In The News

Affordable Housing Strengthens Our Community

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 19:38:59 GMT

Affordable Housing Strengthens the Community

What do a correctional officer, a nurses aide, a first-year teacher, and a retiree living on Social Security all have in common?

Here in McCook, they are part of the fabric of daily life. They are the people you see at the grocery store, sitting in the stands at ballgames, or helping a neighbor when something goes wrong.

A posted correctional officer position with Red Willow County lists an expected salary range of $40,000 to $42,815 a year. Community Hospital is hiring a nurse aide at $30,000 to $39,000 per year. A newly certified teacher entering the classroom for the 2026 to 2027 school year starts at about $41,900 before benefits. And the average annual Social Security retirement benefit, according to the Social Security Administration, is around $24,852 for 2026.

At first glance, these numbers may not seem connected, but they tell a very real story about our community.

These are the people who keep things running in our community. These are the people who helped build what we have today. Yet, they often earn incomes that place them in a range that qualifies for what some call low-income housing.

That phrase has carried a stigma for far too long. For many, it brings up images that feel disconnected from what we want for our neighborhoods. It suggests something lesser. Something to avoid. But those assumptions do not reflect reality, and they do not reflect the people we are talking about.

Affordable housing is not about “someone else.” It is about the nursing aide caring for your family member, the teacher guiding your child through the school year, the server who knows your usual order, and the retiree who spent a lifetime contributing to this community. These are our neighbors. In many cases, they are us.

At its core, affordable housing simply means that a person or family is not forced to spend an overwhelming share of their income just to keep a roof over their head. When housing costs stretch too far, something else gives. It might be groceries, healthcare, childcare, or the ability to save for the future. Sometimes it means people leave altogether to find a place they can afford.

And when that happens, the impact is felt across the entire community.

Employers have a harder time filling open positions. Schools struggle to recruit and retain teachers. Local businesses adjust hours or close their doors. Young families look elsewhere to build their lives. Retirees on fixed incomes are pushed away from the place they have always called home.

McCook is working hard to grow and create new opportunities. There is a shared desire for more businesses, more services, and more options for residents. But growth does not happen in a vacuum. Every new job created brings with it the need for a place for that worker to live. If that housing is not available or not within financial reach, those opportunities become harder to realize.

One of the biggest misconceptions about affordable housing is that it affects only a small portion of the population. In truth, it strengthens the entire community. When people have stable housing, families are stronger. Children are more successful in school. Workers are more reliable and engaged. Seniors are able to age with dignity and security.

This is not about handouts. It is about practicality.

It is about making sure that the people who work here can also live here. It is about recognizing that teachers, healthcare workers, service employees, first responders, and retirees all play a role in keeping a community healthy and moving forward.

Most importantly, it is about preserving what makes towns like McCook special. Without affordable attainable housing, communities risk losing the very people who give them life.

If we want strong schools, fully staffed hospitals, growing businesses, and neighborhoods that continue to thrive, then we need to change how we think about affordable housing. It is not a liability. It is a necessary part of a healthy, functioning community.

***

Along with serving as MCFF member, Amanda Engell is the housing director for the McCook Economic Development Corp., where she works every day to bring affordable housing to McCook.

April 2026 Volunteer Beautifying McCook

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 21:43:07 GMT

Missy Nelson Named April 2026 Volunteer of the Month

With a smile on her face, Missy Nelson can be found here and there and around the community, from picking up trash to leading future leaders.

Missy’s involvement in the community is why she was named the April 2026 Volunteer of the Month.

Missy is active on the Beautify McCook volunteer committee, helping water the flowering planters downtown and overseeing a weekend clean-up. She is a board member for Southwest Nebraska Leadership Institute, which held guide and shape McCook’s future leaders. Missy, along with her husband, Ron, are active at the 6th Floor Project/ArtBank with Missy serving as vice president and secretary.

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 Volunteers” 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.

Our Brains Still Benefit from Hand Writing

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 15:42:55 GMT

Our Brains Still Benefit from Hand Writing

Collections are not something that is common in my house. Knicknacks don’t fill our bookshelves. There are no tchotchkes scattered around my house. Trinkets make their way into the thrift store box as soon as they come into my house.

Perhaps the only thing that I would admit to having too many of in my house are books - and I would be hard pressed to say that you can ever have “too many” books. Nearly every room in my house has a bookshelf, filled from top to bottom with books. And among those books is a specific category of bound papers: journals.

I have a soft spot for journals. They can be completely blank on the inside. They can have prompts to help you with your gratitude.

They may even contain dates and lines to help record your day. Yes, that is technically a diary but for adults, it is called a “memory book” so you don’t sound like you are 12.

If I am in a bookstore, I’ll scan through the journals for sale like I don’t already have a dozen at home. I have been gifted journals over the years because people know I will use them - eventually. And the journals lying around my house likely have a page or two written on them, making them permanently mine rather than being able to be gifted.

While it could be argued that one person doesn’t need that many writing spaces, there is growing research that hand writing - versus type writing - is better for us. It is better for us physically; better for us mentally; better for us academically.

As someone who grew up writing everything down, my brain is wired for this type of learning and processing. But I am also in the generation who was still in school as the first word processors came into being, quickly followed by computers so we were of the generation which had to adapt to the new technology.

I have more electronic devices than I care to admit, know how to use AI and countless apps, and can Google a question before my children have picked up their hand-held computer, aka their smart phones.

Yet, we have seen more and more people returning to pen and paper, something many of us never left behind.

And there are many practical reasons to continue our reliance on paper while not abandoning new technology.

For starters, paper feels steady and sturdy to us. When we type, we lean toward trying to capture every thought, every idea, every word.

When you write by hand, you have to slow down just enough to choose what matters because your brain cannot hold every detail at once. When you write, you only capture what is actually needed so notes become shorter and thinking becomes clearer.

As you write key points onto paper, this frees up more working memory for thinking and decision-making in the moment. Rather than a jumble of words on a screen, concise words on the paper - perhaps some nearly unrecognizable scribbles - help you focus and come to a conclusion quicker.

Another benefit of writing by hand is that your body is actively engaged. Your hand, eyes and mind must all work together. Handwriting can feel calming because it changes how your brain coordinates attention.

I am not advocating for throwing computers and phones out the window because digital documents absolutely have their place. Typed sources absolutely win for digital search. If I need a link, a file, a date, or an address, I want it in a system I can search in two seconds.
In everyday life, many people do best with a hybrid system. Digital tools support storage, sharing and retrieval while paper supports reflection, planning and emotional steadiness.

In fact, I recently purchased a “digital notebook” so I can hand write my notes which are then converted into a typed document. Have I figured out how to use it, including organizing the documents and accessing my notes? Not yet but I have plenty of paper journals lying around to use in the meantime.

Civic Duties are Responsibility of Everyone

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 15:59:04 GMT

Civic Duties are Responsibility of Everyone

The words “politics” and “civics” get used interchangeably, but they have different meanings.

Politics is defined as the activities associated with the governance of a country or other areas. It is the process of making collective decisions in groups, determining how power, rights, and resources are distributed within a society. It involves negotiation, competition, and cooperation to manage public affairs and resolve conflicts, answering who gets what, when, and how.

And even if you say you aren’t “political,” we are all affected by politics, from the city council race to the presidential candidates. And ultimately, politics is about obtaining power and an “us” versus “them” mentality.

“Civics” also involves everyone but puts everyone on the same page: it is the duties and responsibilities of a citizen. Civics teaches how government systems function and how individuals can actively participate in democracy through voting, volunteering, and staying informed. Through civics, you know your rights, such as free speech - including protesting - and voting - whether it is the primaries or general elections or special elections.

Civics includes responsibilities such as obeying laws, paying taxes, and jury duty. Civics supports an understanding of local, state, and federal government branches and how they make decisions.

And perhaps most importantly, civics encourages active citizenship: Participating in community life, such as volunteering or engaging in political discussions.

It would be hard to not notice that we are in the midst of a political season with all the yard signs around our community. But we are also in the midst of an increased civics season.

For example, poll workers are always in high demand. It takes a lot of people to conduct an election. We are blessed in our small towns that long lines are usually not an issue. You can usually just walk right into your polling station, get your ballot and be out within five to 10 minutes. But fewer poll workers means fewer polling stations which could translate into longer lines that you see in bigger cities.

I am a poll worker and enjoy seeing a steady stream of people walking through the door to exercise their right to vote. Even though we may not agree on all the issues or the candidates, I appreciate seeing people doing their civic duties…plus I get to hand them a pencil.

If you have ever wondered how you too can become a poll worker, contact your county clerk’s office for more information. I don’t know if there is still time to become one for the primary election, but it is worth a phone call to be able to spend the day hanging out at the polls. Plus we bring lots of snacks to our site.

Another way to become civically engaged happens just next week with a candidate’s forum in McCook on Tuesday, April 14, at 7 p.m. at the McCook Senior Center. Because it is hosted by the Gazette and KICX, the forum will be broadcast live on KICX/96.1 FM and KBRL/1300 AM with a follow-up in the newspaper.

As far as I know, all candidates have been invited to attend the event, which will feature a panel of local leaders asking questions. This is a great way to learn about the candidates, what they stay for, and why they are running.

If you can't attend or listen to the forum or don’t feel all your questions are answered in the news article, reach out to the candidates to learn more. If they really want your vote, they are going to want you to know more about them. And if they won’t respond, that is a sign too.

If you do see a candidate, whether shopping at the grocery store or at church, tell them thank-you for running. Again, you may not agree with them on every issue, but it takes effort, money and time to run for a political office, especially with that many yard signs. It takes determination to put yourself out there for scrutiny about your beliefs and your background, hence why so many people don’t run for office.

And finally, don’t forget to vote. The last day for voter registration is May 1 with the primary on Tuesday, May 12. You may not consider yourself political but everyone has a civic duty for a fully functioning - and thriving - community.

Wild Fire and Disasters Set Priorities

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 14:03:45 GMT

Wild Fires and Disasters Set Priorities

By the time this column appears, McCook and Southwest Nebraska may have received some

rain. But I’m not holding my breath because the clouds appear yet nothing falls from the sky.

The lack of moisture has even increased my sense of superstition. There was debate on

postponing a week night kindergarten soccer game that I coach because rain was in the

forecast at game time. I knew that if we called off the game before the first drops fell, the rain

would miss us. But if we kept the game on the books, maybe Mother Nature would bless us with

some amount of moisture and we would play another day. (There was moisture in the air but not

even enough to warrant an umbrella.)

Even if we do get rain in the near future, our area remains in a drought with fire danger

remaining high. Fires have been - and can be - popping up everywhere. While populated areas

have been spared for the most part, fires have decimated the grasslands, taking away feed for

the cattle industry.

And while some areas will recover quickly, some areas including the sandhills may face a longer

recovery time, simply due to the nature of the topography.

One thing these fires have highlighted is what is important to people if the need to evacuate

quickly arises. When you ask people what they would grab in an emergency, photographs are

always at the top of the list because most are likely irreplaceable, especially the older pictures.

I am no different and learned things about myself and my household a few weeks ago as I

considered what I would grab if the Willow Creek Fire south of McCook inched closer to my

house.

I discovered that I have a lot of photo albums, perhaps what would be considered an obscene

number of albums but with seven kids, there was a lot to document over the years. I found box

after box of photographs that need to be dealt with, ie., labeled so that 20, 40, 60 years from

now, other people will know who is in the picture. To be honest, I struggle right now to identify

who is in a picture, even my own kids as a baby. Add in all the framed pictures hanging on the

walls around the house, and one vehicle would be filled with just pictures.

Priority number two are important documents and paperwork, such as wills, birth certificates,

even bundles of cash hidden around the house.

Again, as I surveyed my house for what I would have to grab in a moment’s notice, I was

overwhelmed by everything I should take with me.

Which led to my next conclusion: we have too much stuff. I am a wanna-be minimalist but I am

not good at it because we have so much, which again is to be expected with so many people

who have lived or continue to live in our house.

But to be honest, we have too many individual items and too many of those items, as I

considered what to grab as the flames crested the hill a mile from my home.

I looked at the clothes, which are replaceable, but would be good to have a small supply on

hand. Even removing an arm-full would leave behind a nearly full closet. Plus, the process to

remove the clothes had become cumbersome thanks to my new method.

Growing up, I was always told to have my hangars facing the same direction so you can grab

them easily and quickly in case of fire. I have followed that advice my entire life…until two years

ago.

A few years ago, I began a practice of turning the hangars backward in our closets periodically,

such as New Year’s Day or the first day of summer. When you wear an item, the hangar goes

back in facing the correct direction.

If after a set time, say six months or one year, the item of clothing is still facing backward, you

need to consider donating the item because you haven't worn it and likely won’t in the near

future.

I had just turned around all our hangers less than three months ago, so the hangars in my closet

are facing both directions the entire length of the closet rod. Clothes were no longer a priority.

As fire engines and water trucks continued to speed past my house to battle the fire, my focus

turned to the next most valuable item we have at our house, or rather our garage: our bikes.

Everyone has something they would grab that others would shake their head at or not be able to

comprehend. For my family, it would be our bicycle collection - plus shoes and helmets.

Out of an over-abundance of caution and just to see how it would work, I had my son select four

bikes to put on the bike rack attached to our RV. I said to grab an assortment, like picking your

favorite ice cream flavors.

Looking at his choices, I was satisfied but also a bit sad looking at the bikes left behind that if

the fire grew out of control, would be destroyed.

The same could be said for everything in the house and the rest of the garage. But even if that

fire had reached our house, I knew everyone was safe - including the animals which were all

outside - and ultimately, that is what is most important and most valuable.

Hopefully, our communities will be blessed with rain in the near future but in the meantime,

thank you to all the firefighters and volunteers who have been and continue to fight the fires

raging around our area and across Nebraska.

March 2026 Volunteer Dedicated to Bloodmobile

Fri, 13 Mar 2026 15:53:06 GMT

March 2026 Volunteer of the Month-Liz McCarty

Bloodmobile Volunteer Named March 2026 Volunteer of the Month

Elizabeth McCarty is such a dedicated volunteer for the American Red Cross Bloodmobile that she didn’t even question a request from coordinator Cathy Carman to “volunteer a few extra hours” at a recent bloodmobile.

While the Red Cross staff appreciated Liz stopping by, they didn’t really need the help at the bloodmobile sponsored by the McCook High School. Instead, it was an opportunity to honor Liz for her countless hours volunteering for the bloodmobile when it is in McCook.

Because of her devotion to the life-saving program, Elizabeth McCarty is the March 2026 McCook Volunteer of the Month.

In her nomination of McCarty, Carman noted that Liz has given her time for nearly two decades, bringing enthusiasm, positivity, and friendliness to the drive.

“For more than 18 years, she has volunteered to greet and check in blood donors at our two-day McCook Blood Drive, held six times annually,” Carman said. “Many times, prior to the drives she will help reach out to donors to help fill schedule.”

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 Volunteers” program.

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.

The Long Game: Why "Tradition Never Graduates" in McCook

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 16:58:53 GMT

The Long Game: Why "Tradition Never Graduates" in McCook

During my years on the sidelines coaching the football team, I lived by a simple, powerful truth that we drilled into every player: "We Are One."
On the field, it meant that no individual was bigger than the team. If the line didn’t block, the quarterback couldn’t throw. If the defense didn’t hold, the offense couldn't score. It was about collective effort, shared sacrifice, and looking out for the guy standing next to you.
Today, as I serve on the McCook Community Foundation Fund (MCFF), I realize that "We Are One" isn't just a locker room chant—it’s the blueprint for how our town thrives.

The "Scout Team" of Kindness
Paying it forward doesn't always require a checkbook. Sometimes, it’s a random act of kindness—the "scout team" work of daily life.

It’s clearing a neighbor’s sidewalk after a Nebraska snowstorm.
It’s buying a coffee for the person in line behind you at the coffee shop.
It’s taking five minutes to encourage a young person who is just starting their first job.

These small acts are the "fundamentals." They built the culture of McCook. They remind us that we belong to each other.

Investing in the Future Season
But as any coach knows, you also have to prepare for the seasons to come. That is where MCFF comes in. When we give to MCFF, we are ensuring that the opportunities we enjoyed are still here for the next generation.
We often say in McCook that "Tradition Never Graduates." We take pride in our history, our work ethic, and our successes. But tradition isn't just something we look back on; it’s something we have to fund and fuel for the future. By "paying it forward" through MCFF, we ensure that the tradition of a strong, vibrant McCook continues long after we’ve left the field.
"You don't play for the name on the back of the jersey; you play for the name on the front." In this case, the name on the front is McCook.

Our Turn to Step Up
McCook is a special place because we don't wait for someone else to solve our problems. We huddle up, we make a plan, and we execute. Whether it’s through a random act of kindness this afternoon or a gift to the MCFF that will grow for decades, you are part of the "One."

I’m asking you to join the team. Let’s make sure that when the next generation takes the field, they have everything they need to win—because in McCook, our tradition of giving will never graduate.

***
Jeff Gross serves as the vice chair for the McCook Community Foundation Fund but most people probably know him for his time on the sidelines at Weiland Field, as the head football coach for McCook High School from 1998-2021.

McCook 25-26 Swim Season One for the Record Books

Thu, 05 Mar 2026 14:29:03 GMT

McCook 25-26 Swim Season One for Record Book

Most people in McCook know that the YMCA has been under construction for the past year, as part of a $17 million renovation and expansion project.

The first phase of the long-overdue project is to renovate the pool. So on the day after the McCook High School swim and dive left for the state championship meet in Lincoln in February 2025, the YMCA pool was drained and demolition began.

The plan was to miss just a few days of practice the following season but finish out the 2025-26 season in a new pool.

As anyone who has ever done a construction project knows, there are always delays. Before the season even began, we learned that the completion date would be pushed back and then pushed back again, so much that an alternative plan had to be devised.

Option one was to simply not have a swim season for either the high school or the YMCA youth team. That was a possibility and could have been the easy way out.

Fortunately, everyone involved determined that sacrificing a season was not the answer and would be a disservice especially to the seniors who have been training for this since they could manage to swim across the pool.

So a shout-out to Mitch Gross at the YMCA and Darrin Nichols at the McCook High School and everyone else who worked to make this past swim season work in McCook. This includes Y coaches Jennifer Rodewald and TJ Renner, who did the trip to the Gothenburg YMCA so they could also work with North Platte swimmers on the McCook team.

My family got to spend extra time together this season with my husband, Jon Graff, as head coach for the high school team; my son, Erik, serving as assistant coach; my last child, Eli, swimming and diving; and me driving the bus to North Platte and Eustis for practice.

Midway through the season, we realized that we should have been adding up the miles we were putting on the vehicles to reach a pool. A guesstimate is that Erik was doing 1,000 miles a week between the Y and high school practices and everyone else was around 700-800 miles.

It demonstrated that anyone swimming this season was dedicated to the sport. Kids gave up part-time jobs because there simply wasn’t time before or after practice to fit in a job. Coaches gave up other activities because most evenings were spent on the road. Parents put together meals not just for their family but for the entire team. We didn’t have a big team because there was a lot of sacrifice involved this season but those who stuck it out had a lot of heart and perseverance.

Ironically, despite not having a home pool, the Bison swimmers and divers had what was arguably their best season, especially the men’s team. They brought home team trophy’s from meets during the season which had never happened before. They had the most swimmers competing on the final day of the state championship meet in Lincoln than they had ever before. And nearly every event on the McCook record board has been broken by a 2025-26 swimmer.

We didn’t just thrive in the pool; we grew a lot out of the pool too.

We now know how to serve a 20-person buffet on the first three rows of a school bus. I learned that a roaster setting on top of a cooler on top of a seat will go flying into the middle walkway on a sharp turn. And that sometimes we really are smart by leaving chili in the plastic storage bags in the roasters until I get to the school to warm it up, thus not cleaning up chili from the walkway.

We grew to love the drive through Southwest Nebraska, especially the road through Maywood and Curtis to Eustis. Without having to worry about snow this winter, we grew to appreciate the rolling hills, the deep valleys, and the steep climbs.

Personally, I looked for a Great Pyrenees dog on a farm to the east of Moorefield because I saw it once standing in the drive way and hoped it would come back to watch me drive by again. It never returned but I still held out hope.

We watched for the bison north of McCook by the Red Willow State Recreation Area, hoping they would be near the fence line as we drove by. Usually, they were just specks off in the field but part of it was just knowing they were there.

Although I don’t want to go through that type of season again, there was likely more good than bad that came from our time on the road and it wasn’t just achievements in the pool. The kids got to know each other better than they would have just meeting on the pool deck each day. They learned that struggles actually produce character and ultimately success. And perhaps most importantly, they know that nearly any meal can be made in a slow cooker.

***

This column is dedicated to Lynne Kinne, who passed away suddenly last week. A long-time educator, she was also a coach for the the McCook High School swim team, only stepping away in recent years. But she continued to coach the swimmers participating in the Special Olympics.

On our return trips this season from North Platte, we would pass Lynne on the highway as she personally drove her swimmers to practice every week just like everyone else. She had a passion for swimming, but more importantly Lynne had a passion for helping those with special needs be just like everyone else.

And she was perhaps the most enthusiastic person this past summer walking in the lazy river at the McCook Aquatic Center. She was there nearly every evening, sometimes chatting with other or just walking by herself, but appreciating everything a pool has to offer. Lynne will be missed.

Cars Under the Stars Gearing Up for Third Season

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 00:15:27 GMT

Cars Under the Stars Gearing Up for Third Season

It’s hard to imagine sitting outside and watching a movie right now. O.K., it’s not really that hard to picture because we haven’t had a very rough winter in Southwest Nebraska this year.

And with sun setting at 5 p.m. during the winter months, an outdoor movie could start and be over by early evening. Wait, this idea isn’t sounding so bad after all.

But unfortunately, the weather does affect the ability to show a Cars Under the Stars movie at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds.

The outdoor theater has to take a hiatus during the winter months because the projector cannot be used in temperatures below 50 degrees. Even though we have been blessed with spring-like temps during the day most of the winter, the evenings - when it is dark and a movie could be shown - are too cold to roll out the projector for a showing.

Entering its third year, the Youth Change Reaction’s outdoor movie theater uses the winter months to plan for the upcoming movie season. Since it does require planning and effort, the hope is for YCR to host a movie each spring and fall.

While a movie title is still to be selected, YCR is planning for the first movie of the season to be Friday, April 24. The evening will not only include a movie, but maybe corn hole, card games and popcorn.

But the use of Cars Under the Stars is not limited to just the McCook Community Foundation Fund’s youth group. In fact, it is encouraged and designed for others in the community to take advantage of the outdoor theater. One additional movie is already in the planning stages with the McCook Chamber hosting in July.

In 2025, Cars Under the Stars showed four movies throughout the season. But there is the potential to do more.

As the McCook Community Foundation Fund’s youth group, YCR worked for two years to fund-raise, research and help build the outdoor theater. With it now up and running, they would like to see it used as much as possible.

While there is a small fee to use the equipment and a licensing fee to the movie studios to show a film, funds are available to help offset those costs. There are also guidelines for hosting such as selling tickets (not allowed, plus it is hard to cordon off the fairgrounds), publicity (movie studios dictate information) and parking (which YCR can help with).

But Cars Under the Stars is still a great option as a fund-raiser, with a free-will offering at the gate and selling concessions during the movie. The outdoor theater is a perfect option for a business wanting to give back to the community by hosting an evening. Or if a group wants to have a night of entertainment, the movie is a great alternative.

Yes, this is a shameless plug for Cars Under the Stars but none of the organizations involved, MCFF, YCR, Red Willow County Fair Board, benefit financially from the outdoor theater. Rather, we all just want to see it utilized as much as possible because we understand the work that went into making it happen.

The process to get the outdoor movie theater up and running was not a straight line from A to B. There were many hurdles and obstacles to overcome. Along the way, there was even the possibility that it wouldn’t come to fruition.

But the doggedness of the YCR students and their sponsors, especially former McCook teacher Shelly Sehnert, made the project a reality.

And the project has drawn attention state-wide. Students in Columbus are considering a similar project and recently asked for as much information as possible about McCook’s Cars Under the Stars. They probably weren’t looking for nearly a dozen pages of drawings, numbers and timelines, but the complete packet showed how difficult the process was, yet it managed to happen.

All of that information plus a copy of the rental contract and the guidelines to host a movie is available on the MCFF website, mccookfoundation.org .

When YCR came up with the idea for Cars Under the Stars in the fall of 2021, they wanted to make an impact in their community. They wanted to build something that would still be around long after they graduated. And they wanted to create something for fellow young people to enjoy - especially when they say there is nothing to do here.

They have done that and the best thing that can happen now is using the outdoor theater as much as possible and utilizing just one of the great assets in our community.

What Makes You Leave Home at Night

Mon, 23 Feb 2026 14:54:40 GMT

What Makes You Leave Home at Night?

For the past several months as I drove the McCook High School swim and dive team to practice

in other towns, I would return and be amazed by the number of people at the bowling alley on

the edge of McCook.

The parking lot was overflowing. Cars were parked in the grass. Trucks were lining the building.

Some vehicles may have been blocked in by a fellow patron. It was great to see so many

people out and about, obviously enjoying something that they enjoyed. I don’t know if everyone

was bowling, enjoying a drink or playing pool, but it was something that made them leave the

house for the evening.

Which got me to thinking: why do some things make you leave your house and join with others?

I am genuinely interested to learn what activity, what event or what idea would make you leave

your home. Not permanently - just for the evening.

What will make you leave the comfort of your house, What will make you ignore the call of your

countless screens? What will override the joy of doing northing in exchange for doing

something? What gets you excited enough to venture out to be with friends and neighbors?

As a society, we have literally become less social. We are less connected. We have fewer

friends. We take part is a shrinking number of social outings.

Recent studies have shown that American society is experiencing a significant decline in face-

to-face social interaction, with data showing a 30% reduction in socializing for adults and nearly

50% for teenagers over the last two decades. Driven by increased technology use and the

pandemic, Americans are spending more time alone, with 12% of adults reporting having no

close friends in 2021.

From 2003 to 2022, time spent with friends in person dropped by 20 hours per month. Per day,

the average daily social interaction fell from 54 minutes to 34 minutes. What are people doing

with those 20 hours? Staring at a screen is the biggest culprit.

Whether during the day or at night, the easy answer to “what do I want to do” is staring at a

screen. If the thought of “I’m bored” starts to creep in, a TV show can alleviate the issue and

distract your mind.

The ways we previously interacted with others is also declining.

We are getting out of the habit of inviting others and are becoming less inclined to create the

social events. People are hosting fewer and fewer birthday parties or any kind of party, because

it does take effort to invite others and prepare for their arrival. There are a declining number of

service organizations because it takes work to keep them going. And church membership in the

U.S. fell below 50% for the first time in 2020, reflecting a broader decline in what used to be one

of the most traditional ways to form a social group

It can seem daunting to become more social, especially if you are the one hosting.

But what we have to realize is that if you don’t aim for perfection, ie., an expansive menu when

a couple bags of chips will do, a printed invitation when a group text will get people there, or an

immaculate house because as the recent saying goes, “No one is looking at your kitchen

baseboards.”

I will be the first to admit that when I get home for the day and I know that I won’t be venturing

out again, I go straight for my worn-out, dull grey, sweat pants that can’t and shouldn’t be seen

in public. And there are very few things that will make me return to my “public” clothes.

But I am trying to make an effort. I recently hosted a birthday party for my husband’s 54th

birthday. Upon arrival, most people asked if it was a significant birthday or a major milestone. I

replied, “No, I just wanted to have a party and celebrate my husband.” That is how odd a

concept it is now to simply host an event.

Ultimately, we realize how important socialization is to the individual and to our communities.

We need to be around friends and neighbors. That is where relationships are formed. That is

where we find common grounds. That is where figure out how to work together to make our

communities even better.

In this case, I don’t have all the answers, so I am truly asking: What is such a cool concept that

you look forward to it all day and can’t wait to join others that evening? What is an idea that you

want help making it a reality? What is something that you would be willing to leave your house

for and be involved in.

It may be a one-time event like a murder mystery hosted the McCook Rotary Club or a concert

sponsored by MNB Bank . It may be a multi-day event like golf league at Heritage Hills or

playing a character in Southwest Nebraska Community Theater Association’s production of

“Clue” (which is running March 5-8 at the Fox Theater).

Again, I don’t know everyone’s interests or what gets people excited. If you have an idea that

you would like to see happen, please reach out. If you would like to share why you leave your

quiet, warm house for a loud, bustling bowling alley, please contact me. I am genuinely

interested in why people are involved in the things they are and what would make you get

involved even more? Send me an email at rondagraff@gmail.com. Mail a postcard to MCFF,

Box 525, McCook NE 69001.

If we are going to reverse what some refer to as an "anti-social" era, where cars, screens, and work habits reduce the necessity of physical presence, we have to take the steps to create

events where people want to be and invite others to join us.

February 2026 Volunteer Focus on TeamMates and Community

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 17:24:58 GMT

February 2026 McCook Volunteer of the Month - Sara Rippen

February 2026 Volunteer of the Month Passionate about TeamMates and Community

Most days, Sara Rippen can be found at her day job at Garrison's and McCook Lettering, perhaps measuring for tuxedos or helping with personalized shirts.

But Sara is also active in the community, giving of her time, energy and passion to serve others.

Because of these efforts and more, Sara has been named the February 2026 McCook Volunteer of the Month.

McCook TeamMates coordinator Marissa Hoines said in her nomination that Sara has been a dedicated volunteer with the TeamMates Mentoring Program for more than 15 years.

“Sara is consistently serving as a mentor and meeting with her mentee each week to provide encouragement and support,” Hoines said. “Her commitment to showing up year after year demonstrates her passion for making a lasting difference in the lives of students.”

In addition to her mentoring, Sara took on a leadership role, serving as a past board president, helping guide the vision and growth of the program.

“Through both her one-on-one mentoring and her leadership contributions, Sara has played an important role in strengthening TeamMates and positively impacting her community,” Hoines said.

Sara is also currently serving as president of the McCook Cordials and volunteers regularly for the McCook Chamber of Commerce, just one of the many reasons Sara was chosen as the February 2026 McCook Volunteer of the Month.

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 Volunteers” program.

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.

Practicing Good Stewardship Takes Effort But Reaps Many Rewards

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 22:55:12 GMT

Practicing Good Stewardship Takes Effort But Reaps Many Rewards

By GAVIN HARSH

The word “money” can bring about a multitude of feelings based on your current situation, your family history, your childhood memories, certain life events or most likely, all of them in one tangled mess. All of those defining moments are valid points in how we quantify and emotionally tie ourselves to the word “money.” But the concept of stewardship is rarely discussed among families due to its immense complexity.

The basic definition of stewardship is the responsible management, care, and protection of something entrusted to one's care, such as resources, property, or environment.

Taking it up a notch, stewardship is another level of financial management that is beyond traditional means of “spend less than you make” or “which investment vehicle is best.”

Stewardship is complex. It entails many factors to be labeled as a good “steward.” Some that come to mind are: intentional decisions, measuring effectiveness, sustainability of spending, and many more. The art of being a good steward is a conscious effort to honor and fulfill one’s mission.

Reflecting upon serving on the McCook Community Foundation Fund Advisory Committee (FAC), I cannot state enough the positivity each and every FAC member approaches our granting capacity with stewardship top of mind. We evaluate and grade each application on how well it aligns with our mission and vision. Among the voting members, scrutiny of each application is welcomed as we truly do believe iron sharpens iron. Those conversations that sharpen the iron builds confidence if an application garners a grant and if so, how much should be granted?
As mentioned before, part of being a good steward is reflection and ours takes place in two key areas.

First, a thorough review of each approved grant, using the time to honor and appreciate our donor’s intent that they entrusted us. Oftentimes, this process reveals grants that match a specific interest area, allowing gifts to continue the donor’s ongoing legacy.

But also in our time of reflection, it is an opportunity to evaluate how effective other grants have impacted our community. Through our review process, we learn from each and every grant of how we can push more granting dollars into true transformative grants that leave an everlasting impact on our community.

As I conclude my final year as a board member, I do so with deep gratitude and confidence in the future of the McCook Community Foundation Fund. The intentional stewardship demonstrated by past and current members has laid a strong foundation—one rooted in abiding in our mission, accountability to donor’s intent, and community impact. Because of that commitment, MCFF is not only well-positioned for the future, but uniquely equipped to continue investing in transformative work that will make McCook a better place to call home for generations to come.

***

Gavin Harsh has served not only on the MCFF Advisory Committee for the past several years, but he began his connection with MCFF as a member of the first Youth Change Reaction class in 2009.

Bison Days Is About More Than Just Jobs

Thu, 05 Feb 2026 14:57:56 GMT

Bison Days Is About More Than Just Jobs

McCook High School’s Bison Days has been around for nearly a decade but there are still people who a) have never heard of it; b) want to be part of it but don't know how to get involved; or c) don’t understand exactly what the program is.

Held over two full school days in the third quarter to break the winter doldrums, Bison Days brings freshmen through seniors at the high school together with community members to learn about topics they typically cannot learn in school.

Yet over the course of just a few hours on the second Bison Day earlier this week, I had three different people ask me how the sessions I was leading related to professional development, ie. how the kids would develop an occupation from our time together.

Jobs are important. There are several stories about McCook students being introduced to a career during Bison Days and going into that profession after graduating from high school.

We never know when a student might learn about a career they didn’t know existed and it piques their interest and they become employed and they stay in McCook.

But almost just as important are the other ideas and programs the students are introduced to which include new skills, hobbies and interests presented by volunteers in the community.

The students get to select a class that sparks their interest. Hopefully they take something that gets them out of their comfort zone. They may even end up with a project to take home, a painting or decorated cookie.

Bison Days also benefits the school staff. Many lead sessions about their outside interests, showing the students that their teachers are people too. And it gives the teachers a chance to get to know their students outside the regular classroom.

And perhaps most importantly, the program highlights some of the opportunities available in our community. So often we hear “There is nothing to do here” from students as well as adults, but Bison Days shows that isn’t true. From ice fishing to bowling, pie making to auto repair, more than 70 different courses proves that statement untrue.

Another frequent question is what the most popular session is each year. That is tough to gauge because each class allows a different number of participants. But my guess is that pickleball ranks near the top with four sessions with each hosting 16 students and it is always filled up. I can’t say for sure but I wonder if instructors Mike, Christie, Cathy and Dale are bribing with chocolate but it is more like that the kids just miss recess and pickleball is a fun sport.

I suggested the involvement of candy because food is another popular draw for sessions. The seniors get to choose their schedule first and anything with food fills up quickly. Not all of these kids are going into food service so it is more likely that making your own pie, cooking a steak or preparing a bowl of pasta is the main draw. And I know this from experience as my daughter ended up with three “food” sessions her senior year, yet never worked in a restaurant during high school.

Perhaps, the most gratifying comment came as my husband and I finished our session at Red Willow Lake on Tuesday morning. The kids had hiked the trails on both sides of the lake, studied the exposed parts of the diversion dam, got up-close-and-personal with Darrell Meister’s bison herd and rode the trails using the bicycles in the Youth Change Reaction’s bike loan shed. As they finished their s’mores around the campfire, one student commented that he couldn’t wait to come back with dad and ride bikes on the trails.

In the end, Bison Days is showing our students - and our community - all the fun things there are to do here, all the different job opportunities, and all the great people making McCook an even better place to call home.

MCFF Expands Scholarship Offerings

Wed, 04 Feb 2026 17:59:27 GMT

MCFF Expands Scholarship Offerings

The McCook Community Foundation Fund has added another scholarship for the 2026-2027 school year in addition to several other scholarship opportunities.

New in 2026 is the George and Lois Tiller Memorial Scholarship for McCook and Southwest High School graduates. The scholarship will be awarded for the second to fourth year of a four-year school or any year of community college or vocational school.

Applications are also being accepted for the Bernard and Nelda Haag Memorial Scholarship, the Barbara Fassler-Neumann Nursing Scholarship and the Frank and Marion Weiland Memorial Scholarship. And the Learn and Return Scholarship is available on a rolling basis for those returning to McCook after graduating.

The $1,000 Haag Scholarship is available to graduating seniors (or students currently enrolled in an accredited college) who are from Red Willow, Furnas, Frontier, Hayes or Hitchcock counties. The recipient will be selected based upon leadership, extracurricular activities, dedication to agriculture or rural living, a desire to return to a rural area or to Southwest Nebraska, lifelong learning and financial need.

The Fassler-Neumann Scholarship is for graduating seniors of Southwest Nebraska high schools, graduates of an area high school currently pursuing study in a medical field, or practicing medical professionals in Southwest Nebraska who have resided in the area for at least four years. Preference will be given to applicants from McCook High School and to those expressing a desire to return or remain in Southwest Nebraska.

Started in 2025, the Weiland Scholarship was created by Frank’s grandson Doug Keith in honor of his grandparents. Weiland Field is also named in honor of Frank Weiland. The $1,000 scholarship is available to a graduating McCook High School senior or student currently enrolled in college who graduated from McCook High School. The applicant must live (or have lived) in McCook or Red Willow County. Each applicant must be entering or currently attending an accredited school of higher education.

The focus for selecting the recipient will be based upon leadership and self-motivation through involvement in extracurricular activities in high school; a dedication to education; a desire to return to a rural area or Southwest Nebraska; lifelong learning; and the personal essay. A recipient may reapply in subsequent years as long as he or she continues to meet the parameters of the scholarship.

The Tiller Scholarship is for McCook area residents pursuing post-secondary undergraduate education at an accredited community college, vocational school, college or university. The scholarship will be awarded to those who have already started their schooling at a four-year university or who are beginning at a community college or vocational school.

MCFF also oversees the McCook Learn and Return Scholarship, which is a collaboration between MCFF and the McCook Economic Development Corp., to encourage young people to get their education and then return to their hometown. The scholarship helps with tuition assistance with the promise of the recipient returning to McCook to work. Forgiveness of the scholarship is based upon the years worked in McCook.

Available on a rolling basis, the MCFF Scholarship Committee will award the scholarship, while MEDC will oversee the contract and possible repayment if the obligations are not met.

Application forms are available from area high school guidance counselor’s offices, McCook Community College Financial Aid Office, or by email at mcffund@gmail.com, The applications are also available on the MCFF website, mccookfoundation.org.

Applications for each of these scholarships must be submitted by Wednesday, March 31, 2026, to MCFF, PO Box 525, McCook, NE 69001 or emailed to mcffund@gmail.com.

With Little Snow, Still the Season of Lights

Thu, 29 Jan 2026 23:46:33 GMT

With Little Snow, Still the Season of Lights

This past weekend, I hopped the train to Colorado in search of snow. Somehow we have made it to the end of January with no significant snowfall in McCook or Southwest Nebraska. While we received snow while we were gone - almost enough to warrant getting out a shovel - it wasn’t enough to cross-country ski on, the reason for the trip.

While I know that I am in the minority when it comes to my love of winter and especially snow, many people are acknowledging that we need snow and lamenting the lack of moisture in McCook, Southwest Nebraska and Northwest Kansas.

It is especially hard on me because my daughter is attending college in northwest Iowa and has had not one, not two but five snow days at school. And if you know colleges, they don’t shut down unless absolutely necessary so the snow is piling up there.

While the holidays have come and gone, it still doesn’t seem like winter because we haven’t had a significant snowfall yet. We’ve had cold temperatures. We’ve had wind howling. We’ve had ice coating the roads.

Yet there hasn’t been enough snow this season to make the kids gleeful when they wake up in the morning knowing there is a chance for a late start or to get a snow day.

With this lack of precipitation, I have made the intentional decision to Not do something - take down my outdoor Christmas lights. The indoor decorations have been returned to their totes and placed in the basement. But my outdoor holiday lights remain on my pine trees. Colorful strings still adorn my roofline. And red-and-white candy canes are hanging on my building on Norris. By this point, I had anticipated flipping the candy canes so they could make a heart for Valentine’s Day, but I am still holding onto hope that snow will adorn the decorations for their intended visual appeal.

Maybe it is wishful thinking, but I think I have seen more holiday lights up and still on than usual. We are in the midst of the dull, gray part of the long winter season, where the grass is dormant, the trees are leafless and the only color on the horizon is brown after brown after brown.

So without the snow to provide a clean, bright surface, the lights provide a glimmer of color and a bit of brightness in this somewhat drab time of year.

And who is to say when lights should come down anyway? Think about the touristy places you have visited such as ski resorts or theme parks. They have lights up nearly year-round because it simply provides beauty and whimsy to the location.

Just because the holiday has passed does it mean that we have to return to a colorless world until grass starts to grow and the flowers start to bloom.

I realize that leaving the lights up continuously reduces their impact. After all, there is something about seeing the holiday lights for the first time each winter, but for now, we need that joy and color and brightness that the holiday lights bring.

There is something about the addition of lights that can transform a space or location into a magical, welcoming atmosphere.

Consider Norris Alley next to the Keystone as you drive down Norris. The former parking lot was transformed with cement and trees, but it is the lights in the evening that draw your eyes to the space.

For nearly two years, we waited for the marquee at the Fox Theater to be completed. Now every time it is up, Norris Avenue just shines - literally and figuratively - a bit brighter.

And there may be even more lights on Norris Avenue. Beautify McCook coordinates the lights on top of the buildings downtown, which are lit up during the holidays.

But they are researching replacing those lights with new technology which would allow the buildings to be lit up throughout the year, perhaps for homecoming, Heritage Days, or the Fourth of July.

While it will be great when we finally do get snow, we can lift our spirits by enjoying the lights which surround us, at least until that snow comes…in March or April.

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

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 17:42:02 GMT

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.

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.

Master Storyteller Will be Missed but the Memories Remain

Thu, 22 Jan 2026 17:34:24 GMT

Master Storyteller Will be Missed but Memories Remain

The whistling starts faintly, no particular tune but just the joyful sound that comes from strolling down an empty hallway. Then the whistling grew louder, the closer it got to my office door.

The whistle only came to a stop as Cal Siegfried poked his head into my office at the end of the hallway in the Keystone.

“You know there’s a law that if it’s raining in Sweden, you have to use your headlights. How am I supposed to know when it’s raining in Sweden and need to use my headlights?”

And with that, Cal turned on his heels into the men’s restroom.

While I love my office in the Keystone Business Center, its location is a bit quirky as it is located directly across from the third floor men’s restroom. This means I know the comings and goings of most of the men on the floor, but especially Cal as he announced his presence with a whistle as he walked.

But the bathroom breaks also meant a new joke or a story when he stopped by.

In fact, this went on for years before it dawned on me that Cal was sharing gems with me and that I should be recording these bits of brilliance that he seemed to just pull out of thin air.

So I asked if it was OK if I wrote down the tales he told me standing in the doorway. And since the reason for his visit was most likely because of a trip to the men’s room, the notebook was literally and not-so-creatively named, “Cal’s Bathroom Book.”

The first entry is about an encounter Cal had in front of the Keystone - or so he said.

“I stopped on the sidewalk to ask two boys how their summer was going and they said they had been fishing. The first boy, about 5, said he caught a huge fish and held his hands about a foot apart to show his accomplishment. As if that wasn’t descriptive enough, the other boy added, ‘And it was fat,’ holding his arms in a circle, ‘even fatter than you,’ nodding at me. I couldn’t be offended because I was just in awe of their accurate storytelling skills.”

I don’t have as many stories and jokes as I wish I had - there are too many blank pages remaining that I wish Cal was here to help fill - but I’m thankful for those that I do have.

“Did you hear about the Amish accident between Curtis and Maywood? It was a drive-by quilting.”

I marveled at his ability to recall a story from decades ago with such detail. Was all of it true? Who knows but Cal told it with such conviction that it didn’t matter.

“I went to the pool the other day. And just like in the old days, I went pee in the deep end. That’s when the lifeguard told me I couldn’t just stand on the edge.”

Cal’s role in the community will be sorely missed. He could be counted on to help, from being an emcee to driving a bus - something we bonded over.

He was game for just about anything asked of him. The last favor I asked of him was to record the biographies for McCook’s Heritage Square walking tour for the McCook Community Foundation Fund. After I had updated the stories for Cal to narrate, he spent a three-day weekend in the recording booth, getting them to meet his standards. And while he stuck to the script most of the time, he still put his flair on a few of them. As we listen to the tour years from now, I am thankful for those little bits of “Cal” that remain.

“Darn lazy people. Wait…we can’t blame them. They didn’t do anything.”

Perhaps what I appreciated most about Cal was his ability to connect to others in almost any situation. His personalized birthday cards during our Keystone lunches were to be cherished. He served as emcee for a fake “wake” for Andy Long’s departure in early 2022, roasting not only Andy but everyone there.

And just a few months ago as he was in the throes of his treatments, he still sat down in my office to talk about how the city’s new sports complex, how swim season would work and to share stories about his grandkids, which were always a priority.
Cal’s passing this past week will leave a tremendous hole in the community, but we’ll have the memories, the jokes and the stories to keep his memory alive.

I don’t know if this is the most appropriate way to end this tribute to Cal but he wasn’t one to shy away from telling it like it is so here goes:

“This morning I asked my wife why she married me.

‘Because you’re funny,’ she said.

‘Oh, I thought it was because I am so good in bed.’

‘Like I said, because you’re so funny.’”

Cost of Complacency Can Lead to Higher Costs

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 17:59:43 GMT

Complacency Can Lead to Even Higher Costs

“What does it cost?” – This simple, direct question is one many of us ask frequently, whether shopping at the grocery store or asking questions of our local or state government when projects are proposed.

Yes, it seems like a straightforward question but there is a lot more to “cost” than the initial price.

Lately, I have been thinking about “cost” from a different angle though. Over the past nine months, I have been part of a group made up of individuals from a range of backgrounds — housing authorities, economic development professionals, real estate experts, and concerned citizens from communities across rural Nebraska. Together, we have been methodically investigating what our complacency costs us when we fail to address the growing number of vacant homes present in many of our communities.

Vacant homes are more than aging structures with peeling paint or overgrown yards. They are former family homes, once filled with life, now sitting empty as a visible reminder of population changes, workforce challenges, and limited housing options. Each vacant home represents monetary losses such as tax base and utility base rates but more importantly reduced neighborhood vitality and one less opportunity to welcome a new family, teacher, healthcare worker, or business owner into our community.

But the root of this issue is not solely funding or policy - it is participation.

Working with this group about the costs of complacency associated with housing, it sparked the thought of general complacency in our communities. In rural Nebraska, volunteers have been the catalyst for much of progress. A great example of this progress is the new inclusive playground at Kelley Park. Shout out to the group of community members who worked tirelessly to bring their dream to life for our children and future children of McCook.

Our community has been built by people who served on boards, coached our children, led organizations, and stepped forward when something needed to be done. When fewer people volunteer today, the cost is felt quickly and deeply.

“Someone else will handle it,” or “That’s just how things are now.” In our community, those assumptions are costly. When residents do not engage, the same small group of volunteers is asked to shoulder more responsibility. Burnout follows. Momentum slows. Eventually, good ideas never make it off the ground, not because they weren’t needed, but because there weren’t enough hands willing to help carry them forward.

The cost of complacency shows up in tangible ways: limited housing options for young families, difficulty attracting and retaining workforce, and fewer community-led solutions. It also can show up less visibly in weakened leadership pipelines and a growing disconnect between residents and the future of their town.

Volunteering does not require endless time or specialized knowledge. It requires a willingness to care about where we live and who comes next. Serving on a local board, participating in a committee, or simply engaging in community conversations are all ways to reduce the long-term costs McCook and other surrounding communities face when participation declines.

The future of McCook will not be shaped by chance or by someone from the outside. As we enter the new year, let’s take our community’s future into our own hands, and let’s each choose to be a part of the solutions McCook needs. If McCook is to remain strong, resilient, and welcoming, we might want to look at the definition of cost differently. Sometimes the most expensive decision we can make for our community is choosing not to take action.

***

Amanda Engell is the housing director for the McCook Economic Development Corp. and a member of the McCook Community Foundation Fund, but is working to make McCook an even better place to call home for her friends, neighbors and most importantly, her two little boys.

Trying to Slow Down Time, Once Again

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 14:58:06 GMT

Who remembers sitting in their classroom at school, staring at the clock on the wall, as the seconds slowly ticked away? It seemed like the day would never end. The last day of the school year seemed so far away. And graduation? That was a far-off dream that couldn’t get here quick enough.

Fast-forward 10, 20, 30 years and not only do the days, weeks and months fly by, but the years seem to disappear in a blur.

Looking back on 2025, it can be hard to recall everything that was accomplished or that happened. Thank goodness for newspaper clippings, social media posts and the thousands of pictures on our phones to help us remember.

For me, I was thrilled to see the McCook Aquatic Center open for its first full season. Children could spend their day at the pool. Families could enjoy time together. There was even water walking in the evening in the lazy river - with or against the current depending on your mood.

That being said, I would like to see the pool stay open a bit later, up until school starts or even a few weeks into the school year. But that will only happen if we have adult lifeguards once the young people start fall sports so perhaps getting a lifeguard certification could be a goal for people in 2026.

We saw the beginning of the transformation at the YMCA in McCook in 2025, with the pool shutting down the day after the high school swimmers left for the state championship meet in late February. While McCook remains without an indoor pool at the start of 2026, hopes are high to have the pool up and running before this year’s swim season comes to an end.

And as the renovation and expansion of the YMCA continues, it may get worse before it gets better but by the end of 2026, the finish line for a new and improved YMCA will be in sight.

Perhaps one of the most gleeful accomplishments in 2025 was the completion of the inclusive playground at Kelley Park. Started several years ago by a group of young, determined mothers, their dream was accomplished in late 2025 with all phases of the project completed. Which is a good reminder for all of us not to get in the way of a mom when she is committed to an idea.

A second disc golf course was completed at Barnett Park, Community Hospital’s Roots student housing complex downtown is finished and the new sports complex on the west side of McCook is nearing completion.

McCook is on the move, mostly in the right direction.

Not all was great in 2025. The school bond issue failed to pass, even as the junior high continues to deteriorate. The cost of living continues to rise, putting stress on people to pay their bills.

And the homeless population has come front and center. If you think this is a new problem, it isn’t. McCook has had a homeless camp for years but was “evicted,” sending them into the line of sight and it is something our community needs to address in 2026.

There is a lot to look forward to in 2026. Maybe we will get more walking trails, which haven’t increased in more than a decade. Maybe we will get lights at the pool, to expand the hours of availability. Maybe we’ll have so many people volunteering, joining clubs and even running for office that we’ll be overwhelmed by the enthusiasm.

That would be a great problem to have in 2026.

And if you are wondering why the years seem to creep by when you are younger but speed by as we age, it is because we have fewer “markers” along the way to help divide time. While there may be a party every year when you are younger, we are lucky if the “decade” birthdays get a balloon and some streamers once we pass 21.

The momentous occasions also became less frequent. The graduations, the weddings, the births, the new jobs are fewer and far between. Only the funerals seem to come at a quicker pace as we age.

So if one of your goals for 2026 is to try and simply remember more about what happened over the past year, make those memories. Maybe it is getting involved in the community by attending a Third Thursday event downtown or joining the bowling league. Maybe it is hosting a regular game night for your friends or starting a book club. Maybe it is vowing to do one pull-up by the end of the year or finally learn a foreign language…and then travel to another country to use it.

Or perhaps you get your lifeguard certificate and get to hang out with little people, which just may help slow down your year…or at least make it memorable.

MCF Members Share "Why" They Do This Work

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 18:17:23 GMT

MCFF members share "why" they do this work for their community.

As 2025 comes to a close, the McCook Community Foundation Fund would like to thank the community for their support over the past year and since MCFF was formed in 2001.

Over the past two decades, dozens of community members have served as Fund Advisory Committee (FAC) members…each with their own personal reason why they serve the community, why they do this work, and why they give of their time, their talent and their treasure.

To celebrate the season and wrap-up the year, the current FAC members each shared their “why” they do this work, day after day, to make McCook an even better place to call home.

Peggy Been: We are the people who have been given the great opportunity—and the responsibility—to build the hometown we want to call home. It’s amazing what we can accomplish when we plan and work together.

Dennis Berry: Referencing a favorite Psalm 116:12 - “What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits to me?”

Dale Dueland: We live in an abundant community, truly one where our glass is always at least half full, and never less than half empty. I like to remind community friends that we have the capacity, competence, and confidence to inspire, lead and support progress in our place. We invite donor support from those who recognize the benefit of a supportive hometown.

By wisely investing the payout from our unrestricted endowment, we encourage collaboration with community partners to capture opportunities, creating positive change in our community and making a place where we can live joyfully with family, friends, and neighbors.

Amanda Engell: The generosity of those who came before me is the reason my family enjoys the community, amenities, and opportunities that make life in McCook comfortable and fulfilling. For future families, I want to do my part to give back and help continue McCook’s legacy of generosity and support for generations to come.

Jeff Gross: I do this work because I care deeply about McCook and the people who call it home. The McCook Community Foundation Fund connects generosity with real needs, helping create opportunities today while building a stronger, more resilient community for future generations.

Gavin Harsh: My “why” is through serving and by fulfilling my personal mission to leave things better than previously found.

Cindy Huff: Community involvement is driven by my desire to help provide for future generations and for the people of McCook and Southwest Nebraska. It's the whole thing about planting a tree you will never see full-grown. That's what I want to leave for my home.

Matt Sehnert: Southwest Nebraska is the home of my family and friends. I want our home to be safe and welcoming, calm and peaceful, yet still fun and exciting. A mindset of abundance and gratitude also inspires me to help our neighbors in need.

Linda Taylor: It is very rewarding and an honor to serve on the McCook Community Foundation Fund’s advisory committee. Working together, we are able to help with a lot of great and impactful projects in our community.

Sean Wolfe: My "why" is simply one word, "people."Everything I do is with the goal of making McCook a better place for the people of McCook, both now and in the future.

Pam Wolford: Connection is the energy that exists among people when they feel seen, heard, and valued. The goal of MCFF is to foster connections in our community. I enjoy making those connections—especially when it involves my past students and their families. It makes me so proud.

"This Too Shall Pass" Marks the Season

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 17:16:54 GMT

Last Saturday, I stepped outside my kitchen door onto the deck. After just two steps, I turned around and came back to keep from sliding to the ground. A layer of thin ice covered everything, turning roads into slip-n-slides, sidewalks into skating rinks and even handrails into makeshift banana peels.

I was testing the ground because I was supposed to drive the McCook High School team to North Platte for a swim practice. With the YMCA pool under construction this season, all our practices and meets are on the road. Every minute we can get in the water is important but the safety of the swimmers and coaches was more important so we stayed home.

The ability to stay home was a luxury we had, especially since it was just a practice session. But it was just another twist on the road we have faced this season and not the first time we have had to say “this too shall pass.”

This entire season is a “this too shall pass.” We are fortunate to even have a swim season at all, as the alternative would have just been to cancel the season this year.

Next year, we will be back in a brand new pool at the YMCA so when people ask how we are handling this season, I just say “this too shall pass.”

My mother would regularly say to me “this too shall pass” whenever something got me flustered, helping to get the situation into perspective. Ultimately, we just have to deal with each situation as it presents itself.

And there has been a lot to deal with so far. We are fortunate that the high school and YMCA worked so hard to get alternative sites with pools lined up for meets and practices, as well as the other locations willing to host our teams.

We tell ourselves that this is only for one year and that this too shall pass. We have to make the best of this season and we are doing that.

Without a home pool, we have arranged for our seniors to be honored at a home basketball game. We will still hand out little rubber ducks to heat winners during our “home” meet in North Platte.

And because we arrive home just in time to do some homework and get to bed, dinner on the bus is now a regular thing. Thanks to parents supporting the meals, we’ve had everything from bierocs to breakfast on the bus.

I’m grateful for the meals but also thankful that this “too shall pass” when I decide to have chili for supper and the roaster tipping over as the bus turned a corner. Let’s just say I was thankful the chili was still in giant ziploc bags and the only mishap was a broken handle on the roaster rather than chili oozing down the aisle of the bus.

While I won’t miss all the hours and miles on the road, I’ll actually miss a few things about the season.

I’ve come to enjoy seeing the sunset every night on the drive home. Coming over the hill between Eustis and Farnam just as the sun is setting, casting a red glow that almost makes the skyline look like it is on fire.

I’ve come to enjoy the kids boarding the bus after practice and immediately asking “what’s for dinner?” and the thankfulness they express to have food ready to go.

I’ve even come to enjoy making it through the deer herd 20 miles north of McCook without hitting one - yet.

Because I know this “too shall pass” soon enough and we’ll return to our regular routine. And years from now, we’ll look back and say, “remember when we had to drive an hour just to get to a pool” or “remember when we had to haul tons of food on and off the bus.” Or “remember when we had no pool, but it was no problem” because we knew “this too shall pass.”

As we dive headfirst into the holiday season (yes, this is a blatant pool reference) and get overwhelmed by all there is to do from presents to food, take a moment to stop and reflect and remember that this “too shall pass.”

Dec. 2025 Volunteer of the McCook Beautifying Downtown McCook

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 17:30:11 GMT

Dec 2025 Volunteer of the Month Beautifying McCook

The December 2025 McCook Volunteer of the Month may be found sweeping leaves in Norris Alley between the Fox Theater and Keystone Business Center. Or she may be overseeing the installation of holiday lights on B Street and Norris Alley. And not to mention, she is likely picking up trash that has blown down Norris Avenue onto the sidewalk near B Street.

All because Linda Graff has an eye for making things beautiful, whether inside her downtown apartment which was part of the 2025 Holiday Home Tour or on the streets in front of her home along Norris Avenue.

Her advocacy on Beautify McCook - a group of volunteers working to make McCook beautiful one light, one flower, one project at a time - is just one reason Linda was named the December 2025 McCook Volunteer of the Month.

Linda also has a gift for helping others, including serving others as a volunteer for Prairie Plains Court Appointed Special Advocates and as a mentor for McCook’s TeamMates program. Linda is also a board member for the McCook Community Kitchen, which hosts events throughout the year to encourage healthy and creative eating.

The McCook Philanthropy Council recognizes a volunteer every month who is doing good work in McCook and Red Willow County.

If there is a volunteer in the community who should be recognized, please contact the McCook Chamber of Commerce at 308-345-3200 or visit McCook Volunteers on the McCook Community Foundation Fund’s website, mccookfoundation.org to complete a nomination form.

Seasons of Lists Includes Priority Lists

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 23:09:04 GMT

Season of Lists Includes Priority Lists

We are in the season of lists. Santa is looking at his naughty and his nice lists. Many are working on their New Year’s resolution list. Others are making their way through their long gift lists.

One of the lists we should be considering is what we want to be involved in and what we need to remove from our schedule as we start the new year.

I’m the first one to say we need to be involved. We need to join groups. We need volunteers at events. We need to follow our passions.

But while speaking recently to current members of the Southwest Nebraska Leadership Institute, I had to be honest when someone asked about burnout from having too many things on your to-do list.

I offered up a piece of advice given by a friend before he moved away from McCook: When considering taking on something new or agreeing to add something to your calendar, ask yourself this: Is it a “heck ya?” If not, then it’s a “heck no.”

That is kind of rude to tell someone “heck no” when they ask for help or for you to be involved, so a simple “no” or “I need to think about that and get back to you” is probably a better reply in the moment.

Another friend - I like to surround myself with smart, deep-thinking people to do the work for me - provided an article about setting priorities and how to do it.

Ultimately, we have a limited amount of resources and time during this life. And I’m the first to admit that I suffer from FOMO - Fear of Missing Out - so I jump at doing anything and everything. Hence, why my friend sent me the article to help set priorities.

The first step is to realize you need priorities to determine where you want to spend your time and this requires time to reflect. It is tempting to prioritize everything which unfortunately just leads to no priorities.

To help set your priority list, there are three simple steps along with a questions to ask yourself:

Realize I can’t do everything. What is important to me?
Focus on areas where I can do the most good. When will my effort be best spent?
List possible actions I can take that will make a difference. What can I do?

It goes back to finding your passion and making an impact in that area. This can apply to your business, your career, your personal life and each situation is unique.

This doesn’t mean that you can’t help a friend move furniture to their new house. In fact, it may fit right in because that friendship is important so moving a chair becomes a priority.

You don’t get to quit your job because it’s not very important to you. If it is paying your bills then it should probably stay a priority.

But maybe you leave one organization so you can focus on another which hasn’t been getting as much attention lately.

So as the year comes to a close and you find your Christmas gift list is marked off, maybe a priority is to set a priority list for the upcoming year.

Where do you want to make an impact in the community? Where can you become engaged in a project to make a difference? What needs to be dropped from your schedule so you can better focus on those other priorities?

By focusing on what’s important, our effort can make a bigger difference and may be more meaningful. By setting our priorities, we can all make our communities even better places to call home.

Holiday Home Tours Return

Thu, 11 Dec 2025 15:09:20 GMT

By RONDA GRAFF

MCFF

After a 10-year hiatus, the McCook Holiday Home Tours are returning for 2025. On Dec. 13 and 14, six downtown upstairs apartments will be open to the public for tours during the holiday season during two events.

The Saturday, Dec. 13 event includes a progressive dinner as part of the tour from 5-8 p.m. At each apartment, one course of the evening meal, along with drinks, will be provided to participants. Organizers encourage groups of friends to get together for the evening or for couples to attend for a date night.

The tour will start and end at the Pour Farm, 416 Norris in McCook. The cost is $50 per person and tickets must be pre-purchased.

The tours continue on Sunday, Dec. 14 during the McCook Chamber’s Noel on Norris’ afternoon festivities. From 1-4 p.m., the downtown apartments will be available for tours on a come-and-go basis with holiday goodies at each stop. Tickets are $20 each and can be pre-purchased or bought Sunday at the Keystone Business Center.

Tickets for both the progressive dinner on Dec. 13 and the come-and-go tours on Dec. 14 can be purchased at the McCook Chamber website under the Noel on Norris section.

A note about the tours: these are upstairs apartments, which means a lot of stairs and the homes are not handi-cap accessible.

The Holiday Home Tours are a fund-raiser for Beautify McCook, the volunteer organization which coordinates the downtown flowering planters in the summer and the skyline holiday lights in the winter. Beautify McCook is part of the McCook Community Foundation Fund, an affiliate of the Nebraska Community Foundation.

For more information about the tours, visit MCFF’s website, mccookfoundation.org or call or text 308-340-3412.

Nov. 2025 Volunteer Willing to Help Wherever Needed

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 19:42:05 GMT

While many people think volunteering is for older residents, serving your community has no age restrictions. And young people can regularly be found lending a hand or offering their services in their hometown.

The November 2025 McCook Volunteer of the Month recognizes one of many young people are working to make their community an even better place to call home: Grady Riemenschneider.

Currently a senior at McCook High School, Grady volunteers with a wide variety of organizations and groups.

As a four-year member of the McCook Community Foundation Fund’s Youth Change Reaction, Grady serves as the ambassador for the youth group’s “Cars Under Stars,” the outdoor movie theater at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds. At nearly every showing, he can be found operating the projector and setting up the parking lot, as well as passing along his knowledge to the next ambassador.

In McCook’s FFA program, Grady has held officer roles the past four years and is currently the chapter vice president, organized the chapter banquet in 2025 and coached for the conduct of chapter meetings. Along with serving as the president of the Driftwood Feeders 4-H Club, he assists with setup, tear down and fundraising for the dog show and helps fellow members train their dogs.

Grady steps in to help and lead at local events, including Prairie Plains CASA’s Kick in’ It Up for CASA and the Cajun Broil; the Edward Jones Alzheimer’s Walk; operating sound boards for various groups; and Feed the Farmer.

And he has served as a youth leader at McCook Christian Church for elementary youth since approximately 2018 as well as stepping up to ensure the ag program ran smoothly during a teacher’s maternity leave

Upon request from his mother about some of Grady’s activities, Sharleen noted that he is the “Chief Household Operations Officer: first responder for Mom’s to-do list, go-to chauffeur and caretaker for his favorite sidekick (a.k.a. his nephew), and the family’s unofficial event planner who somehow keeps everyone together without a clipboard.”

The McCook Philanthropy Council recognizes a volunteer every month who is doing good work in McCook and Red Willow County.

Much to be Thankful For in McCook

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 18:46:22 GMT

Much to Be Thankful For in McCook

We have been able to enjoy the beautiful Fall weather and every one of us has so much to be thankful for as we head into the holiday season.

There will be some empty places around some of our Thanksgiving dinner tables but there will also be gatherings that have new faces. When we have friends and relatives stop by McCook this holiday season, we have a lot to share with them so take them for a ride around McCook.

Show them the new aquatic center that the children and adults were able to enjoy this summer, made possible with the city sales tax.

Drive them behind the Graff Event Center at McCook Community College to see the new inclusive playground that is under construction. The fact that the money for this was raised by grants and a group of mothers who saw a need is remarkable.

While you are out that direction, be sure to drive by the former Elk's Club which is now our beautiful Mid-Plains Community College’s East Campus. It is a great example of transforming something that could have just been an eyesore into an asset for the entire community.

Next, take a ride over to Norris Avenue for a drive up and down Santa Claus Lane. Many thanks to the McCook Chamber of
Commerce, the city staff and the numerous volunteers who install and maintain the project because it is great during the day and truly beautiful at night.

Another required stop is on West First Street, where you can show your guests Community Hospital’s new ROOTS building for visiting students that come to McCook for hospital training. The student housing will be a great opportunity to showcase downtown McCook for these short-term residents, who will hopefully one day be long-term residents.
Drive by the renovation of our YMCA. The fact that our community came together to donate and raise grants for a $17 million project is remarkable and shows the importance of the facility to the community. We will have a YMCA that we can be proud of for many years.

Heading north on Highway 83, you will pass the Wagner Car Dealership in development, showing investment in McCook. Continuing north, the new sports complex is built with sales tax dollars, grants, and local tourism dollars, along with a donation from McCook Community Foundation Fund.

This new area north of McCook will enable us to grow with not only things for our young people, but new housing and retail. Currently, we won’t have places for retail companies to build when they want to come to McCook. Now we do!

We need to be thankful for the fact that John and Debra Walters saw a need to help the area grow for families. We are looking forward to all of the events at the PFC Gerald L. Walters Youth Sports Complex. We are so blessed that our McCook EDC, Chamber, McCook Community Foundation Fund, Red Willow County Tourism, Community Hospital and the City of McCook could all collaborate to make this happen.

McCook will be 145 years old March 1, 2027. We will be celebrating our growth and new amenities. It has taken many years of volunteerism and sacrifice to get to where we are today. Thank you for all of your contributions to MCFF over the years, which is then able to help many worthwhile projects which have benefited our entire region.

Thank you to everyone who has stepped up to serve on countless boards, councils and committees lending a helping hand. Without your contributions, this would not be happening. We are blessed with so many people who are willing to share their time and talent to move McCook forward.

This momentum takes work and intentionality.

This holiday season, please remember to keep your sales tax dollars locally. When we travel to Kearney or North Platte or elsewhere, we give them our sales tax dollars when we shop. Try to shop local as much as possible because many jobs depend on turning the money around in our community. These local business owners are the ones that support the youth programs, schools, YMCA, and churches. Your sales tax dollars are supporting the new sports complex and aquatic center. McCook is a great place to raise a family and live because of all the people who have come before us and who call McCook home now.

Enjoy the holidays and be proud to call McCook your home.

***

Linda Taylor keeps herself busy serving the community as a volunteer on the McCook Community Foundation Fund. She also just happens to be mayor for the City of McCook and is a successful business woman and follows her grandchildren’s events in her spare time.

Honoring the Strunk Legacy in McCook

Sat, 22 Nov 2025 14:39:22 GMT

The names of those people who have made a generational impact on McCook and Southwest

Nebraska is a long list. Many of them are working day-in, day-out right now to make their mark

on the community.

And then there are those people who no longer call McCook home but still make an impact long

after they are gone.

Allen Strunk is one of those people. Allen passed away on Nov. 1 at his home in Las Vegas,

Nevada but he never lost the love of his hometown. Born and raised in McCook, Allen was a

member of an already well-known family, Harry and Arlene Strunk. The Strunks started and

published the McCook Daily Gazette, with the motto, “Service is the rent we pay for the space

we occupy in this world.” A saying that was so important that Harry had it etched at the top of

his downtown newspaper office on Norris Avenue.

That sense of service was passed along to Allen, who continued to serve his community as he

took over leadership of the Gazette.

I didn’t know Allen personally until he came back for visits years later. Even though my first job

upon arriving in McCook was at the McCook Daily Gazette and Allen had turned over the

publishing reins to Gene Morris many years prior, the Strunk legacy loomed large.

He was instrumental in the building of the then-new YMCA, moving the facility from downtown to

its current location next to the McCook High School. He was a key player in the new hospital,

again moving from one location to a new expanded space. And McCook Community College

benefitted his involvement in an expansion.

Those projects continue to impact McCook today.

And the support didn’t stop just because Allen retired from the Gazette and left McCook.

There are programs the Strunks are involved in that benefit McCook and Southwest Nebraska.

The Strunks continue to support Santa Claus Lane, which is overseen by the McCook Chamber

of Commerce. And which after a few years of decline is seeing a resurgence of enthusiasm and

nostalgia for the decorative holiday pieces lining Norris Avenue.

Allen funds the annual McCook Area Outstanding Teacher award, which provides a financial

prize to several teachers every year.

And Allen recognized the work of the McCook Community Foundation Fund, providing a

donation several years ago so that he could see its impact while he was still alive.

This has led MCFF to consider how they will recognize and remember Allen for years to come.

Because of his belief in service to his community, this could mean more recognition for the

countless volunteers who keep our community thriving. It could be a day of community service,

to see how many people can come together to make something happen. It could be a

celebration for all the great things happening in our community.

During Allen’s memorial service this past week in McCook, his step-daughter-in-law read the

poem, “The Dash" by Linda Ellis, who published it in 1996. It reflects on the meaning of the

dash between the birth and death dates on a tombstone.

The dash is a reminder of everything that happens between the moment a person is born and

the moment a person dies. The dash emphasizes the importance of how one lives their life

during that time. The dash prompts a person to think about living, rather than worrying about

dying. Ultimately, the dash is where all the good - and the bad - happens.

And Allen Strunk made the most of his “dash,” both in his community and within his family.

We can’t all run a newspaper. We likely aren’t going to etch our favorite saying into a building.

But we all need to consider how we are paying the “rent for the space we occupy in this world.”

