My husband and I were driving through the lower section of Kelley Park in McCook, looking for a place to park. Not until we reached the far edge of the park did we find room for our vehicle.
Why, on a Monday night, was the road lined with cars and trucks?
Soon, a trio of men walked in front of our van with bags slung over their shoulders, the bags brimming to the edge with disc golf discs (or frisbees for us lay people). They explained that it was league night for the disc golfers. The park was teaming with people throughout the park, wandering up and down the hills from hole to hole, tossing a disc as they slowly got closer and closer to the baskets.
No one was sprinting. No one was arguing. No one was uptight aside from an occasional grumble of an errant throw. Instead, everyone was just taking advantage of a beautiful evening, doing something they obviously enjoyed.
And they were not alone.
Joined by fellow volleyball enthusiasts, my husband and I were at the park for a pick-up game of sand volleyball, having moved from the indoor courts to take advantage of the nice weather outside.
Unfortunately, our plans for the evening were soon derailed, not because of the weather or the conditions of the volleyball court, which were ready for play. Instead, the creek running next to the court was full of water - not a regular occurrence - due to the recent rains. Two minutes of standing on the courts and we were covered in mosquitoes.
So we decided that it was a better evening for pickle ball, just a few blocks away.
Arriving, the three pickle ball courts were filled with players hitting the ball back and forth. Their ages ranged from a five-year-old in his baseball uniform, likely having come from a game earlier in the evening, to a grandma who regularly defeats anyone on the other side of the net. People rotated into and out of games for the next few hours.
And there are countless examples of people stepping away from their screens to enjoy being around other people doing things they love.
There was a card game taking place at the bowling alley, golfers on the links at Heritage Hills, baseball games at Felling Field and kids in the YMCA pool for summer swim practice.
It is easy to lament that there is nothing to do. Instead, all these are examples of people taking advantage of activities available to them in their community.
Two things have to occur to have opportunities available in our communities.
First, someone has to have the foresight and enthusiasm to make things happen.
The volleyball court at Kelley Park is a city facility that was upgraded and is ready for use at any time thanks to an Eagle Scout project. The pickle ball courts were first created and then expanded because people with a love for the sports worked to make it a reality. The Heritage Hills golf course was built because people envisioned turning the natural rolling hills into a challenging course for the community.
And the disc golf course is a great example of taking what we have and building upon it.
Plans are underway to double the amount of disc golf holes available in McCook. An 18-hole course is already in place at Kelley Park and is obviously in use on a regular basis.
This brought to light the need for another disc golf course. With the support of Community Hospital and its wellness initiatives, a group of young people are bringing another 18-hole course to McCook, to be placed in Barnett Park on the south side of McCook.
Having the two full courses brings the possibility of hosting tournaments in McCook.
There is still time to get involved with the new disc golf. They are looking for sponsors for each hole or donations to help the project in general. Contact David Brewster at davidbrewster25144@gmail.com for more information about donating or just to learn about disc golf.
There is also the YMCA, the McCook Art Guild, the High Plains Museum to name just a few projects that happened because people saw a need and made them come to life.
But it doesn’t end there.
The second thing that has to occur is for people to show up. It doesn’t do any good to create something and no one uses it. If something isn’t utilized then it will go away. And then yes, we won’t have have anything to do.
Whether it is the new disc golf course or the inclusive playground, the city swimming pool or new ballfields, these projects are led by people with a passion, people dreaming big and perhaps most importantly, coming up with a good plan to make it happen. We all need to do our part, from donating money or volunteering our time. Or it can be just as simple as showing up to lend support and letting them know that we appreciate their effort to make things happen and make McCook and Southwest Nebraska an even better place to call home.
