at how the community changed, and thank Sen. Nelson and your mom Birdella once more.”
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While the Bison Alumni Newsletter will still be available digitally, a new printed service is available.
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Mark Friehe named March McCook Volunteer of the Month.
Although the Bodensteiners no longer live in Southwest Nebraska, they are still connected and wanted to see if prosper and thrive.
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McCook's youth survey shows that young people now value safety in their community, something McCook provides.
Building Connections in McCook Matters June in McCook will be abuzz with fun events including a Youth Summit, hosted by McCook Community Foundation Fund. Our young people in Youth Change Reaction will host the first Nebraska Community Foundation gathering for youth, which will bring youth from across Nebraska to McCook. While still in the planning stages, our students identified that McCook is great because of connections . Our young people easily recognize how critical this factor is to people attraction, to people retention, and to improve their futures. What I miss most about my high school classroom is connections with students and colleagues. In education, I taught first, second, and sometimes third generations in families. My husband, Greg, and I are not McCook natives, but I eventually knew who was related to whom and usually where the parent(s) were employed. Going to the grocery store meant greetings from students and sometimes their family members. I officially retired from my high school classroom nine years ago in May. When you retire, the most-asked question becomes “What do you do with your time?” I try to maintain those connections and make new ones by belonging. For the past seven years, Sharon Bohling and I have volunteered to help plan and organize Bison Days for our high school students, which took place February 10 and 11. It would not happen without the financial support of McCook Community Foundation Fund, plus the McCook High School, local businesses, and the talented people of Southwest Nebraska who say “yes” when one of us reaches out to ask for the donation of time and talent. I would venture that they allow us to be on the Bison Days’ committee because we both have connections within our community—it’s certainly not our computer savvy. Connections can also solve a problem. Recently, I signed up to help a local family in crisis. My morning plan revolved around delivering my donation at a designated drop-off place. That didn’t work out. Fortunately, I still work with youth in various capacities, so I know that Keri Wilkinson works for Camy Bradley. Keri was an organizer for the family fundraiser, so I walked in Camy’s office hoping to find Keri. She was not there, so Camy and I visited briefly. She knew someone (who I did not know) who could possibly give me further direction. Only in a town with connections are you able to interrupt someone’s business, have her reach out for you using her connections , and offer to keep the donations for me until Keri’s return. Another great example of connecting can be found over coffee. Dee Friehe and I are longtime teacher friends. During a chance meeting at the grocery store a few weeks ago, she shared how she was there following a funeral service and was gathering supplies to deliver supper to the grieving family that night. She also updated me on her group of adults who meet for coffee on Thursdays at Ember’s, which varies from 8-28 depending on the day. She recognized the need for adults moving to McCook or folks just wanting to get out to make connections . Dee’s husband, Mark, also hosts his own group of men who are new(er) to McCook. She regaled me with stories of their Christmas party and other special gatherings. Wanting to call McCook your home is solidified by building connections . Ronda Graff has written about McCook Connects which matches a McCook person with someone new to the community of similar interests. I earned my McCook Connects’ T-shirt welcoming a young family with children. We have since spent many hot summer days sitting on bleachers together cheering on our 4-H horse kids while they show their horses. Warning: I connected them with a “free” new-to-them horse. Be careful connecting with me or you’ll probably own a horse. You do not have to be retired to connect in this community. Volunteering is a surefire way to meet people. McCook has many civic groups looking for new faces. Attend a church here; we have many welcoming congregations. Go to ball games or school concerts, attend concerts in the park, learn a new skill through the college, show up at a Third Thursday event or invite the neighbors for a BBQ. Take your youngsters to story hour or Move and Groove at the library. Go watch an event at the Kiplinger Arena. You can even take it a step further: Make a friend or call a friend and invite him/her to go with you. It is human connection that keeps us healthy and happy. If McCook Community Foundation Fund can help you connect in some meaningful way, please reach out for advice or support. *** While Pam Wolford may be retired, she is just as busy serving on the McCook Community Foundation Fund committee and started a new Learn and Return Scholarship with MCFF, while stepping up to grandparent whenever the call comes in.