And we can all make a difference in our hometowns, whether we currently live in them or even if

we haven’t stepped foot on the main street in years.

SWNE Big Give Reaches Record Level

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 13:23:35 GMT

SWNE Big Give Passes $400,000 for First Time in 10 Year History

By RONDA GRAFF

MCFF

If organizers for the 2025 Southwest Nebraska Big Give had to sum up the day in one word, it would be “impressive.” The one-day of giving on Nov. 6 reached a new record in 2025, with $410,855.49 in donations for 45 organizations in McCook and Southwest Nebraska.

While the Southwest Nebraska Big Give is technically 24 hours long, donations trickle in on the days following the event. The total at the end of the Big Give earlier this month was $370,000, already a new record total. But with additional donations and sponsorships, the total surpassed $400,000 for the first time in its 10-year history.

Additionally, the number of donations reached record levels with more than 1,200 individual donations, surpassing the 954 donations in 2024.

Along with individual donors, the Big Give is made possible because of generous sponsors which provide matching funds for the organizations.

The 2025 platinum sponsors include the Graff Charitable Foundation and MNB Bank. Gold sponsors are Community Hospital and First Interstate Bank.

While donations can no longer be made online, the Big Give website is still available at swnebiggive.org with a complete list of the organizations, the goals and their totals.

The Southwest Nebraska Big Give is organized by the Community Chest, a committee of local volunteers. As they wrap up the 2025 event, plans are already underway for the 2026 Big Give, which will be Thursday, Nov. 5.

The McCook Community Chest is a sub-account of the McCook Community Foundation Fund, an affiliate of the Nebraska Community Foundation.

Big Give and Meal Kits Show Need to be Needed

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 22:55:29 GMT

This is a subtitle for your new post

A study about mice has been taking up a lot of my thoughts lately. Yes, mice. But it is the study’s

relevance to humans that is important.

Known as the Universe 25 Experiment, a series of studies in the 1960s and ‘70s was conducted

on mice to observe the effects of a utopian environment with unlimited resources but limited

space. It was repeated 25 times to the same exact results; hence the name of Universe 25.

While at first it led to a population boom, the situation eventually led to the collapse of society. It

is not exactly an uplifting study to read but it was eye-opening.

I am no scientist, staying as far away from beakers and hypothesis as possible, but my take-

away was that a perfect world with no conflicts and no differences is worse for humankind than

everyone being the same. With all their problems solved, there was no way for the mice to make

a difference in their community. With no need to change anything, the mice gave up being

engaged in their community.

They were no longer needed to make a difference for future generations, so the mice no longer

tried. They quit interacting. They quit having babies. They quit socializing.

There was a social breakdown because they just focused on themselves and eventually the

group became extinct. They no longer needed each other or served a purpose to exist - so they

didn’t.

The chances of our world or our communities ever becoming a utopia is slim to none. And while

we may wish for everything to be perfect, our species is designed to have a need for a purpose,

to be engaged, to have differences so that we can help one another.

Ask people who are doing things in their communities why they are doing the things they do.

They will say they are trying to make a better world for the next generation. They are trying to

leave a planet better for their children and grandchildren. They are trying to make their

communities even better for their friends and family - now and in the future.

Because of our need to feel useful and make a difference, it is why we do the things we do.

It is why we have service clubs like the Optimists and Rotary that host youth basketball

tournaments and prepare community dinners. We are meant to serve others.

It is why bloodmobiles are conducted throughout the year with people willingly tolerating a bit of

pain and giving up an hour of their time. We are here to help our fellow man.

It is why people volunteer in their community, when they give up their evening to pick up trash

along the highway or use their lunch hour to visit with a TeamMate. We want to a make a

difference.

If you need even more proof that people ultimately want to be helpful, look no further than the

past two weeks.

The 2025 Southwest Nebraska Big Give took place on Nov. 6, helping 45 non-profit

organizations in the area. Once again, the one-day of giving reached record levels with the most

number of donations and the most number of dollars donated. At last count, the total was

around $393,000, the most ever for the 24-hours of philanthropy.

Our community knows that we need these organizations to help others who are in need and to

help groups improving the quality of life and people showed their support with their

contributions.

At the same time, McCook churches came together for the “McCook Meal Kits.” People donated

their money to purchase the food items and they donated their time to put the shelf-stable meal

kits together for distribution this week at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds.

We never want to see anyone go hungry, so our community came together to hopefully ease the

situation. And the project will likely continue so there is still the opportunity to donate time or

money by visiting www.mccookmealkits.org.

At the end of the day, we all want to make an impact and we want to know we made a difference

in the world around us.

There are so many ways to do that. It may be volunteering for one of the groups in the Big Give

or any of the other local organizations making a difference in our community. Maybe it is sharing

your skills with the next generation. Or it is donating a few dollars that keep the lights on for a

family in need.

While we may think we want to live in utopia, we are better off living to serve one another and

working together to make our communities even better places to call home.

Enthusiasm Helps Make 2025 Big Give a Success

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 14:18:55 GMT

2025 Big Give Reaches New Heights Thanks to Enthusiasm for Event

McCOOK, Neb. — The Southwest Nebraska non-profit organizations came together on Nov. 6 to make the Southwest Nebraska Big Give one-day of giving the most successful in its 10 year history.

And individuals and businesses also showed their support for 2025 Big Give and the groups that make McCook and all of Southwest Nebraska thrive.

With all that enthusiasm behind them, the Big Give reached new records in nearly every category.

As of Friday morning, the total is just under $290,000. When additional individual donations and sponsorship dollars are added, the total will likely reach $370,000. In 2024, the Big Give raised $335,000.

Perhaps an even bigger item to note is the number of donors. For the first time in the 10-year history, the number of individual donations passed the 1,000 mark, increasing from 954 last year to at least 1,048 in 2025.

All of those numbers will likely increase over the next week as mail-in donations arrive or a few stragglers arrive at Big Give headquarters at MNB Bank with a late donation.

Lisa Felker, co-chair of Community Chest which oversees and organizes the Southwest Nebraska Big Give, said she was really impressed how the 45 non-profits really increased their participation and enthusiasm for the event.

“The organizations worked really hard this year to get the word out about their group, as well as the Big Give,” Felker said, “and it showed leading up Nov. 6 as well as on the day.”

In McCook, 16 organizations provided a soup for a dinner at McCook Christian Church, which also served as a drive-up in-person giving station. While the groups were vying for an extra $100 toward their Big Give total, it was also an opportunity to share information about their group along with just enjoying a meal with friends and neighbors. Fr. Kimmenau’s chili for St. Pat’s took first place, with the YMCA’s dill pickle soup a close second.

Stratton provided their own soup supper to encourage giving while Indianola grilled up hamburgers to create a festive atmosphere.

“All the groups pulled together to make this year a tremendous success,” Felker said.

She added that the Big Give was made possible because of the volunteer committee, which gathers sponsorship dollars, coordinates the website and organizes the promotion of the one-day of giving.

The social media team of Tricia Wagner and Amy Stritt at Community Hospital and Stacee Smock at MNB worked with nearly all the organizations to develop posts and information to make them more successful leading up to the Big Give and on the big day.

Other members of the Community Chest committee are co-chair Melissa Stritt, who finds joy in spreadsheets and entering the donation data all day along with Felker; Gene Weedin, JoHanna Scott, Mark Searcy, Pam Wolford, Ronda Graff and Linda Koetter.

A complete list of the organizations and their totals raised during the Big Give can be found on the Big Give website, swnebiggive.org.

The Southwest Nebraska Big Give continues to grow each year because of many people, businesses and organizations coming together to make it happen. These include the sponsors, which provide the matching funds to make individual donations even more impactful. Those sponsorship dollars are used to provide the matching funds during the power hours throughout the day. Organizations also receive matching funds at the end based on the total dollars raised throughout the day, up to an amount based on the sponsor dollars raised throughout the year.

The 2025 platinum sponsors include the Graff Charitable Foundation and MNB Bank.

Gold sponsors are Community Hospital and First Interstate Bank.

Silver and bronze sponsors include First Central Bank, First State Bank & Insurance, MNB Insurance, Pinnacle Bank, Waypoint Bank Cambridge, Golden Plains Realty, U-Save Pharmacy, Joyce Anderson, CPA and State Farm Insurance - Linda Maiden.

Friendship sponsors included High Plains Radio, Hometown Agency, Hometown Family Radio, McCook Gazette, W Design Associates, Hoppens & Meier Orthodontics, Samway Floor Covering & Furniture, Casey’s, Ace Hardware, JA Automotive and Repair, Stratton Auto Parts, Richardson Industries, and Farmer’s Coop Grain and Supply - Trenton.

Community Chest organizers will spend the new week wrapping up the 2025 Big Give before taking off a few months before preparation begins on 2026 Big Give on Nov. 5.

The McCook Community Chest is a sub-account of the McCook Community Foundation Fund, an affiliate of the Nebraska Community Foundation.

Food Pantry Needed Even More These Days

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 14:06:43 GMT

The McCook Food Pantry operates all year long but as we come up to the holiday

season and with the recent focus on food benefits, food insecurity is becoming a more

frequent topic of discussion.

Fran Allacher, a lead volunteer for the McCook Food Pantry, spoke at the McCook

Rotary Club earlier this week and noted that the organization saw its highest number of

visitors in October 2025.

Having served McCook, Southwest Nebraska and Northwest Kansas for the past 45 years, the

pantry saw its largest number of visits since records began in 1986. Last month, 318 families and

428 individuals utilized the McCook Food Pantry.

Another telling statistic can be found on the form that visitors fill out. There is a box they check

if there are kids under 18 in the household. That has jumped from the standard 45% to 60% in

October. These families with kids are struggling to get food on the table and turning to others for

help.

For stability at the food pantry, families can only visit once a month but there have been

exceptions lately. Again, families with kids have been coming in more frequently because as

anyone with small people knows, it is hard to keep up with growth spurts, teenage appetites and

kids’ relentless desire for snacks.

Regardless of the rules, “we are going to help them,” Fran said about their continued to desire to

take care of the less fortunate.

What are the reasons for the uptick in use of the McCook Food Pantry? The reasons are as

numerous as the people who utilize the organization. Regardless, the community needs to step in

and help those who are struggling just to put food on their plates.

The ways to help are numerous, from donating time to volunteer at the food pantry to donations

of food. I asked Fran if a donation of money was the best way to support the food pantry,

especially if they could purchase food more efficiently and at better costs.

While they will always take funds, her answer surprised me. They would actually prefer a

cardboard flat filled with jars of peanut butter. Why? Because it takes less volunteer manpower,

something the McCook Pantry regularly struggles with. If they receive peanut butter jars in a

cardboard flat, they simply slide it onto the shelf and it is ready for visitors. A financial donation

is still appreciated but requires the volunteer to go to the store, purchase the items, return to the

pantry and restock the shelves.

But what if you can’t personally afford to make a food or financial donation?

Volunteers to work the McCook Food Pantry are always needed. Open from 1 to 4 p.m. on

weekdays, at least three volunteers are working. Other hours are used to stock shelves, run to the

store to pickup up donated items or perhaps one of the most unglamorous jobs: removing broken

eggs from a carton to create an unbroken dozen.

But another issue is the age of the volunteers. As Fran put it, “we aren’t spring chickens” but

didn’t offer up the average age of the volunteers.

And this isn’t light work these volunteers are doing. They are lifting, sorting, shelving items.

With each bag distributed to visitors averaging 10 pounds, that is a lot of effort put forth by the

volunteers. In 2024, Fran estimated that the food pantry gave away 150,000 pounds of food.

Each family receives approximately 50 pounds of food during each visit, which means a lot of

weight handled by the volunteers.

Between all the various duties, more than 100 people are involved in keeping the McCook Pantry

going, including volunteers from SWATS and Hands of Heartland stocking shelves, MNB Bank

employees unloading food trucks and many others who make this happen on a daily basis.

Fran noted that the work just gets done. But it gets done because people step up to help unload

cans of green beans. It gets done because people donate money to buy bags of oatmeal. It gets

done because people hold food drives to stock the shelves.

Our community has not shied away from helping in the past and now is the time to step up

however we can to help those who need a little extra boost right now.

***

Local McCook churches are coming together to help ease the burden of having enough food to

eat. Be on the lookout next week for information about meal kits which will be available to

anyone who needs help getting food on the table or knows of someone who needs a little

assistance to keep their family fed.

There will also be opportunities to help prepare the meal kits as well as donate to offset the cost

of the project. It is a great example of people coming together locally to help their friends and

family make an our community an even better place to call home.

Making the "Most" of the Southwest Nebraska Big Give

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 17:14:52 GMT

SWNE Big Give Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025

The 2025 Southwest Nebraska Big Give is nearly here. On Thursday, Nov. 6, donations will be

accepted from midnight to midnight for 45 non-profit organizations benefitting McCook and

Southwest Nebraska.

There are a lot of “mosts” when talking about the upcoming one-day of giving. It is the most

number of organizations participating since the event began in 2016. The day has the most

number of power hours available throughout the day with a new hour dedicated to online giving

during the day. The day has the most number of in-person giving stations with several new

locations in neighboring towns.

And the day has the most number of activities to celebrate the event and encourage donations,

including soup in Stratton and hamburgers in Indianola. In McCook, a soup-er bowl competition

will be Thursday, Nov. 6 from 5-7 p.m. at McCook Christian Church on West 5th and B Streets.

All of the non-profits have been asked to make a roaster of soup with the winner chosen by

those attending and receiving an extra $100. It is also a great chance to learn more about the

organizations, while making a donation and receiving what will likely be great offerings of soup.

And the McCook Creative District is hosting a listening-room concert at the Pour Farm, 416

Norris, at 7 p.m. with singer-songwriter Jeff Black performing for a free-will donation.

More information about all these events, along with the list of giving stations, power hours and

organizations involved, can be found on the Big Give website, swnebiggive.org.

But what could be the most important “most” is yet to happen and it isn’t likely what most people

think.

Every year, the most common question asked is “did you raise the most number of funds?”

And yes, this number is important because all of the organizations involved in the Big Give need

our support. We want to raise the most dollars for these groups so they can keep their doors

open and the lights on, as well as take on projects in the community.

But an even more important “most” - at least to me - is the overall number of donors. At the end

of day, I would like the Big Give to see the most number of individual donors.

The Big Give usually receives around 1,000 donations, but many of those are multiple donations

from the same person or business so that number is actually misleading.

So in reality, that number should be much higher by simply looking at the numbers. McCook has

a population around 7,400 people. Red Willow County hovers around 10,400 residents. And the

Southwest Nebraska counties likely reach around 30,000. In theory, we should be able to easily

double the number of donors to the Southwest Nebraska Big Give.

Now, I know that we can’t expect every single person to donate. Age factors in; we’ll let babies

off the hook. Personal finances are a huge issue, especially with economics facing people

today. And while there is a wide variety of groups involved, maybe they don’t tickle your fancy

like another group which isn’t involved that needs your financing.

And others choose to not donate because they don’t feel like their donation will make a

difference.

But that is the great thing about the Big Give. Every dollar matters. Every donation matters. It all

adds up and is important for these organizations, which are working day-in, day-out to make a

difference in their communities. They are preserving our history. They are housing our animals.

They are providing social and physical support. They are helping those in most of need of

assistance just to get through the day.

There are so many reasons to be involved in the Big Give. You are supporting the non-profits

which are critical to our communities. You are making a difference with your donation. And

ultimately, we know it is better to give than to receive.

If you are reading this and thinking, I can’t get to a giving station or I don’t want to give online,

please reach out to the Community Chest volunteer organizers at 308-345-4240 because they

can get you a form and an envelope. They’ll even send someone to pick up your donation

because they are that passionate about this event. My fellow committee members are going to

love reading this to see I am volunteering them.

And did I mention you get a sticker if you make a donation? You just can’t have too many

stickers, especially when that sticker represents doing something that makes your community a

better place to call home.

Closing of Bakery Shows Need for Connection

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 14:36:50 GMT

Closing of Bakery Shows the Need for Connections

One word has been repeated over and over recently in McCook and Southwest Nebraska and even across the state: sad.

It is not very often that a singular event can bring people to the same emotion but sadness is what many have felt with the closing of the last hometown bakery in McCook this week.

Ember’s Bakery, formerly known as Sehnert’s for more than 60 years in McCook, came to an end with the announcement that the bakery was closing its doors for good.

While businesses come and go and all should be mourned as their time comes to end, the closure of the bakery has really hit a nerve for a variety of reasons.

For starters, it was the only James Beard Award winning restaurant in Nebraska, recognized as an American Classic in 2019. For those who don’t know what a James Beard Award is, it is likened to the Academy Awards of the food industry. The bakery was highlighted as a “locally and independently owned restaurant with timeless appeal, beloved in its region for food that reflects the character and cultural traditions of its community.”

No longer can McCook be declared as the home of a James Beard restaurant, which attracted visitors from across the country. Instead, we are now the home of the former James Beard award-winning restaurant, which still isn’t too bad.

The bakery was also named the “Nicest Place in Nebraska” by Reader’s Digest in the summer of 2019 and was in the running for “Nicest Place in America.” That recognition prompted a month-long series of stories about people doing nice things not only at the bakery but also the community.

But the feeling of sadness stems from what is perhaps the biggest loss: a place of community.

Let’s be honest. No one “needs” a donut. Our waistbands tell the story of one too many peanut butter rolls or chocolate sundaes from the donut case.

But that donut and cup of coffee gave you a reason to sit around with friends after attending daily Mass, to join a table of high school classmates every week to reminisce or to figure out the world’s problem with your coffee club.

So while the donuts may have gotten people in the door, the bakery’s truest gift was as the gathering place for so many.

Grandparents took their grandchildren in for a bag of donut holes on Saturday morning as they caught up on their week. Students wandered down Norris Avenue after school to hang out and grab a smoothie and attempt to do their homework. Husbands and wives shared a weekly lunch as part of their standing date, perhaps their only “alone” time all week. And families gathered around a table to enjoy more sugar than they likely had all week with a tray of donuts but it was worth it for the time they shared and the memories they made.

Nearly everyone has a story from the bakery from swaying along at a concert to sitting on Santa's lap, raising money during the YMCA fund-drive or coaches patiently waiting their turn at the microphone.

And some of the stories can’t be shared in detail in this column that involve oven rides and dart guns but let’s just say that I wanted to create a sign that said “Zero days since last dart gun injury” after a St. Patrick teacher-appreciation dinner.

Ultimately, the bakery was a melting pot of society. Lawyers would walk down from the courthouse after arguing a case. Groups of opposing political views gathered despite their differences. And students enjoyed taking over tables for a few games of chess on a Friday afternoon.

And the welcoming of everyone wasn’t just in front of the donut case but extended to the back where a variety of employees enjoyed working at the bakery. While the bakery received many accolades over the years, perhaps the most important was being recognized three times with an employee inclusion award.

With the closing of the bakery, we have lost one of those things that makes a community a community - a place to gather with others. In today’s world, these are called “third spaces.”

The first two places are the home and work/school. The third space is where we connect with others or where we feel welcomed and comfortable. Third spaces might be the fitness club, the library, or the park. It is a church, a bar or even a hair salon. Third spaces are why coffee shops are so popular, because people are not only welcomed but encouraged to visit and hang out together.

There are still many third spaces in our community, from all of our local restaurants and bars, to Norris Alley, the High Plains Museum, pickleball courts and more. Essentially it is any place that encourages people to gather and to interact and to foster relationships.

With the closing of the bakery, we have lost a little bit of that community and we are all a little bit sad - or for some who bought a donut daily, (looking at you Dan, Bill and Gary) maybe a lot sad.

We don’t know what the future holds and hopefully, the doors along Norris Avenue will open again to welcome people inside. It may or may not be to buy a donut, but we all know it wasn’t just about the donuts. It is about creating a space that welcomes and encourages those social connections between families, friends and neighbors, which ultimately makes a place a better place to call home.

Choosing to Repair, Recycle and Reuse

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 16:06:08 GMT

I pulled up in front of the small one-story building in downtown McCook, reaching for the bag of

assorted shoes on my passenger seat. I had planned to just put the worn shoes into the night

deposit slot but the building owner waived me in as he switched the sign in the window from

“open” to “closed.”

As I left the shoes to be repaired, I wondered if most people even fix their shoes anymore. Most

shoes are just tossing away as soon as they show wear and tear.

But more importantly, do people in McCook even know that we have an authentic shoe cobbler?

A shoe cobbler is one of those businesses which is from a gone-by era, when people actually

repaired their possessions. But the business remains relevant, especially for those of us who

don’t want to live in a disposable, single-use era.

Go around the block and you can find Tinker Tom’s, which we frequent with our bike repairs and

to get bike supplies. But the store on Norris Avenue is also filled with vacuums and floor lamps

and other small appliances. I am pretty sure I saw my counter-top ice machine sitting there on

my last visit.

All of these items were destined for the landfill but are getting another chance at being useful

before being thrown away.

I think our community values thriftiness and usefulness because we have these stores plus

other repairmen and repairwomen who make a living saving things from the garbage dump and

keeping things working.

It is also the reason our community is able to support not one, not two but at least three thrift

stores, which not only survive but thrive. We have businesses which sell furniture that may

either have been repaired or may need some work but is still in good shape. Without those

businesses, many of those items would be destined for the garbage cans.

Instead, they get second and even third lives with people who need and value them. One of my

outfits this week received compliments at numerous meetings and every piece was from a thrift

store.

Unfortunately, we live in a disposable society with single-use items common everywhere. At the

first swim team dinner last year, the swimmers came to a halt at the beginning of the food line

that I was hosting. They were looking around for the plastic silverware and paper plates but

could only find real silverware and real plates. They literally didn’t know what to do but quickly

adapted to using the real items and even offered to help do dishes at the end.

It is just one meal but it hopefully changed how those youth felt about using something and just

throwing it away when done.

We also live in an era where things are not built to last.

Who has a fridge which is likely older than most of your children but that looked dated so you

moved it into your garage for your beer supply and bought a new one for your kitchen? Who has

replaced that kitchen fridge multiple times while the garage fridge keeps on humming? Who has

called a repairman on the new fridge only to be told it would be cheaper to just buy a new one

rather than buy replacement parts?

We likely all have a story about an appliance or a vehicle that just had a minor issue but was

beyond repair, either financially or because it wasn’t built to be repaired. Instead, the item was

likely thrown away (or hopefully recycled or scrapped if possible) and you bought a new one.

While that is the society we currently live in, it doesn’t have to be that one. There is a certain

satisfaction to saving and reusing things we already have or which aren’t new.

My oldest son is a perfect example of making a living of keeping things out of the landfill

His day-job is repairing sewing machines of all ages and sizes. Thanks to the ladies (and maybe

some guys) at Sew Blessed in McCook, he gained the knowledge and a desire to fix sewing

machines and now does it full-time in Omaha.

Most of the machines he works on are older, not just because of their age but because of how

they are made. Newer machines have more plastic parts, which simply are not repairable while

the older machines were built to last with sturdier metal parts which were meant to be repaired.

His side gig is as a fashion designer, where he takes used items and repurposes them into new

pieces of clothing. His favorite sources of fabric are 1970s couches and grandmother’s afghans,

along with Carhart items although that has become harder as Carhart has become a “hip”

brand, something that makes most farmers in our community giggle.

Scraps of fabric from clothing that won’t sell even at thrift stores line his workshop at home, all

of it destined to be a new shirt or pair of shorts. A pile of jackets and purses sit in the corner,

waiting to be repaired for other people. And sewing machines which require extra time and effort

to get them going again are scattered around the room in an attempt to save them.

Repairing items rather than just throwing them away takes extra time and extra effort. And it

may even cost more to repair something rather than just buy something new.

But there is a satisfaction is salvaging something before its time is done. There is something

pleasing about finding that one item at the thrift store that you have been searching for. It just

feels good taking something from unusable to treasured.

There is one caveat: You have to remember that you are having something repaired.

As I packed up my bag for a trip this past weekend, I found only one of the shoes I wanted to

take. That is when I remembered that its’ mate was at the repair shop still. I assume it is fixed. I

hope it is still sitting on the shelf and hasn’t been tossed into the trash. Oh, the irony.

Oct. 2025 Volunteer Has Passion for Storytelling

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 22:11:06 GMT

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While some people forget (or try to forget) their birthdays, Sharon Bohling is always on top of things, sending birthday cards to countless friends and family every year to wish them a great day. It is just one of the ways Sharon makes her mark on those around her.

If you are around Sharon for even a short time, you will know what she is thinking because she is also well known for her t-shirts with sayings about everything about reading to politics.

But she is also sporting the t-shirts of those organizations and events she is part of, which are numerous.

Because of all these activities, Sharon was awarded the October 2025 McCook Volunteer of the Month award. She received the award during one of the many events where she can be found - the Buffalo Commons Storytelling Festival’s First Tuesday, which takes place throughout the year with a different topic each month.

Sharon is one of the original volunteers with the Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival, which takes place the second weekend every June.

Sharon can also be found volunteering at the McCook Chamber of Commerce events throughout the year. As a former school librarian, books are still pivotal for Sharon so she served on the McCook City Library board and she volunteers for many McCook Public School activities including helping organize Bison Days each February. Other volunteer roles include as treasurer for the Museum of the High Plains and Our Savior's Lutheran Church.

The McCook Philanthropy Council recognizes a volunteer every month who is doing good work in McCook and Red Willow County.

Making Memories at McCook's Third Thursdays

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 14:44:59 GMT

On Thursday, Oct. 16, the McCook Creative District’s Third Thursdays will wrap up the 2025

season.

Taking place in downtown McCook, the event features a new host every month who puts their

own spin on the evening. Community Hospital featured health and wellness. Valmont served as

the lead during the County Music Showdown. Court-Appointed Special Advocates - CASA -

teamed with Judge Payne’s Upstream project to serve dinner family-style on Norris Avenue.

The McCook Chamber took over all of Norris Avenue with retailers offering special sales and

specials before school started. And the Norris Institute showcased not only itself but the

McCook Volunteers and the numerous non-profits serving our community.

Suddenly, we are at the last Third Thursday, which will be co-hosted by McCook Community

College and the McCook Community Foundation Fund.

College students and athletes will fill Norris Avenue between D and E Streets with games and

activities from 5-8 p.m. There will be holiday-themed entertainment including a costume-contest

with judging at 6:30 p.m. so it's another great opportunity to wear those costumes more than

just once this Halloween season.

And in a first, MCFF’s Youth Change Reaction is hosting a walk-up/outdoor movie in Norris

Alley. While YCR has been hosting movies at the Red Willow County fairgrounds as part of

Cars Under the Stars, they will be using the “Blue Wall” as a back-drop to show a kid-friendly

Halloween-movie, which will start at approximately 7 p.m. Chairs and tables are available in

Norris Alley but people are encouraged to bring their own comfy seats and a blanket or two

because it will likely get cool after the sun goes down.

There will be food and drinks to purchase during Third Thursday but feel free to bring your own

snacks, popcorn and pop to enjoy during the show.

And as always, there is no cost for the Third Thursdays. There is no cost for the fun and games.

There is no cost for the movie. This is just an opportunity to put away your screens for a couple

hours, enjoy the company of friends and neighbors, and to take advantage of the beautiful areas

available for use in our community.

Ultimately, that is what Third Thursdays are for, to bring back those memories of engaging in

conversations on the sidewalk with your neighbors and enjoying the company of friends as you

stroll down the street. It is also a time to create those memories for our children, of coloring with

chalk on the sidewalk, of running and laughing as the sun sets and the streetlights come on.

Third Thursdays may be a simple concept but it is an idea worth returning to.

And these events have not gone unrecognized. The McCook Creative District received a

“CreDis Award” during the Nebraska Arts Council’s Creative District gathering in Norfolk in

September. The award recognized the district for the Third Thursdays, specifically for bringing

people together and for encouraging organizations and businesses to get involved as hosts.

Although the second year of McCook’s Third Thursday is coming to an end soon, plans are

already underway for the 2026 season. If this is something you would like more information

about or to be involved, please contact the Creative District at mccookcreativity@gmail.com.

There are lots of ways to be a part of Third Thursdays, from being a host of the entire evening to

being a vendor during the event to providing musical entertainment or sharing artistic talents.

Or perhaps it is even the most important way to be involved: just showing up and enjoying the

evening.

Take advantage of the last Third Thursday of the 2025 season Thursday, Oct. 16 on Norris

Avenue in McCook. Take the opportunity to get to know your neighbors and friends just a little

bit better. And take the time to make memories that will last long beyond just this Third

Thursday.

Sept. 2025 Volunteer Familiar Face for Those in Need

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 22:05:28 GMT

If you have a question about resources for someone in need, Barb Ostrum is the person you call. It doesn’t matter that she technically is now retired. She still has the connections. She still has the experience. She still has the passion to help others.

Because of her continued desire to serve McCook and Southwest Nebraska, Barb Ostrum has been named the September 2025 McCook Volunteer of the Month.

Although Barb officially retired in 2019 from the Community Action Partnership of Mid-Nebraska,, most people wouldn’t know that because she can still be found attending meetings, leading projects and helping with events.

Barb has served as the President of the Child Advocacy Team for at least the past seven years, although there are rumors she may step down this year from that position. She operates Community Hospital’s Patient Assistance program, serves as a Salvation Army volunteers and sits on the McCook Housing board.

She volunteers her time organizing the Backpack Giveaway and Resource Fair each fall and the visiting “Dental Van” program throughout the year. And for countless years, she lead the Toy Box give-away each holiday season before it came to an end a few years ago.

And even though it has been more than half a decade since she retired, Barb is the interim service representative for Community Action Partnership.

The current community service coordinator for Community Action Partnership, Araceli Santos-Ayala said Barb continues to help others others and myself with her knowledge of where to find resources that we may not know of.

“Barb has been a tremendous asset to our community,” Araceli said. “Her genuine care and dedication have led to meaningful impacts because she shows up, she gives, and she makes a difference.”

The McCook Philanthropy Council recognizes a volunteer every month who is doing good work in McCook and Red Willow County.

The only requirement is that the nominee must be a resident of McCook or Red Willow County but please have information about the nominee along with where and how they volunteer in the community. The volunteer honoree is selected monthly by the McCook Philanthropy Council.The body content of your post goes here. To edit this text, click on it and delete this default text and start typing your own or paste your own from a different source.

Taking the Time to Appreciate Our Young People

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 16:41:59 GMT

Ah, the beauty and promise of being young with your life of adventure before you.

That’s probably not the first sentiment that comes to mind for our young people, especially those in their senior year of high school. Thoughts about where to go to college or trade school, what career to choose, and what life will look like may cause more anxiety and uncertainty than excitement and anticipation.

One of the special benefits of being part of the McCook Community Foundation Fund is working with many of our young people. In Youth Change Reaction (YCR), which is a high school-aged group affiliated with MCFF, I have had the pleasure of meeting and working with some outstanding young people -- all trying to make our community better. These are busy young people with school, sports, church, jobs, and other activities, but they are willing to give time and energy to help with the drive-in movie theater, the Third Thursday events downtown, the 6th Grade Heritage Tours, and being role models to elementary students.

New members are added each year through an application process. I want to congratulate the five new members selected this year: Jenna Degnan, Hadley Michaelis, Payvn Terry, Alice Weimer and Blake Willis. Welcome and thank you for accepting this leadership role. I hope that while you are learning more about your community you also are developing some close friendships and making great memories.

There is another group of young people I want to commend.

With three grandchildren living with Kent and me this summer, we purchased a family pass to the new McCook Aquatic Center. Going to the pool once or twice a week provided the chance to meet several young people working at the pool, as it takes a lot of lifeguards and check-in staff to fully operate the pool each day.

No matter how busy it was or how hot it might be, these young people were always friendly and efficient in doing their jobs. I know some of them, and they are also very busy with summer sports, 4-H/FFA and fairs, and other jobs and family commitments.

I was there one afternoon when a young girl had an accident in the pool which required medical assistance. The lifeguards responded quickly and calmly, got her out of the water and sun and into the bathhouse, contacted her mom, and waited with her to reassure her and keep her calm. You could see they had been well trained both in what to do and how to do it for the good of the child. It made me proud of McCook’s young people and made me think that our community’s future was in good hands.

These are just two examples that don’t touch on the many young people working in our restaurants and retail stores, some having their own summer businesses, or those at home taking care of younger siblings while their parents are working. Kudos to the parents who are raising these young people.

I think it is all of our responsibility to show appreciation for these young people. Encourage them to continue their education for a career or trade, maybe live elsewhere for a few years, meet new people, discover new ways of living – and then invite them to come back home to McCook and bring their new ideas back to their hometown.

After high school, I went to business school for a year and then off to live in Denver for 10 years, where I worked downtown at a brokerage firm. I had a great time taking advantage of so much that Denver and Colorado offered, but when it came time to think of the future and a family, it was an easy choice to come back home. Now I try to take advantage of all of the opportunities offered in McCook and Nebraska!

Let’s be sure our young people today know we appreciate them and want them to come home. Invite them to be part of the community now and - whether they return right away or not - encourage them to consider how they can help make McCook an even better place to call home from wherever they are in the meantime.

***

Peggy Been is the secretary for the McCook Community Foundation Fund, volunteers throughout the community including St. Pat’s lunch room and devotes countless hours to her grandchildren.

Realizing Rainy Days Aren't for Everyone

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 16:44:48 GMT

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At 11:30 p.m. Sunday, bright lights swept through my bedroom window, waking me from my

sleep. I rolled out of bed to see a combine cutting through the first row of stalks in the field

across from my house.

The harvest had begun. At 11:30 p.m. On a Sunday.

As I left the house at 5 a.m. the next morning, I glanced to my left for oncoming traffic and could

see the combine still at work. Now a few rows deeper into the large field, they had worked

throughout the night.

Only after I pulled up the weather forecast did I see what the workers likely already knew: rain

was predicted in the upcoming days. Despite the damage from the hail storm the week before,

they were trying to salvage their months of hard work in the field and Mother Nature was

sending another roadblock with a day-long soaking of rain.

While I was looking forward to a day filled with rain because it forces me to stay inside and get

things done, not everyone feels the same way I do. The workers had given up a night of sleep to

try and beat the impending weather.

On Tuesday, as rain soaked our community, adding to the puddles leftover from last week’s

storms, I noted to my fitness class that I enjoyed rainy days because I found them soothing. A

class member noted that the cloudy day actually depressed them, especially since they knew

their roof leaked every time even a small rain storm moved through.

I was reminded that not everyone feels the same way I do. This person was not only missing the

sun but was worried about the state of their home.

On Wednesday with the rain having moved on, a friend pointed out that she still had holes in her

roof from the hail storm last week, which meant more damage to her house. Her kitchen

cabinets were likely going to have to be completely replaced because the continuous water was

taking its toll. And her basement was again showing signs of water leaking into the lower level of

their house.

I decided not to share my love of rainy days again but all the recent experiences reminded me

that some of us have privileges that others don’t on a daily basis, such as the luxury of sleeping

through the night versus pulling an overnighter to get a job done; like finding the sound of rain

soothing versus building anxiety; or enjoying the cleansing rain as opposed to the dread of

water entering your home unwanted.

Considering what others are thinking and experiencing isn’t just limited to the rain and the

weather. It is applied to everyday life.

We cannot fully comprehend everything someone has gone through so a little bit of empathy

goes a long way. And we cannot understand everything someone has experienced so a little bit

of patience is helpful.

I’m still going to enjoy rainy days but I’m also going to realize that not everyone looks forward to

the clouds building up in the sky. And if we all showed a little bit more compassion for others,

our communities would be even better places to call home.

***

On a side note, thank you to everyone who attended the Lied’s Arts Across Nebraska

performance of Omaha Street Percussion at the McCook Fox Theater this week.

Hosted locally by the McCook Creative District, the evening performance drew nearly 200

people Wednesday night.

But it was the morning matinee which was truly impressive. Nearly every seat in the Fox

Theater was full. Charlie and Christina Coleman dusted off rows and rows of chairs in the

balcony because they were all needed to host the 600-plus people in attendance.

A shout-out to the school administrators and music teachers for recognizing the value of taking

school time to attend the performance. It was truly spectacular to see the Fox filled to the

rafters. It was so much fun to see the teachers joining with their students in the excitement of

the music. And perhaps most importantly, it was a joy to see the smile on the kids’ faces, to see

their hands clapping, and to see their bodies jumping to the music.

For a change of pace, attendees were encouraged to clap along, to sing along and to even

stand up and dance in the middle of the show. And the kids - along with most adults - at the

morning matinee took full advantage of that opportunity.

It must be noted that the show was likely too much for the residents from Hillcrest who attended

the morning show, but I hope they saw the joy the young people were experiencing.

But it is moments like this show that we understand the importance of music in our lives, of

letting kids be kids and of simply letting go and enjoying the moment.

Wrestling Facility Among Spring Grants; Fall Deadline Approaching

Tue, 23 Sep 2025 15:38:17 GMT

Fall 2025 Grant Deadline Oct. 1

By RONDA GRAFF

MCFF

The grant deadline for the McCook Community Foundation Fund is quickly approaching with applications due Wednesday, Oct. 1. In the meantime, grants from this past spring are in use throughout the community from supporting a new wrestling facility to the use of a digital scanner to research genealogy.

As one of McCook’s newest non-profits, the McCook Athletic Group (MAG) is leading the development of a new wrestling facility on East B Street. MCFF provided a grant earlier this year to help with the costs of the renovated building.

Prior to the creation of the MAG training center, the only facility to wrestle in was the McCook High School wrestling room with the McCook youth wrestling club always having to wait until after all the other practices. Colt Hosick and Jim Kenny and myself had been dreaming about an additional facility for many years.

With the addition of the high school varsity girls team in recent years, practice space became even more scarce with more than 130 kids participating in 2024.

“Wrestling has been gaining a lot of momentum as a sport with boys and girls the last few years,” Hosick said. “The youth program is seeing continued growth and there are plans to have separate practices for the girls and boys because participation numbers are so good and this is now possible with the MAG facility.” I think the youth program had close to 130 kids last year.

In March of 2024, Hosick and Kenny enlisted the support of varsity wrestlers’ parents, who also had a passion to try and make a private facility a reality. Hosick added that Attorney Bryant Brooks and accountant Nikki Cappel also helped with start up procedures, Adam Johnson donated the electrical work and Bob Chalupa helped throughout the building, Hosick said.

Organizers are hoping use of the building isn’t limited to wrestling but that it can also be used by any group/program that needs a padded surface for their activity.

“We have a vision for entry-level gymnastics, tumbling, self-defense classes, stretching, yoga,” Hosick said, adding, “With that being said, we don't want to take any programming away from our local YMCA...we want to work together synergistically and help each other out whenever possible.”

Ultimately, organizers of the MAG Training Center want it to benefit McCook youth as much as possible.

Hosick said, “Our objective is to maintain a facility with an extremely safe and positive environment for whatever sport or activity that is taking place. We don't want there to be any financial barriers or any type of participation barriers for anyone that wants to participate in wrestling or anything else.”

The MAG Training Center was among seven grants awarded in May.

Others included:
McCook High School, NORE Science Trip; McCook Community College, CNA Scholarships; 6th Floor/Artbank, operating expenses, youth docents; Southwest Nebraska Genealogy Society, microfilm digital scanner; Family Resource Center, hygiene program/unrestricted; and McCook Humane Society, challenge grant for building project. And continued support for the YMCA capital campaign.

A complete list of MCFF grants as well as applications are available on the MCFF website, mccookfoundation.org. Applications are due by Wednesday, Oct. 1, 5 p.m. or must be post-marked by Oct. 1.

For more information, visit the MCFF website or email, mcffund@gmail.com.

Cleaning Up and Preparing for a Busy Week

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 16:59:10 GMT

With so much going, it is time for a “This, That and the Other Thing” column, where we will cover several topics, not very deeply but hopefully with a sense of humor as we clean up and prepare for a busy week in McCook.

***

McCook again made state and national news this week for ice. This time, it was in the form of hail that pounded the community for hours upon hours. Conversations this week begin with “where were you….?” or “how many windows did you lose?”

And while they may be legitimate and are offering their services, it is like vultures with all the roofing repair and dent removal businesses which have descended upon McCook following the storm.

As city officials noted, do your due diligence with any company doing repairs for you and follow the old adage, which is old and still around because it’s true: If something seems to be too good to be true, it probably is.

And one last note on the storm, we need to be careful what we ask for. As storm after storm approaches McCook and then splits in two to go around the town, we finally got one to roll right over us. The storm liked McCook so much it slowed down and just there.

I was in Lincoln during the storm and trying to determine when I would drive home. I thought the weather app had frozen or the radar was broken because every time I looked, the storm was still sitting over McCook, doing its damage. I guess we can be thankful the next time a storm seemingly just goes around us.

***

We are in the thick of McCook’s Heritage Days celebration. Congratulations to all the Heritage Days Royalty, which was announced at the MNB Bank Mixer this week.

A special shout-out to Bill Donze, better known as Mr. Bill and his wife, Kathy, who were honored as royalty for their impact in McCook. As many know, Mr. Bill is fighting cancer and the prognosis isn’t good. The chances of him selling snow-cones and candy out of his van next summer near the McCook Aquatic Center are not good.

One judge of his impact was the response to my column about Mr. Bill a few months ago. The post was shared thousands of times, viewed nearly 70,000 times with just as many comments by people sharing their fond memories of Mr. Bill.

So when you see Mr. Bill riding down Norris in the convertible this weekend in the Heritage Days parade, send extra prayers and well-wishes to the man who has brought so much joy to so many kids - and adults too - over the years.

***

Continuing on the Heritage Days theme, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that the McCook Rotary Club is tossing all egos and formality out the window this weekend.

As the president of the McCook Rotary Club, I invite everyone to at least watch, if not participate, in the Rotary’s first inflatable costume relay race on Saturday as part of the festivities in Norris Park.

These are those giant, blow-up costumes you usually see around Halloween. The first costumes were usually T-Rexes but now there is everything imaginable available as a design. With the idea for the race originally conceived by Melanie Goodenberger, she has purchased everything from corn on the cob to a cowboy riding a chicken.

This is a fund-raiser for the Rotary Club with a cost of just $20 for a team of four to participate in the relay race. But it is also a chance to giggle, perhaps make a fool of yourself and just have fun. Come to the park Saturday afternoon for the Wiener Dog races and stay for the Rotary Relay races. While the dogs will already be close to the ground, the relay race participants will likely just end up on the ground.

***

With so much going on in McCook this week, I debated whether there should be another activity the next week but the response has already been great for the Lied’s Arts Across Nebraska’s next production in McCook.

Hosted by the McCook Creative District, the Omaha Street Percussion ensemble will perform at the Fox Theater on Wednesday, Sept. 24. There is a matinee showing at 10:30 a.m. but I will be up-front…we are testing the capacity of the Fox with every seat already claimed with students.

If that is the only show you can make, please come and we’ll find you a seat but it may be those up in the rafters.

Otherwise, please plan to attend the 7 p.m. show on Sept. 24. And even better, there is no cost thanks to the Kimmel Foundation and the Friends of the Lied. This is a busy week and a busy weekend but this is a great opportunity to sit back and enjoy a fun, entertaining evening of live music.

Taking a Chance to Try Something New

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 16:52:29 GMT

Many of my children have played instruments with the school band over the years. Others have

taken years of piano lessons, wrapping up with the mandatory recital at the end of the season.

But my youngest son is the first to pick up the guitar, trying to learn the instrument and has even

started a band of his own.

While most of the practicing has been at friends’ homes, there is still the faint strumming coming

from my basement occasionally as my son learns new chords and practices finger placement.

In this age of instant gratification, it is nice to hear him struggle, put the guitar away for a while

and then pick it up again later. I am not an aficionado so I have no idea if he is getting better. I

don’t recognize any of the sounds drifting up the stairs, but until he learns some ‘80s music, I

doubt I’ll know what he is playing.

While it will be great if - and when - he masters the guitar, it is great to see him have shown

interest in something new in the first place and perhaps even more importantly - taken the step

to try it knowing it may be months to get better or even years or a lifetime to master it.

Very few of us are good at something from the start. We stumble out of the gate, struggle to

stay motivated and yearn to get better. These issues are why most of us keep from even

starting. We shy away from trying something new for the fear of failure. Or to put it bluntly,

because we may suck at it.

If we only stick with what we know how to do, how will we learn a new hobby?

If we don’t try something that challenges us, how will we ever push ourselves to take on a new

skill?

We need to learn that it is O.K. to not be great at something at the start. Even down the road,

you may still stumble often but at least you tried. You put yourself out there to be vulnerable, to

maybe even hurt yourself along the way and most likely to embarrass yourself.

But that is where growth comes from, where you meet new people and where you make

memories. And we’ve made quite a few lately.

Our current exchange student is a great example of taking a chance on something new.

For starters, he traveled thousands of miles from home to live in a foreign country.

Even after he arrived, he has a willingness to try new things. Venturing to the nearby lakes with

our boat, he has tried several times to get up on a wakeboard to no avail. We even switched to

water skis, hoping that would be easier. Success still eluded him but he maintained a smile on

his face the entire time. Thankfully, fat-tire biking and paddleboarding for the first time was

easier to achieve.

And sometimes you learn sooner rather than later that your intended skill isn’t what you want

and you need to pivot.

My youngest daughter called mid-morning on her first official day of college classes. She had

just completed her first class in cosmetology school and quickly realized that was not the

profession for her. I asked her to tough it out just a bit longer. A few hours later she called back

and proudly announced that she had made it through the day and that she was changing

majors. I told her that everyone changes majors, that we all need to try new things and that yes,

her mom and dad were still trying to figure out what they want to be when they grow up.

After all, there is so much out there for us to try like auditioning for a community play or taking

up golf. There is so much out there for us to perhaps fail at but possibly for us to succeed at like

learning to paint or trying disc golf. And there is so much out there for us to meet others in our

communities like just walking around the farmer’s market or attending a Third Thursday. When

we take a chance and try something new, that is when the transformation happens in ourselves

and in our communities.

August 2025 Volunteer Making Strides Around McCook

Tue, 09 Sep 2025 22:09:24 GMT

Most people have likely seen Bruce McDowell around McCook. When time and his health allows, he puts in countless miles around the community. It may be walking his rescue dog. It may be heading to the McCook Dog Park to check-in on cleanup. It may be just to get his miles in for the day.

And those miles come when he isn’t at a meeting for one of the many organizations he volunteers his time for.

Bruce currently serves as the chairman of the Community Hospital Health Foundation vice president of the Norris Institute and treasurer for the K9 Korner, McCook’s dog park in Barnett Park. And he’s a member of the McCook Humane Society, although he doesn’t recall if he has an official title anymore.

After serving as a McCook City Councilman, he is now a member of the McCook Planning Commission. In his “spare time,” Bruce helps with the Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival every June and has watered the plants along Norris Avenue as part of Beautify McCook.

He is also a strong advocate for CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates), volunteering as a photographer for state-wide Nebraska CASA events. Locally, he assists with anything the Prairie Plains CASA office in McCook needs for their events such as smoking meat and food prep plus just general maintenance for the CASA office.

The McCook Philanthropy Council recognizes a volunteer every month who is doing good work in McCook and Red Willow County.

Staying Connected Takes Work, But Worth the Effort

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 14:31:54 GMT

My family is hosting an exchange student from Bolivia as part of the Rotary Exchange Program.

David is a fun, out-going young man who seems to have made the seamless switch from his

home of two million people in South America to McCook and its slightly smaller population.

Even though he is thousands of miles from home, he is able to stay easily connected with his

family, texting his sister happy birthday last week and calling his parents for a document needed

once he arrived.

After all, it is easier than ever to stay connected in this day and age thanks to digital technology

improvements. In theory we are better connected than ever, but it is all very surface level.

While we may feel like we may know what is going on, ironically we are more isolated than ever

before. We choose to stay home and stare at a screen, sharing a picture or a comment, and call

that socialization.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

In previous generations, you invited people over to your house and turned on the slide-show

projector to share pictures of your recent vacation. There was likely drinks, food and laughing.

Now, all those pictures are online for everyone to see and everyone feels like they know each

other. But there is something missing.

The interaction. The socialization. The really getting to know each other part.

There is no bonding over how the flight was so bumpy you spilled your drink all over your new

Hawaiian floral shirt. There is no commiserating because it rained the entire trip so you just sat

in your hotel. There is no lamenting because you lost your luggage and had to wear that same

floral shirt the entire trip.

We are social creatures and there is something to be said for just getting together and just being

around other people.

Gathering together is something we are losing from our communities, whether it is at the Senior

Center for lunch over the noon hour or the weekly evening meals at the Methodist Church.

People are staying home more and more.

Just look at the high school football games. When I first moved to McCook, the stands were

packed. It was hard to find an open seat because everyone went to the game, whether they had

someone playing in the game or not. It was the place to be every Friday night.

And then things have changed. A big shift came during Covid and the games were streamed to

keep everyone safe. It was also beneficial because grandma three states away could watch

from her nursing home on her computer.

Unfortunately, that shift to watching from home rather than the field did not swing back.

Attendance is still down. While I don’t have any football players in my family, I’m regularly at the

games with the senior celebration committee selling concessions. And there are simply fewer

people in the grandstands. And it is easier and it is fun to sit at home with a drink in hand and

watch the game, it isn’t the same.

There isn’t the huddling next to your hubby on a chilly evening game. There isn’t standing next

to the fence talking to your high school buddy who is back for the weekend. There isn’t

supporting the school clubs selling concessions.

It does take effort to load up in the car and drive to an event or bundle up in an extra jacket to

walk to the game. But rarely does someone regret something they did do; rather they regret

what they didn’t do.

There are lots of opportunities in the next month to get out and socialize, to connect with others

in your community.

There is likely a local football game. McCook’s next home game is Sept. 12 and it will be cheer

camp, so there will be lots of little girls with sparkles and ponytails bouncing around on the field.

McCook’s Heritage Days kicks off Sept. 17 with the mixer at MNB Bank. The September Third

Thursday on Sept. 18 features a free meal on Norris Avenue as a “Come to the Table” to

encourage putting down your phone and enjoying a meal with others.

And there are numerous other events throughout the weekend organized by Sarah and the

McCook Chamber to make for a fun event.

Even just wandering around the farmer’s markets, whether on Saturday in the Goodwill parking

lot or Thursday nights at the East First parking lot, is a social outing. You can get a few

tomatoes and peppers, while catching up with your neighbor about their week.

It does take effort to be more social and to stay connected. But ultimately, our communities will

be better in the long run if we know our neighbors better and if we are able to have meaningful

conversations with our friends.

Young People Shaping Their Hometowns

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 14:29:41 GMT

McCook and southwest Nebraska are my home. While personal experiences and

belonging are unique to each person, we all contribute to creating meaningful

opportunities and lasting connections for the youth we help, helping them build a lifelong

sense of hometown pride. Three events this summer created opportunities to form

partnerships and build valuable connections.

My role in Summer 2025 was as director for two McCook High School graduates, along

with partner Jeff Gross and Ronda Graff. This program is made possible by the

Nebraska Community Foundation Summer Hometown Intern Program and also

supported by the McCook Community Foundation Fund.

Natalie Roberts (MHS Class of 2023), a past member of MCFF's youth group YCR

(Youth Change Reaction), contributed to fostering engagement with the Bison

Newsletter and enhancing connections with alums. Her social media posts help former

MHS graduates reestablish connections with McCook, including those who have

relocated.

Lucas Gomez-Wilson, MHS Class of 2023, pursued community development by utilizing

video platforms and producing a range of content. He reviewed previous videos and

created new material. He participated in various experiences within the community to

document life in his hometown. His video projects aim to represent aspects of living in

McCook, including community activities, personal stories, and community welcoming

events.

In spring 2025, the Nebraska Community Foundation initiated its inaugural statewide

Youth Summit for youth organizations connected to NCF. The event, held in McCook,

was co-organized by MCFF's youth group, Youth Change Reaction (YCR). YCR is

composed of students from MHS High School and supported by their sponsors: Shelly

Sehnert, Gavin Harsh, and Pam Wolford.

The first Youth Summit was a 24-hour event exploring McCook's many assets. YCR led

activities about creating local experiences that build connections and pride in their

hometown. Former and current members discussed their role in establishing Cars

Under the Stars, the out-door theater at Red Willow County Fair Grounds, which is truly

inspiring. Their journey, filled with challenges like fundraising and equipment

procurement, showcases their determination and resilience. Despite facing a constant

barrage of unpredictable obstacles, they never gave up. This experience not only

boosted their confidence but also instilled a sense of hometown pride.

Past and present YCR members participated in a conversation with Caroline Kleinfox,

Director of U.S. Sustainable Development Goals, based in New York City. Kleinfox was

most interested in the discussion from our youth and their reaction to the sustainable

goals and how they impact our day-to-day living, along with the long-term effects of their

implementation on their own future and our environment.

All of these ventures serve as proof of concept for the significant value that young

people in our hometowns contribute as assets, though their contributions are at times

underestimated. These experiences have broadened my perspective on the benefits of

engaging young people in decision-making processes and partnering with them to

shape the communities we all aspire to call home.

Let's come together to celebrate our youth's achievements and work collaboratively to

build a welcoming community where every young person feels at home.

***

Cindy Huff is the McCook Community Foundation Fund past chairperson and Nebraska

Community Foundation chair-elect, along with grandparenting, gardening and fishing in

her spare time.

Love for McCook Grows Through Internship

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 14:54:48 GMT

Summer Hometown Intern Natalie Roberts' Love Letter to McCook

As part of the Nebraska Community Foundation’s Summer Hometown Intern program, the

college interns are asked to write “love letters” to their hometown, sharing what they love about

the community they call home.

Natalie Roberts, a 2023 McCook High School graduate, was one of two interns for the McCook

Community Foundation Fund during the summer of 2025. Natalie was also a member of Youth

Change Reaction, MCFF’s youth group, and chronicles how her feelings for her hometown have

evolved.

Dear McCook,

In high school, I thought success was measured by how many miles I could get away from you,

even though you gave me everything: the best childhood, my best friends, my fondest

memories. I always thought of you as a good place “for now,” but I always felt an internal thirst

to get out, and see the world. I thought that this town‘s main goal was to trap me and stunt my

growth.

When Ronda Graff (coordinator for MCFF) asked me if I wanted to be a Hometown Intern, I was

hesitant to take the position. But with a little bit of coercion, I decided it would be a good

opportunity to build on my interpersonal and leadership skills and broaden my horizons. It took

me one whole week of being a Hometown Intern to realize that I’d been wrong about my small

hometown for my entire life. The town that I used to see as a reminder of the person I was in the

past became a symbol of my growth and my potential.

I started to realize that my hometown was made up of people and traditions that make up the

mosaic that is my life. The person reading this letter today is a product of McCook, Nebraska,

and the people who call it home. I punch the roof of my car every time I go under a yellow light,

because that’s what my best friend, Joy, did whenever we drove around way too late on school

nights with McFlurries in hand. I will never mix up “there” and “their” because of the constant

pestering of my sixth grade English teacher, Mrs. Kain. My love for the Lincoln Farmer’s Market

stemmed from my favorite memories of walking around Norris Park while it was filled with

vendors during Heritage Days. And I live by the motto, “work hard, and be nice to people,”

because that is the sign that hung in the mudroom of my childhood home.

This internship has completely shifted my perspective on McCook.

Instead of asking, “How fast can I leave this town?” I am now asking, “How fast can I return?”

I’m still an advocate for leaving your hometown to explore, because I think it’s a great way to

broaden your horizons and bring back fresh ideas to your community. But I also know that my

home will be here for me when I return.

As a busy and very driven college student, I find it hard to be fully present. But on my first trip

back home during my freshman year of college, I realized time just moves slower here. In

McCook, there’s time to have those impromptu conversations with old friends. There is time to

browse our local stores with no shopping list. There is time to sit outside and just be. There is

time to be human and what a beautiful thing that is!

This internship has revived my love for community, my love for Nebraska, and of course, my

love for McCook. My growth this summer would not have been possible without the MCFF

Advisory Committee members who took a chance on me despite my crazy, busy schedule.

Thank you so much Cindy Huff, Coach Jeff Gross, Ronda, and the rest of the FAC. You all

inspire me more than you know.

My fellow intern and friend, Lucas Gomez-Wilson, was also a huge inspiration to me this

summer because of the way he lights up when he talks about McCook. Lucas is returning to our

high school to teach math after college. Let me tell you, his students are going to be so lucky to

have him.

Lastly, I could not have gained this new perspective without my fellow community members.

These people are just so devoted and willing to do whatever they can to make McCook an even

better place to live, learn, and grow. It truly is “the people that make the place.”

With Love,

Natalie Roberts

Summer and McCook Tradition Coming to an End

Fri, 08 Aug 2025 16:12:13 GMT

This is a subtitle for your new post

The season for the McCook Aquatic Center comes to an end Wednesday, Aug. 13. The outdoor

facility is wrapping up its first full season after opening in July 2024. For more than 80 years, the

original McCook pool operated in the same location until it was replaced with a modern pool.

One constant at the old pool and now the new pool is a maroon van parked nearby with Bill

Donze sitting inside and a sign outside promoting 25-cent snow cones. Most people know him

simply as Mr. Bill.

Whether you think he is crazy for sitting in a vehicle registering 120-degrees on the interior or

odd for selling candy to kids by the side of the road, Mr. Bill is the constant every summer.

But those summers with Mr. Bill peddling Little Debbies and Slim Jims through the open van

doors is coming to an end.

For those who don’t know, Mr. Bill has cancer and faces a grim prognosis. He is very open

about the fact that his chances of being around next summer are slim. He is fighting the disease

with all the modern methods and says that when those options run out, he’ll consider all the

alternatives. But even if, as he puts it, he can find something on the internet to help him, there is

only a small chance he’ll be around to serve snow-cones to kids next summer.

Everyone has a Mr. Bill story.

One of my favorites involves Mr. Bill parking his van alongside Norris Park when the pool wasn’t

open. My mother-in-law lived across from Norris Park at the time and backed into Mr. Bill’s van.

As Dolores was going slow, it caused just a small dent but she wanted to pay to have it

repaired. Mr. Bill refused to have it fixed and declined to take any cash for the damage. Instead,

he would only accept the money for it to be used for free snow-cones for the kids. I believe kids

didn’t have to scrounge quarters for a snow-cone all summer long.

Just this week, I got to introduce someone new to Mr. Bill. I was talking with a friend at the

McCook pool, who was visiting from North Platte. In town for a meeting, she and her kids vowed

to do “McCook” things like lunch at Citta Deli, a donut from Ember’s, walk past the Frank Lloyd

Wright-designed Sutton House and swim at the new McCook pool.

I pointed at the maroon-colored van in the McCook Community College parking lot and asked if

she was stopping at Mr. Bill’s before heading north.

“Who is Mr. Bill?”

That concept seemed implausible to me but I explained that Mr. Bill sat in the searing heat,

selling candy and snow cones to the kids. I added that yes, when I explain it like that it does

sound like the very thing we tell our kids not to do. But in McCook and with Mr. Bill, it’s a right of

passage and the essence of summer.

I added that I hoped she had a stash of quarters in her mini-van and wasn’t against processed

food but it was something she needed to do before leaving town.

And the timing was especially important as the chances to visit with Mr. Bill are very limited, with

a McCook tradition coming to an end.

This doesn’t just apply to Mr. Bill.

We all have a limited time on this Earth. If we wait until the perfect moment to do something, or

the best time to visit with someone or only when we have time to reach out to someone, we may

miss our opportunity.

When my father-in-law Pete Graff was nearing the end, I asked my own dad to go visit him with

me. My dad’s response was that he would wait until Pete felt better. Of which I responded that

there wasn’t going to be a better time. We visited on a Monday and Pete passed away later that

week. There is never a perfect time. There is only now.

That opportunity existed because we knew time was short. And the same is true with Mr. Bill.

But we don’t have to know someone is dying to reach out or make a connection. We don’t have

to be on our death-bed to try something new or reach for a far-off dream. Again, there is no

perfect time. There is only now.

Mr. Bill plans to operate his candy van up until the end, as long as he is able. He could be sitting

in the unforgiving heat next summer if his body allows it, but this may be the last time our kids

get to experience the “25-cent snow cones since 1982.”

Mr. Bill and his candy van is one of those things that makes McCook unique and if you have the

chance, stop by his van, just to say “hi.” To say we appreciate you watching out for our kids. To

say thank you for making McCook a place where it is O.K. for our kids to buy candy from a guy

sitting in a van in a parking lot. And do it today because there is no perfect time…there is only

now.

McCook Named to Revitalize and Thrive Communities

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 15:10:09 GMT

McCook among five Nebraska communities in Revitalize and Thrive Program

HASTINGS - McCook has been selected as one of five communities in Nebraska to be part of a new program aimed at community renewal and youth retention, the Revitalize and Thrive initiative.

In addition to McCook, the other Nebraska communities are southeast Omaha, Cozad, Auburn and Seward, which will all participate in an innovative partnership focused on community revitalization and retention of their young people.

McCook’s initiative is a collaboration between the McCook Economic Development Corp., the McCook Community Foundation Fund and Community Hospital, along with other local partners.

Amanda Engell, MEDC Housing Director and the local coordinator for the initiative, is excited to see this project launch and how the community comes together because economic development no longer looks the way many people traditionally recall.

“Addressing the complex challenges our community faces today requires a multi-faceted approach and a willingness to take on many roles as we work to grow and strengthen McCook,” Engell said, adding, “We’re still focused on business attraction, retention, and support, along with housing and childcare, but more and more, those conversations are closely tied to attracting and retaining people. Many groups and organizations around the community are having the same conversations. We are excited to participate in this initiative to help us build upon the conversations we have been having locally so we can take our actions to the next level.”

As part of the Revitalize and Thrive program, the selected communities will collaborate closely with nationally recognized revitalization strategist Jeff Siegler, along with regional leaders and student interns, to develop strategies that strengthen local identity, foster economic vibrancy, and create a more compelling reason for young people to stay, return, or relocate to their hometowns.

The Revitalize and Thrive program seeks to tackle the longstanding challenge of brain drain—the outmigration of young talent from rural and urban communities across Nebraska. By blending creative placemaking, local leadership development, and grassroots engagement, the program aims to empower communities to write their own comeback stories.

“We’re thrilled to be working alongside these five communities,” said Josephine Parker, Revitalize and Thrive Partnership Co-coordinator alongside Lily Teeple. “Each community brings a unique set of strengths and challenges, and we believe that by building strong local partnerships and supporting community-led efforts, we can make lasting change.”

Through site visits, hands-on workshops, and guided implementation plans, each community will explore ways to revitalize their downtowns, enhance quality of life, and improve opportunities for the next generation. The focus will be on:

- Strengthening local identity

- Reimagining main streets

- Creating places young people want to stay, return to, or rediscover

The initiative is made possible through support from local and state partners and reflects a growing commitment across Nebraska to invest in the future of its communities.

Getting Outside to National Night Out

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 17:00:36 GMT

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.

July 2025 Volunteer Makes Positive Impact At Chamber and Across Community

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 16:50:38 GMT

Judy McCune Named July 2025 McCook Volunteer of the Month

The McCook Philanthropy Council recognized Judy McCune as July’s Volunteer of the Month. Judy was selected for her outstanding dedication and selfless service to the McCook community through countless hours of volunteering.

Chamber Director Sarah Schneider shared, “Judy is always willing to lend a hand—whether it’s checking IDs at events, serving tirelessly on the Heritage Days Committee, or teaching Oktoberfest attendees how to polka dance. Her enthusiasm and energy are contagious.”

In addition to her work with Chamber events, Judy also serves on the Community Hospital Patient & Family Advocacy Council and helps with 4-H judging, making a positive impact across multiple facets of the community.

Even at her job as marketing director at Kinship Pointe in McCook, Judy is active getting the facility and its residents involved in the community so that everyone can make an impact.

When asked about her commitment to volunteering, Judy said, “Volunteering not only gives back, but I look at it for personal growth and social connections.” She humbly added, “There are many who deserve recognition.”

June Volunteer of the Month Key to Numerous Organizations

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 16:07:35 GMT

Joyce Anderson named June 2025 McCook Volunteer of the Month

Joyce Anderson of McCook can be found in her office as an accountant, keeping her client's finances running smoothly. But just as much time, if not more, is dedicated to various organizations in McCook, keeping them running smoothly too. Because of her involvement with the McCook Humane Society, the McCook Rotary Club and 4-H, the McCook Philanthropy Council is proud to announce Joyce Anderson as the July 2025 McCook Volunteer of the Month.

Joyce is instrumental in the growth of the McCook Humane Society, serving as the treasurer for numerous terms. Her passion for the organization and the animals is readily apparent through the countless hours she dedicates to making sure the facility for dogs and cats keeps functioning, day-in and day-out. She has also led the effort for the current capital campaign to replace and upgrade the dog kennels. With a matching grant from the McCook Community Foundation Fund, the McCook Humane Society is trying to raise $50,000, as part of an overall project.

Joyce is also key to the McCook Rotary Club's long-term success. Currently serving as co-treasurer for the club, Joyce has been a member of the service organization for decades, has served in every officer position, and is the person that Rotary members turn to with any question regarding Rotary.

And Joyce was a dedicated leader for Driftwood Feeders 4-H club for years, serving in a variety of roles as her children participated in the program.

Congratulations to Joyce Anderson for all her volunteer efforts in the community and for being named the June 2025 McCook Volunteer of the Month.

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, mccook-

foundation.org, to complete a nomination form. The only requirement is that the nominee must be a

resident of McCook or Red Willow County. Please provide information about the nominee along with

details on where and how they volunteer in the community. The volunteer honoree is selected by the

McCook Philanthropy Council.

Sharing Books and Bikes Great Use of Resources

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 14:59:46 GMT

This is a subtitle for your new post

At a recent McCook Rotary Club meeting, Travis Byers, director of the Crihstian’s Cause, spoke

about the lifejacket loan program available in Ogallala because of its proximity to Lake

McConaughy.

Started years ago in Lincoln after a drowning accident, the program is now based in Ogallala

with the mission of providing life jackets and education to the community. The purpose may be

to donate a life jacket to a family with small kids who are constantly out-growing their life-

jackets. It can be having life jackets available at the lake, so when a family shows up for a day

at the beach and forgot their life jacket at home, the day isn’t ruined. Simply borrow a life jacket

for the day and return it when leaving.

It sounds so simple but is an easy step to saving lives that could easily be duplicated in other

communities. New and used lifejackets are made available to those who need them, who might

take a chance of swimming or boating without a lifejacket due to cost or availability.

Special shout-out to Ron Tompkins for inviting Travis to speak at Rotary after the two struck up

a conversation during Travis’ stay at Ron’s motel, the Cedar Inn, and brought Travis to McCook

again.

While we don’t have a lifejacket loan program in McCook - yet, another sharing concept is

taking hold in our hometown.

The little lending libraries are springing up around the community. Build by individuals, book

clubs and one on the way by the McCook Rotary Club, the little boxes that look like bird houses

are home to a variety of books of all genres and for all ages. People can take books from the

little lending library or add to them. It is simple on purpose…to encourage people to share what

they have and to get people to read. It is a win-win situation.

As someone with a weakness for books, I know how hard it is to get rid of books, so this is a

great way to get books which still have many years of usability in them into the hand of others.

Another sharing project which is available is the bike loan program at Red Willow State

Recreational Area. Created by McCook Community Foundation Fund’s youth group, Youth

Change Reaction, anyone who is camping or just visiting the lake can take advantage of the

bikes available near the camp host at the Willow Campground.

The bikes have been donated over the years and fixed up by Tom Poore at Tinker Tom’s. There

all different sizes and styles to hopefully accommodate a wide range of riders. These bikes have

been collecting dust in a garage but still have a lot of life left in them. Some bikes are simply too

small and not needed anymore by a family but they know others could use them.

And bikes are always needed as they get worn out from use at the lake. Tom evaluates each

bike to make sure it is financially viable to rehabilitate a bike before putting it into rotation at the

lake, which makes the need for many donated bikes so important.

Speaking of loaning bikes, the National Night Out returns on Tuesday, Aug. 5, with McCook’s

event at Norris Park at 6 p.m. It is a great chance to meet McCook’s law enforcement and fire

fighters. The Rotary Club will be handing out popsicles, Community Hospital will host a walk/run

around the park and many other groups and organizations will be part of the evening.

Last year, I personally brought several of my own bikes for others to use during the event. As

avid cyclists, my family has an abundance of bicycles and I want every kid to have a fun,

enjoyable evening at the National Night Out.

Sharing resources is one of the best ways to get things accomplished and simply makes our

community better.

Early on in the swim season, I discovered that there was little to no seating available at the new

McCook Aquatic Center. Hopefully down the road, more benches and lounge chairs will be

purchased for the facility.

But in the meantime, I knew that I needed numerous benches to host an upcoming swim meet

at the facility. Organizers need benches or chairs to line up swimmers for their next event and

swimmers just need a place to rest, which isn’t the blazing hot cement.

Thankfully, Jeff Gross learned of the situation and metal benches from the football field across

the street were moved in time for the meet and have been in use the past month at the pool,

until they are needed again when football season resumes.

It was a great example of using the resources we have available for the greatest impact.

Similarly, I approached the city about opening up a few lanes and the lazy river for lap

swimming and water walking during our evening swim practices. The coaches were already at

the pool because of practice and we didn’t need all the lap lanes, so it only made sense to open

up the space to adults at the same time.

Word quickly spread and within a week, two or three dozen adults were strolling against (and

sometimes with) the current in the lazy river Monday through Thursday. And adult swimmers

took advantage of the lap lanes, many who hadn’t been able to swim laps since the indoor

YMCA pool closed at the end of February.

Rather than under-utilizing or letting something sit dormant, it benefits our community to work

together to use what we have at our finger tips, to let others use things that may just be

gathering dust in our garage or taking up space in our homes or not being used all the times at

our paces of work.

None of this is new to our community. McCook have two thriving church thrift stores plus an-

always busy Goodwill store because people want to share what they have, especially for a good

cause.

The little lending library and bike loan program are great examples of sharing our abundance to

make our community a little bit better. And if you have an idea of sharing what we have to make

life a little bit easier for others, reach out and we can help connect resources. By working

together to share what we have, we can make McCook and Southwest Nebraska an even better

place to call home.

Celebrating a Flurry of Activity in Our Community

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Sat, 19 Jul 2025 20:31:45 GMT

To say “There is a lot going in McCook right now” is an understatement. Everywhere you look, there is construction equipment, dirt piles and supply trucks. Not to mention numerous porta-potties and random holes in the ground.

West First Street in downtown McCook is like an obstacle course some days, as you weave around the boom trucks and cement trucks for Community Hospital’s new student housing complex, ROOTS. But with each brick being laid, excitement grows to have McCook’s first new building downtown in decades.

Half the parking lot between the YMCA and McCook High School is unavailable because of the major renovation project at the YMCA, specifically the pool area now. As different parts of the building are added on to or renovated, various areas around the facility will open and close. But the inconvenience now means a wonderful facility later.

The pile of dirt at the ballpark project north of McCook continues to grow as dirt work continues to transform the field into a playable surface, offering new softball and baseball fields. The area will also offer valuable greenspace for soccer, flag football, even just flying a kite, which is currently lacking within the city limits.

These are just some of the projects impacting the community. McCook Community College has plans for its campus, the city is constantly working on the streets and water lines and internet companies seem to be everywhere laying fiber lines for broadband internet service.

And McCook Schools wants to build/update the junior/high school complex with a bond issue coming up for a vote later this month.

To some people, this can be overwhelming, both financially and mentally.

That is understandable. There is a lot going on right now. It can be hard to comprehend why we need or even want all these improvements and changes in our community. It also affects our pocketbooks because the money for these projects has to come from somewhere.

Part of the reason all of this movement is happening now is because major projects didn’t happen for a long time. Community leaders were satisfied with the status quo, which seems like everything is staying the same but actually leads to deterioration. Rather than being pro-active, the can was figuratively kicked down the road, which has led to a bottle-neck of activity in the community.

We also settled for “it’s fine” or “it was good enough for me” when considering changes and improvements.

McCook’s city pool was considered “fine” for decades despite near-freezing water and lack of things to do. Not until the pool shut down due to mechanical failures did a sales tax bond issue pass to build the new aquatic center. And now shouts of laughter from near daily capacity radiate from the new facility and we can’t imagine not having a new pool.

The McCook Junior High is considered “good enough” with students attending school with classrooms separated by fabric walls and walking down hallways which are uneven to put it mildly.

This thinking and these decisions have caught up with us but rather than lamenting everything that is happening right now, we should be rejoicing that there is so much movement taking place in our community.

It means we are willing to invest in our future and make sacrifices today to ensure our community is around years from now. It means we are willing to do things that will hopefully make our young people return to the community. It means we value families and want to create a community where they want to raise their children.

As you drive around to see all the projects underway, consider how this will benefit the community in the long-term. As you read in the paper about the changes happening, think about how your children and grandchildren will enjoy the amenities being put in place. As you consider whether to vote for or against a bond issue, decide whether you are willing to make a sacrifice now to have an educated society later.

McCook is on the Move and we can bemoan the flurry of activity and the sacrifices we are making right now. Or we can celebrate that we are making our community a better place to call home.

Family Resource Center Using Grant for New Ideas

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 16:30:38 GMT

Family Resource Center Using MCFF Grant for New Ideas

By RONDA GRAFF

MCFF

All organizations evolve over time and the Family Resource Center in McCook is no different. After long-time leader Kathy Haas retired, Kaye T. Bieck took over as director earlier this year.

With a new person comes new ideas and to help fund some of those ideas, the McCook Community Foundation Fund provided a grant this past spring to help the FRC meet its mission of supporting families facing challenges.

A priority is expanding the assistive technologies library, which consists of of toys, educational resources, hygiene items, and home use medical items not requiring prescriptions. It is designed to help anyone who requires support their daily activities.

Along with the grant from MCFF, funds from Community Hospital will be used to purchase some dementia dolls and other items that families may want to try, but don't have the means to acquire.

“This will give families the opportunity to try an item that has been suggested before buying something that may not suit their needs as expected,” Bieck said.

Some of the grant funds will go toward the facility having a “Love and Logic” certified trainer, who can lead a class for parents/guardians with children who have been through trauma.

“This could help foster parents, those parents working on reunification, or just an adult in a child's life who want to help a child through trauma and understand that child better,” Bieck said.

A growing focus for the Family Resource Center is cooking classes, where they see a knowledge gap in today’s generation.

“The skills of yesterday's generations haven't always been passed down, and not everyone has the benefit of being taught home economic skills in a school situation or learning valuable skills like cooking from scratch, food preservation, shopping on a budget and other life skills,” Bieck said.

The first course was cooking with WIC (Women, Infants and Children) products.

“Rather than let these products go to waste, we're hoping to help give people new ideas for using these products so they can continue to stretch their food budget,” she said.

Another area of focus is mental health and suicide awareness.

“Our hope is that in addition to providing awareness and prevention, we will raise funds to help those dealing with mental health issues and the challenges they face,” Bieck said, including fuel and transportation costs to access a higher levels of mental health care.

The Family Resource Center will also continue to offer the programs that the community has come to rely upon and which needs on-going support.

Perhaps the most known project at the Family Resource Center is the holiday adopt-a-family program, which can always use sponsors to "adopt" families needing holiday gifts.

“We can also use new, in-packaging toys to supplement our holiday gift program,” Bieck said, with those items assisting foster parents or parents who did not know about the program or may not have been able to sign up for the program in time, so all children can at least have a couple gifts to open.

Also in great demand are hygiene items like deodorant, toothpaste and toothbrushes for teens and pre-teens and disposable aluminum pans, aluminum foil, cookie sheets, and non-perishable food items to help support the cooking workshops.

Bieck noted that all services provided by FRC are provided free of charge.

She added that there is no requirement that a person or family be receiving any sort of government assistance to be eligible for the majority of FRC’s programs. “If you have a need, I will do my absolute best to meet it, or direct you to someone who can,” she said.

Bieck noted that she has a wonderful team of staff and volunteers, but there are always opportunities for anyone who would be interested in volunteering. “We could use help with folding clothes, sorting donations, doing laundry, light cleaning, and above all, ideas to keep growing our program,” Bieck said.

Serving as the director for the Family Resource Center is not just a job for Bieck, but rather a passion from person experience.
“I've been there. I was a foster child who aged out of the system. I was the young mom who was clueless, and I just needed a little guidance and support,” Bieck said. “I have been in a place where I needed to use the resources available in our community and I am so glad that I went through those challenging times because it has shaped the person I am and the empathy I have.”

She added, “I will never judge someone who needs help, and I will do my best to never turn away anyone with a need.”

Bieck is open to listening to anyone who may have an idea for the community and sees the needs of the community.

“It takes a village to raise a child, and the community was and is my village, and they are now that village helping my children grow into the adults they will become,” Bieck said. “If we take care of our community, it will take care of us.”

Picking up the Lost Baton That Lead To Cars Under the Stars

Wed, 09 Jul 2025 13:16:08 GMT

It was fall of 2012. I was a senior in high school and preparing for the next chapter of my life, college. I was determined that I was going to the University of Nebraska in Lincoln for physical therapy. I also knew to go through undergrad and graduate school I was going to need a lot of scholarships or “student debt” would be my middle name.

With that mindset, I ultimately decided not to play basketball my senior year to allocate my time to scholarship applications and a part-time job. It was a tough decision since I enjoyed playing basketball and being around my friends, but it was an investment toward my future.

Flash forward to early spring, where I was absolutely blessed by being recognized as a recipient of numerous scholarships that alleviated a major financial burden! Leading up to that point, I was already active in community service projects. But upon receiving those scholarships, I was motivated to give back and say “thank you” for the investment in my education by others.

I wanted to do something big, something that would impact the community.

Through various conversations and research, I decided to bring back an iconic memory to many McCook natives, a drive-in movie. Through strong partnerships with many local businesses and volunteers, we held a drive-in movie not only my senior year but also my first two years of college, as I returned to help coordinate the project.

During the three years of shows in McCook, we rented all the equipment from Dallas, but the dream was to build a permanent, non-profit drive-in for the community to use.

However, as I progressed further in my new career of farming, my resources of time and energy were capped and the event sat idle.

That is until a group of young, ambitious, and talented students picked up the lost baton. During numerous discussions, Youth Change Reaction members, otherwise known as YCR, shared that they wanted to complete a big project. Many ideas were tossed around, but when the idea of bringing back the drive-in movie came about, it stuck for two reasons: these young adults had memories of attending drive-in movies plus it would meet their goal of going BIG.

In the process of picking up the lost baton, their journey into uncharted waters included raising $75,000, building partnerships with community businesses and organizations, and finding the proper equipment.

It was truly humbling and at that point, because life really had come full circle. I was once a YCR member and had this dream nearly 10 years ago. But now these young adults went above and beyond in building McCook’s very own “Cars Under the Stars” non-profit outdoor drive-in theater.

This project was a true philanthropic endeavor that not only will last for many years, but leaves a legacy, young or old, that we all play a vital role in our community. The power of community collaboration, teamwork, and dedication pulled off a tremendous feat and now our community has a long-standing asset to enjoy.

I encourage everyone to take these philanthropic efforts exemplified by our talented youth and implement them into our communities. Embodying the mission of making our rural Nebraska community a better place to live and call home. Those efforts may not result in fulfilling the entire dream you have, but it may be planting the seed and laying the foundation for someone to pick it up.

We all have our blessed talents. What are we doing to help move our community forward? What has someone done before you to help set the stage for you to improve? Is there a lost baton in your community that you can pick up and make better?

***

Gavin Harsh is an original member of Youth Change Reaction, the youth organization for the McCook Community Foundation Fund, and now serves as a volunteer member on the MCFF Advisory Committee.

'Tis Better to Give Than to Receive

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 22:00:54 GMT

We are entering the holiday season. Not the typical cold, wintery time of year but the hot, sultry Fourth of July festivities. As part of this holiday, there are many upcoming celebrations to mark the United State’s birthday.

Many have likely seen in the news and on social media that Kearney had to cancel its Freedom Festival, due to a lack of volunteers. This led to some confusion that McCook’s event was not happening July 3, which is understandable since they literally have the same name.

But McCook’s event is taking place (may have already taken place by the time you read this) at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds.

This event and others like it happen because several things need to be in place including people, businesses and organizations providing the funding needed to make it a reality.

But perhaps more importantly, people, businesses and organizations step up to help by volunteering their time. If you don’t have people to plan and organize, the events can’t happen. If you don’t have friends and families willing to give of their time working, these events can’t happen. If you don’t have volunteers who see the value in spending an evening with others, these events won’t happen.

And as we have seen, the reality is not that far away in Kearney.

But we have proven that residents in McCook and Southwest Nebraska are willing to step up and help and make these projects happen, most recently this past weekend with the Tour de Nebraska (TDN) bike ride, the McCook Chamber’s Bash on the Bricks and Wagner’s Cruise Night. These events took dozens - if not hundreds - of volunteers giving hundreds of hours to make it happen.

I was most involved with the Tour de Nebraska, the five-day bicycle ride that had more than 300 riders plus support staff in McCook for two days and nights. As the last of the bike riders headed north to the finish at Curtis on Sunday morning, what was left behind was a sense of joy by those who played a role in the event.

There were numerous roles for the volunteers involved in TDN, from visiting businesses to let them know about the increased foot traffic to unloading luggage for the riders.

There were the Community Hospital employees who staffed the welcome tent as the riders rolled into town. While the hill up to the staging area by McCook Community College event center is not normally that daunting, it proves to be a challenge after riding 60 miles from Cambridge in 90-degree weather. Nearly everyone pulled up the tent, exasperated over the hill, but was then overjoyed as a hospital employee draped an ice-soaked towel around their neck. There were literally sighs of relief and cries of joy due to this small gesture.

Perhaps the biggest undertaking was the van shuttle system to get riders around the community. While the cyclists could have walked or ridden their bikes, it is hard to balance a load of laundry on your handlebars or to get across town from the movie theater late at night.

Instead, for two days, nearly two dozen volunteer shuttle drivers drove a route around McCook, picking up and dropping off riders at local businesses.

When it was all said and done, the shuttle drivers commented on how quickly their time went and how much fun they had. Some asked to take additional shifts, while others brought along a family member to be part of the joy of meeting others and to share the pride they have in their community.

The drivers did receive a t-shirt for their time, but if you ask them, I’m betting that they will say they received more than they gave.

Person after person who volunteered had stories from the two-day event, such as how friendly everyone was, how they enjoyed meeting people from across the U.S. and from other countries, and how they loved sharing what they love about their community.

By volunteering, they came into contact with people they might not normally meet. There was a group from Denver who took the train from McCook after celebrating a bachelor party on the bike ride. There was the weatherman from Des Moines, who may have offered up his autograph. And there were the former McCook-residents who did the ride because it was in their hometown.

This sense of joy and pride is not unique to this event. In fact, it is usually true of almost everyone who steps up to volunteer. Ultimately, you may give of your time and your talent and your treasure but usually you receive much more back in return.

And if we all take that to heart and give back to our community by volunteering, we will all end up with so much more in return because it is better to give than to receive.

Building a Legacy with Five to Thrive

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 18:00:00 GMT

It isn’t easy to talk about money but with the transfer of wealth that will happen between the generations over the next few decades, it is something that needs to be a topic of conversation.

As part of that discussion, pause for a moment and try to guess how much money will transfer to the next generation between 2020 and 2030, just in Red Willow County. And to make it a little easier, let’s make it multiple choice:

$50 million
$200 million
$608 million

I’ll give you the correct answer in just a moment, but for now consider how we know this information.

The Nebraska Community Foundation has studied this Transfer of Wealth in every county across the state for decades. This research has inspired the “Five to Thrive” campaign, which encourages us all to consider how just 5% of our wealth could help our communities thrive for generations to come.

As Baby Boomers pass on their legacy, the question isn’t if their wealth will transfer — but where. The default answer is typically “to our kids” or “to my family.” And that’s understandable.
But here’s a deeper question:
Should all of it go to our kids and to our family? Is this even a good idea? Are they prepared for the changes that could happen with the inheritance? Has a conversation been had about what the parents would like to see happen?
Would it be wise — or meaningful — to consider leaving just a portion for the greater good?

While you may think “I have to leave it all to my family,” there are options.

The McCook Community Foundation Fund is here to help you explore what planned giving might look like for you, for your kids and your family.

And while MCFF may be part of the conversation, it is not about leaving a gift to the foundation but rather to any cause that reflects your values. Whether you’re passionate about education, youth, the arts, rural vitality, or helping those in need, MCFF can help you connect your resources to your passions.

We also offer tools to help you maximize tax savings and structure your giving in ways that are smart and personal.

Whether you’re wealthy or working hard to get by, 5% is 5% and it all makes an impact.

Which brings us to the answer about the transfer of wealth in Red Willow County over this decade. It will be more than $608 million that will transfer from one generation to the next. And if that next generation doesn’t live in Red Willow County or Southwest Nebraska, then those dollars leave the community, possibly forever.
If just 5% of that $608 million were left for local causes, Red Willow County would have $30 million to strengthen our future — keeping rural Nebraska a place where our kids and grandkids can thrive.

As Kathy Calvin said, “Giving is not just about making a donation. It is about making a difference.”

There are so many possibilities to explore, so many ways to make a difference today and so many ways to leave your legacy.

There’s no pressure. Just a conversation. When you're ready, reach out to me directly, to the McCook Community Foundation Fund, or — if you'd prefer more privacy — to the Nebraska Community Foundation. We are blessed in our community and we are in this together to make McCook and southwest Nebraska an even better place to call home.

***

As the chairman of the McCook Community Foundation Fund, Matt Sehnert is passionate about making his hometown better for his family, friends and neighbors. Contact him at mwsehnert@gmail.com. Or reach out to MCFF at mcffund@gmail.com or Todd Mekelburg with the Nebraska Community Foundation at tmekelburg@nebcommfound.org.

Getting Involved with McCook Murals

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 19:40:25 GMT

This number will likely be out-dated by the time anyone reads this but I literally have 21,032 pictures on my phone. Like most people, I take a lot of pictures on my phone. I like having them accessible for various things like building a graduation photo wall the day before the party. Using the facial recognition feature to find an embarrassing photo to share on a person’s birthday. And as a reminder of all the cool places I have visited and interesting things I have seen.

If there is one background that is repeated time and time again in not only my pictures but pictures I see others sharing on social media, it is murals.

People love taking pictures of murals and in front of murals. Sometimes it is the simple beauty of the painting that captures your attention. Perhaps it is the interaction with a set of wings painted in an alley. Or it may be a “how did they create that?” on the wall.

Murals help visitors connect and remember the communities they are visiting. And perhaps more importantly, murals create an environment where residents want to live. Afterall, we all want to live in pretty places.

Murals also help set the stage for a community, giving a sense of what a community believes in or maybe the history of a town. And murals simply make a community more aesthetically pleasing with the designs, colors and creativity.

McCook is fortunate to have several murals in place.

During the Covid lock-down, artists were engaged to paint murals as a way to bring the community together. Deonne Hinz and Ginny Anderson were commissioned to paint the “We Are One” floral design on the sidewalk in front of Sehnert’s Bakery, which then led to other murals around the community during the lock-down.

Next was the McCook Mural Project, which was painted on the wall along West First Street in the spring of 2023.

There were lead artists, Darcy Millette and Amber Hansen, who lead design workshops with community members to create drawings, write poems, and share stories that shaped the mural’s themes and content. The lead artists also worked with the assistants, Karrie Steely and Wes McCollum, and student apprentices to create a final composition utilizing the material collected at the design workshops.

By the time the mural was completed, more than 100 community members had participated in the process in one form or another, from lending their thoughts to the design to picking up a paint brush. And in May 2025, the final clear coat over the entire half-long block was added to help keep the mural in pristine condition as long as possible.

This multi-step process was intentional because the mural had another purpose other than just painting a mural on the one wall. The mural project was designed to help others learn how to create a mural, bringing more color to the walls of McCook.

And Karrie Steely is using her experience in the McCook Mural Project to bring more murals to McCook. She is gathering people who want to be part of the next mural project, which is planned for this summer. A building is already lined up and funding is getting in place. What the project needs now are people, all types from artists with ideas for a design to people who like paperwork because it's all necessary to make these projects happen.

While most of the murals to-date have been fairly large in scale, McCook also needs smaller murals around the community for people to interact on a daily basis.

Karrie has addressed this issue by creating a how-to workbook for anyone who would like to do their own mural project, especially small-scale murals. It includes a timeline, what paints to use, how to contact a building owner along with other resources to make a mural a reality.

To get involved in McCook’s mural projects, please contact Karrie at 303-257-4763 or karrie.steely@gmail.com . Or visit the McCook Creative District website, mccookcreativedistrict.com, where you can find the mural workbook.

The more people get involved in the mural projects around McCook, the more murals we will have. And the more murals we have around McCook, the more pictures visitors will take and the more pride in the community residents will have.

Camping Can Fill the Need for Community

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 16:04:56 GMT

My late mother-in-law, Dolores Graff, had a lot of opinions but one I vividly remember is that she did not like camping. Her reasoning was that she could pay for a lot of nice hotel rooms for the cost of a camper and a camping spot. Plus, she didn’t have to worry about rain soaking through her tent, bugs crawling into her food or sleeping on the cold, hard ground. I knew she wondered why would anyone do that on purpose?

This was hard for me to comprehend because I grew up camping nearly every weekend during the summer. My entire Saturday and Sunday was filled with walking along the railroad line next to the campsite, hoping a train would pass to crush the line of pennies I placed on the steel rails. I had unfettered access to all the junk food and soda my parents purchased every Friday to get us through the weekend.

And perhaps the most memorable part of the weekends were all the friends we camped with every weekend. Most were people my parents' age, who seemed ancient by my young standards but who I now realize were likely the age I am now…so very young.

There were also the kids my age, who we spent summer after summer growing up with but unfortunately lost touch when the camping trips came to an end. For years, we would roll out of our campers as soon as the sun rose into the sky and would only check in with our parents when we needed food or there was a severe injury to report. Otherwise, we were on our own until the evening meal, which was usually coordinated among the families.

Since we were camping next to a river, the plan was always to have a fish fry for dinner with all the trimmings. If my memory serves me correctly, we usually had tacos every weekend. These people were good at camping; not so good at fishing.

But ultimately, it was the camaraderie that drew everyone together every weekend. These people were my parent’s core group. They attended weddings together, celebrated graduations with each other and unfortunately served at their funerals too.

Why did they devote nearly every weekend to camping? Why do people continue to flock to area lakes, state parks and campgrounds? One word: community.

As I walked around the campsite at Mahoney State Park this past week, every spot had a camper with people sitting out front. Some people were sitting around a campfire as they visited with family and friends. Some were just waiting for people to walk by so they could wave and say hi!

Because of the traditional lack of space inside a camper, people are forced to sit outside, encouraging interaction with others. Now, it happened to rain most of my recent camping weekend, so my husband and I spent a larger percentage of the time sitting inside playing cards. But we ventured out rain or shine because dogs had to be walked, trails had to be hiked and because I’m nosy and/or curious, roadways had to be explored to see all the other types of campers.

This led to dozens of conversations along the way with our fellow campers about what kind of dog we had to the types of bikes leaning against their RV. After most of our walks, we returned from a 15-minute walk in about an hour.

It is very similar to the way people used to sit on their front porches and felt like they were part of a community. They would wave as people drove by. They would sit in their front porch swing as a neighbor reclined on the front step. Conversations would be had over a mailbox in the front sidewalk.

People long for that community, to see their neighbors, to connect with their friends. Unfortunately, it is now more uncommon to see someone just leisurely sitting on their front porch, waiting for a conversation to happen by chance. Instead, people are more likely to be inside staring at a screen.

Perhaps, that is why camping remains so popular and continues to grow in numbers. People know they are going to see others when they go camping because it is naturally built into the situation. And we are all looking for the community.

So while I will always continue to frequent hotels, it will be out of necessity for a warm, safe place to sleep. But I will always continue to go camping, because it fills the need to be around others and to be part of a community.

Gearing Up for a Month Full of Fun in McCook

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 21:24:37 GMT

From car show to concerts, the community works hard to make this happen.

Time and time again, I hear people say that there is nothing to do in McCook or Southwest

Nebraska. But if you need evidence that there is more than enough to keep you occupied or

entertained, just look at the upcoming events in June.

Kicking off the weekend early is Community Hospital Health Foundation’s 36th annual John

Mullen Pro Am Golf Tournament. Nearly three dozen golf pros will join a hundred local amateur

golfers for a day of golf Friday, June 6 at Heritage Hills Golf Course to benefit the hospital’s

foundation. The day wraps up with a horse race, where the golf pros hop around the putting

green on little hobby horses.

I’m joking. I believe the golf pros compete against each other until all but one is eliminated but

when I asked a local golfer why it is called a horse race, she said she was planning to attend but

didn’t know why it was called a horse race. Anyone who attends, just look in the corner for a

hobby horse please.

A few miles west, Pondstock takes over an open field west of Trenton with music over several

nights this weekend. For both events, I am sure organizers are torn between wishing for much-

needed rain but not wanting to deal with precipitation during their events.

The next weekend will be filled with stories, music and art as the 28th annual Buffalo Commons

Storytelling and Music Festival returns to downtown McCook. The three-day event kicks off

Friday, June 13, with a historical bus tour to Massacre Canyon near Trenton, which is seeing

record participants this year. I know the organizers don’t control the calendar but they are

traveling on a Friday the 13th to a site where hundreds died…I just hope no one is bringing

along a black cat or a ladder to walk under.

Not even a week goes by before another event takes over the streets of McCook. The June

Third Thursday is June 19 with the Norris Institute hosting the evening. Musician Daniel

Christiansen will be performing live in Norris Alley between the Keystone and Fox Theater.

McCook Volunteers is lending a hand for this Third Thursday, with all non-profits encouraged to

participate. The organizations can share more about what they are doing in the community and

where they have needs for volunteers. If anyone wants to be part of this Third Thursday or any

of the upcoming Third Thursdays, please visit mccookcreativedistrict.com for more information

(or just reach out to me and I’ll get you hooked up with the right person).

Speaking of the Fox Theater, many have likely noted that the marquee is lit up after nearly three

years of renovations. Unfortunately, there are glitches in the screen which is what you get when

dealing with technology and asking one piece of equipment to talk to a different piece of

equipment. But hopefully, the bugs get worked out soon and Norris Avenue is lit up every night

with a message, an announcement or an event on the new sign.

Lest we think there is a weekend in McCook without people coming to visit for an event, the new

McCook Aquatic Center will host its first official swim meet on Saturday, June 21. Half a dozen

surrounding communities will send hundreds of swimmers to compete in the Plains Tsunami

Swim League. This will be a good test of the pool, the bathhouse and the design of the area

surrounding the pool to see how everything stacks up to host a meet. The fact that my husband

won’t have to deconstruct part of the fence to create a temporary door and install a foam pool

noodle so swimmers don’t cut themselves is a plus. I wonder if the city knew we did that for

every swim meet the past few years? Cat is out of the bag now.

And the month of June wraps up with what could be one of the biggest events in downtown

McCook in recent memory on Saturday, June 28. Wagner’s are hosting the 9th annual Cruisin’

on the Bricks car show and cruise night with cars on display along C Street all afternoon and

then taking to B Street and Norris Avenue for a few hours of cruising.

The McCook Chamber is working alongside them for Bash on the Bricks, which has been held

at the golf course the past few years but returns to its original intended site down on the bricks.

The bash includes food trucks, vendors, a beer garden and music. Several blocks will be shut

down to traffic, allowing people to wander, eat, socialize and just enjoy the community. A shout

out to Sarah Schneider at the Chamber for all her work to make this event a success.

And if that wasn’t enough, let’s throw a couple hundred bicycle riders into the mix. The 37th

annual Tour de Nebraska bicycle ride comes to McCook for the first time in its history. The riders

will arrive Friday, June 27, riding from Cambridge that morning. On Saturday, they have the

option of riding west to Culbertson and Trenton and back or they can take the off from riding and

just hang out in McCook. But that evening, they will be part of the downtown festival with music

starting at 4 p.m., followed by a second band at 7 p.m.

While the concert is scheduled to go until 11 p.m., I am highly doubtful many of the bikers make

it that long since the next morning on Sunday, June 29, they have to mount their bikes for a ride

north to the finish in Curtis.

These are just a few of the events taking place over the next month. There are more things

happening from baseball games to summer reading programs to bible schools. Please make an

effort to attend these events and programs. All of these activities take people to organize them

and I thank them for all their time and effort that goes into making these things happen, which in

turn make McCook an even better place to call home.

SWNE Big Give Organization Sign-Up Begins June 1

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 30 May 2025 22:16:24 GMT

By RONDA GRAFF

MCFF

Plans for the 10th annual Southwest Nebraska Big Give are underway with the one-day of giving scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025.

For 24 hours this fall, people can donate to their favorite non-profit organizations both in person at giving stations and on-line at swnebiggive.org.

But before the big day, Community Chest organizers put a lot of planning and work to make the day a success. This includes getting the non-profit organizations registered for the event.

Organizations that would like to participate in the Southwest Nebraska Big Give must register between June 1-30 on the Big Give website. This includes those groups which have participated in the past and those which would like to be included for the first time this year.

Any group which has participated in the past will be notified to re-register for the 2025 Big Give.

To join Big Give, organizations are asked to fill out an application on the website under “Register Your Non-Profit Now.” Participants must also attend a planning meeting, as well as offer support leading up to and on the day of the Big Give.

To be eligible for the Big Give, organizations must have a 501(c)3 exempt status in good standing with the IRS as well as have a physical presence and provide services for Southwest Nebraska. Private foundations and political or governmental organizations are excluded from the event. Religious organizations are also excluded except those providing community programs. All applications are ultimately approved by the Community Chest committee with non-profit status verified through Guidestar.

Coordinated by the Community Chest volunteer committee, Southwest Nebraska Big Give is one day devoted to philanthropy, where every donation - large or small - makes a difference. From midnight to midnight on Nov. 6, participating non-profits will be eligible for donations, whether they are given online or in person at “giving stations.”

Donors get to choose both how much they would like to give along with where the money should go. There will also be matching funds, provided by local businesses supporting the event, making those donations go even further. Any business or organizations which would like to be a sponsor for Big Give McCook should contact Community Chest members.

The event is now in its third year as Southwest Nebraska Big Give, originally known as Big Give McCook. But with many organizations participating from around Southwest Nebraska, the name was changed in 2023.

Organizations involved in the Big Give are also encouraged to be part of the June 19th Third Thursday in McCook, which is being hosted by the Norris Institute. While a volunteer fair/Big Give promotion was held last November, the weather didn’t cooperate. So the McCook Volunteer Fair is now part of the Third Thursday, with all non-profits are being asked to set up a table to share information about their volunteer needs, what they are doing in the community and how the public can support the organization.

Contact Caitlin Whitehead at caitlin.whitehead1@gmail.com to signup or for more information.

Community Chest is a sub-account of the McCook Community Foundation Fund, which is an affiliated fund of the Nebraska Community Foundation.

For more information about the Southwest Nebraska Big Give, visit the Big Give website or call Community Chest co-coordinators Lisa Felker or Melissa Stritt at 308-345-4240 or MCFF coordinator Ronda Graff at 308-340-3412.

Hospice Volunteer Named May McCook Volunteer of the Month

Fri, 30 May 2025 21:47:09 GMT

The McCook Philanthropy Council is proud to announce Dixie Bethell as the May McCook Volunteer of

the Month. Dixie’s dedication and hard work have made a lasting impact on hospice patients throughout Southwest Nebraska.

Dixie Bethell has been a beacon of hope and support for many in McCook and across southwest

Nebraska. After retiring from the Business Office of Community Hospital six years ago, where she

worked for 20 years, Dixie began volunteering with Community Healthcare and Hospice.

Community Healthcare and Hospice offers hospice services, which provide medical care focused on

comfort for individuals expected to live six months or less. Hospice care aims to manage the patient’s

symptoms while supporting their quality of life and providing support for family caregivers.

Dixie’s efforts in bereavement support have been invaluable. Bereavement support is the assistance

provided to individuals who are grieving the loss of a loved one. It helps family members and loved ones process emotions and understand how they’re feeling during this painful time. Dixie assists with support mailings to loved ones who have lost someone on hospice, organizing these mailings monthly for a program that lasts 13 months. Her compassion and dedication help grieving families feel supported during their difficult times.

Dixie’s commitment to volunteering is deeply personal. She shares, “I've been through grief with both

my parents and my husband. I feel like I have a connection with the people who are grieving and can

pray for them.” Her ability to empathize and provide comfort to those in need is truly remarkable.

In addition to her work with Community Healthcare and Hospice, Dixie volunteers at the McCook E-Free Church in McCook. She is passionate about the Vacation Bible School program and serves as the Co-Kitchen Coordinator, ensuring programs run smoothly and participants are well cared for.

The McCook Philanthropy Council is proud to honor Dixie Bethell as Volunteer of the Month and is

grateful for the positive impact she continues to make in so many lives. Thank you, Dixie.

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, mccook-

foundation.org, to complete a nomination form. The only requirement is that the nominee must be a

resident of McCook or Red Willow County. Please provide information about the nominee along with

details on where and how they volunteer in the community. The volunteer honoree is selected by the

McCook Philanthropy Council.

Recognizing the Assets and Abundance in Your Community

Thu, 22 May 2025 16:58:18 GMT

Recognizing the Assets and Abundance in Your Community

One of the key philosophies of the Nebraska Community Foundation (NCF) is about looking at our community for its abundance – what it has – and not for its scarcity – what it is lacking. Where did this thought come from, and why is it important to NCF?

Several years ago, NCF had a close working relationship with John L. McKnight, a professor who studied and taught community organizing and building. After joining Northwestern University in Illinois, he created the Center for Urban Affairs and then later was a co-creator of the Asset Based Community Development Institute. His work was serious academic research followed by practical application in communities. His goal was to find what makes communities prosper and thrive – especially why some do and some don’t – and to provide a guide for others to replicate the successful communities.

He studied the writings of Alexis de Tocqueville in Democracy in America, in which Tocqueville proposed that the success of American society was from its many varied informal associations – the small, local citizen organizations of engaged volunteers. Key characteristics of these groups were: they were generally small, there was face-to-face knowledge of each other and the capabilities of each member, and the essential work of the group was performed by unpaid members (volunteers).

More importantly, these groups were taking on the power to define problems or goals for their communities; to create solutions or actions to achieve their goals; and to implement the solutions or actions.

Tocqueville called these people citizens and noted that they were taking power by making power through community action. They were taking ownership and pride in their communities and assuming the responsibilities required to build their hometowns.

NCF has adapted these concepts in how it works with and through its affiliated funds. NCF believes that only the citizens of a community know what it needs, and outsiders (government, organizations or even NCF) should only come if invited to assist but not to determine a plan of action.

Asset Based Community Development stresses that a community has all it needs to thrive, including the physical assets but, more importantly, its people. Citizens, with their unique gifts and expertise, their willingness to give of their time and talents, and their ability to give financial resources when needed are the true assets of a community. These citizens need to be invited to become engaged as a community to build their hometowns. Leadership is organically developed and broadly distributed through these associations of engaged citizens.

The Fund Advisory Committees (FAC) across Nebraska are NCF’s volunteer associations. The committees made up of dedicated volunteers have an overall view of the whole community, to look at what the community’s assets are, to dream about how to enhance and utilize these assets, to engage its citizens so that they offer their time and talents to better their community, and to collaborate with the other associations (including business, government and institutions) to move their community forward.

Your local FAC is the 12-member volunteer group of the McCook Community Foundation Fund (an NCF affiliated fund) along with a coordinator. NCF also has volunteer committees in Southwest Nebraska including Stratton, Imperial and Grant.

NCF recognizes that effective community development has three qualities: it is asset-based, internally-focused, and relationship-driven.

Why is this work even more crucial than ever? Because in the past three decades, we have seen a transition away from engaged citizens belonging to volunteer associations to build their hometown to disengaged residents giving up their power and expecting paid service providers (mostly government and human service organizations) to provide the social, educational, cultural, health and economic needs of the community.

The focus of abundance and asset-based communities can be explained as such:

When people discover what they have, they find power.

When people join together in new connections and relationships, they build power.

When people become more productive together, they exercise their power to realize dreams.

“This idea of co-creation is key to a satisfying life, which becomes possible when we join our neighbors to live and create a community that nurtures our family and makes us useful citizens.” John L. McKnight

For more information about the McCook FAC, visit the website www.mccookfoundation.org . If you are ready to become an engaged citizen, check out some of the local groups listed on the McCook Volunteers page of the website. If you are interested in being a member of the MCFF FAC, contact any FAC member or the coordinator, Ronda Graff. Let’s work together to build a great hometown and make McCook a better place to call home.

***

Although technically retired, Peggy Been serves as the secretary for the McCook Community Foundation Fund and is busier than ever by volunteering at St. Patrick Elementary cafeteria and caring for her dad and her grandchildren.

Walking Tour and "Reality Check" Provide Life Lessons for Young People

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Wed, 21 May 2025 16:48:51 GMT

Over the years, I have had the privilege of doing a lot of fun activities with our local young people. Sometimes, it is sponsoring prom in the spring, giving me a chance to show off my mediocre dance moves. Occasionally, I get to go with students on field trips such as the Hastings Museum or Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, although not even my son who is a UNL cheerleader can get us on the new turf.

And then there are those local projects that take place just once a year that are eye-opening for me and hopefully make a long-term impact on our young people.

Two of those projects took place over the past two weeks in McCook, getting kids close-up and personal with their local history and also with their personal choices.

The annual 6th grade Heritage Walking Tour takes kids on a stroll through downtown McCook to learn about people and stories which have made McCook what it is today.

Coordinated by the McCook Community Foundation Fund and McCook Public Schools, the junior high students visit historic locations and hear from experts at each site.

My sole role on the day of the tour is just to follow the kids, teachers and Youth Change Reaction youth group around to take pictures, but I inevitably learn something new.

For example, Stacee Smock shared during her history about MNB Bank that five investors pooled their money to start the local bank, which I knew. What I didn’t know was that among those investors was a Catholic priest. Priests take a vow of poverty, but this priest believed in the power of a local bank so much that he found the funds. We’re not going to ask anymore about that but we are thankful that this community asset is in place more than a century later.

The tour also included stops at Sen. Ben Nelson’s boyhood home, which included personal tidbits about the McCook native and his role in McCook’s rich political heritage; the Keystone Business Center, which always elicits “oohs” and “aahs” when they reach the upper stories, either because of the view or because the students are forced to take five flights of stairs; Ember’s Bakery, formerly known as Sehnert’s, which ends with the always-appreciated donut gift card; and the High Plains Museum, where the kids are in awe of a rotary telephone just to make the rest of us feel old.

And new this year was a visit to the McCook Mural on East First Street. Led by artist Karrie Steely of the McCook Creative District, the students learned about the history incorporated into the half-block long painting and also had a chance to express their artistic side with drawings of their own.

While we do ask the students what they like about the day, organizers know the reality of the situation is that lunch and games in Norris Park at the end of the day are their favorite stops.

Speaking of reality, the McCook eighth-graders took part in “Reality Checks” earlier this week, which was started a few years ago with a grant from MCFF.

The goals of “Reality Check” are to give students a glimpse of their future in a fun way, help teens become aware of basic financial planning skills, and clarify the need for young people to examine their attitudes about their futures and career expectations.

Participants are given a worksheet with an occupation and a lifestyle status a 25-year-old person may experience. Jobs range from a mechanic, banker to a teacher, along with a salary and corresponding payroll deductions. They may be single, living with a roommate, married, have a stay-at-home spouse or X number of children - all possible situations the students will face in a few years.

Sitting at a station labeled “Groceries,” I shared with the students how much it was going to cost to feed themselves and their family for the month. Some stations had flexibility such as transportation, where you could choose to ride a bike (not terribly feasible every day with a family of five); or entertainment, where you could decide if you were going to a movie or staying home to play cards. Unfortunately my stop didn’t offer much wiggle room. Some students tried to negotiate, but we all have to eat and groceries are not getting cheaper.

Usually the events I help with have kids are laughing and giggling or, at least, mildly stoic. During “Reality Check,” there were kids who were downright depressed by the time they visited my table because they were already broke and they hadn’t even bought food for the month yet. Not to mention, purchasing pet food for their dog or diapers for their set of twins.

But it was a good lesson in priorities, that maybe you don’t have to go out to eat five times each week; a good lesson in economics, that a $35,000 salary goes quickly if you want a nice car; and a good lesson in responsibilities, that all the education, bills, or even just figuring out what to make for dinner is hard. Being an adult isn’t always all it’s cracked up to be but it’s a good lesson for the young people to learn.

Ultimately, both the McCook Heritage Walking Tour and Reality Checks provided lessons for our young people about themselves, their futures and their communities.

Community Working to Make Hometowns for Graduates and Young People

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 09 May 2025 15:11:44 GMT

This column is directed toward the Class of 2025 McCook High School graduates, who will walk (or will have walked depending when you read this) across the stage at the MCC Graff Events Center on Friday, May 9. It is also applicable to all the graduates in surrounding small communities, which are working to grow and thrive despite dropping population numbers.

For the past several years, I have had the privilege of speaking to the high school seniors during their graduation practice, held a few days prior to the actual event. On behalf of the McCook Community Foundation Fund, I encourage the graduates to stay or return to their hometown. They hear from recent alumni, who hopefully inspire the students to come back to their hometown. And they receive a small gift on behalf of MCFF, as a reminder of their hometown. Are you catching the theme? Your hometown wants their young people to return home.

Because the graduates won’t likely remember what I say and because I am not above getting double duty out of my notes, here are a few thoughts from the speech given at graduation practice:

Graduates sitting in their chairs are just waiting to hear their names called, likely with several thoughts and questions coursing through their heads:
“I hope I don’t trip walking up the ramp onto the stage.”

“What am I going to do with my life?”

“Does the announcer know how to say my name correctly?”

“I can’t wait to get out of this town.”

“Why did my mom submit a naked baby picture of me for the senior video?”

“Is anyone in this school or this town really going to miss me?”

While I cannot answer definitively why your mom chose that picture except that all baby butts are cute, I can assure our young people that they are needed and wanted in their hometowns. It is why we stand on the graduation stage every year and point-blank ask the graduates to move back home. And it is why local leaders and community members are working hard to create hometowns that young people want to call home.

During the practice, I challenged each graduate to think about how their hometown has believed in them over the years and have made things happen both through the school and in the community.

I’m going to pause right here, because in my head, this next part of the speech was going to be so cool because the students were going to stand up one-by-one for everything they were involved in. In reality, either no one wants to stand up and be singled out or no one is involved in these projects from this class. Either way, it was kind of awkward but I persevered.

I began with a few small examples including Youth Change Reaction. Each year, 3 or 4 new members join as freshmen, hopefully serving four years on MCFF”s youth group. This year, Lacey Rouse and Sydney Hodgson are the seniors leaving their mark on YCR and the community.

To get a few more standing, I asked for anyone to stand who is involved in the FFA’s hydroponic program who has helped grow vegetables in the former wrestling room or in the woodworking class, who has used a router to create beautiful wooden pieces. I think a few students felt sorry for me and stood up even if they didn’t know that the hydroponic system grew lettuce and the router was a laser.

Next up was Cars Under the Stars, the drive-in theater at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds, which wouldn’t have been possible without the persistence of YCR, the generosity of dozens of donors and the willingness of the fairboard to take on the project. Again, I don’t know if no one had attended a movie or if they didn’t want to admit that they liked the cartoon “Up” but a smattering of students arose.

The next project was the Third Thursdays, which takes over downtown McCook with music, food, games and dancing. The first Third Thursday in 2025 will be hosted by Valmont, along with Coyote Country’s Country Music Showdown on May 15. A few more graduates stood, so I was finding my groove.

I figured the next event would be a home run because it literally involves the entire junior high each May: the Heritage Square Walking Tour, which takes students through the Keystone, MNB Bank, the Ben Nelson Home and other historic sites. I was impressed that several more students stood up to recognize the collaborative event between MCFF and McCook Schools because it was five or six years ago - a lifetime ago for these graduates.

McCook Bison Days literally involves every student in the high school, getting them out into the community to learn about businesses, hobbies and interests alongside community members so I was anticipating a mass of people rising from their chairs. MCFF has been proud to financially support Bison Days since it began in 2019. When I pointed out that it was essentially a required event and I knew they had all participated, nearly everyone grudgingly stood up.

With nearly everyone on their feet, I pointed out that all of them had benefited from the generosity of others in their hometown. And these projects are just the tip of the iceberg. There are TeamMates and Rotary Interact and all the clubs, sports and events which students benefit from. And they are all made possible because others have supported them by giving of their time, talent and treasurer.

But as the 2025 graduates prepare for the next phase of their lives, we hope they remember to stay connected to their hometowns, we hope they stay or return to their hometowns and we hope when they are able and when they are ready that they give back to their community.

And if you are wondering what MCFF gave the MHS 2025 graduates as a gift this year, we provided them with a gift that will hopefully keep that connection to their hometown: a paper copy of the Spring 2025 Bison Alumni Newsletter since they are now officially Bison Alumni.

Checking In On Our Success is Urgent

Fri, 02 May 2025 12:42:37 GMT

Checking on Our Success Is Now Urgent

As the Chief Financial Officer for Community Hospital in McCook, I tell people that I have three major worries.

The first concern is demographics. As we model out our population changes in Red Willow County between the 202 census and where we expect to be for the 2030 census, we know that if we continue on our historical trends that we would end this decade with a decrease of about 520 people or about five percent fewer residents.

This drop is compounded by two other factors: an aging community, resulting in 15 percent fewer working-age population members (20-64 year olds) or about 875 fewer people; and a 24 percent increase of the Medicare-aged population in the country or about 515 more people in that category.

From the healthcare perspective, this creates both financial challenges and operational challenges. On the fiscal side, Medicare payments do not cover the full cost of providing care compared to traditional insurance. For day-to-day operations, we will have a smaller workforce to draw upon to take care of more elderly community members.

So Community Hospital made it part of its mission to make the community a better place to live, work and play as we need a vibrant community in order to attract the workforce needed to provide the care our community needs.

We have thrown our support behind the community amenity improvement projects, including McCook’s new outdoor aquatic center and the city’s ball fields, the McCook YMCA renovation and expansion campaign, the inclusive playground at Kelley Park and many more projects.

We have invested in housing, from participating in the McCook Economic Development Corp.’s North Point project to downtown student housing, which serves two purposes: engaging the medical young professionals more fully into McCook’s activities and businesses as well as freeing up some housing currently used by the hospital to house these students.

These are not just frivolous projects that are nice to have. All of these projects and more are needed if we want to maintain a level of economic sustainability over the next decade and for the next generations. Families need them. Young people need them. All ages need them. And this movement in our community cannot be pushed down the road any longer.

On March 13, the U.S. Census Bureau released their 2024 population estimates by county. Unfortunately, as we near the half way point of the decade, we are not moving in the right direction.

The internal forecast we prepared for long-range planning at the hospital showed that the population of Red Willow County would have decreased by 230 people by 2024 to a total of 10,495. The census data, which counts between the regular census every decade, relies on birth and death certificates, as well as other federal data basis such as Social Security, IRS and postal records. Currently, the estimate is for Red Willow County is at 10,409, nearly 100 fewer people than we had projected.

And we are not alone in this fight for people.

Hitchcock County to our west is down 155 people to 2,460, while Furnas County to our east is down 170 people to 4,468. This results in our three-county area losing a total population of 618 over the past four years.

The improvements we have been making have not yet had time to leave their mark. The new city pool is open with the remodeled YMCA, ballparks and playgrounds scheduled for completion over the next few years so we will see their impact down the road.

But I am optimistic that these amenities and projects will have a meaningful impact on our ability to attract and retain people over time, both for the hospital and for the community. We will continue to watch the official counts for signs of progress, working to stop the out-migration and hopefully see a shift to an increase in population. Ultimately, it will take everyone’s effort and input - from local businesses to individuals - to make the community grow and thrive and to say that we have found success.

***

Sean Wolfe is the CFO for Community Hospital and the treasurer for McCook Community Foundation Fund, along with numerous other volunteer roles in the community and has a passion for making his hometown an even better place to call home.

April Volunteer of the Month Pivotal to McCook YMCA Success

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 14:14:31 GMT

Jeremy Shaw named April 2025 McCook Volunteer of the Month

April Volunteer of the Month Pivotal to McCook YMCA Success

The April 2025 McCook Volunteer of the Month can be found all over the McCook YMCA, literally everywhere because he’s involved in nearly every aspect of its current renovation and expansion project.

Jeremy Shaw was selected as the recipient of the McCook Volunteer of the Month for April, as selected by the McCook Philanthropy Council.

In his nomination, YMCA Executive Director Mitch Gross noted that Jeremy has graciously given his time and talent as a volunteer to serve the YMCAs mission of organizing human, financial, and material resources to encourage the spiritual, physical, mental, and leadership growth.

Specifically, in recent years, Shaw has served on the YMCA Capital Improvement Project Steering Committee, which has provided leadership to see the organization’s renovation and expansion project come to fruition.

“Shaw’s involvement in the project has been invaluable, logging countless hours and providing insight to help the Steering Committee make critical decisions,” Gross said about the multi-year project.

In addition to helping on the Project Steering Committee, Shaw has also served multiple terms on the YMCA’s Board of Directors and volunteered as a coach and referee for the YMCA youth soccer program.

“The YMCA is extremely grateful for volunteers like Jeremy who play a significant role in creating a culture that emphasizes community and togetherness,” Gross said.

Bison Alumni Newsletter Going "Old School"

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 13:54:04 GMT

Everyone is an alumni from somewhere or with something. It could be a link to an organization or a group. Perhaps it is an association with a college or a university. Or the connection could be with the public school from high school all the way down to elementary school.

The bonds of our past associations can be reinforced by that common connection, maybe one you didn’t even know existed. I became friends with someone in North Platte several years ago and a few years into the friendship, we discovered that we were in the same second grade class in Omaha nearly 40 years ago. Turns out, we were alumni of the same elementary school.

That is just evidence that it is hard to continue those connections with time and distance taking its toll. Fortunately, McCook is blessed to have a vehicle in place to help maintain those relationships: the Bison Alumni Newsletter, otherwise known as BAN.

Started in 1991 by Steve Batty and Cheri Becknhauer, the newsletter is published twice a year, providing information about McCook High School, as well as the community. They realized the need to maintain connections once someone graduates, whether they stay in their hometown or they move away.

Many people likely remember the “folding parties” held in the McCook Junior High Cafeteria, where the paper copies were folded, labeled and stamped before being mailed to, at first, hundreds of alumni and then thousands of former McCook High School students.

But as postage costs increased and volunteers became more scarce, the newsletter became available only via a digital format except for the few oldest McCook classes. No longer was a paper copy of the Bison Alumni Newsletter showing up in your mailbox to flip through from the first to last page. The printed edition was not laying around your parent’s house, waiting to be picked up and casually read when you had time. Instead, like most reading materials these days you had to find the link in your emails or visit the Bison Alumni Newsletter website to read it.

That being said, the Spring 2025 edition was just completed so please find it and catch up.

Which leads to the next matter:

While the digital newsletter still contains all the same great information like the Heritage Days royalty and recaps of school events, there is now a different issue: the clutter of our email in-boxes and just information overload in general.

We have so many services and businesses and events vying for our attention that an email twice a year can easily get lost in the shuffle. I know I spend the first few minutes every morning trying to shuffle through all the promotional emails and inspirational posts that fill my email in-box.

So the McCook Community Foundation Fund and the Bison Alumni Newsletter have teamed up to go old school by offering a “subscription” service for the newsletter. For a suggested yearly $20 donation, recipients will receive the fall and spring editions beginning with the Fall 2025 edition.

Is this a bargain? Perhaps not, but it is a worthwhile project to help the Bison Alumni Newsletter continue. Is this a good investment? Yes, because this will ensure that we will help future alumni stay connected to their hometown.

Why is that important? Because we want our current graduates to return to their hometown. We want our alumni to remember their former community when making estate plans. And perhaps most importantly, we want former, current and future graduates to stay connected and to be proud of being an alumni. And a simple piece of paper can help with that goal.

I must admit that I have a personal bias toward the printed copy. While I do own a Kindle to read digital books, I still love the feel of a book in my hands, flipping through a real magazine or slowly pursuing a printed newsletter.

And many people agree with this sentiment. So that is why we are hoping many people support a new subscription program with the Bison Alumni Newsletter, which needs at least 200 subscriptions to make it financially viable.

Several people have already “subscribed” for themselves and have taken it a step further by providing funds to send the printed newsletter to their children. I assume they hope their children will take up the baton to pay for it themselves the next year but it gets the newsletter in front of the younger generation.

If you want more information about the Bison Alumni Newsletter printed edition, please visit the McCook Community Foundation Fund website at mccookfoundation.org, where you can make the $20 donation and get signed up for the launch of the subscription service in Fall 2025. You can also send an email to mcffund@gmail for more info or mail a check to MCFF/BAN, Box 525, McCook NE 69001, including the name and address(es) of the recipients.

While we are doing this project with the Bison Alumni Newsletter, it can apply to any group, school or organization. Reach out and make those connections on behalf of your group. Or alternatively, reach out to a group you were once associated with and see how you can re-establish or strengthen those connections

This is our opportunity to make or continue those connections that will help our communities grow and thrive for generations to come, whether it is using high-tech or going old school.

Sometimes All We Need to Do is Show Up

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Mon, 21 Apr 2025 18:00:40 GMT

Earlier this week, I had the privilege of introducing the Lied’s Arts Across Nebraska classical

musicians, Take 3, at the historic Fox Theater in McCook. I wasn’t planning on taking to the

stage in the shadow of these talented performers, but I guess there just wasn’t anyone else

willing to go up onto stage without any planning or anything written down to say. Where is Cal

Siegfried when you need him?

But everything went smoothly. The students at the afternoon matinee all cheered for me, most

likely because they know me from driving a bus on a field trip or coaching them in soccer - I’m

the fun one most of the time.

The evening performance required not one but two attempts to get a rousing “hello” out of the

crowd, probably because they haven’t had the joy of riding on the bus with me or getting snacks

after a soccer game.

My impromptu introduction included thanking those who made it happen, including the Lied

Theater, that brings the arts to McCook although a trip to Lincoln is worth it.

There were also the sponsors whose generous donation made the production free for all who

attended. They included the Kimmel Foundation, the Friends of the Lied, the Nebraska Arts

Council and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment.

Plus there were the local organizers who made the live musical happen in McCook, including

Charlie Coleman and the volunteers at the Fox Theater; the McCook Gazette and KICX Radio

for promotion; and the McCook Creative District, of which I belong, hence why I really ended up

on the stage.

But without notes, there was one more group which I forgot to recognize and which I neglected

to thank from the bright lights of the stage: the audience members who showed up.

These productions would not happen if not for the people who attend the event. No one wants

to perform in front of a bunch of empty chairs. Organizers won’t continue to put on programs if

no one attends. Sponsors won’t donate to performances if the public doesn’t support them by

patronizing the event.

So I would like to send a hearty thank you to everyone who attended the Arts Across Nebraska

performance earlier this week in McCook.

During the afternoon matinee, the main floor of the Fox was filled nearly to capacity with

students from St. Patrick Elementary and the McCook High School, along with residents from

Kinship Point and Hillcrest and individuals from Hands of Heartland and many members of the

public. The evening performance saw many of those students returning with their parents, plus

people of all ages in the audience.

And I would like to thank Mrs. Donelan who welcomed Take 3 into her classroom at McCook

Elementary to share the performers’ love of violin, bass and piano up-close with her students.

Because of everyone who just showed up for these performances, we will likely have the Lied

return to McCook in the future with more talented musicians and performers.

And people didn’t turn up just at the Fox Theater. In the midst of the Take 3 performance

Monday night, I dashed over to the McCook High School auditorium for senior night, where

another good-sized crowd filled the seats for the final performance of the high school drama

department’s rendition of “Alice in Wonderland.”

Over the past month, these kids had put hours and hours of practice into their performances,

while volunteers had spent countless evenings building sets and perfecting the make-up and

hairstyles. And what is the best way for us to say “thank you for your effort?” By simply showing

up and being in the audience.

Let’s be honest, the easy button is to just say home and stare at our screens all night and

repeat the process day after day, night after night. Studies show that more and more people are

finding their “communities” online rather than in their actual hometowns.

It take effort to be social. It requires you to shut off your TV and make it a priority to be around

others. It takes will power to go home after work and then leave the nice comfy confines of your

house again.

Why is this important? If we want these things in our community, we have to show up: to

restaurants and businesses, to museums and art venues, to special events and programs.

That TV or computer screen is still going to be there when you return home but that

performance by Carnegie-trained musicians in our hometowns is a once-a-year, maybe once-in-

a-lifetime event…and all we need to do is show up.

Baseball and Softball Enthusiast Named Volunteer of the Month

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 16:05:12 GMT

Mark Friehe named M arch McCook Volunteer of the Month

The March McCook Volunteer of the Month award is proudly presented to Mark Friehe, whose dedication and hard work have made a lasting impact on both the local sports community and beyond.

Mark has been a pillar of support for over 26 years, serving on the committee which oversees McCook’s indoor baseball and softball facility, the Community Indoor Association.

Mark’s nomination noted that he played an instrumental role in the development of the new indoor practice facility for baseball and softball located in downtown McCook on C Street. His efforts in locating the space, securing resources, and overseeing the construction of this facility have provided athletes with a year-round training environment, significantly enhancing local sports programs. Each year more than 15 teams and 220 athletes of all ages, including college-aged players, are able to use the facility.

But Mark said he could not have done it on his own. He also credits Jerry Reitz, Bob Elder, Joe Townsley, Darrin Samway, Chris Vontz, and Jon Olsen for their key contributions and significant support for the project.

Mark also noted the generous contribution of the building owner. “Of course, this facility would not even exist if it wasn’t for the generosity of Mike Deveny. He has provided us with this building and supported us financially as we made improvements over the years,” Mark said.

But Mark’s contributions don’t end there. He also generously volunteers his time as a mentor for youth in the community, offering guidance and support to the next generation. His selflessness, work ethic, and passion for helping others make him a true asset to our community.

We are proud to honor Mark Friehe as Volunteer of the Month and are grateful for the positive impact he continues to make in so many lives. Thank you, Mark!

Collaboration is Key to Meaningful Change

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 14:50:38 GMT

My wife and I recently traveled from our home in extreme Southeast Kansas to McCook for a couple reasons. We wanted to meet with representatives of the McCook Community Foundation Fund and participate in St. Patrick’s annual GALA, which benefits the school and parish. While unrelated, both events were a great success in terms of meeting individuals committed to the success of McCook and surrounding area. And we also happened to leave some hard-earned Kansas money for St. Patrick students.

Every time I drive across Kansas and Southwest Nebraska, I am always struck by the sometimes subtle and then abrupt changes in topography. At the same time, I am astounded by the similarities across communities once you depart major highways, both physical likenesses and community issues.

Without exception, small rural communities across the Midwest face many of the same challenges. An aging and declining population, crumbling infrastructure, poverty, access to health care, childcare, inadequate bandwidth, and a dwindling tax base remain at the top of many issues that confront small towns - regardless of the state in which they are located.

This backdrop has brought me to the conclusion our rural communities are literally caught in the middle between what has been and what we want it to be. We are at a tipping point that can create much fear and anxiety for all of us, not knowing which way it will go.

Many challenges that face rural America cannot be solved by a single community or organization working in isolation. In fact, the prosperity of one community at the expense of its neighbors will simply not provide the foundation needed for long term prosperity. The number of fast-food restaurants and “dollar stores” cannot be the only measure one uses to evaluate the health and well-being of a rural community.

This brings me to the real challenge of rural development: the critical need for meaningful collaboration across jurisdictions involving all units of government, community organizations, hospitals, churches, and schools. This approach is much easier said than done.

Painstaking efforts to establish trust, having those difficult conversations about common problems, burying conflicts from the past, and finding ways to share resources - both fiscal and human - is hard. Cooperation cannot be legislated. Instead, it must come from realizing that together we can do things that otherwise would be impossible.

It is obvious that the McCook Community Foundation Fund, along with collaboration with organizations throughout the community including the City of McCook, the MEDC, Chamber of Commerce, Community Hospital and local businesses and organizations, has served as a catalyst for many cooperative endeavors that have benefited its residents.

That’s the good news. The real challenge is how those efforts can be extended to other communities across the region.

If you are driving in another community, look at the school bus stops. What do you see? Kids, right? My bet is the students’ attending schools in Indianola, Cambridge, Arapahoe, Bartley, and McCook look very similar. All those kids deserve the same chances at a high qualify education as those in Kansas City or Denver. We know that the only way that can happen is through working together across boundaries and sharing resources to create the best educational opportunities possible.

The same can be said for health care, infrastructure, and the list goes on and on. Remember, collaboration is hard work that requires leadership, resolve, and a laser focus on benefits for everyone.

Shelly and I hope our work with the McCook Community Foundation Fund, in a very small way, will help to build bridges across this region and beyond. Giving leaders the fiscal resources to take chances, forge new partnerships, and create new services lies at the center of our decision to embrace what our grandparents started to build so long ago.

We encourage everyone to take a good look around during your next vacation. If you stay in the Midwest, you will start to see a lot more similarities than differences. Then, as a member of a local church council, elected official, or school organization, ask yourself if the needs you are addressing may be the same as another local or regional group.

If the answer is yes, it may be time to pick up the phone and schedule a time to have coffee. It’s worth a shot to try collaboration to make your own community better along with those around you.

***
Mike Bodensteiner is the son of Margaret Harris and the grandson of the late Tippo and Jessie Harris, McCook. Although Mike and his wife, Shelly, live and work in the extreme Southeast Kansas, they have become engaged with the McCook Area Community Foundation Fund through estate planning involving their family farm near Lebanon.

Working Together to End "Nothing to Do Here"

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Mon, 07 Apr 2025 13:56:33 GMT

Working to end the statement: Nothing to do here

One of my goals is for someone in McCook to never say “there is nothing to do here” or “nothing ever happens here.”

I realize everyone has different definitions of “things to do” but even if a particular project or specific event isn’t your cup of tea or floats your boat, there is always something going on here. When we say “McCook is on the Move,” this ranges from projects in the pipeline to events which have been created over the past few years.

For example, the City of McCook just received nearly $500,000 from the Nebraska Department of Economic Development’s Civic and Community Center Financing Fund toward the ballpark project. When that land is developed on the north edge of McCook, not only will there be more softball and baseball games taking place in our community but there will be greenspace for soccer and flag football practices that doesn’t require navigating the goose droppings at Barnett Park.

Not to mention that the project addresses the housing shortage in our community, the infrastructure extensions creates new opportunities for expansion in the area and offers up retail space for new businesses, which so many lament that McCook is missing.

It may seem like we are just talking about a few more softball teams visiting our town when the ballpark project is complete. In reality, the new complex could be transformative for McCook and hopefully switch the narrative from “nothing happens here” to “Do you know how much is going on this weekend?”

While those projects are down the road, we have things taking place today which are transforming our community and creating things to do.

McCook also recently received a $100,000 grant from the Nebraska Arts Council for the McCook Creative District, which geographically covers downtown McCook but serves the entire town using arts and culture as an economic driver for the community.

While the long-term goal is to hire a coordinator for the creative district, the short-term goal is to highlight the artistic events and programs already in place as well as add to the offerings in McCook.

For example, the McCook Creative District has taken the lead on the Lied’s Arts Across Nebraska program, which visits McCook nearly every year.

On Monday, April 14, the musical group, Take 3, will perform at the Fox Theater at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Billed as “Where rock meets Bach,” Take 3 will also be visiting the students in the morning for conversations and questions in a more personal setting. Why is this a big deal? This group also happens to be performing at the Lied Theater in Lincoln on the prior weekend but we get to have them come to us.

As a bonus, there isn’t even a charge for the concert because of generous donors covering the cost of the tickets. Very few communities can say they have national and international artists performing at their local theater much less at no cost.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that the McCook High School drama department will also have their final performance of “Alice in Wonderland” on April 14. They open the play on Saturday, April 12, at 7 p.m. plus two shows on April 13 at 2 and 7 p.m. so plenty of opportunities to catch the young thespians.

Decisions on what to do will have to be made but no one can say “there is nothing to do here.”

And this does not even get into the McCook Creative District’s Third Thursdays, which kick off in May with Valmont as the host and run through October every month on the third Thursday in downtown McCook. Look for more information about the Third Thursdays soon but if you would like to be involved or participate, please reach out on the Creative District website.

Finally, if there is something you would like to see here that isn’t already taking place, reach out to others to figure out how to make it happen. It may be someone who has done something similar in the past. It may be someone who knows where to find the funding needed to move the project along. Or it may be someone with connections to get the event in place.

By collaborating and connecting together, we can work to make sure that no one says “there is nothing to do here.”

Bison Alumni Newsletter Ready to Launch Subsciptions

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 22:29:54 GMT

Do you like the Bison Alumni Newsletter? Do enjoy having a paper copy in your hands? Do you think others might enjoy a paper version of BAN for themselves?

Well, you are in luck. This fall, BAN plans to launch the subscription service for the twice/yearly newsletter. For a suggested $20 yearly donation (more is always welcomed), a full-color, printed copy of BAN will arrive in your actual mail box at your home or office.

Three years ago, the McCook Community Foundation Fund, which has the sub-account for BAN, began paying to have printed copies available around the community. Perhaps you have seen them around McCook at various locations where people sit and have time to read.

With those copies available, we have heard from others that they would like a printed version for themselves. While everyone will still have access to the email version of BAN, the printed option will soon be available, with the Fall 2025 copy. To keep costs down, at least 200 copies need to be printed and mailed of each edition.

Consider a copy for yourself, for family members as a Christmas gift, or for friends as a birthday gift. Some McCook classes even print off for their entire class as a way of staying connected.

If this is something that interests you, visit the MCFF website at mccookfoundation.org to find the link to make a contribution. Or you can send a check to BAN Subscription, Box 525, McCook NE 69001.

Please include the name of the recipient(s), address and an email or phone number if we need to contact you.

For more information or with questions, please visit the MCFF website or contact MCFF coordinator Ronda Graff at 308.340.3412 or mcffund@gmail.com.

In the meantime, enjoy this copy of the Bison Alumni Newsletter and stay in touch with your hometown.

McCook Volunteers Recognized with New Award

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Wed, 26 Mar 2025 14:35:05 GMT

First McCook Volunteer of the Month Honored - Don Harpst

Most volunteers don’t serve their community for the recognition. They don’t do the work for the

glory. And they don’t give of their time for a pat on the back.

But that doesn’t mean that the time and effort that volunteers give should not be recognized.

The McCook Philanthropy Council has created a new program to recognize a volunteer: the

McCook Volunteer of the Month.

Made up of eight local non-profits, the Philanthropy Council works together to promote an

environment of giving. While their primary focus is on financial giving, the Philanthropy Council

also recognizes that donations of time and expertise are just as important to a growing and

thriving community.

To kick of the new program, the McCook Philanthropy Council selected Don Harpst as the first

recipient of the McCook Volunteer of the Month award.

Don has given of his times for decade upon decade. Ironically, on the day he was selected for

this award, he formally resigned as a volunteer at Hillcrest Nursing Home, where he not only

volunteered but also served as the director for many years. The flowering gardens on the east

end of the facility even bear his name.

Don can also be found at the monthly McCook Community Foundation Fund meetings, which he

served on for several terms, resigned before returning for a second term. Now, he attends the

meetings to offer sage and meaningful advice.

Yet others may know Don for his dance skills, often leading dance lessons in the community. As

he glides across the floor, he can turn nearly anyone with two left feet into a Fred Astaire or

Ginger Rogers.

Don has also given untold hours to community theater, whether it is acting, singing and dancing

or as the director for many productions over the years.

And perhaps he is most easily recognizable when he puts on his top hat and long red scarf to

embody Mr. Scrooge. While it has been several years since he portrayed the old curmudgeon

on stage, Don breaks out the costume at least one a year to deliver candy throughout downtown

McCook during the holidays.

The McCook Philanthropy Council felt there was no one better to kick of the new volunteer

recognition program that to honor Don Harpst, who at 90 years old still puts in countless hours

to give back to the community.

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

but please have information about the nominee along with where and how they volunteer in the

community.

McCook Youth Survey Shows Different Priority

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 21 Mar 2025 23:16:24 GMT

For the past 20 years, McCook Community Foundation Fund along with the Nebraska Community Foundation has conducted a survey of our high school students.

Done every four to five years so that a student participates at least once, the survey covers a wide range of questions from what they like - or don’t like - about their hometown, what size of town they would like to live in when they are older and what is important to them when deciding where to live when they settle down.

One reason to conduct the survey every few years is to determine trends as the community, as well as the students, changes and evolves. And the most recent survey offered a few surprises.

Perhaps the most dramatic shift in answers came from the question about priorities.The students were asked what is important to them when choosing a place they want to call home and what makes an ideal community.

In 2006 when the survey was done for the first time at McCook High School, recreation ranked as the most important priority. So think fishing and hunting, basketball and tennis courts, movies and music. Young people wanted things to do, which was not unexpected.

Fast forward 20 years and the tides have turned on what young people expect from their community.

In 2024, safety topped the list of what makes an ideal community. Students want to live in a place that is free of violence and theft. Rounding out the top three in the most recent survey was good schools and proximity to family.

But a place where they feel safe now and in the future is most important to today’s youth.

And that sentiment is echoed by others.

K.C. Belitz, the current director for the Nebraska Department of Economic Development, spoke at the McCook Economic Development Corporation’s annual meeting this week and reiterated that a safe place to live is commonly cited by young people across the state when deciding where they want to find a job, where they want to move, where they want to raise their family.

And Nebraska is fortunate to be able to offer a level of safety and McCook in particular ranks among the safest places to raise your family.

Is it perfect and will nothing bad ever happen? No. But many of us don’t think twice about leaving our vehicles unlocked and even take it a step further by just leaving the keys in the vehicle. Now, if you leave the keys in the ignition then you are really trusting.

When our young people say that safety is the most important aspect in an ideal community, what exactly does that look like? Is it more police officers? Is it well-lit streets? Is it sidewalks that are free of barriers? Is it neighbors who know each other? Is it all of the above?

The survey is just the first step. Further conversations with our young people need to be held to dig deeper into their answers, to learn more about what they are thinking and to discover what they think will make their communities safer. And hopefully that will happen over the next few months.

But that is not all that needs to be done with this information.

The survey was not conducted to then be filed away and put onto a shelf. The survey was done so that it could be used to shape policies and programs moving forward. It was done so that the adults in our community could learn what our young people are thinking. It was done so that we could work together to create the community that our young people will want to return to.

Building Connections in McCook Matter

Fri, 14 Mar 2025 16:24:21 GMT

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.

No Age Limit on Lifeguarding or Serving Your Community

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 15:59:36 GMT

When the McCook Aquatic Center opened in July 2024, the sole goal was to get the doors open to the public. The fees were waived, thanks to a grant from the McCook Community Foundation Fund, just to get people through the doors quickly and into the water. And the hours were based on just recreational swim times with no other special opportunities offered the opening year.

But now the fees for summer 2025 have been set by the McCook City Council, with a lot of different options from a daily rate to season passes with the opportunity to add on a pass for grandparents or babysitters. There is also an option for lap swimming with both daily and season passes. And there might even be the possibility of night swimming down the road when lights are installed.

(If you visited the pool last year, you may have noticed the rounded cement structures, likely with a bucket covering the rebar. Everything is in place for lights; all that is needed is funding for the actual lights.)

But what really determines the opportunities at McCook’s new pool is one thing: lifeguards.

Staffing will dictate how long the pool is open each day. Available lifeguards will set the length of the season. Worker availability will affect what options are offered throughout the summer.

I have heard from several people that they would like an adult-only hour or two during the week. That is a great idea, with or without a swim-up bar which has also been suggested and let’s be honest, would probably pay for the pool in a year or two.

To make that happen, we will need lifeguards.

There has also been requests for fitness classes at the new pool, including walking against the lazy river’s current, which is shockingly tough. A stand-up paddle board yoga class is something I have long wanted to try out because why just do one sport at a time, when you can do two.

To make that happen, we will need lifeguards.

An option for lap swimming was included as part of the new fee structure by the city of McCook because it would utilize the pool more hours throughout the day, along with providing a great fitness option, especially with the YMCA indoor pool closed this summer for renovations.

To make that happen, we will need lifeguards.

And people bemoan that the pool closes too early for the season, shutting the doors and draining the water even though the summer heat is still in full force. When kids start fall sports practice, adequate staffing is impossible to keep the pool open. Ultimately, we want the pool to stay open as long as possible during the summer.

But once again, to make that happen, we will need lifeguards.

This will mean parents bringing the option of being a lifeguard to attention of their kids and helping them navigate how to get their certification and applying for the job. We lament that kids don’t want to work these days but we also need to be willing to offer assistance to make that happen.

Adults also need to be willing to step up if they want to have all these options at the aquatic center. While being a lifeguard has generally been thought of as a teenager’s job, staff off all ages is needed to have full use of the pool. In fact, we need older people working as lifeguards for reasons not even related to saving people from drowning.

Because I already had a lifeguarding certificate as a swim coach, I agreed to lifeguard at the aquatic center last year. And for the most part it was a fun and fulfilling opportunity.

But aside from the pool manager, I was at least double age of all the other lifeguards.

It can be an awkward situation when you have a young person having to deal with an adult with an issue at the pool. There were several times last year that a parent questioned how their child was disciplined while at the pool. A teenager simply doesn’t have the gravitas sometimes to stand up to an adult.

It is also tricky when a lifeguard has to tell a classmate to calm down or is ejected for the day because of unruly behavior. While I was no more qualified than the teenagers, I was leaned upon to just lend an air of authority some days at the pool.

We need our young people to both enjoy the new pool as a swimmer and as a lifeguard. And the same can be said for adults: take advantage of the pool both as a place to cool off and get exercise but also to serve the community.

And while it will be a little more difficult to get certified this year with the YMCA pool closed, it is still possible thanks to surrounding pools being utilized to do the training. Contact the city offices at 308.345.2022 for more information.

Whether it is the new aquatic center or the new ballpark or even businesses looking for employees, we all need to step up and help fill these roles, all which helps make our hometown an even better place to call home.

Exciting Ride for MCFF in 2024

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Tue, 04 Mar 2025 20:23:11 GMT

By RONDA GRAFF

MCFF

The past year was a busy year for McCook as well as the McCook Community Foundation Fund. Building projects and new programs have helped make McCook on the Move.

While not everything was successful last year - the McCook school bond issue failed to pass - there was a lot to celebrate and MCFF was happy to go along for the ride.

While it is hard to limit what was accomplished the past year, following are the top 10 stories involving MCFF in 2024.

Grants to City of McCook Toward New Aquatic Center

McCook’s new aquatic center opened in July 2024 with a full capacity. Those using the city’s new pool had an added bonus: no entry fee. To alleviate the burden of paying to get into the new pool, MCFF covered all entry fees for the opening season.

MCFF also covered the cost for the lifeguard certification if the person worked at either the YMCA or McCook City pool.

While those two grants are now over, MCFF is collaborating with the city on other projects.

2. 2024 Big Give Hits Record Number of Donations and Organizations

In its ninth year, the Southwest Nebraska Big Give included the most number of non-profit organizations on its lineup. In turn, the 2024 Big Give also reached it highest amount of donations in November 2024. Hundreds of individual donors plus matching funds from Graff Charitable Foundation and MNB Bank helped the one-day of giving reach a new height. And plans are underway for the 10th annual Big Give on Thursday, Nov. 6.

3. Youth Change Reaction’s Cars Under the Stars

After two years of planning, fund-raising and building, a drive-in theater, “Cars Under the Stars,” is in place at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds. With the help of Jiles Bowman and the Red Willow County Fair Board, a full-sized screen was constructed by the grandstands with sound provided over a FM-transmitter. The first movie was a Star Wars film, shown May 4th, 2024, in

honor of the saying “May the Fourth be with You.”

4. McCook Creative District Received $200,000 DED Grant

MCFF joined with the City of McCook, Community Hospital, Graff Charitable Foundation, and the McCook Economic Development Corp. to provide $100,000 in matching funds for a Nebraska Dept. of Economic Development planning grant in early 2024. The funds are being used for a marketing plan for McCook, as well as a downtown revitalization plan where the Creative District is based.

5. McCook’s Third Thursdays Kick Off in 2024

What began as a leadership concept evolved into a monthly downtown event in 2024. In 2023,MCFF worked with all the local leadership organizations on what was needed in the community.

One idea was for more people to learn how to do events and get people to those events and Third Thursdays was conceived. To kick off the 2024 season, the McCook Creative District took the reigns and organized Third Thursdays with a different “host” from May through October.

Plans for the 2025 are being finalized with music, games and food and drinks planned for Third Thursdays in McCook’s Creative District.

6. Spring and Fall Grants Continue to Grow

MCFF has distributed grants to local organizations and programs twice a year for more than 20 years. But what has changed over the past two decades is the amount available to make an impact in the community. In 2024, MCFF granted more than $250,000 to more than a dozen projects including the new McCook inclusive playground and a bike loan program at McCook Community College. A complete list of grants given by MCFF is available online, along with grant applications, which have deadlines of April 1 and Oct. 1 each year.

7. MCFF Doubles Number of Scholarships

For years, MCFF has overseen two scholarships for local students: the Nelda Haag Scholarship and Barbara Fassler-Neumann Nursing Scholarship. The scholarships have doubled with four scholarships available in 2025 and another planned for 2026. New to the line-up is the Frank and Marion Weiland Scholarship to benefit those going into the education field and the Learn-

and-Return Scholarship with the MEDC for those committed to moving back to their hometown.

8. MCFF Continues Support of YMCA Capital Campaign

The YMCA has been part of McCook for a century. To ensure that the fitness center is part of the community for future generations, MCFF has worked with the McCook YMCA since it began a renovation and expansion project, including funds for a feasibility study. In 2024, MCFF pledged a multi-year grant toward the YMCA’s Capital Campaign project which kicks of in 2025.

9. McCook Connects Expands Impact in Community

MCFF believes in collaboration and that is shown in the McCook Connects group, which had MCFF and Community Hospital come together to welcome newcomers to the community.

Working alongside the McCook Chamber, McCook Connects matches new-comers with current residents of similar interests.

McCook Connects Coffee also launched in late 2024, with a monthly coffee on the first Saturday of each month from 9-11 a.m. at Ember’s Bakery. People can come and go, get community resources, and meet others in a relaxed setting.

10. Planned Gifts Priority for MCFF

Red Willow County is in the midst of an enormous transfer of wealth, that will see millions of dollars change from one generation to the next. Because the money could potentially leave the community, MCFF is focusing on planned gifts and Five to Thrive, which asks people to consider leaving just five percent of their assets to their hometown.

MCFF honored those who included McCook and MCFF in their estate plans during 2024, including Matt and Shelly Sehnert, Jeff and Diana Gross, Jessica and Heath Bortner and Sean and Becky Wolfe.

These are just the highlights with so much more that can be found in the McCook Gazette or on the MCFF website, mccookfoundation.org, whether in news stories on the Community Connection columns that run each week in the paper and online.

McCook Foundation Exploring Role in Community

Sat, 01 Mar 2025 18:50:39 GMT

Being a member of the McCook Community Foundation’s Fund Advisory Committee (FAC) is one of the true joys in my life. It is a great group of community-minded members who truly want to make our community a better place to live, work, and play. We all benefit from being around like-minded individuals that we can share goals for their community.

Recently, we have been reviewing and looking for ways to improve our grant making process. While we could have just looked for some mechanical tweaks to make the process more efficient, the executive committee has taken the opportunity to do some deep philosophical reflection on how best to use the generous funds that have been contributed over the years and the role we see the Community Foundation taking moving forward as the fund continues to mature.

We have not yet completed this exercise, nor will it ever truly be “done” per se. But I think this is a good opportunity to share with the community at-large some of our thoughts.

One of the questions we asked is what do we actually “do” and what should we be doing that we are not. Right now, the FAC carries out four distinct functions in the community:

Grant Making: By building funds and endowments, the FAC aims to give a significant portion of those funds to non-profit and governmental organizations to support their projects, activities, and missions. The FAC values projects that are seen as impactful, innovative, and collaborative while honoring donor intent.
FAC Activities: The FAC members, subcommittee members, employees and volunteers aim to be a driving and collaborative force within the community. The FAC supports the community by supporting efforts to:
engage, train, and foster community leaders
bring community groups together in collaborative and productive ways
make our community a more attractive place to live and visit
be a driving force within the community
provide campaign and fundraising education and coaching to community organizations.
Supporting Donors: The McCook Community Foundation supports donors wishing to make an impact on the community by being a charitable vehicle to administer the gift in a tax advantageous and prudent manner. We also look for opportunities to leverage a donor’s vision through the use of matching funds and campaigns; and encourage everyone to consider charitable gifting in their estate plans.
Supporting Small and New Charitable Organizations: The McCook Community Foundation can be a charitable incubator for small and new charitable organizations, allowing them to get established or maintain supporting their cause in an economically efficient manner. We also value the collaboration of fundraising for small charities through activities such as the Big Give.

And perhaps most importantly, we want to hear from the community.

Visit MCFF’s website at mccookfoundation.org to learn more about what we are doing, where you can get involved and how to contact a committee member. Let your FAC members know your thoughts on the role that these funds should play in both creating a positive culture in McCook and in helping make McCook an excellent place to live, work and play.

***

Although Sean Wolfe has a keen eye for numbers, serving as the chief financial officer for Community Hospital and the treasurer for many local organizations including the McCook Community Foundation Fund, he also has a gifted mind to see the big picture and how those numbers affect our community.

Wanting Good Things for Others...Including Snow Days

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 22:59:09 GMT

Let’s go back in time. Think back to when you were young. There were no smartphones to wake you; instead, it was likely one of those brown, rectangle screeching alarm clocks on the night stand. There was likely a radio in their kitchen or a television in their living room that had the morning radio or TV show bringing the house to life as the sun rose. And if life was really good, there was a bowl of sweet, sugary cereal sitting on the kitchen counter in the morning.

Now, let’s add that you woke up to several inches of snow on the ground outside, the wind is whipping the trees and drifts are forming outside the front door.

What is the first thing you do? You rushed to sit next to that radio or in front of the TV because there was only one thing you needed to know at that time of day. Whether it was listening as the radio announcer read through all the surrounding schools or the names of schools scrolled along the bottom of the morning TV show, you waited anxiously to see the name of your school.

Because for kids, there is nothing better than two little words: snow day.

For argument’s sake, we know that kids should be in school as much as possible. They need the guidance of their teachers. They need the structure that comes with a school day. They need the socialization that happens with their peers.

But there is just something about having a spontaneous, unplanned day off from school that feels different that the weekends or the scheduled vacation days on the school calendar. There aren’t any doctor appointments scheduled so the student doesn’t miss class time. There isn’t packing because you are leaving on a vacation.

The day can truly be devoted to a kid being a kid: watching cartoons all day, going outside to sled, eating the ice cream their parents forgot about.

The only thing that could interfere with this blissfulness is perhaps a parent who is organized enough to have a list of chores ready and waiting for the day their child has extra time at home.

For the most part, a snow day is a nice break in the winter doldrums both for students and teachers.

But not everyone agrees with that idea.

Earlier this week during McCook’s snow day, I had the privilege of working from home alongside the rest of my family. In the background, we had the radio playing and McCook’s morning call-in show, OpenLine, was on.

I wasn’t fully listening until a caller’s comments caught my attention because he was lamenting about the kids not being in school that day. Because of technology, they should have been having class regardless of the weather. He took it even further that the teachers should be worried about their jobs because they weren’t teaching that day.

I would like to insert here that my husband, a high school English teacher, was sitting at the dining room table at that moment grading essays on what was technically a day off for him. But as any teacher and the spouse of any teacher can tell you, teacher’s hours are not limited to the school day. Nearly all of them take work home, stay late after school for the kids and spend countless hours coaching.

But back to the caller. I am assuming that this elderly gentleman had snow days when he was a boy. Most likely, he had the joy of getting up for school, hearing it was cancelled and going back to bed. He probably enjoyed a day of sledding with his friends and just hanging out around his house. And even if he had one of those parents who put him to work on the day off, it was at least a change in routine for the day.

While this issue was about kids and teachers being off from school for a snow day, it actually highlighted a bigger topic to me: wanting better things for others, perhaps even better than you had for yourself.

Why can’t we be happy for others when good things happen to them? If you want to appreciate a snow day, go to Kelley Park in McCook, stand at the bottom and listen to the screams of joy and laughter as the kids slide down the hill. Or drive around the neighborhoods and look at the snowmen that fill front yard.

I saw this lack of wanting better things for others when I was on the McCook pool committee. There were people who were against a new pool because what they had growing up was good enough. That is true; the pool built in 1937 was great. But 80 years took its toll on the facility and we owed it to the next generation to give them a nice, recreational facility.

I have heard this same argument about building or improving the schools: “What we have was good enough for me.” Again, time takes its toll on everything. We need to make improvements and we want to make it better for others.

Don’t we want things better for our children and grandchildren? Don’t we want things better for our friends and neighbors? Don’t we want things better for our future?

Yes, this was just about snow days and allowing kids to have a free day once in a while. Who knows all the reasons behind the caller’s thoughts….he could have been having a bad day, maybe he had to scoop his sidewalk himself or maybe he was just jealous that he no longer got to sit by the radio to learn if he had a snow day.

But looking at the bigger picture, we should all want better things for ourselves as well as for others, even if it doesn’t directly benefit us. We should want good things to happen for ourselves and for others, especially if it includes snow and flying down a hill.

Finding Your Calm and Quiet in the Snow...Most of the Time

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Wed, 19 Feb 2025 15:45:36 GMT

Even the most diehard fans of summer have to admit that there is a peacefulness and beautifulness to falling snow. It softens the scenery around you. It brightens the landscape. It covers all the things laying around your yard that need to be put away, taking away the guilt at least until the snow melts.

But snow also scientifically changes the world around you, literally making it quieter.

Snow makes things quiet because the snowflakes’ porous structure, filled with tiny air pockets, effectively absorbs sound waves, trapping them within the snow and preventing them from traveling further. Essentially, the sound gets caught in the spaces between snowflakes instead of bouncing off hard surfaces. Hence, the peacefulness while it is snowing.

That peacefulness should not be underestimated.

With all the news and information and social media constantly surrounding us, we need that peacefulness more than ever.

I am guilty of filling my day with pointless memes, countless news articles, and endless social media posts. We no longer know how to be bored. We no longer know how to entertain ourselves. And we no longer just stop and think, for even just a few minutes, without a distraction. I cannot be the only person who gets distracted by a cat video, otherwise there wouldn’t be millions of them filling our feeds.

There are constant sounds, even multiple layers of audio sometimes, that surround us. There are screens everywhere, from a grocery store to a street corner, that are vying for our attention.

And these interruptions are affecting us even when we aren’t staring at a screen. Our attention spans over the past 20 years have dropped from 2 ½ minutes to 45 seconds. I couldn’t even finish that previous thought without taking a break. I stopped in the middle of typing that last sentence to take a video of a squirrel frolicking in the snow outside my window.

What used to come naturally - quiet time and consequently focusing - now needs to be intentionally set aside.

Quiet, uninterrupted time is important because it can help you relax, reduce stress, and improve your focus. It can help you process information. It can help you sleep better. And perhaps most importantly for me, it can help you be more creative.

I often get asked how I come up with the ideas for these columns or how long it takes for me to compose a typical piece. One response can answer both those questions: By setting aside time for quiet, uninterrupted thinking. If I purposely do that, I can usually easily come up with a column idea and it doesn’t take me long because the words just start forming in my head.

For me, swimming laps in the pool is where I find it easiest to think. With your face submerged in the water, it is difficult to talk to another person so it is just you and your thoughts. Most electronics don’t last long in the pool so that removes several distractions. And the repetition of your hands entering the water and the kick of your feet lulls you into an almost hypnotic state of inner reflection - or centers your thoughts on just trying not to drown.

Perhaps, the biggest difficulty is if I come up with a brilliant idea - and I like to think most of my ideas are gold - is that I tend to forget it soon after I get out of the water because a pen and paper at the edge of the pool doesn’t stay dry for long, so maybe they aren’t as golden as I think.

But I usually leave the lap session with at least one idea that I think is viable as a topic, an opening line for the column and an outline for how the written piece will flow. As for the ending, that is arguably the hardest part because there is usually so much more to say or you don’t know how to tie back to the beginning.

But if I get up early when the house is quiet, find a place where the wi-fi won’t reach me and shut off my phone, I can focus on my thoughts, flesh out the idea and provide polish to the column.

Of course that assumes it hasn’t been snowing because while others may find the snow calming and soothing, for me it is more of a distraction, beckoning for me to get outside. Ultimately, everyone needs to determine where they find their focus, where they can find their calmness and where they can find their peacefulness.

Recognizing the Past; Planting Trees for the Future

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 07 Feb 2025 14:46:33 GMT

Past fund committee members recognized for years of service

A few years ago, McCook Community Foundation Fund began honoring former members for

their years of service on the fund advisory committee.

During the annual celebration, the former member receives an ornament etched with their name

and the years they served on the committee. It isn’t by accident that the ornament is in the

shape of a tree ring, like a slice of a tree branch. (By the way, New Life Christian Store does a

great job etching them for the recipients.)

The tree is an image used over and over within the foundation because it represents so many

ideas that we use to guide our decision making and influence our philosophy.

“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” - Chinese

proverb

Now more than 20 years old, MCFF’s founders “planted the tree” by establishing the foundation

for the community in 2000, knowing it would benefit McCook and surrounding area for

generations.

And it has come to fruition. MCFF distributed its first grant in 2003, $1,000 for playground

equipment at the new McCook elementary school. This year, MCFF will be able to grant more

than $240,000 to non-profits and charitable projects throughout the community.

For the former MCFF members, this is astonishing.

During the presentation of an ornament to Kay Flaska in January, she noted that they were just

trying to get people to understand what an endowment is during her time on the committee from

2005-2010. While many more people grasp the concept, it doesn’t hurt to have a reminder that

a donation to an endowment builds the principal and only the interest is spent, which means the

donation goes on forever.

Thanks to those “planting trees” over the past 20 years, MCFF has has the flexibility to grant to

a variety of groups and projects and a granting capacity to make a true impact in the community.

“He that plants trees, loves other than himself.” - Thomas Fuller

Tom Buresh is a great example of giving of themselves for the betterment of others.

Former member Tom Buresh received his ornament, noting his time on the committee from

2010-2014, at his home during a recent visit by current MCFF members.

Over the years, Tom has been involved in countless projects to move McCook forward and was

instrumental in the fund-raising and construction of the YMCA in the early 1980s.

During the visit, he shared stories about his involvement in the community, reminisced about

swim lessons at the old Y and celebrated the evolution of the foundation, including crossing the

$1 million mark in 2014 thanks to the Sherwood Foundation Challenge Grant, a pivotal moment

in MCFF’s history.

And that history continues to grow and evolve. Cindy Huff and Dale Dueland shared stories

about the history MCFF is building now, including a multi-year donation for the YMCA’s current

capital campaign, which wouldn’t have been possible if not for the work of others before them.

“The planting of a tree shows faith in the future.” — Lucy from the March 3, 1963, Peanuts

comic strip

MCFF is not unique in that we build upon the shoulders of those who come before us. We can

look at community members who took it upon themselves to build a new hotel downtown a

century ago. Elected officials who make the hard decisions on a regular basis but which have an

impact for generations. And organizations which provide services day-in, day-out throughout the

year but which count on funding as well as volunteers to ensure that they will be around years

from now.

But the work does not stop and MCFF is ensuring that there will be people wiling to “plant trees”

in the future. MCFF is proud to welcome its newest committee members, Mark Currier and

Amanda Engell, two up-and-coming young people in our community. They have big shoes to fill,

following Kay and Tom and the other former members of the MCFF committee over the past two

decades.

But with these newest additions, we are planting the trees today that will benefit McCook and

the surrounding areas for the next 20 years and more.

Numbers Speak to the Importance of a Will

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 31 Jan 2025 00:00:38 GMT

It is that time of year again. No, it isn’t you whether you should give up on your new year’s resolutions because let’s be honest, that happened a few weeks ago.

Instead, it is that time of year when your mailbox is filled with tax forms. Tax documents are being printed and sorted and filed and prepared as the height of tax season approaches. Some of us will get our taxes done by the April 15 deadline. Others, like the good procrastinators that we are, will slide in under the October 15 deadline. And as every CPA will tell you, the tax deadlines seem to be all year round these days.

Regardless of when you pay your taxes or gleefully get a refund, you deal with taxes every year.

The same cannot be said for other critical documents in our lives. Which documents may those be?

As the saying goes, there are only two guarantees in life: death and taxes. And since we’ve already addressed taxes, the next subject is death and specifically, our wills.

The numbers tell the story:

A study in 2023 said 64% of people think everyone should have a will.

We know we should eat healthy yet fast food restaurants thrive. We know we should exercise yet I never have to wait for an exercise machine at the YMCA. We know we should have a will in place yet the numbers speak for themselves.

* Seventy percent of Americans have an outdated or no will at all.

I have to admit that I fall into that category. I am proud to say that my husband and I have a will. It was strongly encouraged when we took our first long-distance trip after our first few kids were born.

We were fortunate to have my husband’s brother and his wife agree to take the children if something happened to us and our wishes were spelled out in the will. Thankfully, we never got into the specifics like “Do you know how pairs of shoes will be blocking your front door with seven kids?” or “Do you know what your grocery bill is going to be with five boys emptying a gallon of milk a day?”

But it has been so long since I have even looked at the will that I’m not even sure all seven kids are mentioned; diapers may even have a line or two in the document.

I’m joking about it be out-of-date but there are real-life and possible, damaging consequences if working with an old will.

But at least there is a signed piece of paper with our wishes.

Friends regularly share that they don’t have a will. And these friends are not spring chickens. These friends have worked years to accumulate assets but don’t have a plan in place upon their demise. If they don’t decide what happens when they die, someone else will

Which brings us to the next set of numbers:

You should revisit your will every three to five years.

That is not every three to five decades like most of us probably do. It is two or three times a decade.

We may not think our life is changing that much so we don’t have to look over our wills.

But we have kids. They grow up. They move out. They have kids of their own.

We buy a house. We start a business. We remodel a building. We make investments. We lose investments.

Our world is changing around us and our documents need to reflect those changes.

Another thought to consider is whether your heirs truly need your assets. A child may become more successful than their parents as they age, so the son or daughter doesn’t need an inheritance. Perhaps those assets could benefit a charitable organization or even your community. A change in a will or estate plan could reflect those changes in your life.

40% of people don’t think they have enough for will.

They don’t think they have enough money or enough assets for it to matter. But in the end, the amounts don’t matter. And if you don’t have a will, the assets you do have could be eaten up financially through lawyers and the court system. So regardless of how much you have - or don’t have - everyone should have a will.

A few years ago, several members of the McCook Philanthropy Council visited the local law offices to determine how much basic will preparation would cost with $100 cited for a basic will. Since then, the price may have gone up or you may have a more complex estate but the price is worth it for peace of mind and to make sure your wishes are met. Search online to begin but plan even a short visit to a local attorney to get a will started.

Because as we all know, we aren’t getting out of our taxes and we aren’t getting out of here alive.

McCook Needs Active Citizenship

Thu, 23 Jan 2025 22:39:52 GMT

As a member with one of the longest tenures on the McCook Community Foundation Fund, Cindy Huff sat down with one of MCFF’s newest members, Mark Currier, to discuss a variety of topics. This included why getting others involved in their hometown is so important, why including young people in decision making is vital and the role of active citizens to make a community grow and thrive.

Cindy: I know I belong in Nebraska and I chose this place that I call home, but I also never ventured outside of Nebraska to find my home. Now I think about how that must have felt - to go to a community that is completely new and foreign to a person.
How does one find a place to call home? I learned from others that this quest is not easy, comfortable, or quick.

Mark: After initially moving to McCook for a job, I spent my first two years disengaged in our community and actively wanted to leave. I was a disgruntled citizen who saw the need for change but did not have a pathway to it. After encouragement from my wife, who is highly involved in the community, I started talking to people about my ideas for how to improve McCook. I joined Beautify McCook and was tasked with leading McCook Connects, a program designed to bridge the gap between new and current residents. Although I still struggle with wanting to leave McCook, I feel you should always leave a place better than you have found it.

Cindy: MCFF has leaned into creating a welcoming community that fosters the necessary effects to build a sense of belonging. There are two deciding factors of why a newcomer may choose to stay or to continue their quest to discover a place to call home for themselves and their family.
It is easy to understand that people move to a community for a better job but usually leave if the job ends due to a lack of connections with others in their community. People leave when there is no emotional attachment to the place where they had the job. It is not enough to just live in a community; you have to be connected and engaged, something that Mark understands.

Mark: As a college student it was important for me to be an engaged, active citizen of my community and I took every opportunity to be involved that I could. I first learned the term “active citizenship” through the Alternative Service Break program, where students are empowered to become leaders while travelling the world and volunteering.
Our leader said college students are initially active citizens and then participation dips, becoming inactive in our community until we retire. However, remaining engaged and active in your community is what is going to make it a better place to call home. Active citizenship is more than just voting. It is making sure your ideas are heard, connecting with others, and volunteering to build the community you want to see. Oftentimes it is easy to complain about things we dislike and harder to do something about it, but by stepping up, we can make McCook a great place to call home through “active citizenship.”

Cindy: We knew that we needed to take a step back to examine why people leave McCook. We talked to newcomers and people who said they never developed any significant connections. Our first steps were to create newcomer opportunities for connection with existing community members in ways that could develop relationships.
We knew that we needed to take a step back to examine why people leave McCook. We talked to newcomers and people who said they never developed any significant connections. Our first steps were to create newcomer opportunities for connection with existing community members in ways that could develop relationships. We created McCook Connects and started generating ideas and activities such as Third Thursday.
We began bringing current community members and newcomers together in fun, welcoming sharing and conversations.We began bringing current community members and newcomers together in fun, welcoming sharing and conversations.
We also knew that we needed to think differently and engage young people and newcomers to our community. Enter Mark Currier, a newcomer who has lived in McCook for less than five years. The concepts he is talking about here are one way to think differently. He looks at the community differently and he thinks about the community differently. Being a newcomer is an advantage when we are thinking about what will help recruit and retain community members. Mark has also taught us that newcomers need other newcomers, a simple concept that we had not considered before. Then to take it a step further, this newcomer stepped forward to help lead, joining the McCook Fund Advisory Committee.

Mark: Making your community a better place to live usually brings opportunity. If we don’t have opportunity in McCook, people will move away, businesses will close, and taxes will rise with a smaller pool of individuals.

If we bring opportunity to McCook, we will see growth, such as recruiting new businesses, offering more entrepreneurship opportunities, or just helping sustain what is already in place.

I realize that volunteering and being an active citizen is a privilege that not everyone has. People are working two to three jobs just to make ends meet. Some have kids in a busy household. All I ask is that if you have some capacity to be an active citizen or any time to volunteer, seize the opportunity. It can be as simple as attending an event like Third Thursdays or engaging with new people, like McCook Connects Coffee.

It is up to each of us to make our voices heard and perhaps even more importantly, to encourage others to lend a hand in our community. I have chosen to step up and become engaged to turn McCook into a community that I am proud to live in.

Planned Gifts Working for Generations to Come

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 16:56:15 GMT

Over a century ago, a group of McCook citizens came together to form the Can-Do Club. One of their goals was to build a new hotel in McCook. Even though there was a hotel across the street from their chosen location, they saw the need to build and grow their community and expand the commercial attraction of downtown McCook.

And they made it happen. The Keystone Hotel was built in 1922 and served as a beacon on the high plains for those seeking respite. Coincidentally, the hotel across the street burnt to the ground during construction of the new hotel but let’s not dwell on that.

This was a milestone in McCook’s history. This was a group of people working not just for themselves but for generations to come.

The Keystone's glory days lasted for 40 years through the Depression, dirt storms, wars, motel development, and creation of Interstate-80. Generations of residents and visitors benefitted from the hotel towering over downtown McCook.

By the early 1960s, the Keystone was on its last leg as a hotel, eventually becoming a retirement center. Another generation of McCook residents had benefited from the foresight of the Can-Do Club with a home for the community’s older citizens, but age was taking a toll on the building and it fell vacant for several decades.

After a few failed attempts by groups and individuals over the years to revitalize and renovate the Keystone, a new group of Can-Do Clubbers came together to save the historic building in the mid-2000s. They never officially went by that moniker but for arguments sake, they were the Can-Do Club because they wouldn’t accept defeat as an option.

Along with grants and sales tax income, the McCook Economic Development Corporation had the backing of several local banks, organizations and individuals to finance the renovation of the Keystone and to bring it back to its original glory. They made it happen. They came together to save the building, which is key to downtown McCook. Get it? Key. Keystone. Let’s not dwell too long on that.

This was another milestone in McCook’s history. This was a group of people working not just for themselves but for generations to come.

On Sunday night, another group of unofficial Can-Do Clubbers was recognized in those same historic walls of the Keystone. Standing beside the century-old granite walls and towering columns in the middle of the room, several couples were honored by the McCook Community Foundation Fund for their foresight and their willingness to support the next generations through planned gifts to the community.

Jessica and Heath Bortner, Jeff and Diana Gross, Matt and Shelly Sehnert and Sean and Becky Wolfe have all made the decision that a planned gift to MCFF and ultimately the community of McCook was something they “can-do.”

These couples already give back to their community on a daily basis, through their jobs and through volunteering but now they will be giving back for years to come and ensuring that their generosity stays local.

Keeping that wealth local is the concept behind the “Five to Thrive” movement. If someone decides to leave even just a small portion of their assets to their community, that money will stay in that hometown and that money will help the community grow and thrive for the next generation. If someone leaves just “five” percent of their assets to their community, their hometown will “thrive.”

All of this is part of the transfer of wealth that is happening across our state. According to a study conducted by the Nebraska Community Foundation, more than $608 million will transfer from one generation to the next over the next decade in Red Willow County. If there are no local heirs, all of that money may leave the community.

But that doesn’t have to happen.

We are in a pivotal moment in McCook’s history. Our population is aging and we need young people to move back home. But we need the amenities, the infrastructure and the activities they want for them to return to their hometown. We need innovative ideas and the funds to make those ideas a reality and planned gifts to your community is one way to make that happen.

This is going to be another milestone in McCook’s history. And we can be the group of people who worked not just for ourselves but for generations to come.

Youth Surveys Highlight Need to Invite Young People Home

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 10 Jan 2025 17:54:07 GMT

Every four or five years for the past two decades, the McCook Community Foundation Fund has conducted a survey of McCook High School students. From freshman through seniors, students are asked about everything they like to do in their hometown to what they would like to see changed. Over the five surveys, more than 1,500 McCook High School students have given their thoughts and opinions about their community.

The questions have changed a bit over the years, so it is hard to compare apples to apples. But with pages and pages of data, there is a lot of information that can be gleaned from the young people’s answers including their perception of their hometown and what young people are looking for in a community to call home for a lifetime - or at least at some point in their future.

When the survey was first conducted in 2006, one of the biggest lessons learned was that many of our young people had never heard an important statement: We would like you to return to your hometown. A majority of the responses noted that no one had ever invited them or asked them to stay or return to their hometown.

I admit that I had never said it to my own children, much less another student in our community.

We just take it for granted that our young people know that we’d like them to live in their hometown. We just assume that our students know that we want them to get a higher education and then return home to raise their families. We just presume that recent high school graduates know that they are valued and wanted in their community.

But judging by the initial youth survey two decades ago, our young people didn’t know that. Why? Because no one had said to them, “We want you to move home.” “We want you to stay here.” “We want you to go to college, have adventures, travel the world but then return to the community that helped raise you, that shaped the person you are, and that wants to be part of your future.”

Over the years, that issue has been addressed with adults encouraged to ask our young people to return to their hometown. One of the projects that came out of the survey is graduation gifts for McCook seniors from MCFF, which put it in writing that they are wanted in their hometowns. They have received mailboxes to remind them that they will always have a place to return to McCook, battery chargers to take the power of McCook with them and water bottles with a written reminder that their hometown wants them to return home.

At graduation practice, the high school seniors also hear from McCook alumni, who share the story about why they returned to their hometown to start a business, to raise a family, to enjoy the recreational opportunities or to be near friends and family.

It is hard to know the impact of these projects and these suggestions but doing nothing is not an option. We need our young people to return and raise their families if we want our communities to grow and thrive.

This is just the tip of the iceberg on what we have learned talking to our young people. For example, we know that recreation was previously the biggest priority but they value safety more now than ever. We learned that they prefer living in the same-sized town that they grew up in. And they don’t think there is a stigma to staying in your hometown.

Over the next few months in this column, I will be sharing statistics, anecdotes and information that we have learned over the past 20 years thanks to this youth survey, which is sponsored by the Nebraska Community Foundation and conducted by the Center for Public Affairs Research at the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

MCFF’s youth group, Youth Change Reaction, will be visiting with these same students who took the survey to ask deeper questions that can be asked on an online survey, hoping to learn more about what they want for their community.

And members of MCFF’s advisory committee will be visiting local groups to share information about the youth survey, how it is applicable in our community and why it is important to listen to what our young people are saying.

If this is something that interests you and you’d like more information about the survey, please reach out on the MCFF website, mccookfoundation.org.

In the meantime, we need to continue to encourage our young people to return to their hometowns, ask them what they would like to see in their communities and invite them to get involved in making their hometowns the best place to call home.

Not Just McCook's Decade. This is McCook's Future

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Tue, 07 Jan 2025 21:57:25 GMT

Numbers and in particular, time and age, are a funny thing.

When we are born, our age is measured in hours, days, weeks and months. Ask a toddler how old they

are and it will usually involve a year plus a “half” or a “quarter” tagged on at the end to show how grown

up they are. Along the way, there are the monumental birthdays like becoming a teenager, celebrating

the Sweet Sixteen, or reaching the milestone of 21.

After that milestone, birthdays don’t tend to garner as much recognition. In fact, it devolves into just

recognizing the birthdays that come around every decade. Most birthday cards, sarcastic t-shirts and gag

gifts are roasting the recipient for being so old.

Most likely when you reach your 20s and someone asks how old you are, you start to become less

specific.

“I’m in my 20s.”

“I’m still in my 30s.”

“I’m not collecting retirement yet.”

“I don’t grunt every time I get up...only every other time."

As you can tell, these answers involve being vague and include some rounding of the numbers.

There is also a mental game going on and it becomes even more relevant when you reach a certain

number: an age with a five.

When your age rolls into a new decade such as 40 and for the next four years, you are still close to being

a 40-year-old. But when that second number turns into a five, suddenly you are closer to the next number

on the age ladder, being a 50-year-old. It’s like climbing a ladder with the apex being the middle of the

decade.

There isn’t a significant different between a 44 and 46 year old except that one gets to claim being closer

to the smaller number whereas the other is closing in on the next decade.

All that being said, there is nothing wrong with getting older. Especially because we know what the

alternative is and that is, not reaching another birthday.

The number five in a date occurred to me as we celebrate the arrival of 2025. We are further away from

Jan. 1, 2020, than we are from Jan. 1, 2030. The 2020s are now more than half over.

This is relevant because five years ago McCook took on the mantra of “This is McCook’s Decade.” It was

meant to symbolize that a lot was going to happen in the community over the next ten years.

And that is true. Progress has been made.

McCook passed a sales tax bond issue to replace its 80-year-old outdoor pool with a new aquatic center

opening in July 2024. With some of those same funds, a new ball park and green space will be built

along with new housing and retail space, hopefully starting in summer 2025. The YMCA is wrapping up a

$17 million capital campaign and ready to launch a renovation/addition project with the pool scheduled to

be drained at the end of February.

McCook Community College has spent the past two years renovating the old Elk’s Hall into the new East

Campus, with its first programming in the next few weeks. Community Hospital is continually improving

its campus with plans for a new medical clinic by the hospital and student housing complex downtown.

And McCook was named an official Creative District to highlight all the great arts and culture already in

place or being planned.

But there is a problem with saying, “This is McCook’s decade.” That means it is going to come to an end

and the “it” I’m referring to is McCook’s progress. With the calendar flipping over to 2025, the decade is

already half over which would mean that we have less than five years to get things done. We are closer

to 2030 than we are to 2020, which means the end of the decade.

But communities don’t have finish lines. There is no completion date. The work is never done. And it can’t

be. Newcomers will bring new ideas. Young people will want to make an impact. And current residents

will want to see their projects come to fruition.

For years, McCook was comfortable maintaining the status quo. I’ve said it before but the problem with

status quo is that while it may seem like you are staying stable, you are actually in decline. The world is

moving forward, the country is changing, communities are evolving. If we aren’t moving forward,

changing or evolving then we will fall behind.

But fortunately, our community now has some people in leadership roles who are trying to get things

done and to move McCook forward. This has been McCook’s decade but I’m officially retiring that saying

as we embrace the mantra, “McCook on the Move.”

McCook on the Move means there is movement. There is progress. There are things being done to make

our community better for generations to come. And there isn’t an end date. Just because we’ve entered

into a “five” year, we aren’t on the downhill slide.

Instead, we need to celebrate what is being accomplished, to support those working to make things

happen and to work to make McCook on the move during 2025, over the rest of the decade and into the

future.

Finding the Silver Lining in Mid-Week Holidays

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 27 Dec 2024 23:44:33 GMT

Perhaps you are reading this column on the day it appears in the newspaper and is dropped on your

doorstep. It may be a day or two later when you read it after the paper arrives in the mail. Or it maybe

you are reading this online a few weeks or even months or years after it is published.

Regardless, I think we can all agree on one thing: holidays on a Wednesday are just a bit different and,

let’s be honest, a wee bit inconvenient.

Whether it is Christmas and New Year’s landing in the middle of the week or Fourth of July happening on

any day but a Friday or Saturday, the timing is a bit awkward.

For those working on Christmas Eve, you may be on the job but have so many questions running through

your head like are all the presents wrapped or will you be off work in time to get to church or is jellied or

whole cranberry sauce better? We can all have our opinions but there is little satisfaction like getting the

sauce out of the can with the smooth ridges in tact.

And then you enjoy the next 24 hours but the next night as Christmas day winds down, your older

children have likely returned to their home and you head to bed early because everyone has to get up

early the next day for work.

The next week, it happens all over again.

On New Year’s Eve as you sit at your desk, your mind wanders to thoughts about plans to ring in the new

year. Do have the ability to stay up until midnight or will you have to celebrate pacific time zone so you

can be in bed before 10 p.m.?

And if you can keep your eyes open until midnight, you likely will have to make up for it the next evening

by turning in early for work the next day.

All of this presumes that your family has been able to return home for the holidays. With such a short

turn-around, many families shifted their celebrations to the weekends before or after to eek out a few

more hours with each other or because there wasn’t time mid-week to return home and get back to work

the next day.

It would be great to have more time set aside to celebrate the holidays with our family members.

Thanksgiving is a great example because most people have four days to travel, celebrate and return

home.

But we aren’t moving Christmas off Dec. 25 and it seems tricky to have new year’s day on any other day

than the first day of the new year. So instead of lamenting the limited amount of time we have with friends

and family over the holidays, we need to take a moment to appreciate the short window of opportunities

we have provided.

It is the time we get to snuggle up on the couch and stay up late for a movie on Christmas Eve even

though there are presents still needing to be wrapped or breakfast will be delayed in the morning

because we were working the day before.

It’s the sounds as you try to go to bed at your regular time but your older kids and their friends stay up

late playing a game of Texas Hold-em at the dining room table that at first make you want to ask them to

be quiet but then make you treasure the moment knowing it will be over in the next day.

It’s the pile of shoes by the front door that you trip over coming into the house, cursing at first but then

realizing it won’t be like that in a few days because they’ve all left.

It’s the non-stop dirty dishes and constant cleaning up from one meal as you get ready to start on the

next that is unusual because you rarely cook a dinner every night much less three in one day like you

have the past two days but that it is worth it even for the shortened time together.

Having a holiday in the middle of the week may have its inconveniences, but it is outweighed by the

opportunities it provides to be with friends and family members that we don’t get any other time of the

year.

And if you are still looking for a reason to appreciate these mid-week holidays, think of it as four

shortened weeks for most people: a weekend, work a few days, take a day off, work a few days,

weekend again, work a few days, a day off, work a few days, weekend again.

Having the holidays may not be perfect but we just need to look for the silver linings in the situation.

***

Whether you have friends and family in town or not over the next few weeks, there is plenty to do with

your extra time and to celebrate the upcoming holiday.

The McCook Rotary Club is hosting its second annual New Year’s Eve party, one of its annual fund-

raisers, on Tuesday, Dec. 31 from 8:30 p.m. to 12 a.m. midnight at the McCook City Auditorium. While

tickets can be bought at the door, organizers would prefer for people to pre-purchase tickets by visiting

the McCook Rotary Facebook page for a link.

With a western theme this year, attendees can dress up as much or as little as they would like, with jeans

the primary choice of attire. And for those who think midnight may be a bit too late to stay up in the

middle of the week, there are plans for a countdown at 11 p.m. when the eastern time zone rings in 2025,

although the champagne toast will be reserved for midnight in McCook.

The next day, the First Day Hike with the Nebraska Games and Park Commission returns to Red Willow

State Recreation Area north of McCook. Starting at 2:25 p.m. (in honor of 2025), walkers will take off

from Site 48 at the Willow Campground and walk the trails if there isn’t snow or the roads if we’ve

actually gotten moisture by then.

There is no registration needed or minimum miles you need to walk but everyone needs a Nebraska

State Park sticker or find a friend who has one. It is a great way to start off the year on a healthy and fun

note and you can still get to bed early enough to get to work the next day.

Holiday Are Great Time to Connect with Young People

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 16:41:18 GMT

Holidays Are Perfect Time to Connect with Young People

For many families as well as communities, this is the best time of year. Yes because of the holidays but also because the holidays mean many of our young people are returning to their hometowns for a few days or even a few weeks.

They are coming from college to celebrate Christmas with their families, but while they are home, they also get to do the things they loved when they were a kid. This is also a great opportunity to check in with our young people about how their year is going but also help them reconnect with the community that raised them.

In McCook, that means stopping by the YMCA to get in a workout, to play a game of pickup basketball or pickleball or to hang out at swim team practice. For many kids, the YMCA was the place to be after school until sports practice started, until their parents could pick them up or to just hang out in a safe space, so they naturally gravitate to the Y when they are in town.

Another spot that you hear many young people say they have to visit while home on break is Mac’s Drive-In. Somehow, the combination of orange and yellow booths with the homemade onion rings and fries is nothing that can be duplicated in another town. Also, Mac’s was another hang-out for many kids on the early-outs on Wednesdays so nostalgia makes it a mandatory stop over the holidays.

And there are many other places that draw young people in when they return home, whether it is a few hours at the movie theater; visiting one of the restaurants with fellow students who are home; or a quick stop by Knowlen and Yates, which turns into an hour because you get sucked into looking at everything that you didn’t know you needed.

With a few of my college kids already home for break and the older kids returning home over the next few days, I have watched how they spend their time and what they want to do. For the most part, they just want to reconnect, with each other, with their families and with their community.

The McCook Community Foundation Fund recently completed a youth survey with the McCook High School, which asked questions of all students in ninth through 12th grade.

Over the next few months, we will share data from the 2024 McCook youth survey but there are a few key points to consider over the next two weeks with young people in town.

When asked what size town they want to live in, a majority say they want a similar size to what they grew up in, which means their current hometown is an option as a long-term home.

Another key takeaway which has risen to the top in recent years as a priority is safety. Young people are looking for a safe place to be, to hang out and to raise their families.

It is great to see these young people back, even just for a visit, but this is also a great opportunity to plant the seed about them returning long-term.

When you see a college student at a restaurant, take the time to ask how their fall semester went, what their holiday plans are, if there is anyone special in their life. But this is also a great time to pass along another idea: share how great it is to see them home and how great it would be for them to move back home when they are done with school.

We take for granted that our kids know that we’d like them close to home all the time rather than just on the holidays. Have you ever said to your child or to your neighbor’s kid or to the young person working at the drive-thru that they should live in their hometown when they are older? Have you ever literally said to a young person that we’d like you to move home?

They need to hear that they are needed and wanted in their communities and there is no time like the present to make that connection with our young people.

With the holiday lights aglow and people in a festive mood, this is the best time of year to connect with our families, with our friends and perhaps most importantly with our young people, who are going to be the ones to make McCook and our hometowns even better places to call home in the future.

***

On behalf of the McCook Community Foundation Fund Advisory Committee, we wish everyone a very Merry Christmas.

Grants Help Make McCook on the Move

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Wed, 18 Dec 2024 18:29:13 GMT

McCook Aquatic Park Entrance Fees Among MCFF's 2024 Grants

By RONDA GRAFF

MCFF

McCOOK - Over the year, McCook has seen a lot of progress and movement, thanks to volunteers, businesses and organizations coming together to make things happen.

From opening a new outdoor pool to a multi-million dollar capital campaign at the YMCA to a drive-in movie at the fairgrounds, McCook is on the Move.

And the McCook Community Foundation Fund has been proud to be a part of many of these projects which are transforming the community.

Some of that participation has come in the form of grants over the past year. Over the past year, MCFF has granted more than $250,000 to a dozen organizations which are working day-in and day-out to improve the quality of life for young and old and everyone in between.

Perhaps the most visible grant was used to pay for all the entry fees at the new McCook Aquatic Center during its opening season in 2024. Regardless of age or hometown, everyone entered the city pool at no cost thanks to the grant from MCFF to celebrate the opening of McCook’s new pool.

This was in addition to MCFF paying for the certification training of any lifeguard working at the YMCA or McCook pool the past two years.

In November, the McCook Fund Advisory Committee approved grants that had a strong focus on McCook’s younger citizens.

McCook Public Schools benefitted from several grants including an addition for the CNC Router in the school’s industrial arts department. The router is a computer-controlled machine that can cut, shape, and engrave a variety of materials, including wood, plastic, and metal, enabling students to design and create 3-D projects.

For McCook’s ag-education department, students will have access to a large animal management artificial insemination simulator. This equipment will allow students to focus on genetics and how producers can impact their herds through targeted breeding programs using artificial insemination.

And MCFF has supported the MHS Bison Days since its inception in 2020 with an annual grant in honor of Arvene and Neva Myers. Bison Days involved every high school student, immersing them in businesses, hobbies, and even certification that they many never learn about if not for this two-day event each February.

On behalf of the Andy and Geri Anderson Endowment, MCFF recently granted $7,500 to the city of McCook’s new inclusive playground at Kelley Park.

In honor of the Sehnert Challenge, MCFF granted funds to the 6th Floor non-profit to help with costs at the ArtBank/McCook.

These grants are in addition to the grants provided last spring for several projects, which included UNL Rural Journalism Interns, a collaboration with the McCook EDC, Chamber and City of McCook; a bike share program on the MCC campus; projects through the McCook Arts Council; a back-to-school resource fair at McCook Christian Church; dining room chairs at Hillcrest Nursing Home; and helping with the inaugural season at the ArtBank.

In addition to these individual grants, MCFF has committed a multi-year pledge to the YMCA capital campaign, even increasing it this year to help the Y reach its goal for the renovation and expansion at the 40-year-old facility.

As MCFF looks toward 2025, the fund advisory committee is looking forward to continuing to make an impact through grant-making with more than $200,000 available thanks to generous donors, but with additional focus on conversations about planned giving and Five to Thrive, helping organizations become better versions of themselves and ultimately making McCook an even better place to call home.

Savoring the Days that Turn Into Years

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Mon, 16 Dec 2024 17:43:53 GMT

I cannot be the only one who is amazed that the year is nearly over. It’s a cliché to say that the days pass slowly while the years fly by, but it’s a cliché because it’s true.

When my children were little, I was gifted a copy of the Family Circus cartoon which showed the frazzled mom which four children, one hanging from each limb. Off to the side, an elderly lady makes the comment: Enjoy these days because they go by in a flash. While she means well and it is well

intentioned, the mom - at that instance - just wants to get through the day.

But it is a good reminder that we need to slow down and savor the days because the years go by in a

blur. Whether you are in the time of life where small children are your focus or its the first month of your retirement, everyone needs the reminder to stop and savor the moment.

One of the most common questions I receive is whether I have any children still at home. With seven

children, they have one-by-one been flying the coop, with a few returning to the nest as they figure out their lives.

Recently, I was in the Helping Hand thrift store shopping when the cashier said how much she likes

reading my columns, especially those that I used to write about my kids. For years, my children provided plenty of fodder to write about.

My friend Jennifer used to work for a pest control business, which took her into various businesses

throughout the community. Occasionally, someone would figure out that she and I were friends and

would ask if all the stories I told in my column were really true.

Oh, yes, she would exclaim and she should know, as she once walked into my house soon after my

oldest son had shot one of his brothers point blank in the chest with a BB gun while my husband and I

were on vacation. While that should be the apex of the story, it was my mother-in-law chasing after the

injured son with an aloe plant leaf as the solution to the shooting which remains the visual image of the evening. Ultimately, Jennifer left the house with the oldest son and the BB gun in tow.

And if you still need verification that the story is true, just stop by the YMCA and ask Erik to see the small bump on his chest.

When I think back about these stories, they seem like just yesterday when in fact decades have passed.

A lot of it is a blur because I was that mom in the Family Circus cartoon, just trying to get through the day.

If it wasn’t for all the pictures and mementos and hospital bills, I would wonder where the years went.

Just another reminder to stop and savor the moment.

As my children have gotten older, they haven’t been the focus of the columns as much because either

I’m not as observant (possible), they aren’t doing as many ridiculous things (doubtful), or they just don’t let me know what they’re doing (most likely)...or a combination of all of the above.

Actually, what I have determined is that it is just a shift of what catches my eye. The inspiration is less

likely to involve covering themselves in peanut butter from head to toe and more of their evolution into fully-functioning adults.

A recent story involves one of my sons, but ironically from a distance. A few months ago, my friends and I were trying to find the home Nebraska volleyball game on TV. After stopping at three different locations, we finally found it at the Axe House in McCook. With the tables in the front part of the bar taken, we went to the back and had a TV for just the three of us.

When the game is broadcast on a restricted channel, this broadcast is a little different because the

commercial breaks don’t feature traditional ads. Instead, the camera focuses on the volleyball court

during the timeouts.

Somewhere in the second set, a couple people from the front tables wandered back to our area,

obviously coming to ask us a question.

“Is the game on time delay back here?” one of them asked. I leaned over to look at the TVs in the front of the restaurant and replied, “We are maybe a second or two behind but no, we are watching the same game. Why?"

“Because you guys are back here cheering during the commercials, not during the game,” they

responded.

Jennifer - yes, the same one involved in the BB gun incident - quickly answered, “Oh, that’s easy to

explain. Her son is one of the UNL cheerleaders and we’re cheering every time he safely brings the

cheerleader back down to the ground during their routine. We’re the cheerleaders for the cheerleaders.”

The children may grow up but they still provide plenty of inspiration if just take a moment to recognize the things going on around us.

Whether it is the rush of the holidays, getting ready for the end of the year or being in the thick of winter sports, we need to slow down every now and then, to be present in the moment and to savor the small things that make up the days, which so quickly turn into years.

Oh, and make sure you have an aloe plant nearby if you have a loaded BB gun in the house.

Saying "No" Isn't Always a Negative Word

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 13 Dec 2024 16:28:38 GMT

“No” is usually one of the first words we learn and speak as a young child. We used the word “no” to

assert our authority to our parents, usually to no avail. We used the word “no” to avoid something we

didn’t want to eat, sometimes effectively. And we used the word “no” when it was something we didn’t

want to do like go to bed or take a nap, something I can’t even fathom at this point in my life.

Over the years, the word “no” can take on different uses and is again used in different circumstances.

For example, we can use the word “no” about the way we think. When we have negative internal

thoughts, we should consider just saying “no” in our brain. Would we say those same thoughts to

someone else, yet we easily say them about ourselves? This is a perfect time to say “no, I’m not going to

say those things about myself.” It’s called positive thinking for a reason.

We should also consider using the word “no” when deciding whether to share gossip or rumors about

someone else. Again, it is very easy to ask yourself whether you would want someone else sharing

information about you. If the answer is “no,” then we should stop in our tracks.

If we stop for a moment and consider how that person will be affected by this information, the

conversation will usually come to a halt. It is the Golden Rule: treat others like we would want to be

treated.

And the same theory applies to distributing information that may be truthful in your eyes, but which you

may not have all the facts. Do you have both sides of the story? Is your understanding of the situation a

mile wide but an inch deep? Have you spent time researching the concept or just copied content from a

random source? While this may seem tedious, this is how a caring, thoughtful society functions.

Ultimately, we simply need to remember that not all things need to be spoken or shared with others. We

need to stop and evaluate whether what information we are about to share will help or hurt the situation

or the person involved.

One good way to use the word “no” is when applying it to the Rotary’s Four-Way Test. You do not have to

be a Rotarian to follow or believe in these concepts. (And if you’d like more information about becoming a

Rotarian, please let me know.)

For those who don’t know the four questions, they are as follows: Is it the truth?

Is it fair to all concerned?

Will it build goodwill and better friendships?

Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

If you can’t answer yes to all four questions about an issue, about a piece of information, about sharing a

thought or idea, then you need to consider keeping it to yourself.

By the way, there is a non-official fifth question to the four-way test: is it fun? Many of us in the McCook

Rotary Club add that to the list of questions but we aren’t ready to ask the century-old organization to

change it primary mandate just yet.

So when you hear an idea that is negative, consider whether you should pass it along if it will do no good

for our friends and family. If someone is complaining without making any effective change, try to find an

outlet, like the actual source, to make a difference. And if you are passing along a rumor for the sake of

entertainment, think about how you would feel if it that was you or a family member.

The thought of using the word “no” more often popped into my head as I thought about how we talk and

feel about our community. We don’t have to be “Pollyannaish," which is someone who is excessively

optimistic, like the character Pollyanna from the novel by Eleanor H. Porter. But we need to be more

optimistic about the place we call home. We need to feel good about the place where we raise our

children. We need to speak and share ideas that make us want to make our communities even better

places to call home.

Bringing Holiday Cheer to Shortened Holiday Season

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 23:49:27 GMT

Because of how the holidays fall, we have the shortest number of days between Thanksgiving and

Christmas this year. Yes, we have one less week of shopping.

But more importantly, we have less time to enjoy the holiday songs, less time to take in the holiday lights, and less time to bask in the joy of the season. On the other hand, maybe fewer days will make us

appreciate it more. I know the short turn-around time between the two holidays has affected how I’m

approaching the season.

I was going to include a picture of the holiday lights at my house but I must admit that it’s not my finest Christmas lights moment.

Anyone who knows me well knows that I love Christmas lights. If there is an extra set lying around, I will hang them. If someone is giving away light they no longer use, I will take them. If you say that corner needs lighting, I will find some.

There simply cannot be too many lights. I take pride in covering my pine trees from top to bottom,

outlining the entire roofline and displaying a nativity scene, complete with a hovering star at the

appropriate time.

But as I prepared to hang the lights at my house on one of the few nice days we’ve had recently, I

realized that most of the strings of lights from last year didn’t work. Strand after strand refused to turn on as I tested them with the extension cord. So many failed that I started to doubt the cords, the outlets on the side of my house, even the electrical wire running from the road to our house. Maybe no one else in our neighborhood realized that our power was out.

In reality, a majority of the strings of lights had been nibbled on sometime during the summer, most likely from the glut of mice which have taken up residence on our farm. The role of farm cats, who want to be indoor cats, is for another time but let’s just say I may be in need of new felines soon.

After sorting through all my lights, I was left with three strands of mini-lights, two which were a faint blue, which must have been on clearance at some point because you can’t even tell they are on when it is dark; one string of those icicle lights that were popular sometime in the last decade, but aren’t practical for anything but gutters and require dozens to accomplish a good look; and two strings of those lights meant to cover a bush but could never be fully stretched out to cover more than a foot in either direction and just usually ends up looking like a big blob wherever it is placed.

As I stood on my front lawn with strings in piles of either “working” or “not bothering to fix,” I had a

decision to make: by new ones, put up the few I had or not put up any at all. Realizing that the lights

would not be up long and being too cheap to buy more lights at full price, I resorted to just using what I had on hand.

Hanging them in the daylight, I took a step back and reassured myself that they weren’t that bad. After

all, any lights are good lights - that is until my husband and I came home that evening in the dark.

As we neared our driveway and the one lone tree came into view, I quickly realized that the lights took on a different appearance at night. Asking my husband what his first thought was upon seeing the lights, we both came to the same conclusion: Somehow I had constructed an over-sized string bikini on my 14-foot pine tree with my Christmas lights, complete with a top and bottom of the swimsuit.

Did that image compel me to take the lights down? Not at all. After all, they’ll only be up for a few weeks.

I don’t have any more lights to fix it. And it makes me giggle as I pull up to my house and seeing my pine tree in its summer finest.

As we head into the thick of this shortened holiday season, may we all take a few moments to be thankful for our friends and family, those far and near. May we all say a few words of thankfulness and

gratefulness for both the small and large gifts in our lives. And may we appreciate all the things that go

right in our lives as well as those not-so-right like a bikini-clad pine tree.

***

Speaking of lights, there are more and more lights in downtown McCook.

Thanks to Chamber Director Sarah Schneider and her volunteers who have been installing holidays

lights throughout Norris Park and along Norris Avenue. Linda Graff has been placing lights along B

Street, along with other volunteers from Beautify McCook. And Great Plains Communication helped light

up the poles along Santa Claus Lane. And special shout out to Joel and Taryn Arterburn and their

volunteer crew as well as my husband, Jon, for working on the holiday lights along McCook’s downtown skyline. Animals and people have had their way with a few strands so they have been climbing onto the roof tops to make repairs, at sometimes treacherous heights.

Hopefully, both sides of Norris Avenue will be in full working order for the McCook Chamber’s Noel of

Norris festivities on Dec. 7. Even if there are a few lights out or sections not lit up, thanks to everyone

who is working to bring holiday cheer to our communities regardless of how long the season lasts.

A Time for Gratitude and Thankfulness

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 21:55:55 GMT

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.

Recognizing the Changs in Our World

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 17:18:47 GMT

Recognizing the Changes in Our World

If you don’t think your mind, your actions or your lifestyle has changed over the years, stop for a moment and think of how you do things differently. Some of the changes have been positive, others maybe not so much and some differences we haven’t noticed but have profoundly altered the way we do things.

It became readily apparent to me recently when a group of friends and I decided to attend a trivia night at The Yard in McCook. Trivia nights are now a common occurrence thanks to digital software that easily provides questions and most commonly, four answers to choose from.

But the recent night of trivia was held analog style, ie., no phones allowed on the table, no Googling permitted and no online searching of any kind. I cannot tell you how many times I reached toward my pocket that held my phone with each question that our table couldn’t answer. And many of the questions that trivia master Kevin Cochran came up with did not have softball answers. Throughout the evening, I did wonder if he really knew all the answers to the questions before he created the trivia night, such as the smallest bone in your body, or if did what we couldn’t do - looked it up on the little computer in his pocket, aka, his phone.

It is not instinctual to just look up the information we need. We no longer can not know the answer to a question or leave a conversation with everyone agreeing to disagree because the issue couldn’t be clarified or verified. We have a world of information at our fingertips know and it’s hard not to access it all the time.

And it took true willpower to not pull out our phones and look up the answers, something I was loathe to admit but that we did do for the entire evening. It would not hurt each of us to put away our phones for an hour, a day or even a week. In fact, it would probably do each of us a bit of good.

Our minds and lives have changed and rarely do we take a moment to acknowledge how they have evolved.

Most of the changes have involved digital technology.

For example, I asked my son to text his piano teacher to let her know that he was not able to make practice because of another commitment. For the previous 10 years, I reached out to her whenever there was a change to my son’s schedule. But if my son can drive, he can reach out to his teacher so I forwarded her contact info him.

But later in the day, his teacher texted me to ask why he wasn’t at practice. I learned that he had texted her but had texted her land line. He didn’t realize, didn’t think about, didn’t consider that you can’t text every phone number in your contacts. But to young people, every phone number that they use is a cell phone and therefore able to received a text message. But now he knows.

Because of technology, certain sayings are now out of date.

We recently went through the semi-annual time change, falling back at hour. I’m waiting for our Unicameral to come to a consensus on just this one issue. Just pick one direction or another with the time change and stick with it.

But until that happens, twice a year we see commercials, view social media posts and hear people say, “Don’t forget to move your clocks.” For my children though, I’m not sure if they “moved” a single clock. Their phones automatically updated. Their watches synched with the new time on their own. They only clock they perhaps to adjust was the one in their vehicles and they likely don’t pay any attention to those numbers since their phone is sitting right there.

Changes to our world are not entirely the evolution and addition of technology.

This has been several years ago, but one of my sons was writing his thank-you cards following high school graduation. He knew how to write the letter grammatically correct. He knew how to properly address the card. But then it came time to put a stamp on the envelope, he ran into a stumbling block - he couldn’t get the stamp on. It just wouldn’t stick.

Now, I must back up because it’s not entirely his fault the situation he was in. My mother-in-law had built quite a stock-pile of stamps before she passed years before and my son was using those stamps - some which were peel and stick but many others that had to be licked. Up until that point, my son had never been around those that had that yummy glue on the back and it never occurred to him to lick the small piece of paper. We just took for granted that he knew what to do. And while it gave us a short chuckle, he did finish the thank-you with both styles of stamps.

And lest anyone thinks he or our other children are too reliant to technology, rest assured that we keep them thinking and on their toes.

After all, most of our vehicles are manuals so all of them know how to drive a stick. The majority of our cars are so old that they don’t have any of the modern technology like back-up cameras and lane assist. And one truck is so old that it has what could trip up many people: hand-crank windows.

Change and technology can be good but taking note of its affect on us is just as important so that we recognize when its good for us or when we need to take things into our own hands.

2024 Big Give Reaches Record Numbers

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 17:18:43 GMT

2024 Southwest Nebraska Big Give Passes $300,000

By RONDA GRAFF

MCFF

McCOOK, Neb. — Individuals and businesses stepped up in their support for the 2024 Southwest

Nebraska Big Give, which took place from midnight to midnight Thursday, Nov. 7. With the largest

number of organizations participating in its nine-year history, the Big Give also reached record numbers in donations.

As of Friday morning, the total is at $335,000 when individual donations and sponsorship dollars are

combined. The final for the 2023 Big Give was $278,000, a then-record.

Even more importantly, the number of individual donations increased from 938 in 2023 to 954 so far this year.

All of those numbers will likely increase over the next week as mail-in donations arrive in the mail and are added to the total.

Lisa Felker, co-chair of Community Chest which oversees and organizes the Southwest Nebraska Big

Give, said she was impressed with the support from Southwest Nebraska residents plus all the donors

across Nebraska, Kansas and the United States.

“They really stepped up this year and made the 2024 Big Give a tremendous success,” Felker said.

She added that the Big Give was made possible because of the volunteer committee, which gathers

sponsorship dollars, coordinates the website and organizes the promotion of the one-day of giving.

“A special shout-out to our social media team of Baleigh Abbott, Tricia Wagner and Stacee Smock, who

kept everyone up to date before and throughout the day with information,” Felker said.

Other members of the Community Chest committee are co-chair Melissa Stritt, who spends the entire

day with Felker inputing and updating the donation tally on the website; Gene Weedin, JoHanna Scott,

Mark Searcy, Pam Wolford, Ronda Graff and Linda Koetter.

The Big Give also saw the most non-profit organizations taking part in the event with 45 charitable

groups joining the effort, covering communities across Southwest Nebraska from Curtis to Cambridge to Haigler.

A complete list of the organizations and their totals raised during the Big Give can be found on the Big

Give website, swnebiggive.org.

The Southwest Nebraska Big Give continues to grow each year because of many people, businesses

and organizations coming together to make it happen. These include the sponsors, which provide the

matching funds to make individual donations even more impactful. Those sponsorship dollars are used to provide the matching funds during the power hours throughout the day. Organizations also receive

matching funds at the end based on the total dollars raised throughout the day, up to an amount based on the sponsor dollars raised throughout the year.

The 2024 platinum sponsors include the Graff Charitable Foundation and MNB Bank.

Gold sponsors are Community Hospital and First Interstate Bank.

Silver and bronze sponsors include First Central Bank, First State Bank & Insurance Cambridge,

Herrmann-Jones Funeral Chapel & Lockenhour-Jones Mortuary, MNB Insurance, Pinnacle Bank,

Waypoint Bank Cambridge, and State Farm Insurance - Linda Maiden.

Friendship sponsors included High Plains Radio, Hometown Agency, Hometown Family Radio, McCook

Gazette, W Design Associates, Wagner Auto Group, Hoppens & Meier Orthodontics and Samway Floor

Covering & Furniture.

The Big Give would not be possible without the publicity from local media including the McCook Gazette, High Plains Radio and Hometown Family Radio.

While the Community Chest organizers are wrapping-up the 2024 Big Give, plans are already underway for the 2025 Big Give.

The McCook Community Chest is a sub-account of the McCook Community Foundation Fund, an affiliate of the Nebraska Community Foundation.

Our Children Are Watching How We Respond

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 23:07:08 GMT

Since 1996, I have written columns for the McCook Gazette on and off in one capacity or another,

whether as a reporter for the newspaper, for the McCook YMCA or now on behalf of the McCook

Community Foundation Fund. Coming up with ideas on a weekly basis usually comes easy for me but

some weeks are harder than others. This is one of those hard weeks.

The election is now over so thankfully the calls, texts and mailings have come to an end. It also means

we have to deal with the repercussions of our decisions in the election.

For some, the election left them elated and every issue, candidate and situation went their way. For

others, they are trying how to figure out how to move forward because nothing they supported passed or

made it into office.

But most of us are likely somewhere in the middle with some issues moving into law and candidates

getting elected while other ballot measures failed and the candidates we wanted to see making policy

decisions and shaping our future didn’t get make it into office.

This is when the truly hard work begins and I’m not talking about how laws get passed or issues get

resolved. The hard work will be how we move forward with such division, emotions running high and

feelings on edge.

One thing that seems to have happened more and more over the past few years is the “us versus them”

mentality and the gloating that comes when one side wins and the other side loses. We don’t stop to

consider that the other side are people too, with feelings and emotions. The other side has simply been

reduced to “those people.”

Yet, our daily lives are not a football game with a winner and a loser. We don’t get to pick sides, with a

winner-take-all mentality which leaves the other side with nothing.

Actually, football games may be more civil than regular life as both teams usually come together at the

end of a game to shake hands, say “good game” and maybe even give each other a hug.

In our daily lives, we aren’t taking the time nor the effort to consider that we are in this life together and

that we are all working toward one goal - to have the best life possible for ourselves, for our friends and

neighbors and for our kids and grandkids.

And that may be the most important idea to take away from the recent events: How are we showing them

how to treat others? Is it with hate and division or is it with love and respect?

They are watching how we respond and interact with each other and it will affect their view of the world.

Will they become hardened to the good things in life or look upon every little thing with awe and wonder?

Thankfully I had a reminder this week why we are working to make our hometowns better, why we need

to be respectful of one other, and why we need to appreciate each and every day.

On the day after the election with a steady rain falling, I had a last-minute request to put on my bus-driver

hat and transport several St. Patrick classes to the High Plains Museum to view the traveling Sheldon

Museum art exhibit. The artwork is on display over the next month at no charge thanks to the museum

hosting and the McCook Arts Council sponsoring so please try to stop by.

But it was the bus ride that was gave me pause and left an impact on my day. The 7th and 8th graders

were respectful as they boarded the bus. For them, they were just thankful for not having to walk in the

cold rain but this was just another bus ride.

Later in the day, the kindergartners walked onto the bus with rain dripping from their coats and a few

shivers because of the cold weather. Yet more than one exclaimed it was the “best day ever!” as they

made their way to their seats.

After the art tour and upon returning to the school on the bus, the youngest St. Pat students disembarked

with more than one again proclaiming that it was the “best day ever.” With their teacher following the last

student off the bus, I asked if this was their first bus trip of the year. She responded that it was and it was

unexpected and unplanned because of the rain.

A bus ride, which I had done hundreds of times whether as a driver or as a passenger, was a no longer a

novel idea. But for these kindergartners, it was the “best day ever” in their young lives. Something as

simple as a short bus ride brought joy to these young students, something many of have lost because we

are too focused on fighting with the other side.

Being part of someone’s “best day ever” put a much-needed grin on my face and reminded me of what

we are working for: that we are working day-in, day-out for the next generation.

We need to remember that our children are watching how we treat others and how we go about our days.

Is it with respect about how we talk to others? How what we may post online will affect people in our

community? Do we take joy in the little things or dwell on the bad things? Are we doing all we can do

make some else’s day the “best day ever”?

***

It is apt that as we consider how to make someone’s day the “best day ever,” we are in middle of the

Southwest Nebraska Big Give on Thursday, Nov. 7 or it has just taken place depending upon when you

read this. The 24-hours of giving, which runs through midnight on Nov. 7 (but can accept late donations)

is another example of how we need to support one another and how we can make an impact in our

community.

The Big Give provides the opportunity to donate to groups that are making a difference in both small and

large projects, in day-to-day necessities and long-term ventures.

This is another example of how our next generation is watching what we are doing. Are we supporting

the groups that help our communities grow and thrive? Are we showing that is important to get involved

both with our time and our money?

The Southwest Nebraska Big Give is the perfect opportunity to make it the “best day ever” for someone

or some group. And as the saying goes - It is better to give than to receive - it could be the “best day

ever” for you too.

Community Growth Mindset Drives School Bond Issue Forward

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 16:38:31 GMT

When I arrived in McCook in 1998 as a teacher and the head football coach, I adopted the phrase and belief for our program, “We Are One.”
In the team setting, "We Are One" meant that everyone supports each other, works toward the same objectives, and values each member's contributions. It’s a reminder that by working together as a unified group, people can achieve more than they would individually. It worked. The team and the community rallied around this belief. We were crazy good, and the community made it happen!
As our community considers the proposed school bond issue, it’s important to view this decision through a lens of growth and opportunity. Much like an individual striving to improve, our schools, and by extension, our community, stand to benefit greatly from an investment in their future. This bond issue isn’t merely a financial ask; it’s a chance to embrace a “community growth mindset” and foster a brighter tomorrow for our students, families, and neighbors because “WE ARE McCOOK” and “WE ARE ONE.”

Investing in the Potential of Our Schools
The proposed bond issue represents an investment in our schools that promises long-term rewards. Facilities in need of modernization, updated technology, and safer learning environments are not only essential for our children’s education but also help the community grow.
Investing in our schools has been shown time and again to uplift local property values, stimulate economic growth, and enhance community pride. This is about nurturing the potential within our students and supporting the dedicated educators who strive to shape future generations. In a “WE ARE ONE” mentality, everyone plays an important role. Our role is to invest in our future.

Highlighting the Long-term Impact
Those who advocate for a growth mindset know that real progress takes time. By focusing on sustainable improvements, the bond can help create schools that serve the community well into the future. Whether it’s the new classrooms, modern science labs, or new industrial and fine art facilities, these enhancements set a foundation for success and equip our students with the tools they need to compete in an ever-changing world.
Bond initiatives have demonstrated clear benefits, from improved student performance to increased community engagement. What are we? “WE ARE ONE” community that is proud to provide the resources needed for our hometown to succeed.

Celebrating Perseverance and Progress
A growth mindset is about more than achieving a goal. It is about the journey and the determination it takes to get there. The challenges we face in improving our schools may seem daunting, but the spirit of our community has always been resilient.
By embracing the bond as a means to tackle these obstacles head-on, we are sending a message to our students that hard work, dedication, and perseverance pay off. By staying committed to our goals and each other, we reinforce our unity and build a “WE ARE ONE” culture that doesn’t shy away from hard work.

Celebrating Success Along the Way
If the bond passes, regular updates and transparent reporting will be provided to keep our community informed. Recognizing milestones - whether it is the completion of a new library or the installation of safety enhancements - helps everyone see the progress we’re making. These celebrations aren’t just moments of achievement; they’re a reminder of the potential we’re nurturing in every child, in every classroom.
By framing this bond issue as an opportunity for growth, our community can take a powerful step forward. Together, we can invest in our students, our schools, and our shared future, building a community that believes in progress and embraces the value of a “WE AE ONE” growth mindset.

***
Along with serving as vice-chair of the McCook Community Foundation Fund, Jeff Gross is the business manager for McCook Schools, president of the Optimist Club and is gearing up for his next big role: grandpa.

Big Give Groups Span Wide Range of Programs

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 22:12:15 GMT

By RONDA GRAFF

MCFF

McCOOK - For a community to grow and thrive, all types of organizations are needed. Over the past two

weeks, nearly two dozen non-profit organizations involving youth and elderly as well as project-based

groups have been profiled for the Nov. 7 Southwest Nebraska Big Give.

Next up are the groups that provide services for both ends of the spectrum in a community’s services,

from non-profits that offer day-to-day services for the resident’s most in need to the arts and culture

organizations that produce the special projects that add color and creative to a community.

Among those which have participated in the Big Give since its start are some of the most vital to a

community’s most-in-need residents. Community Action Partnership of Mid-Nebraska works with

those in need of financial assistance for a variety of services.

Also providing help to our community members most in need is Domestic Abuse/Sexual Assault

Services and the ABC Pregnancy Help Center . The Salvation Army is another long-term member of

the Big Give and one of its most recognizable, with its fund-raising coming during the bell ringing during

the holiday season.

And helping our area’s younger people in need is Prairie Plains Court Appointed Special Advocates

(CASA) , which provides trained volunteers to assist those working their way through the court system.

Switching gears, several organizations work to bring the arts, entertainment and education to the

community.

One of McCook’s newest non-profits, the McCook Community Kitchen brings cooking and nutrition

classes and events for people of all ages. The group is also hosting the el Día de Muertos or Day of the

Dead on Nov. 2 at the High Plains Museum.

Another relatively new non-profit but which occupies some of McCook’s oldest buildings is the Sixth

Floor Project/ArtBank , showcasing both local and national artwork at both locations, along with hosting

special events.

The McCook Art Guild has been operating in McCook for decades and continues to highlight artists and

their artwork from around the area, along with providing art classes throughout the year.

The McCook Arts Council has also been a mainstay of McCook for decades and works to connect,

promote and fund arts and culture in the community by providing grants for projects such as the school

art programs and community events such as Third Thursdays.

And finally, the Norris Institute has diversified its focus in recent years. The group continues to shine a

light on the thoughts and teachings of Sen. George W. Norris at such events as the Norris Breakfast

during McCook’s Heritage Days but established Norris Alley between the Fox Theater and Keystone

Business Center to provide a place to gather with friends and neighbors and engage in conversations to

make Norris proud.

The Southwest Nebraska Big Give is Thursday, Nov. 7, with donations accepted from midnight to

midnight. More than 40 organizations are taking part in the one day of giving, raising funds for

operational costs to special projects.

Special thanks to the sponsors which provide the matching funds for power hours and bonus funds,

including Graff Charitable Foundation and MNB Bank and Community Hospital and First Interstate Bank

and many more.

More information about all the groups in the Big Give can be found at swnebiggive.org. The Southwest

Nebraska Big Give is organized by McCook Community Chest, which is a sub account of McCook

Community Foundation Fund, an affiliate of the Nebraska Community Foundation.

Information is Key to Election Decisions

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 22:06:33 GMT

With the election just around the corner, there are so many issues and candidates to consider that it can be overwhelming.

It is easy to just read the endless texts and emails that fill up our phones and computers. It is simple to scan the dozens of postcards that arrive in the mailbox every day. It is effortless to just agree with all the social media post that fill your newsfeed and pass along the idea.

But if we truly want to make an impact on our community and make a difference for our friends and family, we need to be informed.

Being informed is not just sharing unchecked posts that happen to fill your algorithm. Being informed is not just mimicking what your neighbor shares with you over coffee. Being informed is not taking for granted what you hear because it is repeated by others.

Ultimately, we have a civic duty to be informed voters and that requires work. Most importantly, it requires going to the source to learn about an issue or about a candidate.

While that isn’t easy for national or even statewide elections, it is possible on the local level. And to be honest, the local issues are what have the biggest impact on our lives. Local races and issues affect each and every one of us on a day-to-day basis and determine what our communities will look like years from now.

While the national and statewide races garner most of the attention, it is the local elections for school board, city council, bonds, Natural Resource Districts, and more that make an impact on each one of us every day. Yet, I would guess that most people can name those running for local offices or have made a personal appearance at the meetings explaining the bond issues.

But there is still time.

There are independent, nonpartisan websites that provide information about the candidates and where they stand on issues. For ballot issues, review the ballot language for starters and then visit websites about both sides of the issues to get a full understanding.

And for truly local issues like the school bond issue in McCook or even the recent sales tax bond passed by the city for the pool and ballpark, we can directly contact the people who have the most complete, accurate information so that we can make informed decisions.

If you have questions or concerns about the proposed school bond issue for the McCook Public School System, there is the website, www.mccookbond2024.com dedicated to information about the proposed plan including a video tour of the current facility. The best way to learn about the issue is to attend the final regularly scheduled open house on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 6 p.m. starting in the junior high cafeteria, which includes a tour. And the school administration is more than happy to give tours and provide information at any time between now an the election.

And there has been further discussion recently about the ballpark issue that moved forward earlier this week at the McCook City Council meeting. Again, attend a city council meeting to get up to speed. If that isn’t possible, reach out to your city council members or city staff with your questions. You will got a lot more accurate information by calling your officials directly rather than posting online or calling the radio station to vent.

In today’s politics, we may think we are informed but in reality our knowledge of the issues may be a mile wide and just an inch deep. We know a little about a lot yet don’t spend time digging deep about an issue or an a candidate.

To truly make a positive impact, we need to be informed about the issues in our communities, we need to research the items on the upcoming ballot, we need to go to as close to the source of the information as possible.

Earlier this week, I spent the day listening to journalists, political officials and community leaders from across the country, as part of The Atlantic’s Nebraska’s State of Our Union conference in Lincoln, co-hosted by the Flatwater Free Press non-profit organization.

Perhaps my biggest take-away was that people need to understand not just what is happening now but what is at stake with each decision, with each issue. With each vote, we decide what we want our community to look like generations from now. At each election, we shape our future for our children and grand-children. And if we are informed with clear, accurate information, we can make our communities the best places to call home.

SWNE Big Give Group's Focus on Young and Elderly

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 02:13:33 GMT

By RONDA GRAFF

MCFF

McCOOK - While it can be hard to categorize some of the non-profit organizations involved in the Southwest Nebraska Big Give, many of them have a specific focus on young and older community members. And all of them are seeking donations during the Big Give on Thursday, Nov. 7.

In the second of four stories about the Big Give non-profits, the following groups have a fairly specific focus on both ends of the age groups.

With a priority for our senior citizens, the Cambridge Senior Center and Curtis Area Senior Center are both working to meets the needs of the elderly in their respective communities.

Highlighting the need for affordable and good childcare, the Cambridge Community Daycare Foundation has joined Big Give for the first time this year. Also joining for the first times the Cambridge School Foundation, to meet the needs of the Trojan students.

TeamMates, which connects young people with older mentors, has been part of the Big Give for several years. McCook, Cambridge and Maywood all have TeamMates chapters and are seeking donations to keep their programs growing.

One of the most successful Big Give participants over the years has been St. Patrick Elementary School in McCook, which serves the area for preschool through eighth grade.

Hoping to serve the young people of the community is the Discovery Center, otherwise known as Breakaway, which hopes to open up their physical in McCook in the near future.

Well known in the community, the Boys Scouts of America-Mid-America Council and the McCook Legion Baseball Boosters are raising funds to support their individual entities, but both with a focus on helping young people reach their full potential.

And an organization which has been with the Big Give since its start in 2016 is the Family Resource Center, which helps meet the needs of youth and families throughout the area.

While donors can give funds throughout the year, the Southwest Nebraska Big Give is impactful because of the generous sponsors, which provide matching dollars. Platinum and gold sponsors include Graff Charitable Foundation and MNB Bank, Community Hospital and First Interstate Bank. A complete list of sponsors will be available on the Big Give website, swnebiggive.org.

The Southwest Nebraska Big Give is coordinated by Community Chest, which is a sub-account of the McCook Community Foundation Fund, an affiliated fund of the Nebraska Community Foundation.

Big Give Groups Working Toward Specific Goals

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 18 Oct 2024 02:11:15 GMT

By RONDA GRAFF

MCFF

With less than a month until the 2024 Southwest Nebraska Big Give, organizers would like to introduce all the organizations which are part of the one day of giving. But with more than 40 non-profits, the groups have been loosely divided into groups, somewhat based on the projects they are working on or people they are serving.

By the Big Give on Thursday, Nov. 7, all of the organizations will be covered, starting with the non-profits which are working toward a specific project and/or entity.

Perhaps the best known group in the Big Give is the McCook YMCA , which has been a part of McCook for nearly a century. While the organization is undergoing a capital campaign, funds from the Big Give are used to offset fees for families and youth, as well as operating expenses.

Another well-known entity is the McCook Humane Society , which works tirelessly for our four-legged friends, both feline and canine. Sticking with the animals, the McCook K9 Korner operates McCook’s dog park, located at Barnett Park with the hope of installing agility equipment for visiting dogs.

Many have likely heard of Habitat for Humanity , which has a Southwest Nebraska Chapter and is responsible for many new houses throughout the area over the past few years with the hope of building more in the future.

Two organizations which are helping our communities remember (or find) their history is the High Plains Historical Society and Museum , with its location on Norris Avenue, and the Southwest Nebraska Genealogy Society , which utilizes the resources in the museum as well as online.

Returning after a year’s hiatus is the Freedom Festival , which is McCook’s annual Fourth of July celebration and is organized by McCook Christian Church.

New to the Big Give in 2024 is Beautify McCook , which is responsible for McCook’s downtown holiday lighting, the flowering planters on Norris Avenue and additional lights in Norris Park. Cambridge Park Foundation joins the Big Give for the first time, as it works to improve and update the city’s park.

Southwest Area Training Services , commonly called SWATS, has joined for itself and its foundation, serving our community’s residents with special needs.

And the Daughters of the American Revolution joins Big Give for the first time in 2024, again helping people remember their past while looking forward.

The Southwest Nebraska Big Give is made even more impactful because of the generous sponsors, which provide matching dollars. Platinum and gold sponsors include Graff Charitable Foundation and MNB Bank, Community Hospital and First Interstate Bank. A complete list of sponsors will be available on the Big Give website, swnebiggive.org.

The Southwest Nebraska Big Give is coordinated by Community Chest, which is a sub-account of the McCook Community Foundation Fund, an affiliated fund of the Nebraska Community Foundation.

Everyone and Every Community Could Use a Bit of Whimsy

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 13:57:06 GMT

Communities need fun, joy and color... in other words, whimsy

The days are starting to grow shorter with darkness arriving earlier every day. The leaves are quickly falling to the ground, leaving behind barren trees. And the summer’s colorful flowers have either withered away or been moved inside.

We will soon be in the dark, dreary days of winter. While I personally enjoy winter, it reminds us of why it is so important to have joy and even more specifically, something whimsical in our day to day lives.

What does whimsical mean? It can be playful, quaint, or fanciful. When I think something is whimsical, it brings a smile to my face. It can be the color. It can be the uniqueness. It can be the unexpected.

Think of the last time you visited a new community. You likely passed offices and houses that look like everywhere else. But was there something that caught your attention? What made you stop in your tracks and take notice? What made you whip out your phone to take a picture so that you could share this experience with everyone else.

Most likely it was something colorful. Most likely it was something fun. Most likely it was something unique.

Recently, I was on a bike ride with my friends on the Katy Trail, a rails-to-trails route across Missouri. We would peddle for a few miles and then stop at the small towns along the way. Nearly every town had something that we were going to take a picture of, admittedly some of our own making like standing in the window of a storefront posing as mannequins. Almost every community, regardless of size, featured something that helped us remember where we were, which is helpful because the towns do start to blend together after a while. Or the city featured something unique to their community, such as its history by bringing it to life with actors portraying their former residents walking down their main street on a Saturday morning.

Ultimately, every community needs something that would want to make a visitor take a picture and send it to others.

And having those whimsical points of interest or entertaining, fun events in a town are not just for visitors.

Installing bright, colorful art pieces brings joy to everyone, including the people who live there every day. Holding social events in a community brings friends and families together for the simple reason of just being together.

Now take a moment and think about what your community has that would make someone take a picture.

In McCook, we have a few. There are the giant stones in Norris Alley, which encourage people to sit and relax, especially when they are warm from the summer sun. They are unique and different, especially in the cement setting.

The bike rack at the high school in the shape of a bicycle was donated in memory of Tor Olson. Two more are ready to be installed, one at the new aquatic center and the other on Norris Avenue. The design is not exactly practical, in that the rack will only a couple bicycles but in exchange, they are eye-catching and bring joy.

The mural on West First continues to be dramatic and impressive, catching your eye every time you walk or drive past it.

These are all physical examples of whimsy, but whimsical can be a feeling in can make on your own too.

Just a walk around your neighborhood to intentionally notice the changing leaves, who has a new dog or someone with grandkids visiting can bring joy to your life. Maybe you’ve had a bike sitting in your garage for several years gathering dust. While the mornings are getting chilly, an afternoon bike ride can still bring back memories of your childhood and the joy - and freedom - you got riding around your block.

But as a community, we are more practical than playful but that is something we can - and need - to change. The McCook Creative District is working on a downtown revitalization plan, which will include artistic changes. Community Hospital is building a new apartment complex which will bring art and color to downtown. And there is hopefully more on the horizon.

There are numerous ways to be beauty and fun, joy and whimsy to our community. Some has to be intentional, such as including color or art to the exterior of our buildings or installing public art pieces on our downtown corers. Alternately, whimsy can be of our own making and if we are observant enough to notice the joy around us already. Either way, we can all benefit from a little bit more laughter, a little bit more joy, a little bit more whimsy.

***

On a related note, Karrie Steely, who was a lead artist on the McCook mural, is looking for others to be part of the next mural project in McCook. They are just getting organized so if you would like to be involved, please contact Karrie at karrie.steely@gmail.com. You can help bring a bit more color and whimsy to our community.

Everyone Can Plants the Seeds to Make Our Community Better

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 17 Oct 2024 13:44:30 GMT

As I write this column, fresh produce is overflowing on my kitchen counter. A watermelon threatens to roll off the table every time someone walks by. A bag of tomatoes awaits it fate after being missed as part of the last batch of homemade salsa. Every variety of pepper can be found among the multiple plastic bags scattered around the kitchen.

And the buckets and buckets of zucchini and squash sitting on the floor? What to say about those never-ending gourds except that they seem to keep appearing magically and are simply always around. As the joke goes, it’s that time of year when if you leave your vehicle (or in my case, my office door) unlocked, you’ll likely find produce left behind.

All of this is great problem to have because I don’t have a home garden, a very intentional decision. For years, I planted a garden, spending an obscene amount of money on plants and seeds, only to see the garden overtaken by weeds with little to no produce at the end of the growing season. I could have just buried the dollar bills in the ground and come out the same at the end of the growing season.

Along with the financial aspect, I don’t enjoy bending over to dig in the dirt or kneeling for hours to pull the weeds or wondering what animal is going rub my hand as I search for veggies under the giant leaves. Personally, that is not how I want to spend my time.

But there are plenty of people who live for gardening. They enjoy the feel of the warm earth falling between their fingers, they take pleasure in lugging a hose around their yard and they look forward to the sun beating down on their back as they ruffle through the plants, looking for the hidden veggies. Kudos to everyone who enjoys working in a garden and managed to have not only enough produce to feed themselves but to sell or giveaway to others.

On a side note, can someone explain why are veggies so hard to find in a garden, even a well-manicured plot of ground? The giant leaves hide the zucchini until they are so big that they are practically inedible. Beans blend in with the stems so they are overlooked, only to find dozens more just when you thought you were one. And watermelons look they are perfectly ripe on the stems, only to be cut open revealing a white, tasteless interior. It’s like these fruits and veggies don’t want us to eat them, despite that being their only purpose.

But I digress….

Instead of planting a garden, I visit the farmer’s markets and rely on friends and family to gift their leftover produce. Buying or accepting the excess produce is my way of supporting others, who take pride and joy in their gardening skills. And judging by my countertop, this year has been a bountiful year with fruits and veggies arriving nearly daily.

Essentially, I am benefitting from what others took the time to work on earlier in the year.

And we are blessed to have a robust farmer’s market in McCook every Saturday morning, where anyone can get the freshest produce possible.

Simply put, we are all benefitting from the work of others, in this case, benefitting from those with a green thumb.

Along those same lines, we all benefit in our communities from the work of others. No one lives in a bubble. We stand on the shoulders of those who came before us. Whatever analogy you want to use, we all live in a community that is better because of those who took the initiative to get things done, who made things happen in the past, who planted the seeds that grew into our community.

Moving forward, we are the people who need to plant the seeds to create the hometowns we want them to be. Each of us have unique skills that we can bring to the table to make our communities even better.

Maybe you are good at organizing events without breaking a sweat. Perhaps you know how to create a social media campaign in your sleep. Or you may be that person who just comes up with ideas but can get other people to do them.

Everyone has a role to play in their community, whether it is volunteering at the Humane Society; coaching a flag football team, or attending the next local theatrical production (in this case Elf in mid-November at the Fox) to support those who have spent countless hours rehearsing.

By working together and sharing our skills and passions and ideas, we can make our hometown even better and we all benefit in the end.

SW Nebraska Big Give Hosting Record Numbers of Groups

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 04 Oct 2024 18:39:04 GMT

By RONDA GRAFF

MCFF

McCOOK, Neb. - Now in its ninth year, the Southwest Nebraska Big Give on Nov. 7 is bigger than ever with the most non-profit organizations participating in the 24 hours of giving.

The 2024 Big Give includes 41 groups, which represent nearly a dozen communities and an even wider variety of interests and topics, programs and projects.

The Big Give was originally called Big Give McCook but evolved into Southwest Nebraska Big Give in 2023 to recognize all the organizations from surrounding communities which take part in the one-day of philanthropy. The goal is also to bring in sponsorship dollars from not only McCook but all of Southwest Nebraska since sponsorship dollars are what make the Big Give so impactful.

To be eligible for the Southwest Nebraska Big Give, an organization much be a 501(3) non-profit with a physical presence in Southwest Nebraska.

The organizations taking part this year which have been part of the Big Give since its inception in 2016 include the McCook YMCA, McCook Arts Council, McCook Community Chest, McCook Humane Society, Family Resource Center, McCook Community Foundation Fund, Community Action Partnership of Mid-Nebraska, Domestic Abuse/Sexual Assault Services, Salvation Army, Court Appointed Special Advocates, Southwest Nebraska Habitat for Humanity and McCook’s TeamMates Mentoring Program.

Other 2024 organizations include the Community Hospital Health Foundation, ABC Pregnancy Help Center, Sixth Floor Project/ArtBank, Cambridge Senior Center, Curtis Area Senior Center, Discovery Center, Haigler Community Foundation, High Plains Historical Society and Museum, Hillcrest Nursing Home Foundation, Boy Scouts of America-Mid-America Council, Norris Institute, McCook Art Guild, McCook College Foundation, McCook Community Kitchen, McCook Education Foundation, McCook K9 Korner, McCook Legion Baseball Boosters, Southwest Nebraska Genealogy Society, St. Patrick School, Tri Valley Medial Foundation, and TeamMates for Cambridge and Maywood.

New organizations this year are Beautify McCook, Stratton Community Foundation Fund, Cambridge Community Daycare Foundation, Cambridge Park Foundation, Southwest Area Training Service and Daughters of the American Revolution. And returning is Freedom Festival after a one-year hiatus.

Over the next month, look for a series of stories about all the organizations, what their missions and goals are and projects planned for the upcoming year.

The 2024 Southwest Nebraska Big Give is made possible because of sponsors providing matching funds, which are used during the “power hours” throughout the day, as well as overall matching funds for each organization based upon their totals.

Platinum and gold sponsors include Graff Charitable Foundation and MNB Bank, Community Hospital and First Interstate Bank. A complete list of sponsors will be available on the Big Give website, swnebihgive.org.

More information about the Big Give and all the organizations participating can be found on the Big Give website.

Online donations will begin to be accepted at 12 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 7 through 11:59 p.m. A complete list of in-person giving stations can be found on the website, along with a printable form so donors can arrive with their donation ready.

The Southwest Nebraska Big Give is coordinated by Community Chest, which is a sub-account of the McCook Community Foundation Fund, an affiliated fund of the Nebraska Community Foundation.

Knowing When It Is Time to Step Aside

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 04 Oct 2024 18:32:41 GMT

On the Saturday of McCook’s Heritage Days, I woke up at 7 a.m., quickly threw on some running clothes and dashed out the door, arriving at the starting line just a few minutes before Coach Sughroue gave the official start to the 5K race. It was a beautiful morning for a run - with a lot of walking - and was made even more perfect because I wasn’t in charge.

Prior to this year, my day would have looked a lot different. For starters, the day would have begun the night before by marking the course with arrows and signs so the runners and walkers know where to go. The next morning, I would have been up before the sun, arriving at the start line in the dark with a headlamp for lighting to further set up for the road race.

Instead, Autumn Miller at Anytime Fitness had reached out a few months prior about taking over the race, which has benefitted the McCook High School Cross Country team for years. I didn’t know what changes she would make, but to me it was more important that the race continue since I believe it is an asset for the community and a great way to start the Saturday of Heritage Days.

And she did a great job pulling the race together, making changes she wanted to see happen like simplifying the registration and making changes that she had to do like making a new route. I am confident that the race will continue, it will likely grow in numbers and the high school cross country runners will always grumble about getting up early on a Saturday to stand on a corner directing traffic.

It is this transition that needs to happen if we want to see our community grow and thrive. We need to be willing to step aside and let others take over. At a minimum, we need to be willing to let others get involved and make their mark on an event or in an organization.

The event or the project, the program or the organization may not look like what you envisioned, but we must be willing to let others take over and get involved.

It takes letting go of control. It means releasing your ego. It involves stepping aside.

Am I perfect at this? By no means because it is a control issue. But I have been fortunate that others welcomed me and let my ideas be heard and boy, do I have ideas. Anyone who works with me knows that I think all of my ideas are golden. Yes, I know all my ideas are not golden but I can say they are, especially if I want to be McCook’s next Cloyd Clark, who if you didn’t know him liked to come up with ideas and get others to do them. I’ve only mastered coming up with ideas and then usually have to do them myself.

And that is what I want to do for others: get them involved. This means listening to them and putting their ideas into action. All of that requires work and being intentional and perhaps hardest of all - setting aside our egos.

I showed up at the Heritage Days race for several reasons, admittedly one was just to see how the race went and if there was a good turn-out - which there was. I wanted to be there in case there were any questions - which there weren’t. And I wanted to be there to show support - which I am glad I did.

And that last step is maybe one of the most important steps involved: showing up.

All too freque ntly, when our time managing an organization or volunteering for a project is over, we quit paying attention to what the group is doing or we stop attending the event. Our presence is just as important - perhaps even more vital - after our time is over because of the knowledge we know, the experience we bring to those who are just trying to figure things out. This doesn’t mean looming over and imposing prior thoughts and ideas but rather just being available to bounce ideas off and provide history of things that worked and didn’t work so well in the past.

If we want our hometowns to grow and thrive, we need our young people to get involved in the community, so they can take over. We need our newcomers to know that their new ideas are welcomed and can be put into action. We need to be open to current residents with a good, thought-out plan and be willing to help make it happen. And finally, we need to show up and support those who are working to make our hometowns even better place to call home.

Applying Pressure to Keep Moving Forward

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Sat, 28 Sep 2024 21:31:54 GMT

All of my kids ride bicycles, some more than others, which means different skill levels.

Most of my kids have ridden every mile across Iowa, among thousands of other bikers, so are very agile and experienced on a bike.

A few of my kids have not spent much time on a bike so when they do, issues sometimes arise.

In particular, my youngest daughter, Emma, was on a ride with me from McCook to the Kansas border. For those who don’t know the terrain, there is a significant hill south of McCook as you leave the Republican River Valley, otherwise known as “M” Hill.

As we made our way back toward McCook, we descended the hill, quickly picking up speed. Unfortunately, Emma put most of her weight on the seat of the bike, relieving pressure from her hands on the handlebars. This may not sound important, but without that focus and forward pressure, the front wheel started to wobble. She tried to regain control but by then, it was too late. Luckily, she was near the bottom of the hill and her speed was slowing, but she still veered off the shoulder and wrecked into the ditch. Fortunately, she was not seriously hurt and the bike was still rideable so we rode the last mile back to our house to clean her up.

It was a valuable lesson for my daughter, who still rides bikes occassionally.

But that lesson of applying pressure also relates to our communities. It is OK to coast sometimes, but there are times that you have to keep the pressure on whatever you are doing to keep moving forward.

If you let up, things can veer out of control. If you don’t have a plan, you are being reactionary rather than intentional. If you don’t have a say in what is happening. Instead, things are just happening to you.

And right now, McCook is in control of what is happening and is making things happen versus just letting things coast along - and to say there are things happening is an understatement.

Community members are putting in a lot of work to make it a reality. Essentially, they are applying pressure to make McCook on the move.

There was pressure from the community and the voters to build a new city pool. And this summer, the new McCook Aquatic Park was at maximum capacity for several days.

Private and public donors have shown their support for the McCook YMCA, as it nears the fund-raising goal, which means it can move forward with the renovations and expansions at the 40-year-old facility. They aren’t there yet, so please show your support by considering a donation to the project. Be part of the pressure to make this project happen.

And the McCook Public Schools bond issue to build and expand the McCook Senior and Junior High buildings will be on the November ballot, essential to the education of our kids. As one grandmother told me recently, this project should have been done 20 years ago.

A lot of these projects should have been done 20 years ago, but they didn’t. Instead, our community coasted along, not applying pressure to make things happen, to stay in control of our future.

We always have options about what our community looks like.

One option is to do nothing. We can sit back and coast along, to just let things stay as they are or more likely, to deteriorate. But eventually, we won’t have a community, we won’t have young people, we won’t have workers, we won’t have families who want to live here.

Another option - a better option - is to continue to provide pressure on our elected officials to get things done, for our leaders to be proactive rather than reactive to moving our community forward, for community members to get involved and have a say in what we want our community to look like.

By leaning into the issues, projects and programs happening in our community, we will continue to move forward and will continue to stay in control and will continue to make McCook and Southwest Nebraska an even better place to call home.

Transfer of Wealth Can Be Transformational

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 22:20:19 GMT

Over the next 10 years, more than $422 million will transfer from one generation to the next in McCook and Red Willow County as part of the “transfer of wealth.” That numbers jumps to $3.9 billion (yes, with a B) over the next 50 years.

Those numbers are staggering. But more importantly, those amounts are transformational - for good or for bad in a community - depending on what happens with a person’s assets.

Think about what happens when someone dies and leaves all of their assets to heirs who don’t live in their hometown. Most likely, all those assets leave the community - forever.

Alternatively, think about what happens if just a small amount of that money is designated to stay locally - it stays in the community.

Each and every one of us needs to make the decision at some point of to give or not to give, as well as where.

As a a retired dentist who moved to McCook with my family in June 1969, I went on to practice dentistry for 45 years and developed a deep love of McCook. Three days after I retired, I joined the McCook Community Foundation Fund’s Advisory Committee.

Over the past decade, I have slowly learned how this foundation-concept works and how I can be an asset to the foundation and the community.

MCFF benefits from being part of the Nebraska Community Foundation (NCF) network with more than 1,500 community volunteers from hundreds of communities across Nebraska, providing resources and connections.

It was during an NCF training that I found my “why” I do this fulfilling work.

The values that MCFF represents are important to me. They are honesty, integrity and inclusivity. Our networking with NCF has accomplished so much and we are incredibly proud and grateful.

But there is more to do.

Over the years, MCFF has invested more than $3.4 million back into McCook and Southwest Nebraska, through grants, scholarships and investments. But the biggest impact will come from the “transfer of wealth,” which has already began.

Over the next 50 years, Nebraskans will transfer billions of dollars to the next generation. This transfer of wealth offers an unprecedented opportunity if we count our communities among our heirs. Imagine what an investment of just five percent of this transfer of wealth could do for long-term economic development and qualify of life in McCook.

The opportunity is massive. The time is now.

We must act now to encourage charitable investment in the future of our community while the window is open. We must teach, encourage and inspire each other to give back today. And we must include our community in our estate planning for tomorrow.

Regardless of your age, I recommend everyone to consider the following:

Talk to your professional advisor about including your community in your estate plan.

Give to the endowment of your community fund or favorite charity.

Create a donor-advised fund to support charitable giving.

Learn how you can create your own personal legacy.

I have made two planned gifts to the McCook Community Foundation Fund and it has given me more joy and happiness that anything I have every accomplished. I was told that it is not how much you have earned and saved, but how much you have given back. It is funny that if you continually give, you will continually have given.

On a personal note, everything I have accomplished came from hard work and the grace of God. The one thing I most remember from Dr. Ralph Iceland, the dean of the UNL Dental College, was that we owed our “community service to our community.”

It should be noted that I am not wealthy but I have more than I need. The question everyone needs to ask themselves is: Are you doing everything to make your community the best it can be?

***

Dr. Bill Graves is a member of the McCook Community Foundation Fund’s Advisory Committee and has been involved in a host of projects that have shaped McCook’s future from Heritage Hills Golf Course and the new YMCA to Hillcrest Nursing Home.

Nothing Wrong with Laughing at Yourself

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 13 Sep 2024 15:45:01 GMT

My primary mode of transportation when the weather is nice s a motor-scooter. A cute, little, maroon 125cc scooter that can reach 60 mph if the wind is behind my back, if I’ve got the drag of a semi-tractor trailer in front of me and I crouch into an aerodynamic position like I’m a speedster. In other words, the scooter is cute but is not the most imposing or formidable vehicle on the road.

But I love driving my scooter around. It makes me giddy and literally makes me giggle.

It takes me back to when I was growing up in Iowa and had a little blue Suzuki scooter to ride to my friends’ houses or to the neighborhood pool every afternoon. Iowa is a bit more lack about motor vehicle laws evidently since 12 year olds can legally drive scooters as long as have a flag waving from the back.

In fact, I was riding my scooter this summer from my house to the new McCook aquatic center to lifeguard, already wearing my swimsuit. I thought to myself, “This is a great way to turn back time. I’m riding my scooter and wearing a swimsuit. I’m 12 again.”

I may look goofy but I was happy and in my element and able to laugh at myself.

And there is nothing wrong with being happy, enjoying the moment and perhaps most importantly being able to laugh at yourself. Siting through meeting after meeting, I often lament that people take themselves too seriously. Yes, there is a time and place for seriousness and earnestness but there is also a time for fun and yes, being able to laugh at your surroundings, at the moment and at yourself.

And trust me, I do plenty of things that I just have to stop and laugh because the alternative is breaking down in tears.

During a recent outing on my scooter, I stopped by the McCook Post Office to check the mailboxes and drop off a few letters. Many people don’t realize that I am one of the laziest people I know. I wear slip-on shoes as often as possible so I don’t have to stop and bend over to tie them. So as I climbed off the scooter, I decided to leave my helmet in place heading into the post office, slightly inhibiting my vision but too lazy to take it off.

As I approached the building, a five-column headline on latest McCook Gazette caught my attention in the box by the door. Looking to my right, I didn’t notice that I wasn’t in front of the door, but rather an immobile glass window. I walked right into the window, fortunately not forcefully, my helmet bouncing off the glass. I giggled to myself, glanced over my shoulder at the SUV that had just pulled up and continued inside, saying a prayer of thanks that my everyday life isn’t recorded.

As I walked outside with mail in hand, the lady in the SUV had just stepped out of her vehicle.

“Yes, I saw that,” she said with a grin.

“Yep, sometimes you just have to laugh at yourself,” I responded as I climbed back on my scooter with my ego bruised but still in tact.

Later in the day, I found myself at the Red Willow County fairgrounds, as part of the McCook Rotary Club’s regular service project to help dismantle the Red Cross Bloodmobile that had wrapped up for the day. With all the tables and chairs put away and the floors swept, the only things remaining out were loaves of bread, leftover from the sandwiches for blood donors earlier in the day. Organizer Cathy Carman offered to let us volunteers take them home. We go through a lot of bread at my house so I eagerly grabbed a couple loaves, forgetting my mode of transportation.

Emerging out of the community building, I remembered that first: I was on my scooter; secondly, that I had stopped at the store earlier in the day for a few grocery items that now filled the enclosed set; and adding to the dilemma, I had been gifted a cantaloupe earlier in the day that now sat where my feet rested during the ride.

So on my ride home, I was grasping two loaves of bread in my left hand, my right hand was steering the scooter and providing adequate braking and my feet were corralling produce to keep it from rolling off as I rounded each corner. Again, I giggled as I rode away from the fairgrounds and was thankful that no one was video-taping my escapades.

But if we can’t laugh at ourselves first, who can we laugh at.

***

Speaking of simply having fun, next week is one of McCook’s biggest events of the year with the McCook Chamber’s Heritage Days. Celebrating Octoberfest, I can’t wait to dig out my German outfits for the a few of the events. Not sure if I’ll wear my dirndls to the MNB Mixer on Wednesday, Sept. 18, McCook Community Foundation Fund’s Third Thursday on Thursday, Sept. 19 on Norris Avenue or for the parade on Saturday, Sept. 21. Any of the events will be a great opportunity to visit with friends and neighbors, to spend time with family and maybe even a moment or two to just laugh at yourself and have fun.

Consider the Questions We Ask Our Youth

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 05 Sep 2024 13:24:05 GMT

Every May, the McCook Community Foundation Fund is allowed to be part of the McCook High School graduation practice, which includes several components to prepare for the actual graduation a few days later.

One role of MCFF at the practice is distributing a graduation gift to all of that year’s soon-to-be graduates.The gifts have included an actual mailboxes to remind the students of where they came from with the outline of Nebraska and a star in McCook’s location within the state. The mailboxes could often be seen at graduation receptions, as the perfect receptacle for graduation envelopes. More recently, the gifts have been portable chargers or water bottles, all with a note reminding them that their hometown wants them to stay or return.

MCFF also coordinates speakers for the graduation practice, who share their personal message about why they chose to stay in McCook or why they have returned.

Some of the speakers immediately entered the local workforce after graduation. Others gained skills training or earned a two-year degree. And some finished their higher education elsewhere, perhaps met a spouse, started a family and decided that McCook was where they wanted to raise their family.

Every person has a different path and a different story. But the message by each speaker to the students was the same at the end: We want each and every one of you to return and live in your hometown. This applies in McCook or any of the small communities across our area.

This hasn’t always been said to our young people. A survey of our young people around 2012 had a question that asked if anyone had ever asked them to move back. The number of students who answered yes was drastically low. And that is why MCFF started the project of inviting young people to stay or move back to their hometowns.

And we have made progress in this area. The survey of young people is done every few years and the answer to the question about if anyone has asked them to return home is shifting from a majority “no’s” to more and more answering “yes.”

But recently I heard a new question popping up that has caught my attention and I have even found myself asking it of young people.

“What are you doing here?”

The question seems innocent enough because you are simply inquiring what they are doing with their lives at that point.

You may run into a young person at the county fair and pose the question “What are you doing here?” You may pass a college student walking down the sidewalk on Norris and again ask “What are you doing here?” You may run into a former high school student at the YMCA and ask “What are you doing here?”

But if you really start to think about that question, it can imply several other reasons, such as “you aren’t supposed to be here” or “shouldn’t you be somewhere else” or “I assume you aren’t staying long.”

What if we rephrase the question or add to it? “What are you doing here? It is great to have you back.” “What are you doing here? I hope it is because you are moving back.” “What are you doing here? We’ve missed having you in the community.”

Or it could be as simple as “It is great to see you here” when we see a young person who has returned for a short visit or has moved back to the community.

When we are talking to our young people, we need to consider the questions we ask them and where those questions may lead. We can ask them “What are you doing here?” but we need to be ready to ask the next question that will hopefully lead them to returning and staying in their hometowns.

Dancing Can Get the Ideas Flowing

Mon, 02 Sep 2024 21:59:54 GMT

Recently, I was encouraged to write about my earlier years of promoting dancing and why it is important for a community. My thoughts can be applied to many different community activities, whether it is pickle ball or disc golf, but dancing is one of my passions so the focus will be on that.

My enthusiasm can be summed up in three reasons:

Dancing brings people together.

It provides healthy exercise.

It provides a positive enjoyment of music in a fun atmosphere.  

All of that leads up to one more reason why dancing or many other events and activities are important: when people get together, they visit and sometimes get ideas about their community. And we need more of those opportunities to come up with new ideas.

I can easily recount from my past many good experiences that include people thinking about how they could make their communities better, which then become a reality.

These include promoting a creation of a new hospital in Cambridge in the 1950s, a new swimming pool at Curtis in the 1970s, a medical clinic in Indianola in the 1980s, a major renovation at Hillcrest Nursing Home in the 1990s and the major idea to form the McCook Community Foundation Fund in the early 2000s.

I mentioned Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook, which has been my passion since 1987. Soon after taking over as director, I learned that a higher power was involved there, from the kind and attentive employees to caring for a generation in their new home.

Fortunately, the facility was able to grow with the addition of two new wings a few decades ago because some families provided the funds to make it happen. Additionally, the Hillcrest Foundation was formed in the 1980s with gifts continuing to help with projects.

I am also thankful for the people who work there. I learned from them that a nursing home is like a beautiful flower garden that requires constant, tender loving care for its residents.

Yet another passion of mine is personal giving. I devote my time and energy and funds as a way to give back after all that has been given to me. As I observe other foundations, it has been a blessing to see that many other donors feel the same way by giving back.

My comments go out to all communities in appreciation for the citizens who give back and pay forward to the next generation.

The bottom line is that we need to revive dancing opportunities or the social gathering that will bring people together and get the ideas flowing, whether it is building the next community asset or providing the funds to make those projects happen. Speaking for myself, my reformed buddy and alter-ego Scrooge and his good friend, Tiny Tim: May your life and our communities get a boost from a good dance.

***

On a side note: Dancing has not disappeared from our community. In fact, a public dance can be found on the third Sunday every month from 6-9 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus Hall in McCook, 309 East 9th.

And if there happens to be a fifth Sunday, there is a bonus dance that month.

Dance volunteer and coordinator Sheri Rothemeyer notes that those in attendance come from the tri-state area and include all ages. More importantly, it is open to all abilities, from those who are stepping onto the dance floor for the first time to those who have been at it for decades.

The evening includes a live band playing music of all genres, free snacks, a cash bar and even a split-the-pot raffle. All for $10 per person.

For more information, contact Bob Burns at 308.340.8837 or Sherri Rothemeyer at 308.340.0563.

***

Don Harpst has been a member of the McCook Community Foundation Fund several times during its past two decades and can still dance circles around all of us, whether in the community or on the dance floor.

Our Focus Determines Our Future

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 22 Aug 2024 18:27:54 GMT

On an outdoor bicycle ride, I am constantly surveying my surroundings, in particular the road or more likely, the shoulder alongside the highway in front of me. Cyclists are regularly looking for obstacles or anything that might prove dangerous or cause an accident.

After all, if we are going 15 mph, we cover the 20 feet in front of us in less than 10 seconds so decisions need to be made constantly and fairly swiftly.

As I look at the ground quickly being covered by the bicycle, there is almost always something out of the ordinary in the path at some point. It may be roadkill, with or without all the body parts depending how long it has been there. It could be a brand new baseball cap that flew off a passing motorcyclist just returning from Sturgis, S.D., the latest treasure on the roadside. It could be a screwdriver, a practice which has increased the tool supply at home multiple times over.

But the most common items found in the middle of the shoulder are small rocks kicked up by passing vehicles. For bicyclists, even a small rock can prove hazardous as one of two things may happen. The bike tire hits the rock, sending the bicycle careening one direction or the other, forcing the rider to lose control and possibly wrecking. Alternately, the tire hits the rock and through a force of physics that I don’t understand, the rock jettisons from the ground, usually hitting the biking partner riding close by.

You might be thinking, so just avoid the rock. Trust me, I say the same thing to myself. Ironically, it isn’t that simple to tell yourself to simply focus.

There might not be anything on either side of that rock for three feet, easily allowing room to weave around the obstacle, but my skinny little bike tire is going straight toward that rock.

Why? Because my focus is on the rock. And where I focus is where I go. Most likely I am going to hit the rock because my attention is like a laser pointer to the rock.

But there is a third alternative: looking away from the rock, focusing on the smooth road in front of me.

At some point, I have to take my attention away from the rock, which provides instability and possible danger, and refocus on something more productive like staying upright and moving forward and making progress.

So why so much attention on a little rock?

We all have little rocks in our lives, which consume our time, which can steer your attention from something productive to something pointless, which can insert uncertainty and unreliability.

In the end, where we focus is what we devote attention and time to. The little rock is what we will hit…literally but usually figuratively.

As the days pass by, consider what your focus lands? Is it staring at your phone and the endless scrolling? Is it playing video games for hours on end? Is it binge watching a 10-season television show in two days?

None of these are bad in themselves and it is good to let your brain just wander sometimes but consider what you could be doing with that same time to learn a new language at least enough to find a restroom in a foreign country, read a book that has been sitting on your shelf for years, or write a letter to a friend in the retirement home.

The focus can also steer you in the wrong direction. If I keep my focus on the rock, there is the possibility that I won’t accomplish what I want to do on my bike ride, that is making it safely to the end of the ride or making it to The Perk in Culbertson for my morning breakfast burrito mid-ride.

Some of the decisions we make on where to set our focus have longer-reaching, deeper affects on us and our community.

Is it watching and reading the news, a cycle that can’t and won’t ever end of which you have little, if any, control? Is it having conversations that focus on only the negative things happening in your community, instead of celebrating all the good things taking place? Is it sharing social media posts which foster division rather than how to come together to make our communities better for everyone?

Every day, we decide where to set our focus. Will it be on something that derails your plans or sends you veering off into a direction that is not best for you or your community? Or will it be on something positive that helps you reach your goal and makes the community a better place for yourself, your family and your friends? Will your focus being on the small, obstructive rock in the road or will it be on the smooth, helpful road that you will follow? Ultimately, we each get to decide where our focus will be and how that focus will shape our community.

Cars Under the Stars Fills "Up"

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 21:48:44 GMT

The second showing of Cars Under the Stars at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds attracted a full parking lot of cars and trucks with many more in chairs and on blankets in front of the screen. Showing Pixar's Up, the Youth Change Reaction youth group handed out balloons to all those in attendance.

More movies are planned in the upcoming months, especially with Halloween around the corner.

If a group or organization would like to host a Cars Under the Stars drive-in theater event, please contact the Red Willow County Fairboard.

Second "Cars Under the Stars" Showing Aug. 17

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 13:54:14 GMT

McCOOK - The big screen at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds will be lit up again Saturday, Aug. 17 with the second showing at the Cars Under the Stars drive-in theater.

Pixar’s “Up” will be the featured film being hosted by the Youth Change Reaction. Gates will open at 8:30 p.m. with the movie starting at sundown, approximately 9 p.m.

There is no admittance fee, although free-will donations will be accepted. Plus, there will be a surprise gift for everyone in attendance. And the audience is welcome to brings snacks and drinks in their vehicles.

Audio for the movie is provided through a radio signal on FM radio station 99.9, so audience members can listen in their vehicle. A blue-tooth speaker will not work unless it is able to pick up a radio signal. A speaker will be provided near the front of the parking area for those wishing to sit in lawn chairs in front of the movie screen.

McCook Community Foundation Fund’s youth group, Youth Change Reaction, started work on the outdoor theater to McCook in early 2022 and had its first showing May 4, 2024, with a Star Wars-themed movie.

YCR is made up of McCook High School students from each grade level, who focus on youth-centered projects for their hometown. They wanted a big project that would benefit the community for years and created Cars Under the Stars with the help of the Red Willow County fair board.

For more information about Cars Under the Stars, including hosting a drive-in movie, visit the MCFF website, mccookfoundation.org . And for dates available at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds and to reserve the theater equipment, contact Jiles Bowman at rwcfairmanager@gmail.com .

Registration Open for Southwest Nebraska Big Give Organizations

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 16 Aug 2024 13:52:11 GMT

By RONDA GRAFF

MCFF

The 9th annual Southwest Nebraska Big Give McCook is Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024 and will feature many of the activities associated with the Big Give including giving stations and power hours. And there are several new elements being planned including a meet-and-greet with the organizations and promotions throughout the community.

But before the big day, a lot of planning and work goes into the one-day of giving for Southwest Nebraska. This includes getting the non-profit organizations registered for the event.

With some changes to the giving platform, all organizations much register this year, whether they have participated before or not in the Big Give.

The 2023 Big Give featured 34 non-profits and Community Chest organizers are hoping for all those organizations to return and new groups to join in 2024.

Registration is now open through Sept. 9 on the Big Give website, swnebiggive.org. This date is a little later than it has been in the past, so organizers would like the non-profit organizations to get registered as soon as possible.

To join Big Give, organizations are asked to fill out an application on the website under “Register Your Non-Profit Now.” Participants will also be asked to attend one planning meeting as well as offer support leading up to and on the day of Big Give McCook.

To be eligible for Big Give, organizations must have a 501(c)3 exempt status in good standing with the IRS as well as have a physical presence and provide services for Southwest Nebraska. Private foundations and political or governmental organizations are excluded from the event. Religious organizations are also excluded except those providing community programs. All applications are ultimately approved by the Community Chest committee with non-profit status verified through Guidestar.

Coordinated by the Community Chest volunteer committee, Southwest Nebraska Big Give is one day devoted to philanthropy, where every donation - large or small - makes a difference. From midnight to midnight on Nov. 7, participating non-profits will be eligible for donations, whether they are given online or in person at “giving stations” around McCook..

The event is now in its second year as Southwest Nebraska Big Give, previously known as Big Give McCook. But several organizations participating from around the area, the name was changed in 2023

The Community Chest provides financial resources to a dozen agencies in McCook, which serve the basic needs of the community. Community Chest is a sub-account of the McCook Community Foundation Fund, which is an affiliated fund of the Nebraska Community Foundation.

YMCA Helping Make "McCook on the Move"

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 20:36:59 GMT

YMCA Kicks Off $16 million Capital Campaign

If you wonder if McCook is on the move, just look at all the things happening or that are in the works.

There is the new city pool, which remains open for another two weeks on the weekends. There are new events, including Third Thursdays through October, bringing shopping, music, food and fun to Norris Avenue and Cars Under the Stars drive-in theater, which is showing Pixar’s “Up” Saturday night at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds. There are numerous housing projects, helping alleviate an issue that is a topic at every discussion. And there is the ballfield project, which has grown to include space for not just new baseball fields but new businesses and housing and green space for the community.

All of these projects are building excitement for the future of McCook and Southwest Nebraska.

But perhaps one of the most needed and most overdue projects is the McCook YMCA renovation and expansion project.

This $16 million campaign is designed to bring the McCook facility both up-to-speed, with much needed repairs, and to expand the building, to provide more space, programs and possibilities than is currently offered.

McCook’s leaders had the foresight to bring the YMCA to McCook in the 1920s, constructing a building on Norris Avenue that was used for nearly 60 years. Everyone who used the facility has memories, nearly all involving the pool in the basement and the spiral staircase between floors.

Then in the late 1970s and early ‘80s, McCook again stepped up to build a new modern facility next to the high school. Opened in 1982, that building was built with a 20 to 30-year lifespan. With more than 40 years in the facility, it is showing the wear and tear of constant use over the past four decades.

The YMCA will be celebrating its 100th anniversary in McCook in just a few years. There are only a handful of businesses and organizations that can say they were around a few decades ago much less a century.

This fund-raising campaign is an ambitious goal to not only renovate and expand the current facility. But this isn’t a luxury or a desire; this is a necessity if we want our community to grow and thrive. This project is needed if we want our community to be here 100 years from now.

While the city of McCook helps with youth sporting activities by maintaining the public green spaces, the YMCA serves as the community’s recreational department. It oversees nearly all youth and adult sports programs. It provides the space and instructors for group fitness classes.

And this Y project doesn’t just affect those living in McCook.

With the only indoor pool for 60 miles in any direction, the Y attracts swimmers from St. Francis to Araphoe to Curtis. And the youth and adult sports programs provide recreation for residents of McCook, as well as most of the surrounding towns.

When I moved to McCook in 1995, the YMCA was one of my first memories. I got married on a Saturday and played in the adult volleyball league with my new husband and in-laws the following Tuesday. And I was coaching youth soccer the following spring, despite not having any kids in the league.

And since then, all of my children have spent countless hours in the pool, either as a swimmer and diver or a lifeguard or both. When the kids were younger, every Wednesday night was spent at the YMCA swimming pool, as our inexpensive outing with friends and their kids.

This is my “why” for the Y fund-raising campaign: because of what the Y has meant to me in the past and what it means to our future. Each and everyone of us has a “why” this particular asset is important to McCook and Southwest Nebraska and Northwest Kansas.

As the YMCA embarks on this fund-raising campaign with the hopes of beginning the renovations this fall, it is important for each of us to consider how we can help and why it is important to the community. Maybe you benefit directly from the YMCA, learning how to swim, playing a sport, attending an event. Or maybe you benefit indirectly because your business needs employees, who need the YMCA.

Everyone has a different “why” for the Y and in the end, each of us can be part of helping make "McCook on the Move."

Little Wins are Just as Important as Big Plans

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 09 Aug 2024 13:19:03 GMT

One of my hobbies is doing triathlons. For those who don’t know what this sport entails, a traditional triathlon is swimming, bicycling and running - or in my case, walking.

The order of events is intentional with the swim going first. If you are tired on the run, just walk. If you are tired on the swim, you have bigger issues. That being said, my son has done a triathlon in Iowa that starts with the run, then bikes and finishes with the swim.

There are several distances to choose from when doing a triathlon, some official and some created for the particular event. There are super sprints, which can be completed in less than half an hour. You may have seen Olympic-length which is being done at….the Olympics. I assume the distances for the Olympic triathlons are what will work best with commercial breaks.

Next up in the distances is the half-iron or middle distance, which features a 1.2 mile swim, a 56-mile bike and a 13.1-mile run and is the most popular distance.

But the longest distance is the full-iron or long-distance triathlon. The athletes swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles and run a marathon or 26.2 miles. If you are wondering how long this takes, a professional triathlete can do it in 7 to 8 hours. Normal people like my husband and me use up the allotted time or 15 to 16 hours. Yes, we are out on a race course from sun-up to sun-down and sometimes longer, necessitating head lamps and glow sticks to finish the race.

A full triathlon is physically and mentally draining. As you walk up to the start to begin your swim, you know there is a lot of work ahead of you and that can be overwhelming, causing some to not even start.

So why is my focus on a sport that relatively few people do? Because long-distance triathlons can be viewed much in the same way that we view progress in our communities. The easy answer whether considering tacking a long-triathlon or making changes in your community would be not to do anything because it is going to be a lot of hard work, people are going to question your decisions and you may be burned out and overwhelmed by the end.

But ultimately, each one of us makes the decision whether to move forward or not, whether something in our personal lives or with projects in our community.

When my husband and I decided to tackle a long-distance triathlon, it required so much training that it was essentially a second job. But we also received a bit of advice to help us get through the long days of training and on the day of the event: break up the triathlon into pieces.

When we are in the water, we are only to be thinking about swimming. We were to think only about reaching the next buoy, to focus on the next three breaths, to plan for the next turn on the course.

If we started to think about the long, hot bike ride or the shadeless, hilly run still ahead of us while we were in the water, we would mentally break down. It was too daunting to think about all the miles that we still needed to complete in order to be successful.

Instead, we needed to celebrate the small wins of passing someone in the lap lane if we were in a pool or not drowning on the first loop of an ocean swim. If anyone would love to hear the reality about a Nebraskan heading to Florida for a triathlon without having every swam in the ocean first, let me know.

Everyone and every community needs small victories in order to keep moving forward. Yes, we need long-term, big idea plans on the horizon but it’s the small steps along the way that give us momentum, that let us know we are headed in the right direction.

That is why the smaller projects you see around the community are so important. We need the flowering planters, the monthly concerts and flags flying on the main street.

And these are just a few ideas. Everyone has ideas that they think would improve their community. But maybe you don’t how to get started; you don’t know where to find funding; you don’t know if it is a good idea or even possible. Reach out to those who are getting things done and ask for help, ask how they got started, ask how they got funding.

We need small projects along with big plans to build pride, to instill a love of community, to create the communities that we want to live in.

If you need one more tie-in to triathlons, watch the swim portion of an open-water swim.

Every third or fourth stroke, the triathlete will lift there head to both take a breath but to also look forward and get their bearings. Then they put their head back into the water for a few more strokes before repeating the process. While keeping their head in the water is more efficient, lifting their head occasionally helps them keep their focus, lets them know they are on the most efficient path, and reminds them that they are on the right course.

Whether it is in our personal lives or for our community, we need to do that too. We need to be efficient and have long-term plans to be successful but we need to lift our heads up now and then to find our focus, to know that we are on the right path and to remind ourselves that we are on the right course. And perhaps most importantly, we need to pursue and celebrate the little wins along the way.

Community Events Can Outdraw Lure of the Olympics

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 14:51:18 GMT

While my family and I participate in a lot of sporting events, we don’t dedicate a lot of time to watching them in person or on TV. We’ll turn on the Super Bowl every February for the commercials and half-time show and to hang out with our friends. My husband and boys will watch a motocross race occasionally, thinking they are just as fast on their bikes. And since tickets to the Nebraska volleyball games are the hardest things in Nebraska to get, we will watch any Husker volleyball game being broadcast.

But for the most part, we’d rather be doing than watching….except when it comes to the Olympics.

Thank goodness the Olympics only happen every few years or I would get nothing done. Over the past week, I’ve watched all the high-profile sports like swimming and gymnastics and volleyball (FYI, the US team has three Nebraska players on the roster which is pretty impressive). But once I have made it through that day’s offerings of those sports, I venture into the second-tier sports, of which I usually have no clue about the rules such as judo, handball and break-dancing. Yes, break-dancing is making its debut at the 2024 Olympics in Paris. I have watched badminton and ping pong, kayaking and rowing, synchronized diving and foiling, all the time not knowing one iota what was going on and who the winner was until someone got really excited at the end.

Like curling during the winter Olympics, we forget that most of these sports exist until the summer games roll around every four years. For most of these athletes, they spend four years preparing for these two weeks, so I feel a sense of duty, almost an obligation, to check in on each sport and acknowledge the effort and athleticism required - and critique their uniforms, good and bad.

But even with more hours of Olympic TV coverage available than is humanly-possible to watch, I know that I need to venture away from my TV and outside my home - for the simple fact that there is so much going on in our communities that we need to be part of and attend and support.

If you thought July was jam-packed with community events, August is shaping up to be busier with non-stop activities in our communities.

The McCook Rotary Club and CASA have joined forces with local law enforcement and fire departments for the National Night Out, which will take place Tuesday, Aug. 6 at McCook. From 6:30-7:30 p.m., everyone is encouraged to come to Norris Park, which will have the side-streets closed off to traffic for a bike rodeo, popcorn from Poppin’ on the Bricks and popsicles to cool of with. For the bicycle rodeo, you can just show up with your bike or show your creativity and decorate your bike for the night.

I will personally be bringing several extra bikes for anyone who wants to join in the event but doesn’t have a bicycle ready to go.

Just two days later, Norris Park will again be filled with people as MNB Bank’s Hot Summer Nights takes over the bandshell on Thursday, Aug. 8. Along with the free performance by Anthony and the Anamals, food will be available. Community Chest volunteers, who organize the Southwest Nebraska Big Give on Nov. 7, will be serving a hamburger meal for a free-will offering, thanks to very generous sponsors including MNB, Community Hospital, Horizon Bank, First Central Bank, Pinnacle Bank and Walmart.

And nearby, the Beautify McCook committee will be serving up root beer floats for dessert, with proceeds to benefit the projects around the community.

Beautify McCook will actually benefit from two fund-raisers this month.

On Thursday, Aug. 15, Valmont is hosting the August Third Thursday event in downtown McCook’s Creative District. Jesse Stevens and the Coyote Country’s Country Music Showdown will be providing the musical entertainment for the evening. At the end of the singing competition, the public gets to vote - with their dollars - for their favorites and the proceeds will go to Beautify McCook.

Since I had to summarize what Beautify McCook was for Third Thursday, this is a great opportunity to once again share what this small group of volunteers is doing for the community. The projects have included re-installing lights on the downtown McCook skyline; planters on the corners of downtown McCook both during the summer and the winter, which has brought many volunteer groups and individuals together for the watering schedule; and additional lights in the trees in Norris Park with the hopes of adding more every year.

And in the middle of all these events are several community events. Indianola’s Old Settler’s Days takes place from Aug. 8-11, with too many activities to list but lets just say there is dancing, food and drinks aplenty.

On the other side of McCook, Trenton is celebrating its annual Harvest Festival on Aug. 9-11 with music, food from breakfast to dawn and again enough activities to keep all ages busy throughout the day.

And then school starts and school activities will take over the calendars.

But in the meantime, show your support for the events happening in our communities by showing up and taking part in the activities. A lot of volunteer hours are given to make these these community events happen, giving each and everyone something fun to do with friends, family and neighbors.

And you can return to your couch later to catch up on the Olympics and fulfill your fascination with artistic swimming and the trampoline…yes, bonafide sports that we’ll all have to learn the rules for every four years.

Wonderful Time of the Year Anytime of the Year

Fri, 26 Jul 2024 22:45:54 GMT

Anyone who visits my house sees two signs posted around my home.

One signs says: “It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” This is a sign that you would normally see at Christmas. But every week and month can be the most wonderful time of the year - it is up to us to make it that way.

Throughout the year - not just at the holidays - you can find ways to appreciate the delightful moments. Just this past month is filled with memories to celebrate each day and last a lifetime.

I am particularly fond of July as it is the month that we have a huge family reunion. I enjoy seeing how the younger family members have grown and listening to what is happening in their busy world. And the adults share their ideas about what is going on in their community and around them. Ultimately, it is important to take time for family.

Freedom Fest wrapped up earlier in July at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds. With more than 200 volunteers, it was a huge success. I was blessed to volunteer for one of the rides that spun around and went up and down for the children. To watch the smiles on brothers and sisters holding hands as they rode the ride and the excited faces on family members as they simply had fun was heartwarming. Added bonus: Celebrating our freedom is so important.

The Red Willow County Fair is coming up along with many other fairs in our region. I have fond memories of the fair days in the past.

I was a member of the Driftwood Feeders 4-H Club. We had to get our calves and sheep ready for the fair along with various baked goods. It was always a busy but fun time for all of us.

The 4-H motto is “To Make the Best Better” is something we should all try to work on daily.

The fair is a great time to go see what is new in farm equipment, explore all the new things in the merchant building, enjoy the great goodies at the church food booths and walk around the wonderful open class and 4-H exhibits. And I am sure the Red Willow County rodeo and the other entertainment will be top notch.

Thank you to Jiles and the Red Willow County fair board for making this another great event for families to enjoy.

All these events just show the great things happening in the community. But putting on an event is only part of what needs to be done.

Many times after a great event, I hear from people that they would have gone to the activity if only they had know about it in advance.

Which begs the question, how do we get the message out to everyone?

McCook is a great community and has a lot of wonderful things going on but to continue these events, everyone needs to know what is going on. Please take time to call the McCook Community of Commerce at 308-345-3200 and leave your suggestions as to how we can improve on our communication. Is it email or a text? A poster or a billboard? A radio commercial or an ad in the paper? Social media but which platform? There are so many forms of communications these days, it is hard to narrow down the most effective way to reach people so any insight would be helpful.

And another group which is working to make McCook an impact is the McCook Community Foundation Fund. The city swimming pool is open for free for everyone, thanks to a grant from the foundation to cover the entrance fees this summer. And MCFF also is paying for all lifeguard training for anyone working at the YMCA or the McCook city pool, removing a barrier to get the employees needed to have the facility open as much as possible.

Your donations to MCFF have made a lot of great things happen in our region and will help in the future.

As for the second sign says in my house, it reads: “No matter where life takes us or how far away we roam, our hearts may make the journey but McCook will always be our home.”

I look forward to seeing all of you at the fair, the swimming pool or around the community.

***

Linda Taylor is the mayor of McCook, a member of the McCook Community Foundation Fund and McCook’s biggest cheerleader.

County Fairs Shape Our Communities

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 18 Jul 2024 16:59:02 GMT

Most of us don’t need an excuse to eat more pie, to talk longer with our friends or to fawn over bunnies, but for the next couple weeks, we have all the more reason to do. It is county fair time.

Why do people plan their summers around them? Why do they look forward to them all year round? Why do parents spend countless hours helping their children with 4-H projects?

Ultimately, what is there about county fairs that is so appealing?

The answer is different for everyone.

Personally, my connection to the Red Willow County Fair is because it was the first time I ever visited McCook in the mid-1990s. We didn’t come back to McCook for the fair but if you were in town, you were going to the county fair. I didn’t know anyone at the fair except the person who brought me there, my future husband.

Yet, by the time we left, I had visited both church food booth’s and eaten too much. I had ridden the carnival rides, spending time on one too many spinning machines. And I had met dozens and dozens of people, many who I still know and call friends to this day.

For others, county fairs brings many firsts and only’s.

During a conference this week, someone from the other side of the state fondly remembered that they had attended their first concert at the Chase County Fair, watching REO Speedwagon. She had a grin on her face from ear to ear thinking back to that memory.

Some people swear that they only eat homemade pie during fair week. Maybe the keyword in that statement is “homemade” and not “eat” and “pie” but still, the highlight of the week may be the homemade pie at the Methodist and Catholic food booths.

For many, a county fair can provide cheap entertainment. Living south of McCook, we watch car after car from Red Willow County travel past our road headed to the Decatur County Fair in Oberlin. It is arguably the best home-owned carnival, where families return home with so many stuffed animals that mom and dad can’t see out the back window.

And for others, the county fair has to do with nostalgia and simpler times.

The county fair was where you went to find your friends before you could track everyone on your phone. You knew that you were going to see your neighbors wandering the livestock building and chat about the weather. It may be the only time all year that you see some friends, giving you time to catch up on how the kids and grandkids are doing.

The county fair was where you were willing to let your kids run around fairly unsupervised, knowing that if they did something foolish, whatever it was would quickly make its way back to you.

And the county fair was where you willing to sacrifice your diet for a piece of homemade pie each night of the fair….because it was fair time. I don’t know if anyone has caught my fascination with pies yet. They truly are an art-form when the crusts are flakey, the fillings are sweet and the pieces hold up perfectly when cut. It can be summer on a plate.

Even those who aren’t directly involved in a county fair are affected by the annual event. It affects all the schedules, meetings and vacations during the second half of the summer.

There are very few conversation the past two weeks - or even throughout the year - that don’t include the statements, “that’s fair week” or “well, fair is coming up” and then the event or meeting is rescheduled or pushed back to avoid conflict.

Putting this much focus on the county fair is only fair. (Get it…little fair humor here.)

It takes place just once a year. People put a lot of work into these activities. And we are an ag-based community, so it is only right that we highlight all the hard-work that our young people do with the small and large animals, along with all the 4-H contest entries by young and old alike.

So check out the schedule of events for all the upcoming county fairs, both where you live and in the neighboring counties. Make a plan to eat dinner at least once at the food booths or vendors, many of them local businesses. Peruse the buildings with the open class exhibits, and hope the kids are nearby to explain all the work they have put into getting to fair. Attend one evening event, whether it is a concert, a rodeo or even just taking a ride on the ferris wheel.

County fairs truly are an opportunity to slow down, enjoy time with your friends and neighbors and appreciate the communities we live in. And did I mention, partake of some of the best pie all year long?

Numbers Tell the Story at New Aquatic Center

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 11 Jul 2024 13:53:33 GMT

McCook's New Aquatic Center Years in the Making

1937, 10, 8 to 9, zero

There are a lot of numbers that come to my mind when I think about McCook’s new aquatic center, which is scheduled to open Wednesday, July 17.

1937 - That was when McCook’s first public pool was built as a WPA project, meant to get people to work during the depression. And I am guessing to not just serve as a Works Progress Administration project, but also to lift the spirits of the community.

That pool served the community for 80-plus years. Thousands of families visited , numerous swim meets were conducted and countless swim lessons were taught over the years.

And just a bit of trivia, the first pool manager was Frank Weiland of McCook’s Weiland Football Field fame.

10 - That is the number of years the McCook pool committee and city staff spent developing the new pool project. As a member of the committee, this actually is not a number I am proud of. Yes, good things come to those who wait, but it should not have taken us this long to build a pool. A generation of kids missed out on a decent pool to spend their summers. The reasons why it took so long are numerous and complex but thankfully, I think the culture of McCook is changing.

Our community wants to see things happen. Our elected officials and public servants know we need to embrace these projects. Residents are willing to sacrifice now to ensure our children will have it better.

8 to 9 - That is the number of lifeguards that will be needed to operate the McCook’s newest aquatic center. The former pool only need 3 to 4 lifeguards “on deck” for the pool to be open. With the new center, we are doubling our needs and this will be an issue.

Everyone I talk to is excited about the McCook Aquatic Center opening. Their kids can’t wait to go down the tall, twisting slides. Families will enjoy wading into the zero-depth area. And parents especially are eager to float around the lazy river.

But all those new activities will require licensed, training staff in order to be available to the public. And we can’t just rely on high school students to provide the staffing, especially if we want - and expect - the aquatic center to be open once fall sports conditioning starts in early August.

If we want the pool to be open and available, lifeguards of all ages will be needed. And best of all, it doesn’t even cost anything right now to get your certification if you are working at the YMCA or city pool. To support the these two projects, the McCook Community Foundation Fund has been providing grant funding to cover the cost of lifeguard certification at the two pools.

And as a side note, I am not just talking-the-talk. I, along with two of my kids, are lifeguards at the new pool to help make sure the pool is open as much as possible.

Zero - That is the cost to get into McCook’s new aquatic center. There will be no charge for anyone to get into the pool this summer.

For this summer pool season, which is obviously shortened, and possibly next summer, there will be no charge to get into the aquatic center. The McCook Fund Advisory Committee wanted every person, visitors and residents alike, to be able to enjoy the new facility, so a grant was provided to the City of McCook to cover the cost of all the entry fees this summer.

This won’t be permanent but the committee knew the importance of the new facility and its role in the community and wanted to help offset any financial hinderance someone might have to going to pool. Perhaps those dollars the kids were going to spend getting in can be used at the aquatic center’s concession stand or Mr. Bill’s van, which will likely be set up nearby.

Generational change - Perhaps the biggest number involved in McCook’s Aquatic Center really isn’t a number, but instead knowing that what we are doing will make an impact for generations to come.

The new pool will change the community for at least the next - if not several - generations both physically and culturally. After all, the pool is one of many large projects taking place in McCook that is going to transform what McCook looks and what is available for young families, like the new disc golf course at Barnett Park, an inclusive playground at Kelley Park, the East Campus at McCook Community College and the new ball field project.

But hopefully this pool project is also part of a shift in thinking and a change in the community’s culture. A community that knows there are big, complex issues that need to be addressed but that they can and need to be tackled. A community that doesn’t think just about what needs to be done today but rather focuses on the long-term impact. And perhaps most importantly, a community that encourages someone with an idea, providing resources and support to make it happen.

With the change in thinking to get things done, we will see new numbers: new families, new young people, new businesses, new organizations, new projects. And by combining all those new numbers to make McCook and Southwest Nebraska an even better place to call home.

Making Decisions to Create a Different Place

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Mon, 24 Jun 2024 01:29:14 GMT

In 1999, I was a young mom with a three-year-old and two-year-old and third child on the way. I was writing news stories and a column for the Gazette on a regular basis. And I had lived in McCook for less than five years.

All of those reasons probably led to why I was appointed to the city of McCook’s new swimming pool advisory committee. This was the group that needed to decide what to do with the then-relatively young 65 year old city pool.

The pool was leaking water on a daily basis. There were no built-in amenities that young families were looking for to entertain their children at the pool. There was no zero-depth area for our littlest residents and for those with special needs to safely enter the water, like at a beach. And perhaps the biggest issue was the water leaking on a daily basis, which meant water was added constantly and which is what kept the water cold despite the warm summer sunshine.

In the end, the committee voted to throw some money - a not insignificant $1 million - to put a band-aid on the problem. Yes, it bought another 20 years of use from the pool, but essentially the problem was just kicked down the road.

Very few new features were added. Zero-depth was not incorporated. And ironically, the water leak was never solved, so the pool was still bone-chillingly cold throughout the summer.

Looking back and even immediately after, I wish I had fought harder at that point for a new pool.

I am so grateful that McCook is finally getting the new pool that our community deserves. But a generation of residents, including most of my kids, missed out on having a pool that they wanted to go to rather than a pool that was “good enough.”

What would McCook look like if we had made the investment 20 years ago in a new pool? Would we have more residents now? Would we have more young families who saw that the community was willing to invest in itself and make it an appealing place to grow up in? Would we be known as a community on the move?

We can’t change history but we can change how we move forward with our thinking and our choices.

Not everyone will use the new pool, but the new pool makes a statement. It says that we want to have nice - and yes, pretty - things for our community. It says that we need these things to invest the workers that we need for the jobs that our open at all our businesses. It says that our kids our worth making a financial sacrifice for.

We are constantly making choices. But as we make these choices, are we thinking about how it will affect us tomorrow or five years from now? As we make decisions, we need to apply the statement: “This would be a different place if…”

Everywhere you look, there is evidence of things getting done to make our community a different place and also examples of things not getting done, leaving it the same as it was yesterday.

Imagine what McCook and Red Willow County would look like if Tom Kiplinger had decided not to invest in his community. Yes, we would still have a fairgrounds but it would look like a vastly different place. There wouldn’t be horse trailer after horse trailer streaming into town to take advantage of the facilities or events booked in the buildings every weekend. Instead, the decision was made to make the investment at the fairgrounds and today it is a different place.

Conversely, imagine what McCook would look like if we had followed through on the 10-plus miles of walking trails around the community instead of just the 1.5 miles that are in place. Families would be walking around at night, pushing their toddlers in strollers. Kids would be biking to their friends house. Runners and walkers would be safely on trails rather than endangering themselves on the streets. Thankfully, there is movement to get the trails expanded and make this a different place.

Imagine what McCook would look like if voters hadn’t approved the bond issue for the new swimming pool and ballparks. Yes, we would still have a pool at the YMCA and the ballfields would still be usable around the community, but it would be sending a vastly different message. We aren’t willing to invest or sacrifice for our future and for the next generation. Instead, we will have a new, bright, glistening pool in early July and hopefully new ballfields and green space for other sports in the near future and this will be a different place.

Everywhere we look, we can see decisions made by the people who came before us. Some of those decisions made it better for us. Some of those decisions made it harder for us. As we move forward, we need to keep in mind what our decisions will do for the future generations.

Maybe it is a simple as a well-placed sign to get visitors to the new pool. Or it is as big as renovating the entire downtown and burying electrical lines to create an inviting and welcoming atmosphere to hang out.

Each and everyone one of us sets the tone for our community with our decisions. This could be a different place if we think about how our decisions and actions affect those coming after us. We are the ones who get to make our community a different place. Now, it is just deciding what that place looks like.This

Crazy Days Celebrates Community Collaboration

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Sat, 15 Jun 2024 14:02:37 GMT

From June 17-22, McCook will be as close to a wedding setting as it could be without the tulle and twinkly lights. There will be something new, something old, something borrowed and something blue. Except there won’t be a bride and groom taking center stage.

Instead, this celebration will be the up-sized, week-long Crazy Days organized by the McCook Chamber of Commerce. And like most weddings, there will be food, music, games and maybe even a crazy uncle making a scene on the dance floor.

The something new will be the Prairie Plains CASA’s Corporate Games. Kicking off Monday, the teams will divide up into two-person team every day to tackle a different sport each evening from golfing to axe-throwing. I believe the entries are full but perhaps if you beg organizer Caitlyn Whitehead, she could find room for your team. Or she could at least mark you down to remind you to sign up early next year and not be left out.

Something old is the Community Hospital’s 50th anniversary celebration, which marks 50 years since the hospital moved from St. Catherine’s to its current location on the east side of McCook. The celebration will take over Norris Alley and Norris Avenue as June’s Third Thursday event June 20. The evening will include live music, free food including anniversary cake and a beer garden.

The Creative District committee, which is organizing the Third Thursdays, truly appreciates Community Hospital hosting the event and bringing a fun and entertaining evening to downtown McCook.

The something borrowed is the McCook Chamber’s Bash on the Hill on Saturday, June 22. The Chamber is “borrowing” the use of the Heritage Hills Golf Course to feature not one but two bands for the evening. The event is “borrowing” the BBQ contest, which originated with the Prairie Roots Music Festival which ceased last year. But through the perseverance of Tammy Bruntz, the Great McCook-Off BBQ contest continues and will feature talented local and regional BBQers. And while they will receive awards for their efforts, the public is actually the big winners as the BBQ will be served during the Bash on the Hill starting at 6 p.m. with music to follow. Get your tickets online before the event or get them at the door. Either way, bring a chair and bring a friend and be ready for a fun night of entertainment.

And then there is the something blue….and something red….and something yellow…and something black…all as part of the 8th annual Cruisin’ the Bricks Car Show and Cruise Night. Taking place throughout the afternoon and into the evening on Saturday, June 22, Cruisin’ the Bricks will include games, train rides, face painting, and prizes for both car show participants and spectators.

The cruise night harkens back to a simpler time. A time when driving from one end of town to the other side was how you located your friends because you didn’t have cell phones. A time when you showed off your new ride because you weren’t posting about it on social media. A time when you spent countless hours just hanging out with friends and neighbors talking about everything from the cars to the weather.

Spend the day showing off your special automobile or admiring someone else’s precious vehicle and then head to the golf course to celebrate the end of Crazy Days.

But what is truly great about this year’s Crazy Days is its evolution into a multi-day event that highlights collaboration between a wide variety of organizations and businesses.

Each of these groups could have hosted their event on their own. They could have done their events the same week but without connecting to each other. They could even have been resentful that someone was infringing on their event and opted not to do anything.

Instead, they came together to create a week of fun for the community. This is a partnership between Community Hospital, the McCook Chamber, the McCook Creative District, Heritage Hills, Wagner’s, CASA, the City, the EDC…the list goes on and on.

Will all these events be perfect? Maybe not but they will be fun. Will there be lessons learned? Of course and things will evolve moving forward. And just like a wedding, people are coming together to celebrate, to create something new and to make something that makes our community an even better place to call home.

The Return of the Simple Get-Together

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 01:09:53 GMT

It seems like everything is a big production these days.

While marriage proposals have usually included some level of advance planning, invitations to high school dances have taken it to another level.

Asking someone to prom requires hours of preparation and likely recording the invitation to share online. There are usually posters, candy and various props involved, followed by flowers, garters and a distinctive automobile on the day of prom.

Gender-reveal parties are becoming more frequent, sometimes involving canons and confetti and even leading to deadly wildfires. I’m thankful these parties didn’t exist when I was having kids. In fact, I never found out the gender of any of my seven kids because I figured there wasn’t anything I could do about it and they were going to get hand-me-down clothes regardless of their gender.

For all of these events, a primary consideration is likely how the pictures will turn out so they can be posted on social media. If you are putting that much work into the event, you will likely want to record and share the reaction. If that is what floats your boat, so be it.

On the other end of the spectrum, many things are getting more and more casual.

This past spring, did anyone receive an “official” high school or college graduation announcement? Not the notecards which list the graduation ceremony and reception, most likely not in that order. I’m talking about the heavy, stock-paper, trim-folded cards, usually with gold-embossed lettering and likely including a business card with the student’s name. We received more than three dozen invites and not a formal invite among them. Remembering what I spent on my formal graduation announcements, I don’t begrudge anyone for the more informal invitations.

And wedding invites are going the same route.

My fridge is lined with wedding invitations. Yet, there isn’t one formal invitation with that small piece of tissue paper tucked inside, of which I never understood why it was there. The invitations all feature the loving couple, the date for the ceremony and the reception, again most likely not in that order. And we’ve even received a couple wedding invites this year via text or Facebook. Again, not begrudging anyone for looking for ways to cut costs and doing what makes them happy.

Regardless of what the invitation looks like, there is still a lot of planning and production that goes into making these things happen. And for some of life’s events, a big production is necessary and welcome and encouraged.

But what got me thinking about these seemingly unrelated ideas was ironically a social media post. It encouraged people to get together for the simple idea of being around other people. Remove the big production. Take away the themes. Lower your expectations. Don’t host something just so you have a social media post later.

Now, I’m all for themed-parties. I’ve got a closet full of costumes to prove my point. I can’t tell you the number of birthday parties I’ve hosted although they became more infrequent…just ask my youngest child. I hosted a murder mystery a few months ago that included finding a dead body…a prop would have been o.k. but I convinced my son to play the part.

While all these events are fun and memorable, these gatherings require work and can turn into a big production.

Instead, we need to bring back a simple get-together without a theme, without a reason, without all the work that goes into making something happen. And perhaps most importantly, without the notion that we will be posing for a cute instagram post or reporting the happenings on snap-chat.

Longing for friendly, low-key conversations along with good food, I sent out a few text messages in the morning this past Sunday. By that evening - just in time for the storms - I had nearly 30 people at my house for dinner. There was no other reason other than to bring people together. No one looked at my floors to see if I had scrubbed them (or at least they were kind enough not to mention it). No one went out to buy a new outfit, as far as I know. And the only organized activity was a poker game near the end of the evening. Everything was casual and spontaneous, with the sound of laughter and conversations filling the rooms. And at the end of the evening, there were no decorations to take down, no costumes to put away and no photos to post (although a few pictures were taken to note the simplicity of the evening but that’s a topic for another day). After putting away a few leftovers and washing a couple dishes, a fun, friend-filled evening was over.

And if you are reading this and saying to yourself, I didn’t get an invite…please don’t worry. I’ll be reaching out to others as I hope to turn the casual dinner into a monthly “Low Expectations Gathering,” as long as it doesn’t turn into a big production.

Perspective Evolves from Indifference to Gratitude

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 15:47:58 GMT

As I’ve made my way through high school, I heard my fair share of people saying “I can’t wait to get out of McCook” once they graduate. I used to hear this and I would shrug my shoulders and maybe even agree.

But as I reflect on these past few years with graduation now in the rear-view mirror, I realize how profoundly my perspective has changed.

While exploring my post-high school options, the thought of leaving my community has weighed on me and something about it doesn’t feel right.

As I have gotten older, I have grown in many ways: my love for athletics, my desire and drive to be a leader, and most importantly, my appreciation for the amazing community I’ve had the opportunity to grow up in.

For the majority of my life, like many young people everywhere, I had a negative outlook on the town of my youth. I understood and often even agreed with those who were itching to “get out of McCook.” But my last few years here have been eye-opening for me.

As a graduating senior, everyone was asking me what I planned to do after high school. The question left me trying to decide who and what I want to be.

The more I pondered the idea, the more I realized what I most want to be is a community member and leader, right here in my hometown.

I’m unsure about a lot of things surrounding my future, but that’s okay because no matter what else happens after high school I want to be here in McCook enjoying and helping to continuously improve this amazing place I am blessed to call home.

There are so many ways that McCook shines bright as a community. It has so much to offer from wonderful restaurants, parks, and churches, to scenic bike trails and beautiful sunsets.

Did I mention that our disc golf and budding arts scene are second to none in Nebraska?

However, the crown jewel of McCook is the people and the community they create. I have realized recently that I am blessed because most of the people surrounding me are people who love McCook, who are deeply involved, and who would give almost anything for this town.

People like my boss, my parents, my teachers, and my coaches are involved with organizations like the Chamber of Commerce, the tourism board, McCook Community Foundation Fund, Rotary, the Optimists, the YMCA, youth sports, church leadership, Bison Days, and more.

To put it simply, the reason McCook is amazing is that there are so many people around the community who are dedicated and doing their part to make McCook such a great place to grow up and live.

I often see kids (and adults for that matter) who are capable and could even thrive in a volunteer or leadership position but don’t think they have anything to contribute, don’t think anyone would take them seriously, or don’t have any idea where to start. I know people think this way because I used to think the same way. I was wrong.

When I showed a desire to be involved in and to grow in leadership, I was given amazing opportunities, on the sports field, in the classroom, and most importantly on the McCook High School Student Council, and MCFF’s Youth Change Reaction.

There are opportunities here for everyone, especially those who want to be a part of the change to make things better.

McCook is a place where everyone has a role to play and nobody has to sit on the sidelines. So I have been able to grow and thrive and am learning new leadership skills every day.

I am thankful for this place that I get to call home and the amazing people that surround me here. Without it and them, I would not be the person that I am today.

If you’re one of those people who can’t wait to leave, who spends their days wishing to be somewhere else, or who spends more time frustrated with McCook than grateful for it, I invite you to come play a round of disc golf with me. I’d love to try to change your mind.

***

A 2024 MHS grad, Jackson Dellevoet spent just a year in MCFF’s youth group, Youth Change Reaction, but attended more meetings and perhaps gleaned more information than most students do in four years of membership.

Everyone Has a Role to Make Things Happen in a Community

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Sat, 25 May 2024 23:56:39 GMT

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.

Polling Stations Offer Much More Than Just Voting

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 16 May 2024 16:54:49 GMT

Sitting at a polling station for 12 straight hours provides a lot of insight into our community. The experience proved that we are social animals who need to be around others. The experience demonstrated that regardless of everyone’s difference of opinions, we are all still neighbors, friends and family who want what is best for our hometowns. And the experience showed that even a situation as dry and sometimes contentious as voting warrants a hug or two.

Earlier this week, I had the privilege of working a polling station in McCook during Nebraska’s primary election. And while officially it was the opportunity to cast your vote to determine the future of the community and the country, let’s be honest that it was a social event.

For transparency, it was not a social event based upon the voter turnout. The next day, several people commented that they didn’t know the primary was Tuesday. And several people noted that they were voting because they noticed someone else with an “I Voted” sticker earlier in the day. Otherwise, they had either forgotten it was the day of the primary election or they didn’t know in the first place.

Granted, very few races in our area had either enough candidates to have a contested race (a sad fact) or had serious candidates to give the incumbents serious competition in which to hold them accountable (yet another sad fact).

But I digress.

Being at the polling station for so many hours can seem daunting, but instead it was fascinating. Yes, there were proclamations about how many hours were left until the polls closed, but that was followed by another trip to the food buffet provided by everyone working the precinct.

I was fortunate to be at McCook Christian Church, which is home to two polling stations so we had twice the number of poll workers I am assuming. Not that my personal station’s worker were not entertaining on their own but “competing” against the opposing tables to see who had more voters kept us entertained.

But I also watched as each voter entered the building, with at least one worker knowing them. With such slim pickings on the ballot, the voter could easily be in and out of the voting station in less than two minutes. This was even after showing their ID, a new requirement for voting in Nebraska.

On a side note, no one took me up on the idea of taking a drink every time someone was turned away for not having their ID on them but kudos to those who went home to get their license and retuned to make sure they voted. Let’s not dwell on them driving to the station without their license in the first place.

But I digress.

Very few voters spent less than five minutes at the election site because inevitably a conversation began with a poll worker or another voter. There were questions about how work was going that week, whether the college-age kids were returning for the summer, if there were any big vacations planned in the upcoming months. And just as many conversations ended with a hug between friends, because they hadn’t seen each other in a while or they knew one of them had faced an illness or tragedy.

None of this involved voting. Instead, it was another opportunity to interact with our neighbors and friends and remember that we have more in common than we have different.

Before the November general election rolls around (mark your calendars for Tuesday, Nov. 5 and while you are at it, Thursday, Nov. 7 for Southwest Nebraska Big Give), there are many things to prepare for:

Register to vote. Make sure you are signed up to vote and know which voting precinct you are assigned to. Many voters entered and then had to leave without voting because they had moved since the last election or their precinct had been reassigned.

Learn about the issues on the ballot. Yes, you can have your phone with you in the booth to help you make last-minute decisions but it is your civic duty to have done a bit of research before voting.

Educate yourself about the candidates. There will likely be gatherings where you can meet the local candidates, perhaps even a “debate.” But one of the pluses of living in a small community is the opportunity to meet the candidates in person. Reach out to them if you have a question or just to get to know them better. These are the people who will be making decisions that directly affect you, your family and your hometown. You have every right to know who you are voting for. In fact, it is your responsibility to enter that voting booth educated about the issues and people you are voting on.

And finally, show up to vote. Even though there will be more choices on the November ballot and more people are expected to vote, it will still take less time to cast your ballot than you will spend in the drive-thru line for your morning coffee.

Ultimately, you will likely leave the polling station with more than you arrived with: You will get a sticker. You will have the pride of knowing you did your civic responsibility. And perhaps most importantly, you will have the opportunity of interacting with the poll workers, who have given their day to make sure your voice is heard. Hugs are optional.

"Third Thursday" Encourages Socialization With Music, Art, Games

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 10 May 2024 01:59:52 GMT

"Third Thursdays" Begin Thursday, May 16

On Thursday, May 16, the McCook Creative District will host its first event since receiving the official designation in October 2023 from the state of Nebraska. “Third Thursdays” will take place in downtown McCook - the geographical location of McCook’s Creative District - from May through October, 5-8 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month, hence the name.

This first Third Thursday will celebrate the creation of the Creative District, which stretches from A to I street and West First to East First. On a closed-down section of Norris Ave. between D and E streets, there will be vendors selling snacks and artisans selling their creations. There will be games and a dance floor. And the highlight will be a performance by the Talbott Brothers, originally from Imperial and now nationally touring musicians.

While each month will feature a few different elements, Third Thursdays will include music, art, games and activities for all ages. And there will be the opportunity to do something missing these days - visiting and talking with friends, family and neighbors face-to-face.

Third Thursdays are meant to encourage visitors to downtown businesses, including the many fine restaurants and retail stores. The ultimate goal is to have the sidewalks filled with people enjoying each other's company and supporting local businesses - a win for everyone in the community.

This is not a new concept for McCook. The McCook Community Foundation Fund hosted Night on the Bricks in 2021 and prior to that in 2016, when the late Walt Sehnert used the evening to reflect on days gone by in an essay that appeared in the Gazette in 2016 and in his book, Growing Up In Plain View .

“Recently, to welcome folks who had come to McCook to attend a statewide meeting of the Nebraska Community Foundation, McCook merchants opened their doors for ‘A Night on the Bricks.’ The plan was to stage an event that would welcome these out of town visitors and at the same time show off our unique downtown.

From all reports, the event had its desired effect. Comments from visitors, who had come from across the state, were enthusiastic. Everyone had a good time. I don't know if the merchants did a lot of business or not, but, at least for this one night, that was not the main objective. The event reminded me of the 30s and 40s when Saturdays and especially Saturday nights were of great importance to people in a small town.”

In 2024, Third Thursdays are meant to return back to the time when businesses were open late on a Thursday evening or a Saturday when folks, usually farmers and their families, could make it to town for shopping and socializing.

“In the days before World War II, Saturdays were different in the small towns in the Midwest. To say they were bigger and of more importance in people's lives than Saturdays are today is an understatement. Truly they were an ‘Event’ that people looked forward to, not unlike the feeling we have on the day before Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Plainview, Nebraska, population 1,411 was what you would call a "one industry town." That industry was farming. Everything revolved around the farmer. The farmer dictated the store hours and everything else in Plainview. And why not! Without the farmers' business there was no reason for Plainview to exist. But it was a two way street. Merchants did their best to serve the farmers with goods and services, and the farmers traded ‘at home.’ “

There is another reason the evening town gatherings were important, according to Walt. To see and be seen by people of all ages.

“Saturday night was a night to see people and be seen. By sitting in one place on main street, sooner or later a person would see everyone who was in town. It was imperative to arrive early as parking space was limited. Our neighbors, recently retired from the farm, would regularly park their car in the afternoon near the theater, go home for supper, then come back at seven, to sit in their car and be on hand for people to stop to talk during the evening.

Teenage girls, freshly scrubbed in starched dresses, practiced the 30s version of cruising main street. They would walk, arm in arm, the two blocks up one side of the street, cross over, and down the other---repeatedly through the evening. Each time they met a similar group, going the other way, they would stop to chat for a moment. These groups were followed by a like number of boys, vying for attention-the girls pretending not to notice. Many wore their hair in curlers. Apparently, it was still more important to look nice for church on Sunday.”

Like all good things, the Saturday night gatherings came to an end because the world is always changing.

“The Institution that was Saturday Night was a phenomenon that was destined to end after WWII, with the advent of good roads and automobiles, which made the trek to the hub towns more practical. Business was spread out during the week. Saturday became just another day.

The crowning blow to eventful Saturday nights was television, with its good line-up of shows on Saturday night. The magic of television brought new friends into our living rooms---friends like Uncle Miltie (Berle), Sid Caesar, and Matt Dillon. To a large extent these new friends replaced the fellowship of talking to old friends and neighbors in person.”

We don’t want our community to return to the 1950s and it can’t return to that simplicity - I would like to see anyone pry a smartphone from a teenager’s hand. But we can try to create an atmosphere and an event that encourages gathering together, talking to your neighbor, and just hanging out with others from your community.

There are a lot of ways to be involved in the Third Thursdays, from becoming a vendor on Norris Avenue to eating at a downtown restaurant to strolling by Norris Alley to listen to the Talbott Brothers. Creating an atmosphere where McCook’s sidewalks are filled with friends and visitors won’t happen overnight but it can happen over a few Thursdays.

Young People Persevere to Make Outdoor Theater a Reality

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Wed, 01 May 2024 22:21:38 GMT

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Our young people sometimes bemoan that they have ideas, but no one listens to them. And that can be true, especially when it comes to ideas which simply aren’t realistic such as a mall in McCook or a restaurant on every corner.

But our younger residents are not wrong when they lament there isn’t as much for young people or families to do as they would like. So a group of young, local students came up with a plan to address that issue - to build a semi-permanent outdoor movie theater.

And and thanks to their persistence, the first showing of Cars Under the Stars at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds will take place Saturday, May 4 with the first movie to be Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

For those who aren’t up with the latest trend, May 4th is known as Star Wars Day because of the saying “May the Fourth Be With You” in response to “May the Force Be With You.”

If you are saying to yourself that this particular movie is not your cup of tea, please consider one of the primary reasons Cars Under the Stars was created - to provide a form of entertainment in our community for all ages.

Older people may remember attending a drive-in movie as child, longing for the nostalgia of years gone by. Young people will get to experience what it is like to watch a movie under the stars, creating their own memories. Although they’ll miss one memory many of us may have of sneaking in via the trunk of someone’s car to save a few bucks.

The outdoor theater’s road to becoming a reality was not without a few detours, roadblocks and hurdles along the way. But that is what has perhaps made the project even more valuable for the students.

When the project gained traction in early 2022, there were several issues to consider.

MCFF could have just given them money to build the theater. Instead, the committee challenged the students with a matching grant, requiring them to go out into the community and share why the project was important for their hometown and ask for funding to make the theater happen.

MCFF could have just sent the students out into the community to make the “asks.” Instead, the committee set up a “Make the Ask” training, where the YCR students practiced sharing their “why” and asking for a donation with McCook Fund Advisory Committee members. This was also a great way to start off on a positive note because the committee members were going to be an easy “yes.”

And when school started in August 2022, the funds needed to purchase the outdoor theater equipment was in place. It seemed like the project was ready for its first showing. Yet, the project still didn’t happen because of few more hurdles.

MCFF could have just made all the calls to vendors to move the project along. But instead, the students were calling the companies to have the screen built, the projector delivered and the movie studios to determine options for licensing movies. And they discovered that adults didn’t always take them seriously, that they didn’t know the right questions to ask or that they didn’t have the right answers from those who had been working on the project in the past.

These situations caused countless delays but thanks to assistance from adults including YCR sponsor Shelly Sehnert, Pam Wolford and Mark Graff, the students found the results they needed including a sign company willing to come to McCook to build the screen, a local business to donate poles to hold the screen, and the projector company helping to determine what would work best in the space at the fairgrounds.

The high school got on board by constructing the building to house the projector, protecting it from the elements, as part of the woods class.

So nearly two years later, the the first movie at Cars Under the Stars will happen - weather permitting as always.

And added difficulty to overcome is the nature of students. If the educational system is working correctly, the students are only at this stage of their life - in high school - for a few years. The seniors graduate and new crop of students move into the leadership roles.

This means that the students who initially came up with the outdoor theater project are no longer involved, taking with them ideas conceived, promises made and research conducted. That is why it is so important to have transition plans in place, whether it involves students in this case or adults serving on boards and committees in a community. It also demonstrates why it is important to have distributed leadership. Putting all the eggs in one basket - or just having one person knowing or doing everything - can lead to a scrambled mess if something happens to the basket or to that one person.

Distributed leadership also instills a sense of confidence.

I have seen the YCR members, who were just freshmen or sophomores when the project was conceived, step up and take over including Becca Koenig and Abigail Boner. But the time of the first showing, hopefully every member of YCR will have contributing to the project and learned along the way.

Like most things of value in life, there were a few stumbling blocks but these young people have learned and persevered to see the outdoor theater come to life. But perhaps most importantly, these young people have grown as leaders, who have not only seen this project come to fruition but will likely go on to make a lot of other projects happen to make their hometowns even better places to call home.

Cars Under the Stars Outdoor Theater Ready for First Show

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Wed, 01 May 2024 22:11:26 GMT

By RONDA GRAFF

MCFF

McCOOK - Excitement has been building for two years about an outdoor movie theater that was conceived, researched and created by a McCook youth group. With the screen now in place and the projector up and running, “Cars Under the Stars” is set for its first showing Saturday, May 4, at 9 p.m. at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds.

McCook Community Foundation Fund’s youth group, Youth Change Reaction, started working to bring the outdoor theater to McCook in early 2022. With members who have graduated and new members added, YCR continued to work on the project and it is now available for the community.

YCR is made up of McCook High School students from each grade level, who focus on youth-centered projects for their hometown. They have hosted junior high dances, read to elementary students and created Sunshine Baskets for those feeling down. But the group wanted to tackle a large project, something that would last long after they had graduated high school. And Cars Under the Stars outdoor theater project was born.

Located southwest of the grandstands on the Red Willow County Fairgrounds, Cars Under the Stars will have its first showing Saturday, May 4 with a Star Wars-themed movie, Stars Wars: The Last Jedi, in recognition of “May the Fourth Be With You”…May the Force Be with You.

Gates will open Saturday at 8:15 p.m. with the movie to start soon after sundown, approximately 9 p.m.

There is no charge to get in, although a free-will offering will be taken.

The public can arrive and stay in their vehicles to watch the movie, but chairs and blankets are also welcome for those wishing to truly sit out under the stars and watch the show.

To celebrate completion of the project, YCR will be handing out free popcorn and drinks to those in attendance. But people are also welcome to bring in their own food and drinks to enjoy while watching the movie.

Cars Under the Stars was developed as a project because the students heard over and over (and perhaps said sometimes themselves) that there is nothing to do in McCook. So they took it upon themselves to make something happen, something for all ages.

The YCR students also wanted to come up with a project that would outlast their time at the high school. YCR actually hosted a drive-in theater more than a decade ago, under the leadership of Gavin Harsh, a YCR member at the time but currently a MCFF member, who brought in a blow-up screen for a one-time showing.

YCR has also hosted “dive-in movies” in the McCook YMCA pool, showing Jaws and Finding Nemo in the past.

So an outdoor theater was not a foreign concept, when YCR member and 2022 MHS grad Tucker Gillespie brought the idea to the group and to the Red Willow County Fair Board, which would eventually take ownership of the screen and projector.

YCR went to work raising more than $70,000 in funding for the project and researching equipment options. Working side-by-side for the next two years with YCR sponsors Shelly Sehnert and Pam Wolford, along with Jiles Bowman at the Red Willow County Fair Grounds, the outdoor theater came to life in mid-April 2024 in anticipation of the first showing in May.

Knowing they wanted to host the first showing at the outdoor theater, YCR would like to see other groups use Cars Under the Start on a regular basis. The outdoor theater equipment and screen is available for rent by other non-profit groups. Because of its location on the fairgrounds with so many entrances and because of licensing fees, ticket fees cannot be collected for the movies but the organizations can charge for food and drinks if they would like.

Bowman and the fair board will oversee the scheduling and leasing of the equipment. While there is no fee to use the equipment thanks to the funds raised by YCR, organizations using the theater will be asked to provide funds for a deposit and cover the licensing fee costs which vary with each movie.

The YCR and MCFF members would like to thank the community for their support, both financial and through encouragement, to make Cars Under the Stars happen. Along with a $20,000 matching challenge grant from MCFF, donations ranged from a few dollars to a $7,500 youth engagement grant from the Nebraska Community Foundation.

The hope is that because of the generosity of the community, Cars Under the Stars will be an asset for McCook and Southwest Nebraska for years to come.

For more information about Cars Under the Stars, including the reservation contract, visit the MCFF website, mccookfoundation.org . And for dates available at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds and to reserve the theater equipment, contact Bowman at rwcfairmanager@gmail.com .

Volunteering Not Limited to Week or Month but Constantly

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 17:08:12 GMT

There is a day, week and month devoted to just about anything these days. For a while, “Speak like a

pirate” day was unique. But then along came “donut” day, “take your dog to work” day, “stay in bed until

noon” day, which all in theory could be every day.

There are literally calendars devoted to letting you know what day it is. Wait - calendars are supposed to

tell us what day it is. But these new calendars feature something different every day, giving us something

to celebrate, recognize or recall as if remembering birthdays and anniversaries isn’t hard enough.

But there is a week ending soon which recognizes the value and importance of something that keeps our

communities growing and thriving - volunteering.

We are nearing the end of Global Volunteer Month in April and the end of National Volunteer Week on

Monday. But in reality, volunteering is not limited to a day, week or even a month. It is continuous and is

needed now more than ever in our hometowns.

Our communities simply could not exist if we had to rely on paying someone for everything that needs to

be done. We could not afford to pay for all the amenities and activities we take for granted, but that

happen because of volunteers. Volunteering should be the “normal” rather than the exception.

And for most of us, volunteering is likely something we do everyday, perhaps without even noting it or

recognizing it.

Do you coach a youth sports team? Then you are likely volunteering your time each season.

Do you serve on a board or a committee? Then you probably are volunteering your time at every meeting

and likely between meetings too.

Are you part of a service organization such as Rotary or the Optimists? Then, I guarantee you are

volunteering on a regular basis since that is the purpose of the groups.

Are you married? Then I’m betting you are “voluntold” by your spouse to do things all the time, but that is

still volunteering.

If volunteering is not already part of your life, then consider how it could be, especially since there is no

age limit to when you can volunteer.

McCook High School is recognizing volunteer week by having all its students take part in service projects

throughout the community today, Thursday, April 25. These are lessons the students will carry with them

the rest of their lives and may prove to be just as valuable as the lessons they learn in the classroom.

For those who don’t know where to even start if they want to volunteer, there are many ways to get

involved. To begin, take a moment to consider what you are interested in. You are more likely to enjoy

and stick with something that you already like.

Do you like animals? Then consider walking dogs at the Humane Society or helping clean up at the

McCook Dog Park. Did you love a particular sport when you were growing up? Maybe you could coach a

YMCA team even if you don’t have a kid participating. Do you simply have a desire to help others? Many

of the local nonprofits can use help with projects throughout the year.

Once you have an idea of an area you would like to help, the next step is to get involved. A list of many

local non-profits, which utilize volunteers, can be found on the McCook Community Foundation Fund

website, mccookfoundation.org. Not to state the obvious, but there is a page devoted to volunteering in

McCook and Southwest Nebraska, under “McCook Volunteers.”

If your organization needs volunteers but isn’t listed on the page, please reach out to be added.

Another great list of organizations can be found on the Southwest Nebraska Big Give website. While the

site is devoted to raising funds each November, all of those same organizations can use volunteers

throughout the year. Their contact information can be found on their individual pages.

National Volunteer Week may be coming to an end but take this as a sign to make an intentional effort to

get involved and to volunteer in your hometown next week, the next month and for the next year.

Young People's Voices Valued and Respected

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 13:35:42 GMT

YCR member shares the influence of four years on the MCFF youth group

As my high school career comes to an end, I reflect on all of the accomplishments,

failures, lessons, and opportunities that I have made. From participating in sports to being

involved in clubs, I have learned a tremendous amount of skills that I will be able to apply to my

life following high school.

However, the group that has taught me the most lessons and leadership skills is “Youth

Change Reaction” otherwise known as YCR, which is the youth group of the McCook Community

Foundation Fund.

So how exactly did I end up in the place that I’m at now?

It all started my freshman year when I sent in an application in hopes of being accepted

into YCR. To be quite honest, I didn’t really know what YCR was all about when I applied. All

that I knew was that there were a lot of awesome upperclassmen in the group, and that I wanted to be

involved in as many things as possible.

I was accepted into YCR a couple weeks later and my YCR journey began.

The first few meetings as a member of YCR felt overwhelming, to say the least. There was an

abundance of information and opportunities being thrown at me, so much so that I was concerned that

this group maybe wasn’t the best fit for me.

However, members of the community throughout all of McCook have a way of making you feel welcome,

even when you’re a little unsure, especially the committee members with MCFF.

The MCFF meetings were a little intimidating at first. It isn’t every day that you’re surrounded by a group

of adults who play such a large role in our community, yet they are asking the students in the room about

themselves.

I soon realized that the committee was actually super interested in my input and concerns in our

community. They listened to my ideas, and even shared an interest in them. They helped teach me that

talking to adults isn’t so scary, and that they really do want to hear my voice.

So what exactly has YCR taught me?

We have been involved in many large and small projects throughout the community. With each project, I

learned something new.

One of the first projects I was involved in was to help build a bike shed at Red Willow State Recreation

Area north of McCook, working alongside the Nebraska Games and Parks staff. The shed houses

donated bikes, which are used by campers and visitors to the lake at no cost. The bikes were a major hit

from the start and continue to be use throughout the summer.

This project taught me that there are so many people throughout the community and the state who want

to be active in their hometown, but don’t always have the resources to do so. It takes bringing people

with a passion and resources that are available together.

Building a shed also taught me that maybe handling tools isn’t exactly my biggest skill!

An annual project that involves YCR is McCook’s 6th Grade Heritage Tour, where we serve as the tour

guides of McCook’s historic sites. These tours may be one of my favorite things that we partake in. From

learning about the history of the Methodist Church to touring the George Norris Home, there are so many

awesome things in McCook that not many people are aware of or take for granted.

Talking with the kids throughout the day and leading this tours showed me that even the younger voices

in our community have great ideas to make McCook even better.

The largest project that YCR has taken up is well known in the community: “Cars Under the Stars” or the

drive-in theatre.

When the project began in early 2022, little did I know how much time and energy a drive-in theater

would need to go from fund-raising to installation. But through this process, I learned the importance of

forming new connections, believing in my abilities, and perhaps most importantly, accepting rejection but

persevering.

YCR has been such a great experience and tremendous building block for me these past four years. I will

continue my education after graduation in just a few weeks, with the hope of moving back to McCook

following college to teach young leaders in our community.

I will forever be grateful for the opportunities given to me and the skills I have learned by living in a small

community like McCook which cares about their youth.

*** Grace Wilhelmson is a four-year member of MCFF’s Youth Change Reaction and somehow fits

countless clubs, activities, sports and clubs into her day - all with a smile on her face.

"McCook Connects" Working to Bring People Together

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 19:16:14 GMT

During the McCook Chamber of Commerce’s recent annual meeting, I had the pleasure of sharing several projects that the McCook Community Foundation Fund and the McCook Chamber are working together on.

There are the Third Thursday events in downtown McCook throughout the summer and Beautify McCook projects to bring lights and flowers and - beauty - to our community.

But perhaps the project that could have the most impact but is just slowly gaining steam is McCook Connects.

McCook Connects is a program that matches up newcomers or short-term young people, such as medical students or student teachers, with current residents. Before anyone is matched up, both sides share information about themselves, including their hobbies and interests. Once a match is made, the long-time resident helps the newcomer or student learn about the community. Maybe, it is taking the newcomer on a boat ride at a nearby lake, showing them where the boat dock is located or where to buy a park pass, which they may not know is needed. It could be that the newcomer is an avid golfer but doesn’t know the ins and outs of getting into a league or when to get a tee time and the connector shows them the ropes. Or the newcomer is into all types of live music but doesn’t know what is available or how to buy tickets so the connector makes the connection.

The goal is to get the newcomers engaged and for them to feel like this is truly their home. Or for the students, the goal is for them to feel like this could be their home in the future.

McCook Connects began as a collaboration between Community Hospital and MCFF to help connect medical students with current residents. The hospital knows that the med students are going to leave at the end of their rotation, but the goal is for the students to leave with a great impression of McCook and the surrounding community. Why? When a job opening happens at Community Hospital - and that will happen - and the hospital calls the former med student, the hospital wants the med student to remember their in McCook with fondness and has a desire to return to the community. The job opportunity is much more likely to be filled if the young person made connections during their short time in McCook.

Those connections can’t happen if all they do is go from the hospital to their apartment with a short stop at the grocery store. If a med student is paired with a current resident who then takes them golfing or horseback riding or to the lake - wherever their mutual interests lie - they will hopefully learn to appreciate the community even more.

McCook Connects is also beneficial for student teachers, another group of young people who could possibly call McCook home in the future after spending a short time here.

But perhaps McCook Connects biggest impact could be with newcomers. The slogan of McCook Connects is “From Welcoming to Belonging to Engaging.” If we want our newcomers to feel like they are truly a part of our community and for our newest residents to stay long term, we have to get them engaged.

For those most part, everyone is already welcoming. We all do the one-finger wave as we drive down the street and say “good morning” to everyone we meet walking down the sidewalk.

But McCook Connects is designed to get people to the next stage, where they belong and eventually engaged throughout the community.

And while connecting new or potential new residents to our community is important for long-term viability, there is another important reason to get people connected.

Studies are showing that people are having fewer and fewer face-to-face interactions. People are going longer and longer - sometimes several days - with having a conversation with someone. People will say they are communicating more but the majority of that communication involves a screen. Sorry, communication over a phone is not the same as being in the physical presence of others. Body language is lost. Inferences are overlooked. Even the tone of the voice cannot be adequately conveyed on a screen or through a device.

By connecting people and getting them involved in activities throughout the community, we are building the social fabric that is so sorely needed.

If you are interested in McCook Connects, whether as a newcomer or a long-term resident, please visit the MCFF website, mccookfoundation.org, to learn more and to sign up.

We need connectors, who are willing to share their interests and passions and to celebrate McCook and Southwest Nebraska. And we need newcomers to evolve from being welcomed to belonging to engaged if we want our community to be an even better place to call home.

Connection, Creative District and Growth at Chamber Annual Meeting

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 22:12:54 GMT

Chamber Invites MCFF to Share about McCook Connects, Third Thursday

McCOOK Neb. — Chairman Joe Townsley opened the McCook Chamber of Commerce annual meeting over the lunch hour on Thursday.

He went over the financials, saying that the board has recently been pretty tight with funds. “We are in a perfect spot moving forward,” Townsley said.

He introduced Ronda Graff, who came to share about a new program, McCook Connects, that aims to help new community members get involved.

In 1995, Graff moved to McCook. She shared that because of the support she had from her husband and in-laws, she had a positive transition.

However, she acknowledged that is only sometimes the case. Many people come into the community and need that support system.

They don’t have the family already in place. McCook Connects will help match new people with others already in the community who have like-minded interests. It will allow for new friendships and connections to be made.

Graff also briefly discussed the upcoming Third Thursday events, which will unite people to enjoy time on the bricks in the newly designated ‘Creative District.’

Ben Dutton, the Engagement Zone Coordinator for the Nebraska Extension, spoke on “The Big 3” areas on which the Nebraska Extension focuses. To strengthen Nebraska’s Agriculture and Food Systems, Inspire Nebraskans and their communities, and Enhance the health and well-being of all Nebraskans, ‘The Big 3’ energizes Nebraska’s future by developing a skilled workforce, enhancing health and well-being, creating statewide economic vitality, retaining and attracting young people, leveraging our strengths, and sustaining success.

New Chamber Director Sarah Schneider shared her success in adding 28 new Chamber memberships since the beginning of the year.

She ended the event by looking forward to the future, the events coming up in McCook, and the extreme support she has experienced from the Chamber Board, members, and community.

“I couldn’t have done anything. Without my volunteers, without my board.

“The chamber does not exist without the board and the passion that you guys have a real community, too.”

Creative District/McCook Receive Planning Grant

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 22:05:34 GMT

Friday, April 5, 2024

Anna LaBay | McCook Gazette

McCOOK Neb. — Volunteers successfully secured a planning grant from the Civic and Community Center Financing Fund in an exciting development for the McCook Creative District.

This leap of faith was met with enthusiasm and dedication from the community, showcasing their commitment to enhancing the local arts and culture scene.

The journey began when a Creative District was officially designated for McCook in October 2023.

Following this milestone, Ronda Graff and Matt Sehnert spearheaded the initiative by submitting a letter of intent to the Nebraska Arts Council on Nov. 1, 2023. Subsequent deadlines loomed ahead, with Jan. 15, 2024, marking the next crucial date for sending a letter of intent to the Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED), followed by the formal deadline for the full application on Feb. 15, 2024.

The Nebraska DED has recently announced the recipients of this year’s grants under the CCCFF program, with seven communities set to benefit from a portion of the $4 million available for award, including the $100,000 matching grant for McCook.

Community Hospital, the McCook Economic Development Corp., Graff Charitable Foundation and McCook Arts Council and City of McCook each contributed $20,000 toward the matching grant.

These funds will be allocated towards one planning project and six capital construction projects, demonstrating a significant investment in community development across the state.

The director of the Nebraska DED, K.C. Belitz, emphasized the importance of attracting people to Nebraska, underscoring how these awards will enhance community appeal and quality of life.

The projects supported by the CCCFF aim to create modern parks and recreation facilities, foster a sense of community pride, and provide residents with top-tier amenities.

Despite facing challenges related to funding, the McCook community rallied together, with key stakeholders such as Community Hospital, the Economic Development Corp., the Graff Charitable Foundation, and The Arts Council collaborating to secure the necessary matching funds.

By pooling their resources and expertise, they aimed to ensure the success of various planned projects within the district.

The spirit of volunteerism has been integral to the progress of the McCook Creative District, reflecting the community’s dedication to fostering artistic and cultural expression. With a mission to cultivate a vibrant community and diverse creative economy, the volunteers behind the McCook Creative District have worked tirelessly to bring their vision to fruition.

Looking ahead, the McCook Creative District invites community members to participate in upcoming listening meetings, where their input will be invaluable in shaping the district’s future. Graff emphasized the importance of active involvement, urging community members to attend and enjoy the diverse offerings available.

When discussing community involvement, Graff said, “Just show up.” Matt Sehnert echoed that sentiment.

Both urge community members to attend the listening meetings and the third Thursday events beginning in May. Opportunities abound for those looking to support this noble cause. Individuals can volunteer their time or make a donation to the ongoing efforts of the McCook Creative Arts District. Every contribution, big or small, is crucial in paving the way for a brighter tomorrow in McCook, supporting initiatives like the upcoming Mural Project.

As the McCook Creative District continues to evolve, community engagement remains at the heart of its mission. Together, residents, volunteers, and stakeholders are shaping a more vibrant and culturally rich environment for all to enjoy.

For more information on getting involved or donating visit https://www.mccookcreativedistrict.com. Your support can help nurture a thriving artistic community in McCook.

It Takes a Community to Build a Hometown

Fri, 05 Apr 2024 13:57:42 GMT

You have likely heard the maxim: It takes a village to raise a child. The meaning is that the whole community impacts and influences the growth of each child - both positively and negatively - through its support, encouragement, love, nurture and even discipline.

I would like you to consider a variation of that saying: It takes a community to build a hometown.

The same is true for a hometown – all the residents impact and influence what kind of hometown we have and will have. Is our hometown all that you can imagine it to be?

Are we supporting our hometown by participating in its planning and governance? Do we help plan and attend community activities? Do we volunteer among the many groups working to enhance our hometown? Do we take pride in our homes, businesses, neighborhoods and parks by making them attractive and safe for all?

A few years ago, the McCook Community Foundation Fund’s advisory committee set up a couple “idea trees” to collect suggestions from residents on what could be enhanced or added to make McCook a better place to call home. I remember that two suggestions quickly outnumbered the many - a new city pool and a dog park.

At that point, the city pool had been under discussion for many years, while the dog park was a relatively new idea. The amazing thing is that by writing them down on paper, actively talking about them among friends, and focusing new attention on them, they both became a reality.

The same thing happened again when a group of people decided to make the expansion of the outdoor pickle-ball courts a priority. In a very short time, they provided the community with three beautiful courts on East 5 ^th Street.

Most recently, there is a group of young people intent on bringing a second disc golf course that will allow more individuals to play and possibly open McCook to having tournaments. What an inspiration these folks are to all of us!

Jeff Yost, CEO of the Nebraska Community Foundation, often relates: “Change – when it’s personal, it’s important; when it’s important, it gets done.”

Wherever you live, you are part of a community. Each of us is part of a hometown. And ultimately, it takes a whole community to make a hometown whole.

Take a moment to answer these questions:

What would you personally like to see your hometown be?

What would you like for it to provide?

What is personal to you?

What is important to you that you are willing to work to get done?

How would you like to get involved to make that happen?

MCFF wants to hear ideas from everyone in the community. This is an invitation to let your voice be heard.

Together, we can accomplish so much. I hope you will step forward and help keep building a hometown that is a better place to call home.

***

Peggy Been is technically retired but is perhaps busier than ever, serving on MCFF’s Advisory Committee along with volunteering throughout the community.

Preparing to Leave a Legacy in Your Community

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 29 Mar 2024 16:18:49 GMT

Preparing to Leave a Legacy for your Community

Last week, more than three dozen financial advisors and community members gathered together in McCook to learn more about how you can leave a legacy in your community.

Leaving a legacy can mean many things and can be done in a variety of ways.

For some, leaving a legacy means serving in public office, instituting laws and passing ordinances, which will shape the community for generations to come. If you don’t think attending a city council, school board or county commissioner meeting matters, consider that what they do at those meetings affects you and your children and your grandchildren on a daily basis. Those people who have served as a public servant have left a legacy in their community.

For others, they leave a legacy by their involvement and volunteerism in the community. These are the people who recognize a need in the community and fill it by creating an organization to help the situation. Or they volunteer their time to help others and make the community a better place for everyone who lives there. Those people who live to serve others have a left a legacy in their community.

And finally, there is the matter of leaving a legacy financially.

That was the topic covered last week during Nebraska Community Foundation’s Lunch and Learn webinar. Area financial advisors were encouraged to join a watch party at McCook Christian Church to learn more about estate planning and its affect on a community. Accountants, attorneys and investors joined community members to hear from author Mark Weber, who wrote “A Spectrum Legacies: The Gifts You Leave for Your Children and Community.”

The watch-party was hosted by the McCook Community Foundation Fund and the McCook Philanthropy Council. The council is a group of local non-profits who are working together to raise awareness about supporting local charities and non-profit organizations with financial gifts, specifically “Five-to-Thrive” which asks for five percent of assets to be left to a community so that it can thrive.

As our community ages, there is going to be a massive transfer-of-wealth from one generation to the next. If that next generation doesn’t live in this community, those dollars will leave the community, mostly likely forever.

So the conversation has begun about what legacy a person wants to leave not only for their family but for their community by leaving a financial gift for their hometown.

Some might be saying to themselves that they don’t have the financial resources to leave a legacy in their community. But ultimately, it isn’t the size of the gift that matters. It is recognizing that you want to support the organizations and the community that was there for you and your family as they grew up.

This is a different type of mindset. Traditionally when people have worked on their wills or long-term financial planning, all assets would have been passed down to their heirs, traditionally their spouse and/or their children.

But as our part of the state enters the largest generational transfer of wealth, we are working to change that traditional way of thinking. During a different session I attended about Five-to-Thrive, the speaker noted that if his children couldn’t live on 95 percent of his assets, then they wouldn’t be able to live on 100 percent either. That is putting it very bluntly but also very realistically.

And the Five-to-Thrive concept is not asking anyone to abandon to leaving assets to family members. Instead, the idea is to simply consider leaving a legacy in the community where you live or where you grew up if you have moved away.

The decision about your legacy will not be made overnight but rather through many conversations. It won’t be made by reading a single book but by reviewing many articles and stories. And it won’t be made by just reading this article or by what anyone else says but ultimately by following your values and what you would like to leave behind.

We are all going to leave a legacy, one way or another. It can be left up to others.

Or you can take the time to be intentional about what that legacy looks like by being prepared, by considering what your family needs and what will make your community an even better place to call home - for generations to come.

Humane Society Serving Community - and Cats - with New Cages

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Mon, 18 Mar 2024 20:36:31 GMT

By RONDA GRAFF

MCFF

McCOOK - Since 1983, the McCook Humane Society has provided a temporary home for the area’s cats and dogs, serving as a no-kill shelter while animals find their forever-home.

Over the past 40 years, the shelter located at 100 South Street has seen many improvements, while continuously serving the community. The most recent update involved removing all the old cat cages and installing new cages for the incoming felines.

Along with simply installing more cages to house more cats, the new cages are more hygienic because the surfaces are easier to clean and the entrances/exits allow easier access to the animals.

The cages are even divided into “rooms,” including a “bathroom” area that holds the litter box, a “living room” where the cat can just hang out and an “entry way” for the animal to be taken out when needed.

With the new cat cages now installed, the McCook Humane Society is looking forward to additional improvements to the facility.

According to Director Lori Prestes, a priority is completely renovating the stalls for the dogs. The current set-up of gates and cinder-block walls dates back to the original construction of the facility four decades ago. To completely gut the dog cages will require additional funds and extensive work, which the workers and volunteers know is greatly needed, especially since the McCook facility is the only humane society in Southwest Nebraska. Changes that they are looking at in the dog area would not only provide better sanitation but would also reduce the noise level in the canine area.

The new cat cages were partially funded with a grant from the McCook Community Foundation Fund this past fall, recognizing that a better environment for the felines hopefully leads to more adoptions of the cats.

Other grant recipients during the fall 2023 were:

Anderson Endowment: McCook YMCA for a Stem/Maker-Space Project; McCook Public Schools, 2024 Bison Days
Sehnert Challenge: McCook Arts Council for Missoula Children’s Theater, Creative District; McCook Community Kitchen for Day of the Dead Celebration
Myers Challenge: McCook Community College Foundation for Nurses Aid Tuition Assistance
MCFF Endowment: High Plains Museum for Sound System

The next grant deadline for MCFF is quickly approaching with applications due by Monday, April 1. Applications along with a list of the recent recipients is available on the MCFF website, mccookfoundation.org.

For more information, email mcffund@gmail.com or call 308.340.3412.

Setting the Vibe in a Community

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Sat, 16 Mar 2024 14:24:16 GMT

My closet at home is overflowing with t-shirts, filling totes, lining shelves and hanging from racks. There are shirts from 5K road races and sprint triathlons we have done the past few decades. Shirts from the bands we have seen at concerts in our own town and those we have traveled hours to watch. And shirts from just a few of the cities and states we have visited over the years.

It is that final category about the places that caught my attention recently as I sifted through the hangars. I was looking for something to represent McCook as I attended a conference. I wanted fellow-attendees to know I was from McCook, without them having to squint to read my nametag.

I have a sweatshirt from San Francisco, a cool t-shirt from Red Cloud, and a simple black shirt highlighting Omaha, but my McCook selection was minimal to non-existent. The only shirt in my closet noting McCook is one the McCook Community Foundation Fund designed for a program that we will share down the road.

Sure, my closet has plenty of clothing adorned with McCook Bison logos, but that is not the city of McCook. My clothing is made up of shirts from all the races we have held in McCook, but that is not representative of the town.

The closest example I can find of a t-shirt available that represents our community is from Mac’s Drive-In with its’ “McCook Famous” proclamation. I’m hoping they are still for sale and because everyone rushes to buy one now, Tyler McCartey has to put in a new order.

But why do I own a Red Cloud, Nebraska shirt and not one McCook? Because I walked into the National Willa Cather Center and found a variety of Red Cloud shirts to choose from. Many featured Cather quotes obviously. But others featured Red Cloud artists, who had designed the shirts. It was a win-win. The artists were featured and held up for their creativity and the community had something to promote itself.

Wearing a shirt with writing on the front sends a message because it is something you are willing to put on your body. The shirt says you represent that concept or that idea. It says that you are proud of where you come from. It says that you want others to know more about what it says.

A shirt can also represent the “vibe” of the idea or in this example, of the community. In order to put something in writing or into a design, you have to understand what the vibe is.

And that is what we are working on in McCook today. We are figuring out what the vibe of McCook is. Many organizations and individuals are working together to determine what we want the vibe of McCook to be.

And this doesn’t have to just be applied to a community. We all determine what the vibe is around us, whether at work, in the school, at church, or in our organizations. Each and everyone one of us sets the tone of wherever we go. It is simple to look at others and say they control what the tone is in a particular setting, but we have a say in what happens.

If you don’t like the way something is run, step up and say something and make a change.If you would like to see something happen in your community, get involved, ask questions, offer to volunteer.

It is easy to sit back and blame others for things that happen - or don’t happen. It is easy to say there is nothing you can do to change the tone of your community. But we can all make an impact in our places of worship, in our schools, in our places of work and perhaps most importantly in our communities.

We get to determine the “vibe” our communities want to be and we get to figure out what will make us proud of where we live so that we can wear the shirts with the name of our hometown blazing across our chests.

Pearls of Wisdom from the Past Apply to Today

Sun, 10 Mar 2024 20:04:26 GMT

Wisdom - The quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment.

The word, wisdom, can be a little intimidating. If you are interested in finding meaning and purpose in your life, then you may be interested in gaining wisdom. If you are interested in bringing joy to a your life, then you may be want to learn how to live wisely.

I don’t have it all figured out, but as I ponder this notion at my retirement age, I still have interest in acquiring as much wisdom as I can manage before I cross the divide.

I recently stumbled across my grandmother’s 8th grade graduation booklet, “School Days Souvenir,” dated May 24th, 1922, from the Frontier County District #58 country school, located not far north of the Red Willow County line, about midway between McCook and Indianola. Regardless of whether you used horseback, buggy, or early horseless carriage, it would take close to two hours or more to commute from either city on the primitive roads.

There were 36 first through eighth grade “pupils” listed in the booklet, with Winnifred C. Bergin as the only teacher. I venture a guess that Winnifred most likely had her hands full.

The booklet consists of only four pages, but they are packed with some pearls of wisdom. I will share a couple with you as I think they reflect some important values of our McCook Community Foundation Fund (MCFF).

The first pearl contains a few pieces of advice and unfortunately does not include the author’s credit but is wise to follow and wraps up concisely:

A carefree and happy childhood, a golden buoyant youth, an energetic and useful manhood and womanhood, and a serene and contented old age should be the life story of all who are born.

Beautiful thoughts are the jewels that adorn the soul. Cherish and cultivate them that you may walk in the paths of righteousness and peace.

Gathering a little knowledge every day will bring you at last to the halls of wisdom, where you may enter and revel in the joy of perfect knowledge.

“Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore, get wisdom.”

Our world has changed since 1922, or has it really? Are these words not applicable today?

We live in a new age; physically, intellectually, and emotionally managing a world that the 1922 eighth-grade graduating pupils couldn’t have imagined.

Eighth grade was the end of formal education for much of that generation. My grandmother was fortunate enough to get additional teaching credentials and teach at another country school for a few years before she was forced to quit because she planned to get married. Yes, that was quite common then and the nullification clause was printed in her teaching contract. She accepted that limitation and went on to raise her family, living an amazingly interesting and sometimes tragic story. There are many stories lived by the predecessors of our community, and much wisdom to be acquire by studying their history.

MCFF recognizes that change is inevitable. Try as you may, there is no stopping it.

MCFF also understands that the core values of humans living in a community have not changed all that much. We still desire many of the same community attributes for our families.

With this in mind, we believe we can affect our community future positively by applying our collective wisdom. MCFF creates the opportunity for you to share a bit of your family success with McCook’s future. Any amount invested today provides immediate community benefit from this point forward.

Directed wisely, any endowed funds are perpetual; meaning the earnings from the principle will be working 100 years from now. And if we play our cards right, many years after that. These earnings can be invested in residents and projects by future leaders building our community. Impacting our hospital, schools, and the YMCA; improving the housing and day care situations; revitalizing the downtown and growing cultural experiences; and many more concepts we cannot imagine today. In short, investments to make McCook’s future better. I think that’s wise!

To wrap up, here is one final pearl from the 1922 handbook which is just as applicable today:“Success consists in doing the common things in life uncommonly well.”

***

Dale Dueland, a life-long farmer, is a member of the McCook Community Foundation Fund Advisory Committee, has had family in the community for generations and manages to keep busy with various projects and events.

Choosing Words to Have Impact on Community

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Sun, 03 Mar 2024 23:38:47 GMT

Talk to any small child and they probably have a lot of favorites: their favorite color, their favorite number, their favorite dinosaur, their favorite chicken nugget shape.

As we grow up, those favorites just seem to slip away. I’d be hard pressed to name a dinosaur much less my favorite kind.

But lately I have found myself gravitating toward certain words that all start with the same letter. I don’t usually play favorites - although my kids may beg to differ - but it seems like there are a lot of “C” words that tend to convey getting things done, words that lend themselves to positivity, words that encourage me to move forward.

Chance - Possibility of something happening

It is easy to get stuck doing the same thing over and over because you know the likely outcome. By taking a chance, something will happen, something will change.
There is a possibility, that something may be negative. But without seizing the opportunity, you will never know if it could have had a positive outcome.

Choice - Deciding between two or more possibilities

Every day, we make choices from what time to get up in the morning to what you will do with your spare time. Those choices add up and make a difference in your life and in your community.

You can choose to sleep in and skip your workout for the day. Or you can choose to get up every morning to workout, where you will maintain - or more likely - grow your fitness and health.

You can choose to not get involved in your community and just let others make all the decisions. Or you can choose to get involved and to volunteer your spare time, where you will maintain - or more likely - grow your community.

Change - Make different or replace with something better

Many people think that “status quo” is O.K. but actually status quo leans toward decline. The world is constantly changing and if we aren’t changing with it, then we are falling behind. We have to be willing to adapt and to be willing to try new things if we want to move forward. Because the other option is just slowly - but surely - dwindling away.

Collaborate - Working with someone to produce or create something

This is perhaps the word that has gained the most traction in recent years in our community. More and more organizations are coming together to get things done and we can see the impact it is having on the projects and events that are taking place. Collaboration is directly related to choice: every day we make the choice to go alone or work together and one of those ideas gets big things done.

I have so many more “C” words that are constantly swirling around in my head:

connections, the relationships between people and ideas;

conversations, where people share ideas;

capacity, focusing on what is capable in your community, both financially and from community members;

creativity, using our imagination and bringing forward new ideas; and

commitment, dedicating time and resources to a cause and activity.

So all these words relate to the final “C” word which I am saying constantly: Community.

Words do matter. Words affect how we think about our community. Words determine how we feel about our community. Words are literally how we speak about our community and convey to others our attitude toward our own hometowns.

We need to embrace these words if we want our community to be around years from now. We need to utilize the ideas if want our communities to grow and thrive. And we need to focus on these concepts if we want to make McCook and Southwest Nebraska an even better place to call home.

Adults Can Change Youth's Vision of a Community

Fri, 16 Feb 2024 14:15:07 GMT

Adults Can Change Youth's Vision of the Community

My time at McCook High School is nearing an end, which also means my membership on McCook Community Foundation Fund’s Youth Change Reaction group will also come to a close. And to sum up my experience over the past few years, YCR has played a huge role in my personal growth and appreciation for our little community.

To say I’m proud of where my roots are would be an understatement.

Working alongside the MCFF committee members and with my YCR peers, I have accomplished a variety of different projects that not only strengthened McCook as a whole but also has guided me in more ways than I can count.

I am proud of many things we have done, from reading with elementary school children to hosting dances for junior high students.

But perhaps I am most grateful for my experience with the drive-in theater, Cars Under the Stars.

The fundraising, the planning and working with businesses - and then watching it all come together - have had a significant impact on me which I will never forget. Now that the screen is officially up at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds, I cannot wait to see the role the drive-in plays in the community.

Knowing that we - young people - really can do anything we set our minds to (of course with the help of some amazing mentors) was unbelievable to me before the process. While the drive-in project did take longer than we had planned, it happened thanks to persistence and support from the community.

When weather permits, we will finally be able to show off our project and host our first movie at the fairgrounds.

The theater has been the highlight of my YCR days, but I will always be grateful for the MCFF committee members who made it all possible. Not only did they guide us through the entire process, but they have also been personal life coaches along the way.

I think adults rub off on kids much more than they realize, and the members of the MCFF committee have shaped us all in so many ways. I will always be grateful to each of them for teaching me so many different skills and helping me find the confidence to make changes to the place I call home.

I also am very grateful to the Nebraska Community Foundation. NCF holds an annual training in different parts of Nebraska every year. While attending these events, I have met some of the most influential and inspirational people in our state. I’ve heard many remarkable stories and have even had opportunities to speak with some incredible and dynamic voices.

At the annual training, I was never seen as merely a child, but rather as another member of the community, with my views and my voice recognized. The adults are genuinely rooting for us and want to see us flourish and succeed.

I have had many opportunities that I am lucky to have had over the past few years. Through my YCR experience, I have given speeches, spoken on television, and now have written a newspaper column. If someone had told freshman-me what was in store over the next few years, I would not have believed it because it isn’t every day that kids get the chances I have had.

MCFF has given me one of the greatest gifts I will ever receive by simply being there, showing support, and providing leadership to all of us. But this doesn’t have to be something limited to just this group. Adults just need to take the time to stop and listen to the young people in their community because we have something to say and something to contribute.

I hope my time with MCFF is far from over. I have formed such an attachment to the committee, to our community, and even to Nebraska that I would like to continue.

I have always been that kid whose only dream was to grow up and get out of town but now that has all changed. I want to keep watching the community flourish and grow, and more importantly, I want to be a part of it.

We have a special community, a community that many people can only wish they had. I am proud of McCook and I am proud to call it my home. And I cannot wait to see what else happens in the future…and I cannot wait to help make it happen.

Bison Days Highlights Opportunities and Assets

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 21:20:58 GMT

Bringing students and community together during 2024 Bison Days

Earlier this week, McCook High School held its 5th annual Bison Days, which immerses students into the community for two entire days. They learn how businesses operate, experience new hobbies, and can even obtain certification in different skills.

The event is purposely held in mid-February to break up the winter doldrums. Even myself, someone who enjoys winter, finds these drab, dreary months drag on between the winter holidays and spring’s arrival so these few days with the students are a moment of brightness.

The organizing committee are the ones who should be commended, spending months working on the logistics for the two days of matching up 400 students with community members - along with the transportation and locations also required.

I am privileged to be just a small part of Bison Days and look forward to it each year.

My husband, a high school English teacher, and I have led a session in creative writing nearly every year and it is is a joy to watch the students scribble away in their notepads, the ideas flowing faster than they can write.

But this year, we added a couple of sessions which truly get to what I want students to experience by the time they graduate: knowing more about their community.

One of our sessions was titled, “Winter Wonderland.” We are privileged to live in an area that enjoys all four seasons and I would like the students to experience the joy of being outside regardless of the weather conditions.

When I originally proposed the idea to the Bison Days committee last fall, I was hoping there would be snow on the ground in February. That would have enabled me to take the kids snow-shoeing, cross-country skiing, fat-tire biking, even sledding.

But alas, Mother Nature didn’t cooperate with typical winter conditions. Instead, we were “forced” to deal with warmer-than-usual conditions including glaring sunshine and dry sidewalks.

We had our students explore downtown McCook through a scavenger hunt based on the theme of a school day. Their “math class” was finding the location that housed toys that are 1/87th their normal size - the model train display. For “civics class,” they had to find the statue of the person who brought electricity to rural Americans. “Music class” was performing their favorite song on a downtown stage.

The final class of the day was “P.E.” where we traversed McCook’s walking trails in Kelley Park on bikes and scooters.

At the end of this session, we hoped the kids had learned a little bit more about their community, including that you can do things outside anytime of the year.

Another new session for my husband and me was taking a group to the Red Willow State Recreation Area to explore the dam as well as the trails surrounding the lake.

Thanks to Donovan Redl and Steve Yeager, the kids were able to experience the inner workings of the dam north of McCook. Perhaps, we should have asked the kids prior to signing up for the session if they were claustrophobic as we meandered through the dam’s ductwork. Live and learn.

Personally, I had never been inside the dam and it was an engineering marvel, especially when you consider that all our area dams were built in the ’40, ’50 and ‘60s. I’ll never drive across the dam again without thinking about standing underneath that same road in the midst of the gates, levers and tunnels that make it possible.

We wrapped up the day with another excursion on bicycles and scooters, along with hiking, on the trails that wind next to the lake. Several in our group mentioned that the hadn’t been on a bike in years; while others commented that they didn’t know these trailheads existed so close to their hometown.

We were blessed with a beautiful day to experience the outdoors and took advantage of the nice conditions. But we were prepared to be outdoors even if there was snow on the ground, because that diversity is what makes it so great to call Southwest Nebraska home.

With another Bison Days in the books, I’m sure the organizing committee is taking a days to savor that it is over before they start planning for next year. But I hope they know that these few days in the community are invaluable, which is why the McCook Community Foundation Fund has supported the project financially since its inception.

Bison Days help community members connect with the students, sharing their passions and skills. Conversely, Bison Days expose the students to assets their own community has to offer. And there are so many more opportunities which haven’t been explored as part of Bison Days, so please reach out to the high school if you have a hobby, activity or interest that you think students would enjoy.

As part of Bison Days, we are able to share what we love about our community and what we able to do right here in our own backyard. We are showing our students - and our future leaders, business owners and community members - that they can make things happen in their own hometown.

Planned Giving Can Be For Everyone

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 15:57:18 GMT

I have a lot of books sitting around my house with the hope of reading them someday but know there is no possible way to read them all in my lifetime. I would have to give up every activity, hobby and project to fill them.

But one book sitting on my desk shelf emerges every few months, where I write down a thought or a note, insert another document or just check to make sure it is up to date. What book demands that much attention and requires constant commitment from its user?

“I’m Dead. Now What?”

It is a book designed to be completed while you are alive to benefit those who will have to deal with what is left when you are no longer around. I purchased the book with the hope that I would get all my affairs in order before my time on this earth comes to an end. My hope is to be organized on my deathbed because it is not likely to happen before then.

To help those who have to deal with the aftermath of your passing, it has a section to list all your assets, another section to categorize your investment and insurance policies, even a section on who is to take care of the dog. Hopefully, this has been discussed prior to when it is implemented, especially if they aren’t dog people.

While I may be one step ahead by purchasing the book, I am not that different from most people who think they have all the time in the world to get organized, to get prepared, to have a plan in place before they die.

While it isn’t fun to think about, we all have to admit that we are going to leave this earth someday. Yet, we go through our days acting like it is never going to happen.

But if we truly care about our loved ones, we should have our affairs in order. That may be having a will: a basic. It may be medical orders: great to have in place. Or it may be an estate plan - truly thinking long-term.

Let’s stop for a moment because when most people hear the words “estate plan,” they think that it is reserved for only the wealthy among us. But in reality, every single person can and should have an estate plan to benefit those around us.

And this is not something you have to do on your own. There are so many ways we can get our affairs in order for our loved ones and there are many organizations in our community which are willing to help us do it.

For example, McCook Community College and Nebraska Extension are hosting a free workshop about Farm Succession and Estate Planning on Thursday, Feb. 8 in the MCC Student Union. The Community Hospital Health Foundation is even picking up the tab for lunch so all that is asked of you is your time from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Yes, it will cost you a few hours to attend, but those hours are an investment for your family, for your heirs, for your community to make sure a plan is in place when the time comes. The workshop will offer tools and strategies to begin the planning process to hand off a farm or ranch to the next generation. Pre-registration is appreciated so there are enough supplies and food by calling MCC at 308-345-8122.

On March 20 over the lunch hour, the Nebraska Community Foundation is hosting an hour-long webinar featuring author and financial advisor Mark Weber. As the author of “A Spectrum of Legacies,” he will discuss values-driven estate planning and help answer three questions to ask yourself when planning for after you are gone:

How will I know when I have enough?
How much should I leave my children?
How will I be remembered?

Weber will share how you can align estate planning with the values you hold dear to benefit your family and your community. This event is free with registration through NCF’s website. Or McCook Philanthropy Council is hosting a watch party at McCook Christian Church and McCook Community Foundation Fund will even provide lunch. RSVP by calling or texting 308.340.3412 or on the MCFF website, mccookfoundation.org.

Will people leave either of these events with a plan in place? No, they will not.

But they will leave with resources to get the process started. They will leave with questions to ask their families about what they would like to see happen. And perhaps most importantly, they will leave inspired to get a plan in place to benefit themselves, their family and their community.

Making a Difference Doesn't Always Require Permission

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 26 Jan 2024 22:36:41 GMT

Over the past week, there has been a lot of negativity in McCook, specifically around the water situation. Ideally, we want to have clean, readily-available water all the time. Additionally, no one wants to pay more than their fair share to have access to water in their homes and businesses.

But as I told my son this week who was in the midst of a stressful situation, life is dealing with the highs and lows and learning how to handle each situation as it arises. Life is reacting to the good and the bad on a daily basis, knowing that our lives ebb and flow constantly.

And right now, people are not dealing with the bad in a constructive or helpful manner.

Sure, there is nothing that most of us can do solve the water situation. We cannot walk into the water treatment plant, flip a switch and suddenly have perfect water flowing.

For starters, many people probably don’t even know where the plant is located. When the city has offered tours of its facilities, the majority of the people on the bus are staff members and city council members. Very few citizens take the time to learn more about their community on a regular basis. Not until something goes wrong do we pay attention and that usually just involves venting online, in the paper or on the radio rather than going to the source such as attending a city council meeting or a county commissioners session.

And as citizens, we have to take on the responsibility for things that take place in our community because we let this happen.

In the past, we have elected officials who celebrate the lowest tax rates and then wonder why we don’t have the funds to make necessary repairs. We have voted for people who don’t want to invest in our future to create a community where people will want to live and visit, which in turn creates a larger tax base to make more investments.

And perhaps most importantly, we struggle to fill the political seats we have. Yes, it takes a lot time to serve in political office and there is a lot to learn in public service. But if you have a problem with how things are working or how things are being done, then it is time to step up and run for office and make a difference from the inside rather than just lamenting from the outside. For everyone’s information, the incumbent (current office holders) registration deadline is Feb. 15 while the last day for new filers is March 1.

That being said, political office is not the only way to make a difference in your community. We need elected officials and government staff to keep things running, but there is actually just as much that can be done on a daily basis just as a citizen in our community.

An article on the website, Small Biz Survival, listed more than 100 things a person can do in or for their community that doesn’t require anyone’s permission. In fact, 99 percent of the things you could do to improve your community don’t require authorization from anyone and is perfect for small towns.

A few examples:

Take pictures of things you like in your hometown and share them.

I regularly see posts about McCook, usually taken by outsiders, who are celebrating what many of us take for granted, such as our historical sites and our abundant outdoor activities. Think about what would happen if we regularly shared what we love about our communities rather than lamenting everything that is wrong.

Walk into a local store. Take 5 friends. Spend $10 each.

Consider the impact your $50 will have on a hometown store and its owner versus spending $50 online where it won’t even get noticed.

Plant an extra row in your garden to share.

Every summer, extra produce shows up at the front desk of the YMCA for people to take home. Imagine an entire table dedicated to the plentiful bounty that we can produce in our gardens.

Hold a repair cafe: bring together people who can fix things (including sewing) and let anyone bring anything that needs fixed.

We bemoan that we live in a single-use society. Here is a chance to fix-up and reuse what we already have, as well as for those who have the expertise to share with those who lack many - perhaps most - of these skills.

These are just a few ideas. Perhaps my favorite idea is starting a positive Facebook page for your community. Yes, McCook has a “compliments” page but on that same site, the positives are drowned out by the concerns and complaints. According to research, the ideal praise-to-criticism ratio is 5:1. Meaning, it takes five positive comments to balance out one negative comment.

It can be tough to stay positive all the time, especially when dealing with the economy, finances and politics. But there are many opportunities to make a difference in our community, from serving in political office to volunteering on an organization’s board to hosting a dinner for newcomers. Ultimately, they all add up to make McCook and Southwest Nebraska an even better place to call home.

Learning About Politics Vital for a Community

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Mon, 22 Jan 2024 16:11:35 GMT

Earlier this week, I helped with a tour of downtown McCook for visiting University of Nebraska at Kearney students focusing on medical careers. It is a privilege to host visitors and share with them what makes McCook unique and worthy of a visit.

The stops included many historical and “only in McCook” locations such as Nebraska’s only James Beard Award-winning restaurant, Sehnert’s Bakery; Nebraska’s only Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home, the Sutton House; and the boyhood home of Ben Nelson, McCook’s most recent politician to serve in a national office.

The tour wrapped up with a stop at the George W. Norris Home. As Norris Home curator Laurie Skinner quizzed the two young students, it quickly became apparent that these Nebraska students were not well versed about Norris, Nebraska’s Unicameral, the Tennessee Valley Authority or the U.S. Constitution’s 20th Amendment. On a positive note, they had heard of John F. Kennedy, who devotes a chapter to Norris in the book “Profiles in Courage.”

I wish the lack of understanding about Norris and McCook’s rich political history was unique to these couple students, but unfortunately I doubt even McCook students and residents are fully aware of the impact that Norris as well as all our local politicians have had on our communities, our state and our nation.

As I was leaving the Norris House, I remembered to sign into the guest book. Unfortunately, the visitors are sparse. It was truly sad to see. Granted, it has been cold outside and we aren’t in the prime tourist season, but I challenge everyone to remember the last time they intentionally visited a local historical site.

Why is this important?

For starters, it is an opportunity to learn what makes our community special. And every time I stop by one of our local locations, I learn something new.

For example, I knew that Norris was instrumental in getting the 20th Amendment into law, which is usually known as the lame duck amendment. Adopted on January 23, 1933, the amendment reduced the presidential transition and the "lame duck" period, by which members of Congress and the president serve the remainder of their terms after an election by moving the induction of new officials from March to January following the election.

While not glamorous or glitzy, the amendment is important because it eliminates or reduces the possibility of out-going officials creating and passing laws that they will not have any accountability for moving forward.

But did you know that Norris’ leadership in getting the 20th amendment passed puts him in the same company as Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln as the only politicians to oversee the passage of an amendment from start to finish, according to Skinner. In the case of the 20th amendment, it took 12 years of perseverance from Norris to get the amendment into law.

It is important to visit these locations to remember the importance of being involved and informed. The basement of the Nelson boyhood home is filled with memorabilia from his time as Nebraska’s governors and as U.S. Senator, where he made an impact for generations to come.

And being involved and informed isn’t limited to just learning from the past.

Current Nebraska Gov. Pillen visited McCook this week in the lead up to his state-of-the-state address. This was an opportunity to ask questions, face-to-face, with decision makers who affect our day-to-day lives.

Every other week, State Sen. Murman conducts a conference call with his McCook constituents on Thursdays at 8:15 a.m. It is open to the public, via zoom or by listening to the conference call as a group at the Keystone Business Center. Again, this provides an opportunity to ask questions or just learn what is going on in the Unicameral from those on the front lines.

And from a McCook perspective, it is perhaps more important than ever to pay attention to what is going on as rules are stripped away that make the Unicameral format function with the possibility of eliminating the one-house format all-together as a possibility.

Take the opportunity to visit our local, historic, heritage sights in McCook or around the state. Carve out a few minutes to visit with your state senators or national officials. Don’t hesitate to visit with our local city council members and county commissioners when you see them on the sidewalks. The more informed and involved we are as a community, the better our community will be for future generations.

New Year's Resolution to Welcome Newcomers

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 18:04:30 GMT

The Omaha World-Herald reported on Jan. 5th that Nebraska’s level of ‘brain drain’ outmigration is now one of the worst in the nation, based upon the percentage of the population, and is continuing down a long-term unfavorable trend.

At both the state and local level, it is getting ever more challenging to attract and retain workers. And that competition is not going to ease anytime soon due to significant demographic challenges.

But we can’t just throw in the towel. Instead, it is time to roll up our sleeves and figure out solutions - creative, innovative, long-lasting ideas to address the issues.

For starters, we, as a community, must work together to take advantages of our community’s strengths and make our community an even better place to call home. While this effort will need to be comprehensive and have many parts, one of the key pieces is making our community more welcoming, something each of us can contribute to.

But how do we make our community more welcoming? And who can we be welcoming to?

We may think everyone we see around town has been here for many years. However, we underestimate the numbers of new people who arrive in our community every year.

Right before Christmas, the U.S. Census Bureau released the State-to-County Migration Flows for the five-year period of 2017-2021. Based on their records, Red Willow County had 797 people move here from another county, state, or country; and another 668 people changed residences within the county.

Of the people who moved here during that time, 526 came from other counties in Nebraska, 85 from Kansas, 45 from Oklahoma, 36 from both Colorado and Missouri, with other states making up the remaining 43. An additional 26 moved here from another country.

That is roughly a new person moving to our county every other day. How many of these new people have you met? How well do each of us do at welcoming them into our social circles? What are we doing to help them feel welcome here?

Consider who made you feel welcomed when you were new to a community, whether it was starting at a new school, moving away from home from college, or starting a new job in a brand-new town. What made you feel like you belonged? Who reached out to you to make you feel welcomed? How did the community welcome you? Use those experiences to welcome others to our community.

If we want to make our community a place where young people and families want to live, let’s start with ourselves to create a community we want to belong to and place where we feel welcome. And then we take the next step and help others feel like they belong and that they are welcomed.

As it is the season of reflection and New Year’s resolutions, consider reaching out to someone who is new to our community, whether it is at your workplace, in your neighborhood, or at your church. Welcoming gestures, something as simple as taking them out for coffee or inviting them to an exercise class, can go a long way in making our community a more welcoming place for people new to our community.

***

Sean Wolfe is the newest member of the McCook Community Foundation Fund Advisory Committee, as well as the Chief Financial Officer at Community Hospital in McCook, and brings a passion for not only numbers and finances but also people and the community.

Trees Represent the Promise of Doing Things for Others

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 05 Jan 2024 15:14:45 GMT

Our senses can lead to so many memories from our past.

A smell can remind you of your mom making brownies in the kitchen. The site of a lawnmower in your garage recalls the image of your dad spending hours cutting the grass. Or maybe it is remembering the touch of the soft fur from your first kitten as a child.

For me, a particular sound reminds me of my childhood, with countless weekends spent camping next to the Platte River between Omaha and Lincoln. The rustle of towering cottonwood trees immediately takes me back to summer afternoons, spent sitting under the flapping leaves, alternating between staring at the sky and sketching the landscape around me.

To this day, I am enamored with trees and cottonwoods in particular. I have a cottonwood tree in my yard which is slowly losing one large branch after another, so large that family members and visitors are instructed not to park under it when the wind gusts. But the tree retains enough branches to provide that comforting sound of rustling leaves throughout the summer.

As I stand next to the towering cottonwood in my yard, I often think about its history. All the people who have lived in my hundred-year-old house and enjoyed the tree’s canopy of shade. The birds, owls and squirrels who have used it as their home. The hundreds of times the tree has dropped its leaves in the fall and bloomed again in the spring.

Whether that tree was planted intentionally or sprouted up accidentally, it represents longevity and I only hope it is still standing after I’m gone.

“Plant a tree knowing you may never sit beneath its shade.”

On Monday, more than 80 people of all ages ventured out for the annual First Day Hike at Red Willow State Recreation Area. The event provides the opportunity to kick off the new year on a healthy note, enjoying the brisk fresh air of a January afternoon and taking in the beauty of the lake and the surrounding countryside.

A visit to the state park north of McCook also provides a great example of investing in the future.

The creation of the dam system in Southwest Nebraska has served the area for generations, providing flood control, outdoor recreation opportunities and irrigation options to name just a few benefits.

And standing at a campsite earlier this week for the New Year’s Day walk, I noticed all the trees which may not be in their full glory, but convey the promise of shade this summer.

Not too many years ago, the camping area was - to put it bluntly - fairly barren. Yes, it was usable but not very welcoming. Fast forward to today with trees towering over many of the camping spots and new trees added regularly, the area beckons for families to play games, retirees to sit and read and friends to gather and just enjoy the outdoors.

While the trees may not have been rustling with leaves on a cold winter day earlier this week, those same trees will provide countless hours of enjoyment this summer and for decades to come.

“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago; the second best time is today.”

It is not by accident that the McCook Community Foundation Fund has a tree as its logo, representing longevity and planning today for tomorrow.

Trees are a promise of doing something for others, with the knowledge that your satisfaction will come from their enjoyment rather than your own. Trees also represent endurance and standing tall even in the face of adversity such as a storm or opposition.

As we start the new year, take this opportunity to look forward on what you can do to make your community better. Figure out where you can get involved and make something happen. Roll up your sleeves to do the hard work today so that others will reap the benefits years from now.

Because what we are doing today matters. The decisions we make today will have a ripple affect for generations. And the “trees” we plant today will provide “shade” for years to come.

“A man doesn’t plant a tree for himself. He plants it for posterity."

"Not Much" Happening This Past Year Simply Not True

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Sat, 30 Dec 2023 22:35:55 GMT

The body content of your post goes here. To edit this text, click on it and delete this default text and start typing your own or paste your own from a different source.

Make Every Day Like a "Holiday Parade" in Your Community

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 17:56:38 GMT

In October, Norris Avenue was shut down for several hours as the Heritage Days parade streamed down

McCook’s main street. People lined the streets for blocks with kids darting after candy while adults visited

with friends and neighbors as part of the McCook Chamber’s annual event.

Less than a week later, an entire block of Norris Avenue was again cut off from vehicle traffic for the

McCook Community Foundation Fund’s annual Community Celebration, an evening of fun, music, games

and food.

Then in December, traffic came to a halt through downtown McCook as the Christmas parade took over

the street on a beautiful December evening. I should say that traffic “mostly” came to a halt. There was

one unfortunate driver who somehow found themselves in the middle of the parade, stuck between a

trailer pulling a fully-lit Christmas tree and in front of a public power district truck with the boom ladder

hovering close to the back window the undecorated sedan. Most likely, the older couple most likely just

wanted to get to the Mexican restaurant but somehow became entry No. 8 in the parade.

And prior to and following the Christmas parade, the streets around Norris Park were cordoned off with

cones so the horse-drawn carriages could safely travel around the square.

Some might see shutting down the streets for these events as an inconvenience. Perhaps even going so

far as to say that the disruption isn’t worth the benefit.

But anyone standing on the sidewalk after the holiday parade would have heard both the young and old

alike saying they wished the parade had gone on longer and they appreciated the effort which went into

making Noel on Norris happen. During the community celebration, kids wandered up and down the bricks

from game to game or stopped by the portable dance floor in the middle of the street. And every year

after the Heritage Days parade, people linger on the sidewalks talking to friends they hadn’t likely seen in

months.

These are some of the best days in the community and why? Because all of these events promote

gathering together as a community and they provide a reason to get out of your vehicle and enjoy what is

taking place.

Why would we not want every day to be like this?

I’m not talking about full-blown events every day of the year, but instead creating an atmosphere where

people want to do these things on a regular basis. For a few nights during the year, they were willing to

give up their video games for the night, they stepped away from their streaming television shows, they

quit staring at their phones for a few hours. We need to consider how to create a community where

people are willing to do that on a regular basis.

And we have these events to learn from.

Because of these events, we know that people are willing to walk to get to where they are going rather

than having to park directly in front of the store or restaurant they are going to. This means that

converting parking spaces into outdoor sitting areas could be an option.

Because of these events, we know that people want areas to gather and hang out. This means creating

spaces with benches and tables where lunches can happen and conversations can take place.

Because of these events, we know that people want to do things together. This means that we need

creative activities readily available such as giant chess sets in the park for families to play together or

pianos along the sidewalk to tinkle a toon as you walk by.

All of these events show that it is possible to change things up, that people want to do things, that they

want to be out and about in their community, that they want their community to be successful. Moving

forward, we need to figure out how to take the enthusiasm and excitement at a holiday parade and apply

it to everyday in our community.

As we celebrate the holiday season with family and friends, we need to take a few moments to be

thankful for everything we have and we can reflect on all that we accomplished to make our community

one to be proud to call home.

And as we prepare for the upcoming year, we can look forward to several projects already in the works

which may bring significant change to the community. These are changes which will make us appreciate

what we already have in place, improvements which will make us better utilize what has already been

accomplished and additions that will make McCook and Southwest Nebraska an even better place to call

home.

Decision Making Based onWhat's Best, Not Status Quo

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 18:50:55 GMT

Because of tradition and with my mother-in-law Dolores’ urging, I have a formal china set. For those who remember DeGroff’s Department Store, my china set is made up of all the sample settings that were displayed on the wall - and had a hint of blue in the design.

I brought the pieces home, and it immediately went onto my china cabinet built by dad. And for 10 months out of the year, those china pieces sat on the shelves, never coming down for use because I never had a formal event that required the use of china.

But every December, I would remove the china from the cabinet, wrapping each piece in newspaper and carefully placing each plate, cup and saucer into a tote. Taking their place on the shelves would be an inexpensive set of Christmas dinnerware, purchased from the Five and Dime, what would be our dollar stores today.

Piece by piece, I would place the red-and-green-themed bowls, stemware, and coffee mugs on the shelves. And the plates adorned with snowmen and pine trees would get used every meal from December, through Christmas and into the new year.

Then sometime in late January, I would reverse the process, with the holiday plates going back into the tote and the fine china pieces resuming their place on the shelves, none of them to be touched or used for another 10 months.

Then a few years ago, I began to ask myself why I was doing that elaborate process? Why did I feel like I had to have fine china on display rather than the holiday plates? Why was I putting away the holiday plates if I enjoyed them so much? So I stopped.

In January, I left the china pieces sitting in a tote in my basement, and I simply left the fun, holiday plates on the shelves year-round. I like that the plates infuse a sense of Christmas joy year-round. I’m not worried about them getting chipped or broken because they likely won’t break as easily. And I simply enjoy them a lot better than the porcelain pieces that had occupied the shelves for decades.

Not only do the holiday dishes get used regularly during the winter months, but throughout the year they are pulled out for meals, for events, for snacks. I look over throughout the year and a small smile comes across my face because I like the nostalgic images of bikes hauling Christmas trees on the pieces.

Regularly, we make decisions based on what is expected of us or what is normal in our society. We are expected to put up holiday decorations each winter and then take them down soon after. And I get it - they are holiday decorations after all. But if we enjoy the holiday decorations that much, we should be able to leave them up and use them year-round.

Plus, I have found another hour of free time, simply by not switching out my dishes. Is this a life-altering decision? No, but it is a life-altering way of thinking.

So much of what we do in our daily lives is what is expected of us or what we do to fit in or it is what we have always done. What if we paused for just a moment to question whether what we’ve been doing for years is what we should continue to do? What if we questioned whether fitting in is the best path or should we be willing to stand out from the crowd?

What if we considered doing something different would make our lives and perhaps those around us even better? Whether it is deciding to use your holiday dishes year-round or pushing back against the status quo in your community, we need to take a moment to reflect on our decision making and ask ourselves: Is this making our lives a little bit better? Is this making our community a little bit better?

***

And what about the fine china set? It is still sitting in a tote in my basement that I stumble across occasionally and wonder, “Why do I still have this?” At this point, I figure I have three options for the china set unless someone has a better idea: start using them on a daily basis, donate them to a thrift store, or gift them to my children and make them deal with it years down the road

Power of Community Involvement and Volunteerism

Fri, 01 Dec 2023 17:12:31 GMT

McCook exemplifies the essence of a tight-knit, thriving community. In a world that sometimes seems to prioritize individualism, our town has a heartbeat that beats in unison with the spirit of our residents. The real heartbeat of this unity lies in the selfless acts of community involvement and volunteerism, which provide the muscle for McCook's growth and well-being.
In McCook, where almost everyone knows their neighbor's name, community involvement is more than just a pastime; it is a way of life. The sense of belonging and connection that comes from being actively engaged in our community is profound. It is a feeling that transcends mere geographic proximity and becomes a shared sense of purpose, where the welfare of one is intrinsically linked to the welfare of all.
Community involvement is not just a one-way street; it is a reciprocal relationship. As residents engage in various community-driven initiatives, they become closer to their neighbors, coworkers, and friends. From organizing local events and fundraisers to working side-by-side on community projects, these shared experiences create bonds that run deep, fortifying the social fabric of McCook.
Volunteerism is the cornerstone of community involvement in McCook. It is the willingness to donate time, effort, and expertise without expecting anything in return. McCook's dedicated volunteers are the driving force behind various initiatives, from assisting the elderly and supporting youth programs to maintaining parks and green spaces. These volunteers embody the spirit of giving back, and their selflessness makes McCook a better place for everyone.
Volunteers are role models who inspire the community's younger generations. By witnessing the dedication and altruism of their elders, young people in McCook learn the value of community involvement from an early age. They see that it is not only about helping others but also about investing in the collective future. This intergenerational transfer of values is one of the fundamental keys to McCook's enduring community spirit.
Beyond the joy of camaraderie, community involvement and volunteerism in McCook have tangible benefits. These volunteers are the unsung heroes who ensure vital services and support systems such as food pantries, shelters, and mentoring programs deliver their services efficiently and effectively.
Volunteers in McCook often play a dual role as mentors and guides. They lead by example, demonstrating the power of empathy and collective responsibility. For many, their own experiences as volunteers led them to take on leadership roles in various community organizations, creating a culture of involvement and a long-lasting legacy.
A thriving community also depends on the active participation of its members in addressing social and economic challenges. McCook's residents actively engage in neighborhood beautification, support local schools, and advocate for policies that enhance the community's well-being. Through collective action, they amplify their voices, making a significant impact on local policies and initiatives.
Moreover, community involvement has the potential to bolster McCook's local economy. Volunteers ease the burden on local governments and nonprofit organizations by offering their time and skills. This assistance enables these organizations to use their resources more efficiently, ultimately benefiting the entire community. Additionally, the spirit of unity and belonging that prevails in McCook can attract new residents and businesses, further contributing to the town's growth and prosperity.
Community involvement nurtures a sense of ownership and responsibility among its participants. When individuals actively engage in decision-making processes and community projects, they feel a deeper connection to the well-being of McCook. This engagement fosters a more informed and involved citizenry, which in turn holds leaders accountable and advocates for positive change.
McCook's heart beats to the rhythm of community involvement and volunteerism. These selfless acts of giving back, fostering connections, and embracing collective responsibility are what make McCook such a special place to call home.
If we wish to create a region that values the well-being of all its citizens, we must continue to recognize that McCook’s future is brighter for all of its residents when we work together through community involvement and volunteerism. Please consider a quote from Legendary Alabama Football Coach Nick Saban, which is very impactful: “You can’t win together if you don’t work together.”

Along with his day-job as business manager for McCook Public Schools, Jeff Gross is active in the community as a member of the McCook Community Foundation Fund and president of the McCook Optimists to name just a few organizations where he gives his time for the benefit of others.

Taking a Moment to be Thankful for Our Community

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 20:44:16 GMT

Take a Moment to Be Thankful for Your Community

Over the past few weeks, I have been researching stories and pictures for an annual report for the McCook Community Foundation Fund. As I sifted through news stories and searched through countless photos, I quickly lost count of all that had happened over the past year: both for MCFF and for the community.

As the end of the year draws closer, this is a great time to take a moment to reflect - and to be thankful - for all that we do have.

After all, It is easy to get caught up into the day-to-day activities and lose sight of the changes around you. Or perhaps you focus on the negative that happened before instead of noticing the positive the has happened since. Or maybe you tend to dwell on the not-so-good stuff that you don’t acknowledge or perhaps even notice all the good going on in your life and in particular in your community.

So whether you are reading this before, during or after Thanksgiving, spend a moment or two thinking about what you appreciate has happened in your life and in your community over the past year.

I’ll get you started to get the juices flowing.

Perhaps you noticed the overflowing flower pots on the corners of Norris Avenue in downtown McCook. Did you know those were organized by a group of volunteers who simply wanted to bring a touch of color and beauty to downtown? Did you know they were maintained and watered by a group of volunteers to keep them alive all summer long?

The group has plans to maintain the flower project through the holidays and hopefully expand not on the size of the pots but also the number in the future. This is also the same group which is responsible for the lights along the skyline in downtown McCook, as well as lighting in Norris Park and the parks on Norris and B Streets.

Beautify McCook is just getting started but I am thankful that this group of people is working to make their community better one light, one plant, one project at a time.

(As always, I have to mention that if you want to donate your time or money, please reach out to this or any group that sparks your interest.)

I am also thankful for a project that has been in the works for nearly a decade, but the finish line is within sight: the McCook City Pool. I intentionally go by the pool to see the daily progress being made at the pool construction site with the giant hole in the ground slowly being transformed into a recognizable form.

It would be easy to dwell on how long it took to get to this point or the stumbling blocks that popped up along the way. Instead, we should focus on the voters who turned out to support funding the project and think about the joy people of all ages will have when the pool opens next summer.

I am also thankful for another project which has seemingly been in the works for a long time but is also coming to fruition: MCFF’s Youth Change Reaction’s Cars Under the Stars drive-in theater at the Red Willow Fairgrounds. It is a project which started quickly out of the blocks, but hit a few hurdles mid-stride. Fortunately, everyone involved picked themselves up, overcame those roadblocks and the youth-led project will hopefully become a reality next spring.

And the list of things to be thankful doesn’t have to be anything manmade or that took effort on our part to make it happen.

Every Autumn, I look forward to driving south, heading over the river out of McCook toward my house. Because of the slight curve in the road, my windshield - for just a few seconds - is filled with a row of beautiful, changing fall foliage. I realize this means the trees will soon be bare but for just a few weeks, my drive home is filled with yellows and oranges and reds that leave you in awe.

As you gather with friends and family for the holidays, take a few moments to reflect on what you are thankful for. Maybe it is telling your spouse and kids that you are grateful for all them. Maybe it is sharing with your friends that you appreciate their continued friendship. Or maybe it simply walking around your community and being proud of what has already been accomplished and hopeful for what the future holds.

2023 Big Give Reaches Record Numbers

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 17 Nov 2023 15:46:51 GMT

2023 Southwest Nebraska Big Give Total reaches nearly $280,000

By RONDA GRAFF

MCFF

McCOOK - The Southwest Nebraska Big Give got bigger this year, not only with a longer name and more organizations but also in the total amount donated on the one day of giving Nov. 2.

With the final sponsorship dollars added in, the total for the 2023 Big Give is $278,112.49 - a new record for the annual event. That total came from 938 individual donations, another new high for the event, which is in its 8th year.

The Big Give also saw the most non-profit organizations taking part in the event with 38 charitable groups joining the effort, covering communities across Southwest Nebraska from Curtis to Cambridge to Culbertson.

A complete list of the organizations and their totals raised during the Big Give can be found on the Big Give website, swnebiggive.org.

The Southwest Nebraska Big Give continues to grow each year because of many people,businesses and organizations coming together to make it happen. These include the sponsors, which provide the matching funds to make individual donations even more impactful. Those sponsorship dollars are used to provide the matching funds during the power hours throughout the day. Organizations also receive matching funds based on the total dollars raised throughout the day, up to a certain amount based upon the sponsor dollars raised throughout the year.

The 2023 platinum sponsors include the Graff Charitable Foundation and MNB Bank. Gold sponsors are Community Hospital and First Interstate Bank.

Silver and bronze sponsors include Golden Plains Realty, Herrmann-Jones Funeral Chapel, Horizon Bank, First Central Bank, First State Bank and Insurance, MNB Insurance, Pinnacle Bank, State Farm-Linda Maiden and Waypoint Bank.

Friendship sponsors included Casey’s, the Sports Shoppe, W Design Associates and Wagner Auto Group.

And the Big Give would not be as successful without the publicity from local media including the McCook Gazette, High Plains Radio and Hometown Family Radio.

Finally, the Southwest Nebraska Big Give is possible because of the volunteers who serve on the McCook Community Chest committee, led by co-chairs Melissa Stritt and Lisa Felker.

The Community Chest is a sub-account of the McCook Community Foundation Fund, an affiliate of the Nebraska Community Foundation.

All Ages Needed To Shape Community's Future

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 17:29:03 GMT

KEARNEY - Last week, more than three dozen McCook residents traveled to Kearney to learn, to connect, and to dream as part of the Nebraska Community Foundation’s annual training. Some might remember when NCF was in McCook in 2021 and included the “Night on the Bricks” that toured downtown locations with artwork and food.

At this year’s training, McCook participants included students, city officials, hospital representatives, school administrators, and nursing home board members to name just a few. They gave of their time to learn more about what each and everyone of them can do to make an impact in their organization and in their community.

But perhaps my biggest takeaway is that everyone of every age has something to contribute to making our communities the best that they can be.

McCook participants ranged in age from 14 to 89 and that is not a typo. Literally, every generation was represented at the NCF training with each person gleaning something different based upon their own personal experiences and their own personal dreams for their future.

Just because someone is young or old does not mean that they don’t have something to contribute. Age on either end does not make you obsolete.

Instead, both younger and older people bring their own unique perspective to the situation. The older generations bring years of experience, while younger people bring a fresh set of eyes.

They also help shed light on the challenges faced by younger and older people in our community.

We tell our young people that we want to hear their voices, but do we actually listen? Do we help them achieve what they want to see happen? Nothing shuts down a person, but especially our young people, more than not following through on a promise to help them. Studies have shown that young people will eventually not share their ideas because they tried in the past yet no one listened so they shut down.

When our young people speak up, we need to pay attention, we need to listen, we need to recognize the value of what they are saying. And perhaps most importantly, we need to work hand-in-hand with our young people to help them develop into our future leaders.

Shaping our future leaders is why the McCook Community Foundation Fund specifically invited its youth group, Youth Change Reaction, to the NCF training. Just being around other people who are excited about working to make their communities better is inspiring. Hopefully, some of that enthusiasm just naturally rubs off and influences the next generation.

Immersing young people in positive, uplifting thinking will change their thought process as they move forward. They learn that they can make a difference, that they can be involved, that adults want to hear their ideas and opinions and will work with them side-by-side to make those dreams a reality.

During NCF’s training, McCook’s youngest participants were regularly asked questions by the adults in attendance. The adults genuinely want to know what the young people think about their communities, how they get involved, how they make things happen. The adults were intrigued about YCR’s drive-in movie project, Cars Under the Stars, which will hopefully open next spring at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds. They wanted to know how our young people made it happen, how they raised the funds, as well as the ups and the downs - all of which our McCook young people were a part of and were able to share their own personal experiences.

And our older - or experienced - McCook participants are just as valuable. I cite specifically Don Harpst, who doesn’t say as much as he closes in on his ninth decade. But when he does speak, the room goes quiet and not just because he is soft-spoken. Instead, we know he will be sharing words of wisdom earned over years of involvement and gleaned from a love of his community.

Some might dismiss our older generation because they have “had their moment” and let’s be honest, because they won’t likely be around to see all of the fruits of their labor. But they still have the passion, the desire and the knowledge to make their communities better for their children and their children’s children.

The McCook participants returned from the NCF training in Kearney with new ideas and new relationships. But perhaps most importantly, they returned inspired to bring together people of all ages and backgrounds to work together to make McCook and Southwest Nebraska an even better place to call home.

Determining McCook's Future Begins Today

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 09 Nov 2023 15:11:10 GMT

The body content of your post goes here. To edit this text, click on it and delete this default text and start typing your own or paste your own from a different source.

2023 Big Give Reaching Record Numbers

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Mon, 06 Nov 2023 22:43:45 GMT

By RONDA GRAFF

MCFF

At the end of every Big Give, people want to know the numbers, which is perfectly understandable. The 2023 Southwest Nebraska Big Give is no different and the numbers look good for the annual one-day of giving.

On Nov. 2, more than $190,000 was donated to 38 non-profit organizations in McCook and Southwest Nebraska through 731 donations. But those are not the final numbers.

A few donations will trickle in over the next few days, which will count toward the final total. And additional sponsorship dollars still need to be applied. Each organization receives not only matching funds through the “power hours” but also receives matching funds based on their total raised. That is what makes the Big Give so impactful: donations are matched in a variety of different ways throughout the event.

When the final numbers are tabulated over the next two weeks, McCook Community Chest organizers expect that the Southwest Nebraska Big Give total will surpass the 2022 final number of $219,000.

Southwest Nebraska Big Give is organized by the McCook Community Chest, a group of local volunteers who work throughout the year to raise funds for local non-profits, primarily through the Big Give. The committee is co-chaired by Lisa Felker and Melissa Stritt, who put in countless hours leading up the community's biggest day of philanthropy.

Every year, they are in awe of the generosity of the community, donating to support those organizations which keep the community going.

“We are pleased with the day,” Felker said. “After adding in the matching funds and donations, we will reach our highest level to date.”

The Big Give began in McCook in 2016 as Big Give McCook and included 18 organizations. Eight years later, the event has grown to include all of Southwest Nebraska and includes 38 non-profit organizations.

Felker noted that those record numbers are made possible because of the hundreds of donations given during Big Give, as well as the sponsors, which include Graff Charitable Foundation and MNB Bank, along with Community Hospital and First Interstate Bank.

Numerous other organizations and individuals make Big Give possible including Horizon Bank, McCook Clinic, Golden Plains Realty and Herrmann-Jones and Jones-Lockenauer Funeral Homes, First Central Bank, Pinnacle Bank, State Farm-Linda Maiden, First State Bank and Insurance, Waypoint Bank and MNB Insurance

Other sponsors who make the matching funds possible are Hometown Agency, Wagner Auto Group, W Design Associates, Casey’s General Store and the Sports Shoppe.

“And the day wouldn’t happen without people knowing about the event,” Felker said, “which is why local media is so important, so a huge thank-you to the McCook Gazette, Hometown Family Radio and High Plains Radio.”

As the final numbers are tabulated, more information will be released. But in the meantime, visit the Southwest Nebraska Big Give website, swnebiggive.org, to see totals, rankings and perhaps most importantly, learn more about these organizations which are vital to McCook and Southwest Nebraska.

Community Chest is a sub-account of the McCook Community Foundation Fund, an affiliated fund of the Nebraska Community Foundation.

Many Ways to Give Back - Including Big Give

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 02 Nov 2023 18:51:11 GMT

Every member of my family is a swimmer, some by choice, some by default. Our bathrooms at home can attest to that fact, with drawers devoted to goggles and swim caps and shelves crowded with beach towels and swim shampoo.

All of my kids plus my husband and I are or have been lifeguards. The McCook YMCA pool has served many purposes over the years from swim lessons to swim teams to hours of recreational swim. The swimming pool is our second home.

Personally, I have another reason I value the pool at the Y: I use it whenever I have writer’s block or just to think through things. It provides the opportunity to swim back and forth in the lap lane with nothing else but my thoughts. During that time, I can come up with ideas for a column and work through a roadblock on a story. Or I can mull over an issue with a group I’m involved in or a problem bedeviling the community.

By the time I pull myself onto the edge of the pool, I’ve most likely made progress on whatever issue was weighing on my mind when I dove into the water. It’s my way of removing all other distractions and focusing on the task at hand.

Now this is a fairly specific example, but it’s my way of showing how important the YMCA is personally to me and my family. We can’t imagine McCook without the YMCA and all that it offers.

And the same can be said of many of the organizations which are taking part in the 8th annual Southwest Nebraska Big Give. Our communities cannot be as good as they can be without these non-profit organizations operating day-in, day-out.

By the time you read this, one of three things will have happened involving the Southwest Nebraska Big Give. The one-day of giving will have started and you have given your donation or plan to later today. The Big Give is nearly over but you haven’t made a contribution so you should stop reading this and go make a donation. Or the Big Give is over and you didn’t make a donation.

But just because you didn’t give during the Southwest Nebraska Big Give doesn’t mean you can’t continue to support these organizations.

All of them will gladly and eagerly take a financial donation anytime of the year. There is just extra emphasis on donating during the Big Give because generous sponsors have provided matching funds to be used on the one-day of giving.

Some of these organizations benefit from other kinds of donations, such as dog food and kitty litter at the McCook Humane Society or diapers at the ABC Pregnancy Help Center. Just check with your favorite organization and see what they are in need of on a daily basis.

And every single one of the organizations involved in the Southwest Nebraska Big Give can use more volunteers. They need volunteers to serve on their boards, volunteers to help with events, volunteers to work at their facilities. The list of needs is long and varied but always constant.

The Southwest Nebraska Big Give website, swnebiggive.org, is a great place to learn more about each of the organizations taking part in the event, so you can determine which group to support financially. But the website is also a great source for contact information and to reach out about getting involved.

Another great source is McCook Volunteers, which can be found on the McCook Community Foundation Fund website, mccookfoundation.org. Dozens of organizations - with more added regularly - are listed with their needs and their contact information.

Take advantage of the Big Give to show your financial support for these organizations which keep our communities going. But use the rest of the year to get involved in these organizations and help keep our communities thriving.

Focusing on Assets Through the Eyes of Visitors

Fri, 27 Oct 2023 13:38:10 GMT

Canadian visitors shed light on McCook assets already in place

Last month, I had the pleasure of taking a four-day bus trip across rural Nebraska with 19 Canadians, mostly from the Newfoundland/Labrador area. As part of the trip, the group visited Lincoln, Shickley, Red Cloud, McCook, Ogallala, the Calamus area and Albian to learn about tourism and economics and the link between the two.

Specifically, the Canadians wanted to learn more about the concept of "Asset Based Community Development" or ABCD.

Ironically, the Canadian group found themselves in Nebraska because of prior trips to Australia and Scotland to learn their secrets of tourism and using the assets a community already possesses. While on those tours, both the Australians and the Scotts told the Canadians that if they wanted to see these concepts in action, they needed to visit Nebraska, specifically the Nebraska Community Foundation’s rural affiliates, which includes McCook.

According to NCF, the ABCD concept is defined as follows: “Communities that rely on existing assets like residents’ skills, local associations, local history, and more can find success in their own way that best fits their place.”

A few key words here are “existing assets” and “in their own way.”

On the Nebraska tour, the Canadians learned that each community works with their local assets, including culture and personalities, to create the places where they want to live and raise their families.

And rather than being told what to do, local leaders, volunteers and citizens discover how to get things done in a way that works best for their unique community.

The Canadians were surprised to learn that the NCF does not dictate what each community does with their money to develop their community - a top-down approach.

Rather, NCF offers knowledge, wisdom, peer learning, training, facilitation, and many other learning opportunities, which then allows each community to figure out what they want to do and how they want to do it.

An example of this concept comes from three of the communities we visited on the tour, Shickley, Red Cloud and Albian, which have built wonderful child development facilities. The resulting buildings, amenities and staff are similar, but each town went about determining the building process and developing ongoing operations in their own way.

Another concept we covered during the tour was to "make the invisible, visible."

During their stay in McCook, the Canadians pointed out many assets that we take for granted or overlook during our day-to-day lives. During their visit, they noticed our community's "passion and pride," the friendly people, the slower and quieter pace of life, safety, the bricks on Norris Avenue, the "gritty attitude" the makes us persevere, the open prairie lands, as well as the lakes, hunting and fishing. They commented on the McCook Chamber of Commerce's Heritage Days, 4-H groups, independent businesses with a real downtown, a great hospital and schools, a YMCA, a community mural and many other cultural arts, the Kiplinger, Nebraska’s only Frank Lloyd Wright home and even fireflies. These are all assets that are so common to us that it takes an outsider to show us how lucky we are to have them.

Conversely, we learned many things throughout the week from our Canadian friends. One concept they are steadfast on is "A great place to live is a great place to visit." I love this idea.

As we are thinking about the future of McCook, let's keep creating a great place where we want to live. This will attract people to visit. And then some will understand the tremendous opportunity they could have if they moved here and create their own great life.

Right now, "McCook is on the move." This isn't simply a slogan. Rather, it is a call to action. Let's keep it going by recognizing our many assets and working with them to create an even more wonderful community.

I’m glad that this group of Canadians from Newfoundland/Labrador came to learn because they reminded me how fortunate we are to live where we live.

Thank you, McCook, and southwest Nebraska, for being you!

***

Don't feel bad if you don't know the location of Newfoundland/Labrador among the Canadian provinces. We had to educate our Canadian visitors about the shape of Nebraska.

While enjoying "McCookies" during their visit, several visitors had the red-hot candy (the stand-in for McCook on the sugar cookie) in the northeast. We had to explain that by simply rotating the cookie 180 degrees, the red-hot candy ended up in the bottom left corner of the Nebraska-shaped sugar cookies. We also used the cookied to illustrate that they had traveled along the bottom portion of the cookie to get from Lincoln to McCook.

And if they return, remember that Newfoundland/Labrador is on the east coast of Canada.

Matt Sehnert is vice-chairman of the McCook Community Foundation Fund, a retired baker, passionate community advocate and life-long learner.

New Scholarship Highlight of MCFF Community Celebration

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 23:18:22 GMT

2nd Annual MCFF Community Celebration

McCOOK, Neb. – A celebration that spanned generations, the McCook Community Foundation Fund’s annual party on the bricks of Norris Avenue was worth postponing for a week in anticipation of milder weather. Originally scheduled to be held the week of Heritage Days, organizers made the wise decision to move it back a week because of a brutal dip in temperatures last week.

Thursday night’s festivities included hamburgers and hotdogs provided by McCook Rotary and root beer floats from Wagner Auto Group. In between the food and upbeat music, there were a variety of games, puppies, bouncy pumpkins, a picture booth, and a generous donation from a family member whose name is familiar to every McCookite.

The grandson of Frank N. Weiland, whose name is cherished by many Bison football fans who had the honor of playing on Weiland Field, attended the event to present a check for $30,000 for a scholarship fund to be administered by the McCook Community Foundation Fund.

Mayor Linda Taylor and McCook Public Schools Business Manager Jeff Gross shared a laugh as they thanked attendees of McCook Community Foundation Fund’s annual celebration for the generosity of the community.

Shary Skiles/McCook Gazette

Doug Keith and his wife, Sharon, of Brady, Neb., wanted to honor Doug’s grandfather, Frank, and his grandmother, Marion. Frank Weiland, who taught biology and zoology at both the high school and the college, died on Sept. 11, 1948. He was only 52 years old.

Frank and Marion had three children, sons Francis and Joseph, and daughter Marion (Doug’s mother). Doug told the Gazette that his grandfather died before Doug was born, but he has many old pictures, documents, yearbooks, telegrams, and other memorabilia that has helped him fill in the blanks. Frank served in the United States Naval Reserve Force and graduated from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, where he met his future wife. He and Marion raised their three children on West 1st Street in McCook.

Originally, Weiland Field was home to McCook College’s football team, and later shared by both the college and the high school. Doug was raised in North Platte, and actually played football on Weiland Field for the visiting team when he was in high school in 1975. (North Platte won that competition.) Doug’s brother also played on the field against the McCook College football team. Doug relayed stories of his grandmother attending the games against North Platte teams, but not cheering for her hometown team. “You can’t root against your grandson, you know.”

Youth Change Reaction members get into the spirit of things at Thursday night's annual McCook Community Foundation Fund event in Norris Alley.

Bruce Crosby/McCook Gazette

Marion died in 1983. Both Marion and Frank are buried in Saint Patrick Calvary Cemetery in McCook.

Dubbed the “Linda and Jeff Show”, McCook Mayor Linda Taylor and McCook Public Schools Business Manager Jeff Gross, who are both members of McCook Community Foundation Fund Advisory Board, spoke to the gathering and thanked the community for their generosity and support.

They reminded attendees that Nov. 2 is the annual Southwest Nebraska Big Give and encouraged everyone to support the many non-profit organizations during the 24-hour giving event.

Ups and Downs of McCook Youth Group

Wed, 18 Oct 2023 21:25:04 GMT

Youth Change Reaction member reflects on highs and lows of youth group

As I enter my senior year at McCook High School, being a member of Youth Change Reaction has truly been a privilege and a one-of-a-kind experience during my high school career.

As a freshman, I applied for YCR because I knew upperclassmen who were a part of the McCook Community Foundation Fund’s youth organization and they shared their great experiences. I have had a passion for community service since joining the Driftwood Feeders 4-H club as a kid and I wanted to expand my involvement in the community.

Being a part of YCR has not only helped me immensely with my leadership skills but the group has also given me the opportunity to develop public speaking skills at a young age. When I started high school, I was terrified of public speaking and in fact, really anything that involved talking to adults.

As a freshman, I would go to MCFF monthly meetings, feeling so anxious and afraid that I would not know what to say. However, I quickly realized that the adults in that meeting room and in this community want our youth to succeed.

Additionally, YCR has given me the opportunity to express the voice I didn’t even know I had. Last year, I was given the opportunity to speak at the Nebraska Community Foundation’s annual training event in front of room full of adults from across the state. Although I was nervous, I was able to complete my speech with ease because of the support I received and the confidence that I had established in my public speaking.

Although I have had plenty of good experiences with YCR, I have had my share of complex challenges. When we were in the process of getting the parts needed to complete the Cars Under the Stars drive-in theater project, I faced great difficulty trying to get a screen ordered from a reputable sign company…an struggle I dealt with for the first half of my junior year.

I felt embarrassed. I felt like I was letting my community down because I was not able to accomplish this goal within the time frame we had promised. I expressed my feelings to Mrs. Shelly Sehnert (our YCR school sponsor) and Ronda Graff (MCFF coordinator). And with their help, we were able to get a new screen ordered, other parts made and the drive-in should be up within the next few months, hopefully in time for a spring show.

Overcoming this obstacle was challenging, but it taught me a lot. It gave me a glimpse into the “real world” and showed me how difficult it can be to accomplish a big project like a drive-in. I was able to see all the logistics to be tackled and the details to be finalized for a project of this size…. which I would have never experienced without YCR.

Without YCR, I would probably still be afraid of public speaking and I wouldn’t have as many great experiences with the community. I am grateful to have spent my high school years as a part of such a wonderful organization and group of people, including my fellow YCR members.

Being a member of Youth Change Reaction has helped me in more ways than I could have ever imagined and has made a large impact on the person I am today.

By being listened to, by being heard and by being involved in the community, I realized that McCook really is a good place to call home.

***
As co-president of YCR, Abby Boner will have the chance to speak again at the Nebraska Community Foundation annual event in November, as part of a People Attraction Summit focusing on youth engagement.

Setting the Tone in Your Community

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 12 Oct 2023 14:45:47 GMT

Everyone of us gets to decide the tone - positive or negative - of our community.

Can you imagine the following scenario?

You are cleaning your house, slowly making your way from room to room, when you stumble upon a stack of photographs, an album of pictures or your old high school yearbooks.

Yes, that is a nod to everyone back the next two weekends for McCook High School reunions over Heritage Days and McCook Community College homecoming the following weekend. Welcome back!

As you flip through picture after picture in the album or turn page after page in the yearbook, minutes slip by. Next thing you know, an hour has passed because you are flooded by the memories: some of them fresh, others forgotten until you held the photo in your hand.

As someone who still prints off copies of all my pictures, this happens on a regular basis. Hours slip by looking at photos of my kids when they were little, when I was little, when my parents were little and cleaning goes by the wayside. At least that is my excuse for a messy house.

These days, getting lost in the memories can happen even easier as we have thousands of pictures at our fingertips on our phones.

Recently, I was purposely going through pictures on my phone, looking for images to be used by the McCook Creative District. We needed photos which reflect all the arts and culture already in place in our community, as well as those ideas which have potential to help McCook become an arts destination. More information about this designation will be coming out over the next few months but visit mccookcreativedistrict.com to learn more about this unique opportunity for our community.

While flipping through the pictures on my phone, I came across a photograph from mid-2020 of the “We Are One” banners. McCook Community Foundation Fund and the McCook Arts Council had asked Deonne Hinz and Ginny Anderson to paint a mural on the sidewalk in front of Sehnert’s Bakery at the start of the pandemic.

The message of “We Are One,” along with the names of all the local businesses, was painted onto the sidewalk to remind everyone that we would get through the situation by working together, by supporting each other, by relying on one another.

To spread the message, the mural was imprinted on two giant banners and placed around the community over the next few months as the pandemic wore on. The banners actually are still used occasionally as colorful, flowering “fences” at local events and the mural remains mostly intact on the sidewalk, despite three years of heavy foot traffic.

At the time, the mural and its message set the tone for the community and helped create the environment we wanted to be a part of: that we are better off together than apart.

Today, we still have a choice to set the tone for our community and it is more important than ever to decide what tone we want in our community.

We can bemoan everything we lack, everything that is wrong, everything that “someone” should fix. But that puts the burden on everyone else and to put it bluntly, sets a very negative tone.

Alternatively, we can try to be positive and supportive of one other. We can celebrate the wins of others, big and small. We can ask ourselves what we can do to make our community better, how we can get involved, and how we can make a difference.

In the end, it is easier to moan and complain and do nothing.

But by taking a moment to consider what you want your community to look like five, 10, 20 years from now and then making a decision to make that happen, we can set the tone for our community…and hopefully it is a good, positive, get-things-done tone.

And years later when you are flipping through your photos or reminiscing over your yearbook, you’ll look back and think: Those are good memories. We got things done. We made a difference. We made our community an even better place to call home.

Learning to be Grateful for Change

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 05 Oct 2023 16:45:37 GMT

McCook's Heritage Days events are great opportunity to experience...and embrace change in our community.

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McCook Named Latest Nebraska Creative District

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 21:49:26 GMT

MCFF grant supporting Creative District planning and application

By RONDA GRAFF

McCook Arts Council

LINCOLN - The McCook Creative District is the latest community to be named a certified Nebraska Creative District and has been awarded a $10,000 Nebraska Arts Council Certification Grant.

The Nebraska Creative District Program utilizes the arts as an economic driver to support communities in Nebraska by telling their stories and elevating the value of the arts.

The McCook Creative District officially encompasses downtown McCook between East First and West Streets, from A Street to I Streets, but McCook’s Creative District organizers know that the entire community will benefit from this designation. Future plans will include collaboration with the McCook Schools, McCook Community College, the YMCA, and local art organizations, groups and individuals.

The mission of the McCook Creative District is to cultivate a vibrant community and diverse creative economy through collaborative opportunities for artistic and cultural expression.

To achieve that mission, a top priority for McCook’s Creative District is to create a paid part-time art coordinator position, a long-term goal of the local art community.

“The late Cloyd Clark actually came up with the concept of an arts organizer 20 years ago,” according to Matt Sehnert, who helped lead the application process for McCook’s Creative District. “Yes, it has taken a while, but we are so glad to see it finally come to fruition.”

Another goal for the McCook Creative District includes creating a “48 in 48” tourism program, where visitors disembark from the Amtrak train in McCook - 48-county - and spend two days - or 48 hours - exploring the local art offerings.

Organizers also hope to create an atmosphere of artistic expression, whether through hosting artistic events, showcasing art venues or even physically creating new areas to increase visibility of arts in McCook and Southwest Nebraska.

McCook is especially honored to receive the designation from the Nebraska Arts Council, as the late Gov. Frank Morrison of McCook established the state-wide organization while governor in the 1960s.

In 2020, the Nebraska State legislature passed a bill to create the Creative Districts

program. The program works to promote and support economic development and placemaking

opportunities in communities dedicated to growing their arts-related economic sectors.

Nebraska Creative Districts must submit a letter of interest, an Eligibility Assessment,

and a Strategic Plan as part of the approval process. Goals can include attracting artists and

creative enterprises, encouraging business and job development, establishing the district as a

tourist destination, preserving and reusing historic buildings, and promoting the district’s cultural

and historical heritage.

For more information about the Creative District program, please visit the Nebraska Arts

Council website at www.artscouncil.nebraska.gov/explore/creative-districts/ or call the office at

402-595-2122.

Active Leaders Create Active Communities

Thu, 28 Sep 2023 17:12:38 GMT

We have often heard the phrase, “Life is what you make of it.” This is also symbolized in the story

of the “dash,” commonly heard at funeral services, representing the years between birth and

death. The “dash” truly represents, “Do all you can, while you can, as we are not guaranteed a

tomorrow.”

Evaluating those phrases through the lens of a community, there is little difference. If we want to

make our communities the best they can be, we need to do all we can, while we can.

I have served on the McCook Community Foundation Fund Advisory Committee for the past five

years with the past 18 months as treasurer. My time at MCFF has been nothing short of amazing!

It’s astonishing to see volunteers rallying behind new projects and numerous active donors

donating with a giving heart.

As we have embarked on journeys to improve child care, housing availability, people attraction,

and leadership programs to massive capital projects that include a new pool, ballparks, and an

updated YMCA, this truly is “McCook’s Decade.”

But how did we get here and where are we going?

All of these projects have taken a great amount of leadership and commitment that will make an

everlasting impact in our community. However, as we look forward to the next six years of

“McCook’s Decade,” there is more we can do.

We are entering a phase at MCFF with a greater yearly granting capacity, granting that can truly

help and transform the community. While having more dollars available for projects, events and

ideas is great for the community, a new problem arises. We need more people willing to dream up

new ideas and programs and we need more people willing to get involved to take on these

projects. Let’s make McCook the life of the party and we can do that by empowering others.

The “dash” of McCook is far from over. Instead, we need to continue building the “Hot Spot” in

Nebraska and this will take more action. We will need an active community of supporters who

want to work together to make things happen and we will need pioneers to think outside the box,

to take a chance, to come up with a dream and a plan to make it happen. I think of some of the

pioneers who got our communities to where they are today and there is no doubt they lived by the

mantra, “Do all you can, while you can.”

I encourage those who hear the phrase, “Rural America is dead,” to remember those living in a

rural area have the power to create a community that you love to live in. We live in a community

where the people are kind and give with a grateful heart of their time, their resources and their

expertise.

Anything is possible, when we get involved and we work together. We just need you and together

we will make McCook and Southwest Nebraska the best place to call home!

***

Gavin Harsh is the only person to be a member of the McCook Community Foundation Fund’s

youth group, Youth Change Reaction, while at McCook High School and then 10 years later

return to serve on the Fund Advisory Committee.

Support - Large and Small - Important to Thriving Communities

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 09:39:13 GMT

It is official. McCook and Southwest Nebraska is the recipient of one of the largest financial gifts in recent memory.

Jim Lee, a 1954 McCook High School graduate, left $5 million in donations to several non-profit organizations including the McCook Community Foundation Fund, the Community Hospital Health Foundation, the McCook YMCA, the McCook Educational Foundation and the Overland Trails Council, which oversees the Boy Scouts in Southwest Nebraska.

This donation will make a long-term impact on these organizations as well as affect hundreds, if not thousands, of residents for generations to come.

To be honest, when the notifications from the Jim Lee Estate began to arrive in Southwest Nebraska, nearly everyone was wondering: Who is Jim Lee?

Jim Gustafson with the Nebraska Community Foundation worked with Lee periodically and knew about the planned gifts for McCook and Southwest Nebraska. Gustafson said Lee wanted people scratching their heads upon receiving the news, wondering who he was and trying to figure out what to do with the donation.

And that is what happened. All of those previously mentioned organizations started from a place of bewilderment, trying to figure out who Jim Lee was and perhaps more importantly, what he would want to happen with his donation.

After months of research and conversations, we learned Jim Lee was an unassuming man who liked investing and it paid off for him during his lifetime. He invested in his hometown during his lifetime, doing it anonymously. And upon his death, he continues to invest in his hometown, with this very generous donation.

Lee was not one to have his name shouted from the roof top. Instead, he quietly went about his business, making a difference before and after his death.

All his previous donations to MCFF were done anonymously. He liked the challenge grants that MCFF conducted periodically, starting with the Harpst Challenge in 2012 through the Sehnert Challenge, which wrapped up in 2021. The appeal of challenge grants is that small donations are made larger by a “challenge” from a donor. Challenge grants let more people be involved and shows their support at the same time.

Lee was a regular donor to all of these organizations during his lifetime.

When asked how Lee was connected to the Boy Scouts, Overland Trails Director David Ploud said it was as simple as Lee periodically having lunch with an Overland Trails board member because it was important to him. Lee also made regular financial gifts to the Boys Scouts on an annual basis, but again choosing to remain anonymous until he died.

About this most recent donation, Plond added, “This is a game changer for them.”

Reading through the list of organizations which benefitted from the Lee Estate gift, you get a sense of what Jim Lee had a passion for, what he supported, what he viewed was making a difference in the community.

And that is something that translates to all of us.

Support what gets you excited, what makes you happy, what you feel will make the most difference. Take a moment to think about your passions, your hobbies, your interests.

After all, what is important is what takes your time, your talent and your treasure.

Supporting what is important to you does not require a million dollar donation. It is giving of your time to an organization. It is lending your expertise to a cause. And yes, it could be giving of your resources. And there are many options there.

Southwest Nebraska Big Give is Nov. 2, where you can choose to financially support nearly three dozen non-profit organizations from Curtis to Cambridge, Stratton to Maywood, and everywhere in between including McCook. Those donations help with day-to-day operations of those organizations and improvements that may not happen without Big Give.

On the other side are planned gifts such as the Jim Lee Donation, which will make a long-term impact on the community. The McCook Philanthropy Council, which is consists of the local foundations and non-profits, is focusing on Five to Thrive, which encourages leaving five percent of your assets to your community upon your passing so that your home town can continue to thrive.

At the end of day, each of us must choose what is important to us, determine how we want to spend our days, what we will dedicate our time, talents and treasure

Although he lived in Hastings when he died, Jim Lee decided that his hometown of McCook, Nebraska, was important and deserved his support. His generosity will live on for generations.

There are so many ways to say thank-you but we can start by rolling up our sleeves, getting involved and making things happen. And we can follow Jim Lee’s example of working together to make McCook and Southwest Nebraska an even better place to call home.

McCook Native Leaves $5 million to Local Non-Profits

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 09:23:34 GMT

McCook native leaves $5 million legacy for local nonprofits

Michael Wunder

Nebraska Community Foundation

A McCook native’s $5 million dollar estate gift served as a happy surprise for the community earlier this year and empowered local organizations to dream bigger than ever before through the generosity of a man who kept to himself while going above and beyond for the place he loved.

Among the organizations benefiting from James Lee’s gift are McCook Community Foundation Fund (MCFF), the McCook YMCA, the McCook Community Hospital Health Foundation, the McCook Educational Foundation and Overland Trails Council – Boy Scouts of America. He led an unassuming life in McCook and was living in Hastings at the time of his death. The longtime electrical engineer told Jim Gustafson, a Nebraska Community Foundation (NCF) gift planning advisor, that he wished he could see the look on recipients’ faces when they heard the news. Gustafson and other NCF staff help Nebraskans across the state create estate plans that benefit community and family into the future.

“Most people in McCook probably didn’t know Jim Lee,” Gustafson said. “He always talked about how they would be scratching their heads when they found out about his gift.”

Lee was born in McCook in 1936, graduated from McCook High School and went on to obtain a degree in electrical engineering from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Lee served on the YMCA’s Board of Directors when he lived in McCook, and by all accounts, the organization was important to him. He lived an active lifestyle, cycling and camping throughout his career and during retirement. At the age of 62, he rode from McCook to New Brunswick, Canada and back – more than 5,000 miles roundtrip. Fitness and recreation played a prominent role in his life, just as they do in McCook.

There is no city-run recreation department in the community, so the YMCA fulfills that role, said CEO Mitch Gross. The organization draws its 2,400 members from McCook, across Red Willow County and as far as Oberlin, Kansas. In the last few years, participation in youth sports programs – basketball, volleyball, flag football, soccer, and softball – increased by 40%. Adult recreation offerings doubled in that same period.

Gross is especially proud of the Y’s youth development programs. The organization collaborates with McCook Public Schools on an after-school program with structured learning opportunities, guest speakers, field trips, arts, crafts, and STEM activities. Their 2023 summer camp quickly reached capacity, but there are plans to expand the program in the future.

“It’s a safe place for kids,” Gross said. “Every day after school, on average, we have about a hundred kids that walk over from the middle school, the high school, or even the elementary school a few blocks away just for a safe place to go.”

Mark Graff, once one of those kids who called the YMCA a second home, said it’s impossible to quantify what the place means to McCook.

“The community relies on the Y for all those recreational opportunities,” he said. “The great thing about it is it impacts every generation. From birth to death.”

Gross believes Lee’s gift to the YMCA will allow for more opportunities for kids, their families, and the community.

“This is certainly a transformational gift for us,” he said. “Our board, our finance committee, our staff will be 100% good stewards of this gift and gets used in the most meaningful impactful manner possible.”

Lee’s gift to the hospital foundation is a testament to his dedication to the community and its continued wellbeing, said Executive Director Jessica Bortner.

“Many times, they say that these planned gifts are where people’s values and beliefs line up,” Bortner said. “What a huge gift back to the community that he knew raised him, built him, and set him off to do the great wonderful things that he’s done.”

McCook Community Foundation Fund members are embracing the potential of the gift, which will undoubtedly have a huge impact on their work. Though all the details haven’t been decided, they know the gift is an example of the power of planned giving to support the places we love.

“I think it speaks to the true nature of rural living,” said MCFF member Cindy Huff. “There is something about living in Nebraska that makes you proud.”

The Fund will extol Lee’s story in their efforts to encourage area residents to consider giving back to Red Willow County. Statewide, more than $100 billion will transfer in the next 10 years – through the next 50 years, that number jumps to $950 billion. In Red Willow County alone, $608 million is expected to transfer in the next decade. Just 5% of that – $30 million – could make a huge difference in the county’s future.

“People are writing articles, we’re telling stories about the impact of planned giving,” Huff said. “Every opportunity that we have, we want that presence.”

Part of that is fostering a mindset in which community can be family, and, like family, can be included in estate plans to secure a brighter future.

“A lot of people are just like Jim Lee,” Gustafson said. “They want to keep it quiet. But, on the other hand, by doing this Jim was really adopting McCook, the hospital, and the YMCA and the other organizations as his family. That’s truly what he did. He elevated them all to the status of family members.”

Fall 2023 Grant Deadline Approaching

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 07 Sep 2023 20:33:49 GMT

Cutline :

St. Patrick art teacher Deonne Hinz paints the likeness of the McCook Mural apprentice artists into the design, a beneficiary of the McCook Community Foundation Fund’s grants this past year.. MCFF also provided funding for Beautify McCook, which placed flowering planters on Norris Avenue, and were watered by local volunteers including Gary Wiemers.

By RONDA GRAFF

MCFF

McCOOK - Over the past year, downtown McCook has taken on a new appearance in several ways: Half a city block is now graced with a beautiful, eye-catching mural and many of the corners along Norris Avenue feature flowering planters.

Other recent changes include the addition of Norris Alley, which transformed a gravel parking lot between the Keystone Business Center and the historic Fox Theater into a welcoming space to gather for concerts, lunch or conversation. And the Fox is in the process of updating its marquee, which will be seen for blocks in either direction along Norris Avenue.

All of these projects are part of a bigger transformation of downtown McCook and all benefited from grants from the McCook Community Foundation Fund over the past few years. And the fund’s advisory committee is looking for new grant ideas and projects, which will benefit McCook and Southwest Nebraska.

Fall grant applications are due by Sunday, Oct. 1. Applications will be reviewed in October with grants awarded in November 2023.

Other grants awarded this past spring include:

McCook Arts Council: MerryMakers, Buffalo Commons and Summer Arts Program
McCook Community Chest: renaming to Southwest Nebraska Big Give
MCFF Summer Hometown Intern
Reality Checks Program for junior high students
Red Willow County Health Department: Vaccine Freezer
Habitat for Humanity: Volunteer Safety Equipment
Sixth Floor Project: Youth Docents

MCFF distributes grants twice a year, each spring and fall, with more than $150,000 available annually to organizations and individuals who are working to make McCook an even better place to call home.

A complete list of previous grant winners is available on the MCFF website, mcookfoundation.org , along with an application form and more information about MCFF.

McCook Community Foundation Fund is an affiliated fund of the Nebraska Community Foundation.

Swimming Pool Great Example of McCook on the Move

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 07 Sep 2023 14:11:42 GMT

Drive by the site of the old McCook swimming pool across from the college on M Street and you will see is a giant hole in the ground and some piles of dirt. That is a good thing.

After nearly a decade of meetings, dozens of plans, a successful election (and with a pandemic in the middle), the new City of McCook outdoor swimming pool is finally moving forward. That is a good thing.

If everything goes according to schedule - and Mother Nature cooperates - the new pool should be open by Memorial Day 2024. That is a really good thing.

But what does that pile of dirt mean? It means progress. It means change. It means something is happening.

If we want our community to continue, to grow, to thrive, then projects like building a new swimming pool need to happen. The original McCook swimming pool served the community well for 80 years, but it was long overdue to build a new facility.

Does McCook have to have an outdoor swimming pool? No. Will McCook go on without a swimming pool? Maybe. Will McCook suffer from not having a swimming pool? Yes.

At the minimum, a community has to provide fire and police protection, offer utilities and pave some streets. But is the “minimum” the kind of community we want to live in? Is the “minimum” all we want to offer? Is the “minimum” what we want to promote to our friends, family and visitors?

These days, people can choose to live just about anywhere. Yes, we have to have jobs and we have to have housing. But it is also the “soft” attributes of a community that attract a young family or college graduates to a community.

People need things to do with their friends. They need places to take their kids. They want to be part of a community which is attractive and offers things to do. That is why having all the other options from art programs to sporting events is important.

Another option is to maintain the status quo, which is defined as the current state of affairs. In other words, we could continue to do the same thing at the same level for years to come.

Ultimately, status quo is not a good thing. Nothing is stagnant. It may feel like we are standing still, but actually, status quo is moving backward. Because if you aren’t making adjustments or getting things done, then you are slipping backward. You are being left behind, while others move forward.

Young people will choose to live in those communities which are making things happen, which have things for them to do, which appeal to others of their own age. They will choose communities which value what young people want and need.

And if we think we don’t need young people, just take a moment to consider who will fill the jobs at the hospital, at the restaurants, at the schools. If we don’t have young people, we don’t have a community. If we want young people to move to our communities whether newcomers or returners, we need to have these amenities like an outdoor swimming pool.

The McCook Community Foundation Fund understands the importance of these projects so much that leading up to the bond election last fall, they granted funds to cover the entrance fee at the McCook pool next summer when it opens. They didn’t want there to be any reason anyone could not enjoy McCook’s newest attraction.

The pool is just one prime example that McCook is on the move.

To see even more progress, continue driving east past the pool to the former McCook Elks Club, where McCook Community College is transforming the building into the new east campus.

There are many other projects in the works from extending the walking trails along north Highway 83 to the addition of a second frisbee golf course to accommodate professional tournaments. And improvements at the YMCA, the ball fields and the McCook senior/junior high school are hopefully on the horizon.

Each and every one of these projects, whether they are completed, in progress or still in the planning stages, shows that we want to see change in our community. We are willing to put our time and their dollars toward making it happen. And we all want to make McCook and Southwest Nebraska an even better place to call home.

Volunteering Makes the World a Better Place

Fri, 01 Sep 2023 20:03:13 GMT

Volunteering Makes the World a Better Place

I come from a family of volunteers. My father, Leroy Leibrandt, served on the Red Willow County Fair Board for 42 years. My mother, Lois, worked the open class building at the fair, spent years as a volunteer at the McCook YMCA teaching water aerobics and volunteered many hours at the Helping Hand thrift store.

Volunteering has many benefits:

It makes you a better person

You learn to look at things from a different perspective

You get pushed out of your comfort zone

You have an opportunity to walk in someone else’s shoes

You question things that you never really though about before

Benefits your mental health

Volunteers do it because they want to make a change. They want to make a difference in their community and the world. Volunteers are often the glue that holds a community together.

Simply put, the world cannot operate without volunteers. Volunteering means to help with no reward expected and to give back where you live.

Let’s take a minute to imagine a world without volunteers. I have heard from a lot of people that the flower pots in downtown McCook are beautiful. It took a group of people to get together, forming the Beautify McCook committee. This committee meets to work on ideas to make McCook a great place to enjoy.

We have great volunteers like Bruce McDowell, Gary Wiemers and Steve Linhart who water the plants on a regular basis.

How about the countless hours volunteered for the thrift stores or the McCook Pantry or making pies for the Red Willow County Fair for all to enjoy?

McCook has Heritage Days coming up in October. Yes, it is a McCook Chamber of Commerce event which is made possible by volunteers. Volunteers line up the parade route, organize the vendors in the park and plan all the events included in the annual celebration.

In a world of volunteers, your child may not be playing baseball or soccer because there would be no coaches. Residents wouldn’t get their meals delivered from the Senior Center. There would b no Christmas lights in the park, no museum visits, no Halloween parade. There would be no theatrical performances or musicals at the historic Fox Theater.

Today the biggest need for non-profit organizations are volunteers. We are fortunate to still have the Optimists, McCook Rotary Club, Knights of Columbus, Eagles, YMCA and more, but they are in regular need of volunteers.

Ultimately, it is our get-it-done attitude that moves our community forward. The strength of McCook and surrounding communities is people and our passion for what we do.

Last week, the Hitchcock County News had a story about Bev Singer of Stratton and Beth Kollmorgan of rural Stratton/Trenton, the new music teachers at Hitchcock County Schools. Both of these grandmothers are retired, but heard the school was unsuccessful in hiring a music instructor for the 2023-24 school year. With grandchildren attending the school, the students would miss the opportunity to enjoy music at school.

The music program simply ending just did not sit well and the two ladies volunteered to step up and do something about it. They worked with the school board to make it happen and are keeping the music program alive. In the end, the Hitchcock County School, the students and the community are all winners.

Another great example of volunteers stepping up to make something happen was featured in a recent Gazette story about Imperial landing the Class C State Jr. Legion Baseball Tournament. Several hundred people from out of town visited Imperial for this tournament, which happened because of countless donations of funds and more importantly, volunteer hours. It was a community effort that made this event possible. Great job Imperial, using a get-it-done attitude to work together with great volunteers.

Are you wondering how to volunteer? Start with something that interests you and reach out to those organizations.

Don’t know who those groups are? McCook Volunteers (yes, a group of volunteers dedicated to organizing volunteers) has a list on the McCook Community Foundation Fund website, mccookfoundation.org, of most of the organizations and groups who are always needing volunteers.

Please take the time to visit the website and learn how you can volunteer. We would like you to be part of making a difference in our community. We would like you to be part of making all our communities winners. We would like you to be part of making McCook and Southwest Nebraska a better place to call home.

***

Linda Taylor is the Mayor of McCook. She also volunteers for the McCook Community Foundation Fund, McCook Volunteers, Beautify McCook and countless organizations, groups and projects.

Greater Appreciation Through the Eyes of Others

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 22:10:24 GMT

Ten years ago, my husband and I stood at a departure gate at the Denver International Airport, watching the plane pull away from the terminal. Our oldest daughter Anna was on board, headed to Germany as a Rotary foreign exchange student for the entirety of her junior year of high school. (How we got to stand at the departure gate rather than being turned away at the security check is a longer story, but let’s just say it involved a mother’s tears.)

We were going to miss her, but we knew she would be gaining experiences of a lifetime, including different lifestyles, different foods, different cultures. And we knew she would return a better person for having learned about other people, but also hoping she would have a better appreciation for her own home, town and country.

Fast forward 10 years…

Earlier this month, my husband and I, along with two fellow host parents, the Rambali's, stood at the DIA international arrival gate, waiting for our own Rotary exchange student to arrive.

Emerging from the sliding doors, our exchange students Juls strolled out after more than 13 hours of flights from Barcelona, Spain, dragging two suitcases almost as big as her but with a smile on her face.

Arriving with a good understanding of the English language (compared to our non-existent Spanish skills), she has transitioned into her host community wonderfully. This has been aided by community members who are welcoming her with open arms and wanting to share what they love about their community.

If you want to grow a deeper appreciation about your community or learn more about your own community, look at it through a visitor’s eyes. This is especially true when that visitor only knows about your country from television and movies.

And thanks to her presence, it has given us and others an opportunity to appreciate and embrace what makes our hometowns and our communities unique.

When we finally got to our house on her first night in Nebraska, it was dark, so she couldn’t comprehend the environment she was going to be calling home for the next 11 months.

On her first full day in the US, we started the process of getting her settled into the community, including enrolling in school and preparing for the upcoming fall sports season.

For those who don’t know, Barcelona is approximately 8 million people. As a reminder, McCook has less than 8,000 residents inside the city limits. We knew there was going to be a bit of culture shock based on the population difference alone.

Instead, what seems to have caught her attention is the vastness of the space around us. As we drove down the country road toward McCook, she marveled at the openness on both sides of the vehicle. The field corn towered on both side of the roads and stretched on for miles and miles.

Because we live it everyday, we take for granted that we can see for miles over the open fields and across the clear skies. How often do we overlook the fact that we can walk outside nearly every evening to a sky shining full of stars?

Her next comment was about the number of vehicles. Those who know my family know that we have a lot of vehicles, even by American standards. It regularly looks like we are having a party, when it just means everyone is home. With seven kids combined with living in the country, a fleet of vehicles is almost a requirement to get anywhere.

I had to explain that nearly everyone gets around our community in a vehicle because we are so spread out and because public transportation is not as abundant as her in her hometown. Although I would be remiss not to mention that we are blessed to have Amtrak stop in McCook and many of our city governments provide some transportation in the form of vans.

On her first full weekend in the U.S., we shared another tradition that many of us take for granted but could be seen as anomaly by others: camping.

Actually when you stop to think about it, camping really is an odd concept. We drove 15 miles from a perfectly good, air-conditioned, bug-free home with privacy, running water and soft beds for all the resident.

Instead, we loaded up in the RV and headed to the nearby state recreation area, yet another blessing that many of us take for granted. The lake had only a few other boats on the water, many of them fishing. The campground was nearly full with friends in their own campers, providing plenty of options for the kids to visit, games to play and snacks to steal.

And that is just in the first two weeks.

We along with the other host parents get the joy of sharing with Juls many more experiences over the upcoming year.

She has experienced more than her fill of Americanized-Mexican food, but we are looking forward to sharing all the different ethnic foods available because the U.S. is great about assimilating so many other cultures. She gets to experience her first school bus ride to a high school sporting event and the bonding that comes with it. And she gets to experience a high school dance and the awkwardness that comes with it.

We don’t have to go abroad for a year to gain all these experiences. We need to simply take a few minutes, look around us to gain a greater appreciation for our communities.

Change of Thinking Can Change View of Community

Fri, 18 Aug 2023 14:40:03 GMT

Since this summer marked my family’s 10-year anniversary in McCook, I figured it was a good time to reflect on my time here. When I moved here in the summer of 2013, I knew this was the place that we were supposed to be, but it wasn’t the place I wanted to be. My heart was set on someplace bigger, more metropolitan, with a Trader Joe’s, Indian Food, and a place to drink a cup of coffee and get some Wi-Fi at 9 p.m.

Needless to say, the first two years were rough.

I spent a lot of time feeling stuck, thinking about all of the reasons McCook was even worse than I expected. Anytime I happened upon a gripe session, I was quick to pile on. I was biding my time, waiting for a chance to go somewhere, anywhere, that wasn’t here.

In the summer of 2015, I heard Chuck Schroeder of the Nebraska Rural Futures Institute talking about Broken Bow, about how it was one of the best kept secrets in rural Nebraska.

I grew up in Broken Bow. It was no secret to me that there was a fate worse than living in McCook - and that was living in Broken Bow.

Schroeder explained that Broken Bow had changed significantly in recent years. There had been a movement of community transformation in Broken Bow that had started with a group of young residents who made a pact to only talk about how amazing Broken Bow is. Before long people started to believe it. People started investing, volunteering, participating. Before long, things started to change.

I did a little research and found that it was true: Broken Bow is different and still changing.

Now I was faced with a real crisis of belief. Maybe Broken Bow wasn’t the problem. Maybe McCook wasn’t the problem. Maybe I was the problem, and maybe I had been all along.

In this moment, I came face-to-face with a very uncomfortable but life changing truth, a truth that I believe is true for each and every one of us. In this life, what I look for I almost always find.

What do I mean by that?

For two years, I had looked for reasons to be disappointed, frustrated, discontent, and even angry about living in McCook. And at every turn I found what I was looking for. The more negativity I found, the more I looked for. The more I griped, the more I found. Over and over again.

As a result, I was miserable, frustrated, and quickly growing bitter and resentful about the place I call home. Something had to change, and I knew that something was me.

Change is never easy and I think there is something about living in Southwest Nebraska that makes change even more painful, but sometimes change is necessary. I prayed and asked God to help me see my situation differently. I made a conscious effort to hunt the good stuff, and to talk about it when I found it. Slowly but surely the bitterness began to recede and eventually it was replaced by joy and even pride.

I’m always trying to get my friends from Lincoln and Omaha to come out for a visit. They wonder why one would ever visit McCook. After all, I could just come see them. It’s not their fault. They don’t see what I see and they don’t know what they don’t know.

This summer a Lincoln friend finally took me up on my offer. He and his family came for three days and stayed at the Garret House on Norris Avenue. They sat on the porch in the evenings and marveled at how beautiful it is here. They made friends with the neighbors. They visited Nebraska’s only James Beard award-winning restaurant. They had fantastic Italian food, and ordered some of the best burgers in Nebraska from a phone at their booth. They stopped and spent time admiring the beautiful downtown mural. They went on a tour of the Keystone and caught the art installation on the 6 ^th floor.

Every time I made a recommendation or sent them somewhere, I was so excited. I knew they were going to have an amazing experience and meet kind, wonderful, and thoughtful people. They were blown away by McCook. He called me the other day to tell me he’s going to come back for a few days or maybe a week this fall, “because there’s just something about this place.” I know what he means. I found it too - once I finally decided to look.

***

In addition to being a committee member of the McCook Community Foundation Fund, Kyle Dellevoet is pastor of McCook Christian Church, a music aficionado and now more than ever, a fervent community advocate.

Big Give Expanding to Southwest Nebraska

Thu, 17 Aug 2023 22:56:34 GMT

By Isaac Nielsen

McCook Gazette

McCOOK, Neb. - Plans are already being put in place for the eighth year of the Big Give effort in McCook. Formerly named Big Give McCook, the event is now known as Southwest Nebraska Big Give. McCook Community Foundation Fund (MCFF) coordinator Ronda Graff says that the reason for the name change is that it “better encompasses who the project serves. While McCook has the most nonprofits participating in the Big Give, the day of giving has always included organizations serving southwest Nebraska. So Community Chest, which organizes the event, decided to make the change to recognize that all of southwest Nebraska benefits from the Big Give.”

Applications are now open for new nonprofit organizations to be part of Big Give. Prospective participants can visit swnebiggive.org to apply until July 31. Organizations must have 501(c)3 status and have a presence in southwest Nebraska to participate.

Southwest Nebraska Big Give is set for Thursday, Nov. 2, and includes 24 hours devoted to philanthropy to help area nonprofit organizations reach their goals.

The event is reinforced thanks to generous sponsors, which often match funds and incentivize giving with “Power Hours” held throughout the Big Give.

The lead gift has been given by the Graff Charitable Foundation, which donated $50,000 earlier this month toward the Big Give, but event organizers emphasize that “every donation - large or small - makes a difference.” Organizations and individuals who would like to help sponsor the Big Give can contact Melissa Stritt or Lisa Felker at MNB Bank (308)345-4240 .

Due to the recent name change, Big Give has created a new Facebook page and website under its new name, Southwest Nebraska Big Give. Both pages will be up-to-date with information as the 2023 event draws closer.

Community Chest is a sub-account of the MCFF, which is an affiliated fund of the Nebraska Community Foundation.

Getting Involved Can Start with an Invitation

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 11 Aug 2023 16:29:38 GMT

Darts, playing cards, volleyball, corn hole, golf, frolf (frisbee golf for us lay folk). What do all of these have in common?

On any given night, you can find someone playing one of these games around the community, whether in an organized league or just a pickup game.

Seeing that small list refutes the idea: “There is nothing to do here.”

Add to the tally enjoying one of the surrounding lakes, taking in a movie or visiting one our historic sites. The common refrain of “there is nothing to do” becomes “there is always something to do.”

That doesn’t even get into the special events like the upcoming Prairie Roots Music Festival and McCook-off BBQ contest on Aug. 19 at Heritage Hills, the fall high school sporting activities or McCook’s Heritage Days in October.

If a visitor walks into a gas station and asks, “What is there to do in McCook and Southwest Nebraska?” the answer is simple: there is always something to do.

But the conversation doesn’t end there.

While it is important that we have these activities and events, that isn’t enough. There remains a couple hurdles with many of those activities: first, knowing about them and secondly, what to do.

It can be intimidating to attend something on your own for the first time and to understand how an activity works when you’ve never gone before.

Regardless of the activity, there are so many questions: Are you welcome to just show up? Do you have to have tickets? How do you get tickets? How do you even learn about a league? How do you put together a volleyball team? When do leagues start? Where do I find equipment? How do I respond if I get hit in the head with a frisbee?

With all those questions, it is easier to just stay home rather than trek into unknown territory.

That applies whether new to a community or you’ve lived there your entire life.

Years ago, my husband and I would play pitch at the Eagles Club in McCook, invited by family members to join in the card game. But with other time commitments, we hadn’t joined the organized game in years.

Earlier this week after again being reminded by family members about the on-going card game, we returned to the card tables; this time at TJ’s Family Fun Center. Even though we had played in the past, it was still a bit intimidating walking into the center of those who were familiar with the setting, knew everyone else there and understood all the rules.

Yet, everyone was welcoming as they quickly ushered us to the check-in table, answered our questions about any distinct rules and lamented with us every time we went set on a hand of pitch and placed $1 in the paper cup set aside for that purpose. They even told us about the chocolate candy bar stash for the group and graciously shared tomatoes from the current garden harvest.

While we can’t be weekly regulars, we quickly felt at home and know we will return soon.

What did it take to get us there? It was as simple as learning about the event and an invite to join them.

Yes, we should be willing to try things on our own but it is so much easier to say “yes” when you go with someone who knows what is going on and is willing to show you the ropes so you did’t have to stumble through it on your own.

So what is the solution?

One is to gather up the gumption and go on your own. If you hear about something that interests you, join in. Take the leap and show up. Ask questions about how it works. Be willing to make a few mistakes but know that it will soon be like second nature.

But more importantly, we need to invite others to join us in these activities, especially those new to our community. If you meet someone new, ask them what they like to do and share activities you know about.

Let them know you attend a weekly dart league at the golf course or play pickup volleyball at Kelley Park. Perhaps you add them to your YMCA basketball team, expanding the league. Maybe you invite them to a local theatrical performance, getting a bite to eat first.

Or it’s as simple as inviting someone for coffee, which turns into a new morning coffee group where all the world’s problems are solved.

There are so many things to do in our community and it becomes even better when we invite someone else to join us. In the end, we are making our community a better place to call home when we invite others to join us.

Embracing the Good and the Bad

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 04 Aug 2023 18:01:41 GMT

Last week, I and 50,000 of my closest friends bicycled across the state of Iowa. It starts with dipping the back tire of the bike in the Missouri River and ends by dipping the front tire in the Mississippi River.

My family, along with many friends from McCook and North Platte, has done it for several years and this year was one to remember. We biked more than 500 miles in seven days, sometimes out on our bikes for 12 hours a day. But that is just the start of the adventure.

Just six miles in, my friend Candy Crosby hit a cone and wrecked her bike. It required surgery, a two-day stay in the hospital and meant her bike ride was over.

A few days later, another member of our biking party was playing around on a scooter when he wrecked it too, requiring another trip to a medical center for bandages and wraps. Upon returning home, he learned his foot was broken in two places.

And from the first day, the temperatures hovered on either side of the 100-degree mark with the Iowa humidity just as close to 100 percent. We all struggled to consume enough water to stay hydrated throughout the day. Showers were non-existent because although we would have liked to have washed off the sweat and grime from the day’s ride, it was pointless as you started sweating again as soon as the shower ended. And the relentless sunshine beating down on our backs meant slathering on sunscreen and chapstick in thick layers several times a day.

Along the way, I had to tell myself several times to “embrace the suck,” which means there is nothing you can do about what is bad in the situation so you might as well use it to get through.

There was nothing we could do about the 100-degree temperatures, so we just stopped under every shade tree and enjoyed each other’s company. There was nothing we could do about the relentless humidity caused by the surrounding acres of corn, so we in turn ate corn-on-the-cob on a daily basis. And there was nothing we could do about the never-ending hills, so we just peddled up one and down the other side and smirked as those from other states lamented that they thought the midwest was flat.

As I recounted the week to others, many wondered out loud, “Why do you do it? It sounds awful.” That is perhaps the “why.”

Because it was awful…at times. Because it was hard…at times. Because it wasn’t perfect…at times.

But at other times, it wasn’t awful and it wasn’t hard. And there were many times that it was perfect.

Because it is impossible to have the good without the bad.

We had to withstand somewhat dangerous heat but in exchange, we got to sit under a giant oak tree on a courthouse lawn in a small Iowa town enjoying our sixth piece of pie for the week.

Our thighs were burning from the strain of peddling up another steep hill, but in exchange, we got to soar down the other side, giving our legs much-needed relief.

And we peddled from one town to the next and past one farm after another and found perhaps the best example of the good outweighing the bad: the people.

It was the people handing out bottles of water, positioning their sprinklers for us to ride through, setting up slip-n-slides to cool off (and just have fun). It was the people welcoming us to their communities with open arms despite the heat. It was the people who wanted to share (and show-off) what made their small town unique and special.

Ultimately, our lives are not perfect. Our families are not perfect. And our communities are not perfect.

But we need to recognize what is not perfect and do something about it. We need to things knowing it will come with the good and the bad. We need to do things so we have stories to tell. We need to do things knowing it won’t be perfect, but also knowing it just may be close.

Appreciation for Hometown Grew During Internship

Mon, 31 Jul 2023 20:42:14 GMT

As part of my summer hometown internship with the McCook Community Foundation Fund Advisory Fund Committee and Nebraska Community Foundation, I was asked to write a “love letter” to the committee and the community. The letter is to not only sum up what I have learned and experienced the past few months, but also to share what I love about my hometown.

What an incredible summer! I am beyond grateful to have served as MCFF’s Summer Hometown Intern. During my time as an intern, I have had many valuable experiences. My top two lessons involve the importance of collaboration and learning more about the vast history of McCook. Discovering more about these concepts has made my love for my hometown grow more than I ever thought possible.

When it comes to collaboration, I have had the opportunity to work with interesting people on several riveting projects. Three of my projects have all relied on my ability to effectively collaborate and work with others. My favorite collaborative event is the upcoming Prairie Roots Music Festival and McCookoff BBQ contest, taking place at the Heritage Hills Golf Course on August 19th. I have been lucky enough to work with MCFF’s youth group, Youth Change Reaction (YCR), to develop games and activities at Prairie Roots.

Having lived in McCook my entire life, I am very aware of its interesting history but have learned so much more. For example, McCook was founded as a railroad town and continues to serve as a hub on the rail line. I also learned about the area's role in World War II, serving as the location of the McCook Army Air Base as well as the Indianola German POW camp.

Before the internship began, I knew that McCook has been the home to several politicians, including Sen. George W. Norris and three Nebraska governors: Ralph Brooks, Sen. Ben Nelson, and Frank Morrison. But I expanded that background by researching each political figure as part of the Heritage Square Walking Tour, another MCFF project.

This research also led to my discovery that McCook has been visited by several politicians over the past century. Franklin D. Roosevelt delivered a speech to a crowd of thousands in McCook as a tribute to Sen. Norris in September of 1932. In September 1964, Dwight D. Eisenhower spoke to a McCook audience about the importance of federal partnership in Western reclamation development. And Ronald Reagan discussed the need for a reformed tax structure, as well as unions and strikes, during a stop in Southwest Nebraska in the 1980s.

As my internship with MCFF comes to a close, I am thankful for the lessons I have learned, the experiences I have had and the people I have met, including McCook’s fund advisory committee. I appreciate learning about the importance of collaboration and the rich history of McCook, which has only further solidified my love for my hometown. I look forward to seeing how the future of McCook unfolds.

****

A 2020 McCook High School graduate, Hannah Goltl has served as MCFF’s intern this summer, bringing enthusiasm and energy to learn more about her hometown and make it an even better place to call home.

Time is Now to Shape McCook's Future

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 17:04:26 GMT

Those numbers are staggering. But more importantly, those amounts are transformational.

Just think about what happens if all that money leaves the community when someone dies and leaves those assets to heirs who don’t live in their hometown.

But more importantly, just think about what happens if just a small amount of that money stays in the community when someone dies and leaves a donation to their hometown. Each and every one of us needs to make the decision at some point of to give or not to give, as well as where

As a a retired dentist who moved to McCook with my family in June 1969 to become the junior associate of the famous Blank brothers - Lavern and Don, I went on to practice dentistry for 45 years and developed a deep love of McCook.

Three days after I retired, I was asked to join the McCook Community Foundation Fund’s Advisory Committee. Over the past 8 years, I have slowly learned how this foundation-concept works and how I can be an asset to the foundation and the community.

We also benefit from being part of the Nebraska Community Foundation (NCF) network with more than 1,500 community volunteers from hundred of communities across Nebraska, providing resources and connections.

It was during an NCF trainings that I found my “why” I do this fulfilling work.

This work is important to me now is that I love McCook and I love making a difference. The values that MCFF represents are important to me. They are honesty, integrity and inclusivity. Our networking with NCF has accomplished so much and we are incredibly proud and grateful.

But there is more to do.

Over the years, MCFF has invested more than $3.4 million back into McCook and Southwest Nebraska, through grants, scholarships and investments. But the biggest impact will soon come from the “transfer of wealth,” which has already began.

The intergenerational transfer of wealth is massive and continues to move rapidly. Nebraska became the “Good Life” because people recognized and seized new opportunities. Now is the time to act on an opportunity that can shape Nebraska and McCook’s future.

Over the next 50 years, Nebraskans will transfer billions of dollars to the next generation. This transfer of wealth offers an unprecedented opportunity if we count our communities among our heirs.

Imagine what an investment of just five percent of this transfer of wealth could do for long-term economic development and qualify of life in McCook. The opportunity is massive. The time is now.

Regardless of your age, I recommend everyone to consider the following:

Talk to your professional advisor about including your community in your estate plan.
Give to the endowment of your community fund or favorite charity.
Create a donor-advised fund to support charitable giving.
Learning how you can create your own personal legacy.

And I can make this request because I not only talk-the-talk, but walk-the walk because of the planned gift my wife, Sandy, and I have made to create a legacy that will live on in perpetuity.

Everyone has the choice about whether to give or not give, but let me finish by sharing how making the planned gift made me feel: Sandy and I both love McCook and this gift was probably one of the most rewarding and grateful feelings that we could have ever imagined.

***

Bill Graves is a member of the McCook Community Foundation Fund’s Advisory Committee and has been involved in most of the major projects that have shaped McCook from the creation of Heritage Hills Golf Course to building the new YMCA near the high school.

McCook Interns Spotlight: MCFF's Hannah Goltl

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 18:58:38 GMT

McCOOK, Neb. — McCook’s Hannah Goltl recently completed her junior year at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, and is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Political Science. She’s currently employed for this summer as a Summer Hometown Intern, which is a collaboration between the McCook Community Foundation Fund and the Nebraska Community Foundation.

Though the internship only began a few weeks ago, Hannah says she’s thoroughly enjoying the experience. She’s a part of several different projects, including developing succession plans with local businesses, expanding the Reality Check program (a hands-on experience that teaches area 8th-graders about personal finance), and coordinating a youth portion for the Prairie Roots Music Festival and BBQ Contest.

Hannah hopes to bring an aspect of the past to her current work, saying, “Throughout the duration of my internship, I hope to gain a comprehensive understanding of the extensive historical significance of McCook.”

Hannah believes others should consider taking up internships as well:

“I strongly recommend pursuing an internship, as it provides an excellent opportunity to gain insights into your community.”

Ronda Graff, the “Chief Instigator” of the McCook Community Foundation Fund, discussed the importance of interns:

“The goal of these internships is to help students learn more about their communities so that hopefully they can eventually move back here.”

Out of the five years that the Nebraska Community Foundation has made it possible for the area to hire interns, the McCook Community Foundation Fund has participated four times, says Ronda. She says the internship is important to the Foundation because it feels it’s valuable to get young people involved in their communities. “The people here learn just as much as the interns do,” she says.

If you are an intern working in the area, or if you are a business that has hired a summer intern, and would like to be featured, please call or text Isaac at the Gazette (308) 340-5707 .

McCook Library Receives Tech-Up Thanks to Nelson Donation

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 18:46:31 GMT

Thursday, June 15, 2023

Isaac Nielsen | McCook Gazette

McCOOK, Neb. - It’s been nearly three years since former senator Ben Nelson made a $500,000 donation to kickstart the Birdella Nelson Technology Center in the McCook Public Library, and the project is growing bigger than ever.

The Birdella Nelson Endowment for the library was started in honor of Ben Nelson’s mother, Birdella, with the vision of “providing additional opportunities to the community, with an emphasis on local youth and access to technology through new equipment and programming,” says the McCook Community Foundation Fund (MCFF) in partnership with the McCook Public Library. The endowment enhances the library’s offerings in a time where technology is always being upgraded.

The fund works as a use-it-or-lose-it cash flow, where the library receives a sum in the range of $30,000 every year to use on technological improvements.

According to Birdella Nelson Technology Center chairman Sean Wolfe, as of the most recent meeting with the Library Account Board, several different items had recently been purchased for the Center, including electrical system upgrades in order to support the other equipment, a printer and computers for microfilm, a scanner computer, a CD player, a laminator, multiple Walkmans, a button maker, and a digital camera. “Most of the remaining funds for this distribution year are budgeted to support the purchase of a 3D printer,” Wolfe said.

The improvements being made will have a long-term impact, said Andy Long, who was executive director of the McCook Economic Development Corp. when the donation was received.

“This will benefit McCook and the library for generations. It’s not a one-time thing. It’s forever.”

The MCFF and McCook Public Library emphasize that ideas regarding the Technology Center are more than welcome, and feedback may be submitted to the library.

As the library and Endowment depend on community investment to be successful, contributions may be made to the McCook Library Foundation at 802 Norris Avenue in McCook, while donations for the Endowment fund may be mailed to the MCFF at PO Box 525 in McCook, or online at the Nebraska Community Foundation website.

Beautifying McCook One Project at a Time

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 06 Jul 2023 17:55:52 GMT

Next Thursday, July 13, the first of two Hot Summer Nights concerts takes place, with the first in Norris Alley. The second concert is Aug. 3 in Norris Park.

Sponsored by MNB Bank, the event next Thursday will also feature a free-will dinner served by Beautify McCook with proceeds to benefit their projects.

What is Beautify McCook? It is a group of community members who looked around and saw things they wanted to make better, things they wanted to make a little bit more beautiful, saw things they could make happen by working together.

None of their projects are earth-shattering. Rather, they are projects that will hopefully make our community a little bit better visually, aesthetically and even physically for everyone.

What have they done so far?

Beautify McCook was originally called Light Up McCook. Last fall, a group of volunteers came together because they wanted to bring holiday lights back to McCook’s downtown skyline led by Taryn Arterburn as well as additional holiday lights in Norris Park led by Sarah Schneider.

The downtown buildings had featured lights in the past and remnants were in even place along the tops of some buildings.

But the lights had fallen into disrepair: bulbs were broken or missing, the strings didn’t connect to one-another, and many didn’t reach the necessary electrical outlets. And that was if there were even lights in place. Many were simply missing from being out in the weather over the years or the building owner hadn’t taken part in the project in the past.

But the volunteers approached every building owner, asking them to be part of the project. Every single one enthusiastically agreed, which had not happened in the past. Perhaps the change of heart happend because there was no cost to them thanks to generous donors, including individual donors, ACE Hardware donating part of the cost of the new lights and the city of McCook offering to tie the lights into the light poles for electrical needs since the new lights drew so little electricity.

Perhaps it was because the volunteers were the ones who would be climbing on the roofs of the buildings, hanging on the edge, installing the lights. The job was not for the faint of heart even though most of the buildings are only one and two stories tall.

Or perhaps all of the building owners agreed because they understood the transformation of our community begins with one small project.

One could say “It’s just lights.” But the lights downtown and in Norris Park stand for so much more.

They represent a group of volunteers coming together and giving of their time to make something happen. The lights represent an investment in our community to simply make it a little bit more beautiful for residents and visitors alike. The lights represent getting something done that many people talk about but don’t take action on, but this group did.

And the group isn’t done; hence the name change from Light Up McCook to Beautify McCook.

The group is behind the new planters on the corners on Norris Avenue in downtown McCook. Bruce McDowell and Gary Wiemers have done a wonderful job of checking the moisture level of the planters daily and watering accordingly. As the seasons change, so will the greenery in the planters.

Other possibly projects include new bike racks in the community, an outdoor sound system throughout downtown, and additional electricity to meet the needs along Norris Avenue and in Norris Park. The ideas keep coming. The only limitations are time - volunteers can only get so much done; and by money - all of these projects do need funding.

But fortunately Beautify McCook is supported by Celebrate McCook, an account which was established years ago at the McCook Community Foundation Fund to “celebrate McCook.”

And that is what this group is doing…..celebrating McCook by making things happen.

To learn more about Beautify McCook, follow them on Facebook or visit the MCFF website at mccookfoundation.org.

Or stop by Hot Summer Nights on July 13 to learn how Beautify McCook is making McCook beautiful one planter, one light, one project at a time. Because while the projects may seem small, they will add up to make McCook an even better place to call home.

Volunteers Necessary for Area Organizations

Mon, 03 Jul 2023 18:48:48 GMT

McCook Volunteers ‘brochure’ seeking help in promoting opportunities

Thursday, June 29, 2023

Isaac Nielsen | McCook Gazette

McCOOK, Neb. - In an effort to connect individuals with meaningful volunteer opportunities in the community, McCook Volunteers is asking local organizations to be part of a webpage listing a wide variety of options for individuals looking to get involved. Organizations with volunteer needs can submit basic information in order to connect with passionate individuals on meaningful projects.

As part of the McCook Community Foundation Fund (MCFF), McCook Volunteers has created an online “brochure” in order to highlight organizations that depend on volunteers to operate and provide services to the McCook area. More than 30 organizations have been contacted to provide information for the website, but any group with a need for volunteers is eligible to be part of the project.

The McCook Volunteers webpage can be found on the MCFF website (mccookfoundation.org), and is a listing of volunteer groups that need assistance. There is no cost to the organization to be featured.

The McCook Volunteers organizers ask that organizations in need of volunteers send in basic information including organization name, logo if applicable, volunteer needs, website address if applicable, Facebook address if applicable, and other contact information. The information and relevant links will be featured on the McCook Volunteers webpage for prospective volunteers to find out more information and sign up.

With the McCook Volunteers webpage now in place, anyone in the community - whether newcomers or longtime residents - are encouraged to visit the webpage for volunteer opportunities using the links provided.

Information can be submitted to Peggy Been at pbeen828@gmail.com or Ronda Graff at mcffund@gmail.com .

Sharing Skills and Interests to Better our Communities

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Mon, 03 Jul 2023 17:40:06 GMT

I must be honest. I write these columns just a few hours before the deadline because writing comes fairly easy to me. It is a skill I have had most of my life but it is still a skill I have worked to improve over time.

On the other hand, the skills I don’t possess far outnumber the skills I do have.

Consider public speaking. My voice gets shaky. I don’t know where to look. And like many people, I talk quickly and use the word “um” too often to fill the dead space while I think.

My list of things I haven’t mastered or don’t even have a clue about doesn’t end there.

An electrician could be speaking to me in a foreign language based on my level of knowledge about electricity. I truly appreciate the lights in my house turning on every morning because I don’t have any idea how electricity works.

I would quickly become a vegetarian if I had to procure the meat needed for dinner. Those cows roaming in the field behind my house? They would die of old age before I would have the nerve to slaughter them or the knowledge on how to process them.

In fact, I readily acknowledge that there is more that I don’t know in this world than I do know.

But give me a keyboard or a pen and paper and I can churn out words for hours. It won’t be a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel but hopefully it is a written piece that is usually entertaining, occasionally thought-provoking and sometimes motivating.

Whenever I walk around a neighborhood or roll through a town on my bicycle, I look around in awe of everything I don’t know, whether it is how it was created, how it was built, or how it came to be. Conversely, I am thankful and grateful that other people who do know these things, who use their imagination and motivation to create these things or who have the skills to make these things happen.

Everyone likely has a skill that they can share with others. Perhaps it is a passion that you would like others to learn. It could be your job or it could be a hobby. It could just be something that brings you joy, a feeling you want others to experience.

Every June, talented performers descend upon McCook for the Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival. Whether it is a rehearsed set or a spontaneous request, the storytellers and musicians are able to hop on stage and beautifully and thoughtfully recite a poem or sing a song from memory, without skipping a beat.

My brother, Jim, loves helping others and combines that desire with his physical strength to move whatever is needed. He jumps at the opportunity to get involved, from moving furniture and appliances to hauling irrigation pipe and farm equipment.

In the past, Pat Weskamp has created candy/gift bags that he puts together throughout the year for others in the community on the holidays. And it’s a double bonus. He makes people feel better because they have the satisfaction of donating to the project, while making people feel better when they receive the goodie bag.

Every November during the Big Give, Lisa Felker and Melissa Stritt at MNB Bank spend hours in front of their computers, inputing donations and tallying totals for dozens of non-profits. Looking at a spreadsheet for a few minutes makes my eyes glaze over, yet they are almost gleeful that they get to spend hours tabulating columns and balancing rows.

I walk into my accountant’s office with a folder overflowing with documents and paperwork. And yet when I and return a few weeks later, I find an organized file telling me how much I owe the government. I am waiting for her tell me one of these days how much I am owed, yet that never happens. I guess, skills - at least when kept legal - only go so far.

And the McCook Public Schools’ Bison Days is a great example of bringing all these ideas together. During Bison Days, volunteers share their skills, their interests, their hobbies with the McCook high school students. The only motivation is to pass along what they have learned to these young people, perhaps sparking an interest in the topic or deepening their knowledge of the subject.

I truly appreciate what the people around us do to make every day a little bit better and which makes our community a little bit nicer. Sharing our skills, our interests and our passions with others is how each and every one of us make McCook and Southwest Nebraska an even better place to call home.

Importance of Community Foundations

Wed, 28 Jun 2023 12:56:20 GMT

"Scrooge" Changes His Way of Thinking about Community Foundations

“We don’t need another foundation in McCook.”

That was a comment made to me by someone more than 20 years ago as the McCook Community Foundation Fund (MCFF) was getting off the ground.

MCFF was founded in 2001 by a group of visionaries, including Floyd Hershberger who saw a need for a non-profit organization to benefit, not just one project or institution, but all of McCook. He gathered together a group of like-minded individuals to create the organization. And then they convinced other forward-thinking community members to give both of their time and treasurer.

Now, nearly seven million dollars later, MCFF has the fiscal ability to join other local community foundations to make a difference in our area with funding for so many projects, programs and scholarships.

MCFF is also focusing on the transfer of wealth from one generation to the next as well as planned giving to sustain our communities into the future, which leads to personal thoughts on the topic.

I am thankful for this opportunity to make a difference because I want to give back to the community (specifically in my case, to three communities) that has been very much an important part of my life.

The community grows thanks to the generosity of both previous and present generations. This is how a community comes together to make dreams become a reality. A planned gift is a personal thing that expresses your appreciation for your family and your community.

To put it simply, you will feel good…something like when you look over the lawn you just mowed. And lately, the rains have given me “twice the joy” each week. But that pales in comparison to the joy I feel of knowing my communities will benefit from planned giving for generations to come.

In closing, the initial opinion about foundations was expressed by non-other than Scrooge. Fortunately, a visit from his three ghosts quickly turned him positive. Not a bad reminder when we are working for community betterment because even my Scrooge image enjoys seeing results of planned giving.

I believe that the person who spoke to me years ago has seen how various foundations work together to help move the community forward.

God Bless our community and God Bless each and everyone.

***

A former MCFF committee member and fervent MCFF supporter, Don Harpst is the long-time portrayer of Scrooge, but only by donning the top hat and scarf. In reality, Don is the most generous person of his time, his talent and his treasure - all to make McCook and Southwest Nebraska an even better place to call home.

Phases in Life Bring New Appreciation

Wed, 14 Jun 2023 13:47:08 GMT

By Tricia Wagner

Growing up in McCook, I always believed that attractions and events were what would bring me back to my hometown after college. While I still enjoy those things, my perspective has drastically changed over the last two years and especially this past year.

My son Oliver turns two at the end of June and with that milestone quickly approaching, I’m taking a step back to be grateful for the great life we have in Southwest Nebraska.

One thing the 21-year-old me never considered was the importance of childcare. But the moment I found out we were expecting our first child, I felt immense pressure to find good, trustworthy childcare.

Oliver spent the first year of his life at an in-home daycare that gave me confidence he was safe and well cared for while I spent my weekdays working outside the home. Then, as life tends to do, my schedule became more unpredictable and I felt it was time to move to a childcare center with longer hours.

To be honest, the thought of moving Oliver from one place to another terrified me. He had a great provider, he was comfortable where he was and he had made friends. But we needed to move to a larger provider with a wider range of hours. Fortunately, McCook has addressed the childcare situation recently and I was able to find another outstanding child care provider.

But finding new childcare turned out to be one of the lesser stressful parts of the change.

To put it mildly, the transition was rocky and I was questioning my decision to send him somewhere new. Anyone who has experienced the first day of a new daycare knows the feeling. But once Oliver - and to be honest, myself - gave it a fair chance, I knew it was the best decision for him and for our family. He grew in more ways than I thought possible and quickly. His speech improved, he started to feel more comfortable in new surroundings, and overall it was a great move for our family.

Childcare is so important to us and other working families in our community. That is something McCook is doing well. I’m very thankful for the providers we have and especially the ones we have been fortunate enough to utilize for Oliver.

Another thing I didn’t appreciate or utilize often as a student are the fairgrounds. But I do now.

Oliver is all about tractors, horses, cows, trucks, and trailers, so we spend a lot of time going for walks through the Red Willow County Fairgrounds because there is always something happening. Our favorite time of the week is when trailers start to arrive on Wednesday or Thursday for the weekend events. Our path to and from daycare or the park includes strolling through the fairgrounds to see the animals.

Which brings me to the parks. McCook has an abundance of parks and walking trails that we frequent often. We are so fortunate to have a relatively walkable and bikeable community with destinations such as Norris Park and Kelley Park. My family’s current favorite activity is biking to the park on the weekends and spending time outdoors as much as possible.

Honestly, there’s so much we have to be grateful for in our community. McCook has provided my family with childcare we can trust, activities my family can enjoy together and the ability to enjoy the outdoors safely. Nothing could’ve prepared me for this season of life, but I’m so glad that I get to do it here, in McCook, Nebraska, where I know Oliver is going to continue to have a great childhood.
***

Along with serving as the secretary for the McCook Community Foundation Fund, Tricia Wagner is involved throughout the community, raising a beautiful family and doing her part to make McCook an even better place to call home.

Southwest Nebraska Has A Lot to Offer and Celebrate

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 09 Jun 2023 14:57:36 GMT

BENKELMAN - Last Saturday, three charter buses full of bicyclists made their way from Omaha to Benkelman for the start of the 41st Annual Bicycle Ride Across Nebraska. Nearing the end of the westward trip, they stopped in McCook for lunch.

The following day, these same cyclists, plus many more who drove themselves to the start, began the 80-mile ride from Dundy County to Cambridge, stopping in McCook for lunch. And ice cream. And snacks. And drinks. And bike parts. This group eats and drinks a lot.

As the cyclists peddled into McCook, they passed Heritage Hills Golf Course, which was wrapping up the annual John Mullen Pro Am, put on by the Community Hospital Health Foundation. Golfers from near and far look forward to this three-day event every year, which benefits the foundation.

The east/west highway was uncommonly busy Sunday morning as camper after camper passed the cyclists, with attendees from the Pondstock Music Festival heading home after three days of live music in a pasture outside Trenton.

And this weekend, hundreds more visitors will arrive in McCook for the annual Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival. Kicking off with a day-long bus tour Friday, followed by the showcase of all the artists Friday evening at the Fox Theater, there are free events all day Saturday and wrapping up at the High Plains Museum with more storytelling Sunday.

So what do these all these events have in common?

At a basic level, these events are a boost to our economy. All of these visitors, travelers and even the locals are out and about spending money on food, drinks, t-shirts, and hotel rooms in our community. These are dollars which will benefit our community, helping it maintain, helping it grow, helping it thrive.

These events also offer an opportunity to take part in activities which we normally have to travel hours, if not days, to be part of. Instead, they are taking place literally in our backyards. If we want these events and activities to continue, all of us need to make the effort to attend, to show up, to appreciate all the time and handwork that went into making it happen.

But beyond that, all these events offer the opportunity to showcase our part of the world.

From a golf tournament on an award-winning golf course, benefitting from the natural rolling hills, to a bike ride through some of Nebraska’s most beautify landscape, benefitting from natural rolling hills. As soon as people get off the interstate, they quickly realize Nebraska is anything but flat.

From a music festival in the middle of a field that takes pride in bucking tradition, scheduling itself on the full moon each June, to a storytelling and music festival that takes pride in bucking tradition, created because east-coast professors proclaimed the land should revert back to the buffalos.

(I admit that I struggle with the use of the word buffalo because the U.S. only has bison, but I’m getting over it…slowly.)

Most of us choose to live in this part of the country because we can do the things we enjoy, from fishing on one of the numerous lakes to hunting is our ample open space. If we take our boats to the lake, especially on a weeknight, we might find we have the entire lake to ourselves. And for the most part, we don’t have to make reservations months ahead of time to secure a camping spot.

And if we can’t find it naturally, we make it happen.

Nearly every weekend, the Kiplinger Arena at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds is buzzing with activity, the ever-expanding buildings surrounded by horse trailers and campers.

Heritage Hills Golf Course is now being utilized as a site for events from the McCook Chamber’s Bash on the Hill on June 16 to the Prairie Roots Music Festival and BBQ Contest on Aug. 19.

And car shows are always a great excuse to shine up the vintage automobiles, with the 7th annual McCook Car Show and Cruise Night on June 24.

We are blessed to live in a part of the world where we can choose to do what we love. We need to take pride in what we have and be willing to share these passions with others. And we need to celebrate what we have and thank those who are making it happen here.

McCook Mural Project Transforming Downtown McCook

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 02 Jun 2023 15:47:46 GMT

McCook Mural Project Brightening Up Downtown McCook

By RONDA GRAFF

MCFF

McCOOK - Just over a year ago, the movie "Called to the Walls" played at the Fox Theater in McCook, bringing the concept of a community mural project to the big screen. Created by Amber Hansen and Nicholas Ward, the film documents the process of creating community-based murals with muralist Dave Loewenstein and the Mid-America Mural Project.

This week, McCook’s first community mural will be fully realized as the finishing touches are put on the downtown mural at West First and C Streets. A community celebration is planned for this Saturday, June 3 from 2 to 5 p.m. with a dedication at 3 p.m.

Nearly a half-block in length and one to one-half stories tall, the McCook Mural uses dozens of colorful, visually-striking images to tell the story of the community from various viewpoints. And then both professional and volunteer artists spent the past three weeks bringing those images to life on the wall.

Volunteer Joann Falkenburg of McCook took the lead to get the project off the ground, spearheading fund-raising and organizing planning sessions. One of the first issues to resolve was where the mural would be located. After looking at several options, Mike Deveny donated the use of the formerly-blank brick wall of his building in downtown McCook, ultimately one of many donations to the project

But the McCook Mural project is truly a community project.

The mural project involved dozens of citizens sharing their ideas about what should - and what shouldn’t - be included in the mural. Listening and planning sessions have been held over the past year to create a mural that was both artistic and told a story. Plans are underway to provide information digitally about specific items in the mural.

The mural project involved dozens of donors, both financial and in-kind, from individuals to businesses to families to organizations, all seeing the vision before it was even complete but willing to put their funds toward the project. Donors includes the Kimmel Foundation, the Nebraska Arts Council, McCook Community Foundation Fund, the Graff Charitable Foundation, Community Hospital, the McCook Arts Council, and Frenchman Valley Coop.

Additional support from Ron and Missy Nelson, Matt and Shelly Sehnert and McCook Christian Church ranged from housing the artists to providing a scissor lift to reach the top of the wall.

And the mural project involved more than 100 community members picking up a paint brush and leaving their mark - or more appropriately their brush stroke - on the 2023 McCook Mural. Artists ranged from local youth groups to workers at the SWATS program to those who just showed up at the community paint-in.

Those volunteers were led by the “Called to the Walls” creator Amber Hansen, along with Darcy Millette. They were joined by local assistant artists Wes McCollam and Karrie Steely and apprentice artists Elizabeth Aguirre, Maria Lopez Campos and Asher Long. Other local artists lent their artist talent including Deonne Hinze, Deb Goodenberger and Lucas Kotschwar.

Hansen said the community turn-out is the most she has seen on of her projects.

As the project comes to an end, Falkenburg said she is grateful for the community’s support.
“There have been so many generous community members,” Falkenburg said. “From the guy from North Dakota who gave us $20 in April 2022 when we put out the first promotion fliers to donations of food and snacks by Sehnert’s, Poppin’ on the Bricks and several other community members.”

While the McCook Mural is reaching its’ conclusion, the community mural project is not over. Along with creating the mural, the project was also designed for local artists to work alongside the professional muralists, learning about the process and how to make the mural happen. And then those local artists take that knowledge and bring more murals to fruition. So don’t be surprised to see more and more walls in McCook and Southwest Nebraska turning into beautiful murals to tell our stories and simply make our communities brighter, more colorful places to be.

Collaboration is Key to Moving Forward

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 02 Jun 2023 15:37:44 GMT

Go alone, go fast. Go together, go far.

It is said over and over but cannot be said enough.

The quick and easy way to get something done is to just do it yourself. Do it alone and you know it will be done the way you want it and done right. Ask any wife who asks her husband to load the dishwasher.

But that is not sustainable. We can only do things alone for so long before we suffer from burnout and fatigue. We can only get so many things done before we run out of time.

Going alone doesn’t bring in new ideas. One person simply cannot understand or know everything there is about a subject. By bringing multiple people together, we benefit from other’s talents. Every person has their own strengths and weaknesses. By collaborating, we capitalize on those strengths and overcome those weaknesses.

Going alone doesn’t get buy-in for a project. People are more likely to support something that they had a say in, something that reflects their view, something that shows they were listened to and heard.

Going alone doesn’t bring in multiple perspectives. Everyone brings something different to the table. Who knows where the next great idea will come from. But by bringing people from various backgrounds to the table, we have a greater chance of making something happen.

And thankfully, we are seeing more and more collaboration in our community.

The McCook Mural Project is a great example of collaborating to make a dream a reality.

After learning about the movie “Called to the Walls” through the Nebraska Arts Council, Joann Falkenburg was inspired to bring the film and the concept to McCook. But she knew she couldn’t do it on her own so she gathered local artists, local supporters of the arts, and supporters of the community. Together, these people worked to develop what the community mural should look like. And it wasn’t easy.

The easy route would have been for one person to come up with a design and paint it on a wall.

Instead, there were many meetings to develop a plan. Listening sessions were held to determine what elements should be considered for the mural. Weekends were spent drawing ideas on the paper lining the walls at the Keystone, followed by removal of ideas on the paper lining the walls at the Keystone. And countless hours were needed to work through the logistics of professional artists working with dozens - and ultimately 100s - of local artists.
If you haven’t stopped by or driven past the McCook Mural on West First Street in downtown McCook, try to do it in the next few days. Just to see the number of paint brushes needed to provide a variety of concepts and to accommodate all the volunteers. To see the variety of paint colors being mixed in tubs to create the magical yet realistic effect on the wall. To see the sheer size of the mural which covers nearly half a block in vivid, swirling beautiful in all shade imaginable.

And then stop by Saturday for the community celebration, 2-5 p.m. and the dedication at 3 p.m.

And there are other projects were are happening because of collaboration.

McCook’s outdoor pool project is moving along and should break ground for removal within the next month or two, thanks to the approval of the bond issue last fall. The bond was supported and promoted by the McCook Wellness Initiative, a group which includes the Community Hospital, the City of McCook, McCook Public Schools, the McCook Community Foundation Fund, McCook Community College and the McCook Pickleball players.

The McCook Philanthropy Council has brought together several non-profits to promote planned giving and estate planning, because of the importance of keeping local dollars in our community. This group is made up of MCFF, the Community Hospital Health Foundation, Hillcrest Foundation, the YMCA, McCook College Foundation, Norris Institute and the Graff Charitable Foundation.

And perhaps the biggest collaboration happens every November during the annual Big Give. Formerly known as Big Give McCook, the event is now known as the Southwest Nebraska Big Give with nearly three dozen non-profit organizations coming together to support each other and to support our communities. And the Big Give doesn’t even happen without nearly a dozen volunteers from local businesses and organizations coming together as the Community Chest.

Rather than working in silos, we all benefit by collaborating. By working together, we can make McCook and Southwest Nebraska an even better place to call home.

Celebrating McCook as Nebraska's Hot Spot

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 25 May 2023 15:08:23 GMT

Last week during a visit with a former McCook resident who now lives in the southwestern United States, the weather came up during the conversation.

“Do you miss having four seasons?” I asked. “Don’t you want to move back so you can experience winter and snow?”

He responded that they have seasons, just not the same as in the Midwest. In fact, they are “blessed” with six seasons.

Beginning with winter, the area may have a cold day or two, requiring a coat. And like many southern communities, a dusting of snow can bring the area to a halt.

Then, there is spring, for about two weeks. The most blissful two weeks of the year.

This is followed by the rainy season, for a month or two.

Next up is monsoon season, which makes the previous rainy months seem mild when it comes to downpours.

Then summer arrives. During July and August, you simply don’t go outside during the day. You wait until nightfall when the temperatures “dip” to 90 degrees if you want to enjoy the outdoors. While I may joke about this, it is actually dangerous because our bodies need cooler temperatures to get a good night's sleep.

The final season is the two weeks of fall. The other two most blissful weeks of the year.

There are some people - lots of people - who enjoy the warm weather offered in other parts of the U.S. They don’t miss the cold. They don’t miss the snow. They don’t miss the change of the seasons.

And that is understandable.

But we do live in a part of the country where there are four seasons. Ultimately, this is one of our assets and something we can and should see as a benefit for those who already live here as well as those we would like to attract to our communities.

On a hot day, we can take advantage of the surrounding lakes to hang out at the water’s edge. During the spring and fall, we can enjoy sitting in the park, reading a book or watching kids play. And in the winter, we can go outside for a walk, enjoying the simple beauty the snowfall provides over the landscape.

And if any of those seasons don’t suit a person, we are also blessed to know that the season will change in a few months, in a few weeks, in a few days. Sometimes, even in a few hours.

While a conversation about the weather is usually reserved for the morning coffee groups or when a group of people doesn’t have anything else to talk about, we can actually use the weather to our advantage.

At the McCook Community Foundation Fund, we have resurrected the use of the slogan, “McCook, Nebraska’s Hot Spot.” As part of a new people-attraction program for the community, the program even includes T-shirts if you see someone wandering around town with the slogan on their chest.

For those who don’t know, McCook regularly has the highest temperature in the state during the summer. And McCook has even had the highest temperature in the country because of its geographical location. According to a call, I made years ago to the National Weather Service, McCook is located at the perfect distance from the Gulf of Mexico to hit the weather systems coming off the Rocky Mountains, creating the perfect situation for warm temperatures.

As for the slogan “McCook, Nebraska’s Hot Spot,” it was abandoned years ago because some people felt the sometimes-warm temperatures in McCook shouldn’t be highlighted. Being known as the “hot spot” was a bad thing.

But if it is true that people don’t like warm places, then why are the fastest-growing communities in some of the hottest places in the country?

Instead, we can celebrate that we are a “hot spot” and that we have a summer. We can claim to be the hot spot, yet still celebrate that we have a full-fledged fall, spring and winter.

Conversely, the slogan also offers up the opportunity to celebrate that McCook is a “hot spot” for things that are happening…and things are happening. From a burgeoning arts and culture scene to moving forward on a new pool and ballparks, we have reasons to celebrate being a hot spot.

As a community, we need to celebrate what we have instead of lamenting what we don’t have - or more importantly, what we have no control over.

Yes, McCook is the hot spot in Nebraska when it comes to summer temperatures but McCook is also the “hot spot” when it comes to having people with a passion to get things done and doing projects which get people excited. It is time to celebrate being Nebraska’s “hot spot.”

"Reality Check" Brings Finances into Focus for McCook Youth

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 19 May 2023 20:32:00 GMT

By RONDA GRAFF

For the Gazette

McCook 8th graders got a dose of reality this week during the first “Reality Check” at the McCook Junior High.

On Tuesday, the students were part of a hands-on experience to deal with personal finances, from making a budget to dealing with unexpected bills to choosing where to live.

The inaugural event was organized by Caitlin Whitehead, who through her role as director of Prairie Plains Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), has seen how the lack of experience by young people about their finances can affect them their entire lives.

“This event is necessary for the 8th-grade students to get an active, educational experience about financial choices as they move into the next chapter of their lives,” Whitehead said. “This event is precisely what we, as adults, say now: I wish I would have had something in school to teach me about money.”

The goal of the “Reality Check” was to provide a real-world experience where students gain a deeper understanding of the financial world they are entering.

As the 8th graders entered the gym, they were assigned a job or career, ranging from working in a fast-food establishment to learning a skilled-trades job to becoming a doctor or a lawyer, all with corresponding salaries of a typical 25 year old.

Throughout the gym, 16 stations were staffed with community volunteers based on their area of expertise from insurance to entertainment.

At each station, the students had to made financial decisions. Some decisions could be made by the students such as the type of housing they wanted versus what they could afford. Other decisions were made for the students, including an unexpected car repair or an inheritance from a long-lost aunt.

Some financial decisions were large, such as whether to have children, while others were smaller, such as choosing an adequate cellular phone plan. Regardless, all the decisions had an impact on the student’s financial spreadsheet.

“It was so intriguing to see the kids think through some of these purchases,” Whitehead said. “You could tell that some of them had never thought about these decisions.”

If a student ran out of money mid-way through the process, they were directed to the S.O.S. booth to review budgeting decisions and possibly get a second job.

At the end of the day after all the “bills” were paid, the students with money left over received a KitKat candy bar, whereas those with no money left in the bank received a “Zero” candy bar.

Whitehead said a little competition developed throughout the process as the students worked to who see who could have the most money left over.

Overall, the initial “Reality Check” event went well, Whitehead said.

“The kids asked great questions about making big purchases, like buying a car or riding a bicycle; or owning a home versus living in an apartment,” she said.

She added that McCook Schools was a great help in making this happen, offering up the entire gym to conduct the program.

The McCook Community Foundation Fund provided a grant to cover the costs of supplies, recognizing how vital this knowledge is for young people.

And many individuals as well as volunteers from the McCook Rotary Club, MNB Bank, the McCook Chamber and the McCook Economic Development Corp. gave their morning to empower these students to make the best financial decisions.

While the 2023 event just wrapped up, organizers are already planning for next year with some changes in mind.
“I would like to add more complex purchases, like why having assets helps financially in the long run,” Whitehead said. “For example, we had many kids pick the bike as transportation, which was great for their bottom line, and won them a candy bar. But some of them had families and were not thinking about how they would get their kids to school or get groceries home.”

Other ideas for next year include adding options such as a savings account, loans and consequently loan payments and letting the kids apply for the jobs they received, rather than randomly assigning a career.

The hope is also to expand to other area schools as time, resources and volunteers allow.

In addition to Whitehead, the “Reality Check” project team included Nicole Peterson, Luke McGinley, Trina McPherson, Breanna Berry and Ron Wolff.

Only Impossible, Until It's Not

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 19 May 2023 20:21:45 GMT

Only Impossible, Until It’s Not

A little over a year ago, a group of enthusiastic pickle ball players came to the McCook Community Foundation Fund, asking both about possible funding to improve McCook’s outdoor pickle ball courts and how to make the project happen.

The location of the two pickle ball courts at the time had a direct tie to MCFF, which played a role in the development of Russell Park a decade earlier thanks to the generous donation by the Russell family.

To get the ball rolling on new courts, several questions had to be answered.

Would it be possible to upgrade the entire site? Was it realistic to find the funds to make those improvements? Was it feasible to add a third court, due to the explosive popularity of the sport? How hard will it be to get all the contractors lined up? And by the way, could all this be done this summer?

On the surface, the project would look impossible, especially considering all the other projects happening in the community. But something is only impossible…until it happens.

But determination by the pickle ball players, especially Brian Michaelis, made the project happen. The collaboration among several entities, including MCFF, the Community Hospital Health Foundation and the City of McCook, made the project happen. And the financial support from the community, including a matching grant from MCFF and several other generous individuals and organizations, made the project happen.

And now whenever the weather is nice - or sometimes even when it is not so nice - the pickle ball courts are full with players, laughing at the balls they missed and high-fiving their partner on the balls they returned.

The pickle ball court renovation project also gained momentum thanks to the Wellness Initiative, being led by Community Hospital.

This same initiative was the primary backer behind McCook’s bond issue last fall, which will provide funding for a new outdoor city pool and new or upgraded ballparks.

Both of those projects could have been seen as impossible, especially the pool renovation which had been languishing for years trying to happen.

But the right entities came together to make it happen and if everything goes according to plans, the old McCook pool will be torn out this summer, rebuilt over the fall and winter and be open to the public at the beginning of next summer.

These projects didn’t just happen.

It takes dedicated people working tother, working through problems to make the impossible possible. It takes organizations working to find the resources necessary to fund these projects. It takes individuals willing to give of their time and willingness to get others involved.

Renovating the Keystone seemed like an impossible project, with its future destined to end with a wrecking ball. During the mortgage burning a few years ago for the Keystone, former McCook Economic Development Corp. director Rex Nelson shared that the contractors said the 6-story building was within months of needing to be demolished because of pipes leaking within the columns.

But the right people were in the right place at the right time in the late 2000s and the Keystone Business Center went from impossible to save to impossible of a downtown McCook without the Keystone.

McCook is in the verge of several large projects, many of which may seem impossible.

And true, some of them may not happen; we only have so many volunteers, donors, and man-hours available.

But with individuals passionate about an idea, organizations enthusiastic about a project and everyone willing to work together to make our community an even better place to call home, we can make the impossible possible.

MCFF Announces 2023 Scholarship Recipients

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 11 May 2023 18:00:43 GMT

MCFF Announces 2023 Scholarship Recipients

McCook Community Foundation Fund awarded five scholarships this spring for the 2023-2r academic year, including the Bernard and Nelda Haag Scholarship and the Barbara Fassler-Neumann Nursing Scholarship.

The Haag Scholarship, worth $1,000, was given to Keegan Shuler of Culbertson, who will graduate from Hitchcock County in May 2023 and plans to attend Doane University this fall. Keegan plans to major in agribusiness to focus on production of food and management natural resources.

The Haag Scholarship selection is based upon leadership and self-motivation through involvement in extracurricular activities in high school; a dedication to agriculture or rural living; and a desire to return to a rural area or Southwest Nebraska.

The Barbara Fassler-Neumann Nursing Scholarship provided four scholarships for a total of $5,000. The scholarship may be awarded to recent high school graduates as well as those currently practicing medical professionals who have resided in the area for at least four years.

One scholarship worth $2,000 each was awarded to Sara Peterson, a 2023 McCook High School graduate. Sara plans to attend Mid-Plains Community College as she works to become a nurse.

Four additional $1,000 scholarships were awarded to Natalie Roberts, a 2023 MHS graduate, who plans to attend the University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Justin Barenberg, a MHS graduate, who currently attends Creighton University; and Holli Thomas, a MHS graduate attending the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.

The Haag Scholarship has been given since 2006, while the Hassler-Neumann Scholarship is now in its eighth year. Both scholarships are distributed through the McCook Community Foundation Fund, an affiliate of the Nebraska Community Foundation.

A complete list of scholarship recipients over the years is available on the MCFF website, mccookfoundation.org .

Heritage Tour Brings McCook's History to Life

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 11 May 2023 17:07:29 GMT

Once a year, McCook’s junior high students get to experience McCook’s history, up close and personal, as part of a Heritage Walking Tour. For five hours earlier this week, sixth grade students from McCook Junior High and St. Patrick Elementary visited the sites that make McCook….well, McCook.

This year, the stops included the High Plains Museum, the George Norris House, Ben Nelson’s boyhood home, the Keystone Business Center, MNB Bank, United Memorial Methodist Church and Sehnert’s Bakery. These sites are recognized for their long-time history in the community and their role in the creating McCook’s heritage.

The event coordinated by the McCook Community Foundation Fund and McCook Public Schools to bring the students into the community. And the day couldn’t happen without volunteers from those helping throughout the day by delivering lunches and dropping off bottled water to those sharing their expertise about their respective location, including Tom Bredvick, Laurie Sinner, Carol Schlegel and Charlie McPherson.

What is the purpose of the Heritage Tour? Why do our young people need to be exposed to these historical sites? What do we hope the young people take with them at the end of the day? Hopefully not any part of the mannequins at the museum. (Insert “ba-dum-dum” here for the bad joke.)

But in all seriousness, why is it important to share the history and heritage of our community with our young people, with visitors, with our friends and neighbors?

For starters, we need to appreciate what is right her in our very backyard. Each of these locations and businesses have been around for multiple decades; some more than a century.

We are fortunate to have locally-owned, locally-run businesses including Sehnert’s (usually the favorite stop on the tour, which probably has to do with distributing baked goods or coupons) and MNB Bank (which also got a few nods for best stop, although they could move up in the rankings by handing out a few bills).

The Heritage Tour also allows us to share and appreciate the community’s unique political history. McCook stands out for being the home to four of Nebraska’s governors, including born-and-raised here Ben Nelson. And Sen. George Norris is arguably Nebraska’s most influential politician, crossing across the aisle to compromise and get things done, something which is desperately needed these days in our current politicians, both locally and nationally.

And the Methodist Church and the Keystone are two of the most recognizable structures in McCook, with the church towering on its corner of downtown McCook since the start of the 1900s and the Keystone offering the best views of Southwest Nebraska from its upper floors and having a history just as storied. (Insert another bad joke “ba-da-dum” here.)

It has been suggested that the same tour be available for adults and there have been variations in the past, including a tour led by Sue Doak during the McCook Chautauqua last summer. Perhaps, the Heritage Walking Tour could become a regular addition to McCook’s Heritage Days each fall. But we must also remember that most of these locations are available to visit on a regular basis, open every day or by requesting a visit. A visit to MNB’s vault and the donut-making table at Sehnert’s might not be an option, but you can always ask.

There are many other sites, businesses and organizations which contribute to McCook’s Heritage, all which need to be recognized and celebrated.

A brochure for the Heritage Square Walking Tour is available in the Keystone lobby and a project is underway through TravelStorys to develop a digital tour of the downtown area of McCook.

And you may have noticed all the bad jokes and puns included in the column today. Remember, this tour included sixth graders, which meant trying to keep their attention for five hours about “old stuff and old people” and helping them realize its’ relevance. Not an easy task but important to help them learn about their hometown.

At the end of the day, I realized junior high teachers are a special breed which leads to this last joke: Why were the teacher’s eyes crossed? Because she couldn’t control her pupils.

Ba-da-dum.

Building Upon Our Arts and Culture Successes

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 27 Apr 2023 19:43:00 GMT

What do genies, pirates and musicians have in common? All will be featured on separate stages in three different locations this weekend in McCook.

The McCook Concert Association is hosting Copper Street Brass on Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Fox Theater in downtown McCook. Additionally, every music student and their parents are able to attend this final concert of the season at no charge. This is a great way to pack the historic theater and hear great live music.

The Southwest Nebraska Community Theatre Association is once again hosting the Missoula Children’s Theater, which is performing Aladdin at the McCook High School Auditorium at both 3 and 7 p.m. on Saturday. This will feature some of the area’s best young performers, many taking to the stage for the first time.

And McCook Community College Theater Department is presenting “Swashbuckling Scallywaggs at the Bildgewater Inn and Groggery” (try to say that three times fast) on Saturday at 7 p.m. and again Sunday at both 2 and 6 p.m. at the Weeth Theater on the MCC Campus

This is the second play in the series written by Director Mark Hardiman. The first play was performed in Norris Alley last year with most of the cast returning for this follow-up performance.

Now, some might say, “Why are they all scheduled at the same time?”

But let’s flip that and say, “This is a great problem to have.”

It shows that things are happening in our community. It shows that people want to do things. It shows that arts and culture is indeed alive and thriving.

We have creative, inventive, talented artists as well as innovative organizers who want to share their passion for art in all forms with others. Now it is up to us to show up.

And it isn’t just the scheduled, one-time events going on right now.

The McCook Art Guild on Norris Avenue currently has a showing of local artists with a forest theme, perfect as our trees are beautifully in bloom.

The High Plains Museum has its regular displays but is currently featuring prom dresses spanning a century. The art of textiles is on full display on a dozen mannequins.

And next month, a new community mural will come to life on the side of a building on West First and C Street, across from Ace Hardware. The public is invited to participate in the “Community Painting Days” on May 20-21. And if you don’t have an artistic bone in your body but want to be part of this project, don’t worry. The concept will be drawn on the wall so it will be like “paint-by-numbers” we did as kids.

The Nebraska Arts Council visited McCook this past week as part of an effort to become an official Creative Arts District, a status backed not only in name but also funding by the Unicameral. They visited the Sixth Floor at the Keystone, another rare find in Southwest Nebraska featuring a personal collection of artwork from McCook, from Nebraska and from the entire country.

During the visit, they heard about all the artistic endeavors that McCook already has in place from the productions at the Fox Theater to locally-published authors to kids summer art classes.

But it was also a great opportunity to dream about the possibilities for arts and culture in our communities. Everyone should be thinking about what they would like to see happen in our community and perhaps, more importantly, how they can be involved.

Get out this weekend to see and support these local performances. Follow all these organizations, including the McCook Arts Council, on social media so you have a heads up on upcoming projects. And then take a moment to consider how we can build upon this success of arts and culture in McCook and Southwest Nebraska.

Celebrate to Elevate Supports Beautify McCook

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 21 Apr 2023 14:42:59 GMT

For the second annual Celebrate to Elevate event, Elevate Wellness hosted an evening featuring a comedic duo, information about Beautify McCook and a meal prepared by Coppermill, site of the celebration on April 13.

Emily Young, owner of Elevate Wellness, told those in attendance that everyone benefits from having abundant, thriving communities, which is why she and her staff at Elevate host Celebrate to Elevate.

"We hope to bring awareness to different groups and projects going on to make McCook and Southwest Nebraska an even better place to live," she told the approximately 75 people in attendance.

The Beautify McCook committee started as the “Light Up McCook” project last fall ,which oversaw the installation of holiday lights along McCook's downtown skyline. The project evolved into "Beautify McCook," with the goal of completing at least one project each year. This year's project is dedicated to placing planters overflowing with flowers on the corners of downtown McCook.

“We are hoping to bring literal beauty to McCook” committee member Ronda Graff said. “There are a lot of people doing a lot of things in this town, we just need to get the word out.” Graff also noted that volunteers of all ages are welcome to take part in the projects, with several signing up after the recent Celebrate to Elevate event.
As the creator of the downtown planters, Nicole Siebrandt of Garden Thyme Greenhouse designed air plant centerpieces which were auctioned off to raise funds for Beautify McCook. She also showcased a sample of the planters that will go on the corners of Norris Ave.

The 2nd annual Celebrate to Elevate also featured Hayley Kobza and Lena Koebel, known for their “Coaching, Caffeine, and Comedy" podcast.

The evening raised awareness and more than $2,000 for the Beautify McCook project.

All the downtown planters will require regular watering, with the Beautify McCook committee working to develop a schedule, led by downtown resident Gary Wiemers.

The Beautify McCook is also working with the city of McCook and NPPD to install additional electricity in Norris Park and along Norris Avenue to accommodate additional holiday lights.

To be part of the watering crew, provide a donation or just learn more about the projects, find Beautify McCook on Facebook. Beautify McCook is part of "Celebrate McCook," a subaccount of the McCook Community Foundation Fund.

Appreciating the Beauty Around Us

Fri, 21 Apr 2023 14:22:45 GMT

A few weeks ago, residents and some members of the McCook Community Foundation Fund met to discuss how to attract people to McCook. To break the ice, those in attendance each had to name two positive attributes about McCook. Interestingly, none of the 15-20 people in attendance repeated ideas. And we all realized there really are a lot of positive things to list about our hometown.

When it was my turn, I noted that McCook is a beautiful town. I have lived in a small town, a medium-sized city, and a large metropolitan area. I have traveled some in the U.S. and Europe, and there are undoubtedly other places that are beautiful. But those places have actually helped me see the natural and man-made beauty right here at home.

Before retiring, one of my favorite things to do over my lunch hour was to walk up Norris Avenue. Under the canopy of the mature trees, with sunlight flickering through the leaves, my walk was a mixture of light and color that was at the same time relaxing and exhilarating.

We have many tree-lined streets in McCook – maybe you live on one of them – and it is something to enjoy throughout the year. It is obvious that many residents take a lot of pride in their homes with beautiful yards and lavish gardens that are a treat for all of us.

McCook has a rolling topography, which lends to beautiful parks built in the natural hills and valleys. Visitors comment on the beauty of downtown and the design of many of our buildings.

I live 15 miles southeast of McCook and am often delighted with the beauty of the valley. Coming into town over the hills, the valley south and east of McCook opens up. Depending on the season, it may be emerald green from growing crops; shades of oranges, reds and browns in autumn; or a white wonderland when covered in a fresh snowfall.

Have you recently come into town from the south on Highway 83 at night and marveled at how beautiful McCook looks with all of the glimmering lights? Driving in from the east on Highway 6/34 gives an ever-changing view along the Republican River. Even in the winter with the “naked trees,” the river valley has a serene look from the highway to the south hills. I am sure people coming in from the north and west of town have their own experiences of this ever-changing beauty.

We live in an area of the country where the sunrises and sunsets are spectacular and the stary night sky will leave you marveling at the beauty of the Milky Way and the wonder of the stars and planets. Although we have no hand in this natural beauty, it is a gift to us to enjoy that many people never see.

Are there improvements we can make? Sure. That will always be true.

But therein lies one of the most beautiful parts of McCook - our residents. There are people - your neighbors and friends - who are actively working to add beauty. If you have suggestions, pass those ideas on to groups like Beautify McCook, the McCook Garden Club, or the McCook Mural Project – or better yet, ask how you can help and how you can get involved.

Then slow down a little as you go through your day of work, errands, and activities to appreciate the beauty of our community, provided both by nature and by those working to make McCook an even better place to call home.

***

Peggy Been is a member of the McCook Community Foundation Fund, as well as an avid notetaker, busy volunteer and community cheerleader for McCook and Southwest Nebraska.

Giving Back by Returning to My Hometown

Sat, 15 Apr 2023 02:40:57 GMT

As my final high school days come to an end, I look back on the past four years and realize how much I have changed, especially in the area of leadership. As a freshman, I tended to lead only by actions, which I still feel is important. But now that I am a senior, I have also found my vocal side of leadership.

Personally, my best place for leadership is in the sports arena. I was a leader at first because I won. My teammates saw that my time and effort was turning into success.

My leadership has become so much more now that I understand winning is not everything. Yes, I put a lot of my identity in my ability to compete and do well in sports. But sports have failed me and will continue to fail me.

I no longer put my identity in just being a McCook athlete but rather a disciple maker for Jesus. I have found that I am able to lead more people by being intentional and meeting them where they are at…just like how Jesus meets me where I am at. I give a lot of credit to my church youth group leaders and parents for helping me develop this perspective and leadership skills.

I have discovered that a lot of girls look up to me because of how I treat them individually and it brings me great joy that I can be someone they look up to.

Great leaders are also consistent: consistent dealing with the misbehavior of someone you are leading; consistent with how you handle victories; and perhaps even more importantly, consistent with how you handle defeat.

This is how I have been led and coached by Coach Tom Sughroue at McCook High School. Sughroue has been one of my biggest supporters throughout high school because he has been consistent. His ability to get his ideas across to 40-50 athletes, who then go along with him, are due to his consistency.

Young people need to see the adults in their community support them, much like what I have felt over the years.

I was blessed to go to the National Junior Olympics in track in both 7th and 8th grade. And both years, McCook showed how much they believed in me. Each year I went to opposite ends of the country to run and the community supported me both financially and emotionally. People voiced their support, gave cash donations, and even bought cookies from my older sister, Shayli, who generously gave up a lot of her time to make them.

I can go on and on about all the love and support I have felt from the community throughout my high school career. But the best way I can give back to McCook is to come home and show my community how much it has meant to me.

As I transition to college, I will meet a lot of new people and have more opportunities to be a positive leader in my peers’ lives. I will continue to expand my leaderships skills as I work to become an elementary school teacher and track coach. And ultimately, my hope is to bring those skills back to McCook because the community has given me so much.

My involvement in the community has shown me how much I love this town. My connections have shown me why I want to come back and influence my community in a positive way. And my growth in leadership has shown me why I want to become a teacher. I want to be intentional and meet my future students where they are at.

Why? Because McCook has given so much to me and now it is my turn to give back.

***

As a senior at McCook High School, Shawna Wilkinson has been a member of McCook Community Foundation Fund’s Youth Change Reaction for four years and will leave an impact on sports, the school, her church, and the community…and hopefully returning to make an even bigger impact.

State-of-the-art technology at school sign of MCFF’s contributions to community

Sat, 15 Apr 2023 02:40:51 GMT

By Shary Skiles

McCook Gazette

McCOOK, Neb. – Making Southwest Nebraska better is one of the goals of the McCook Community Foundation Fund Advisory Committee. By bringing people and resources together to collaborate and dream big, MCFF has been accomplishing that goal for the past 22 years.

The McCook Chamber chose McCook Community Foundation Fund as its 2023 first-quarter Honor Business. Chamber President Molly Smith told committee members that the chamber wanted to recognize the importance MCFF plays in the community by providing financial and leadership support for so many projects. Since its formation in 2001, MCFF has directly granted more than $600,000 to community organizations, benefiting youth programs, services to the elderly, education, cultural activities, and many large and small community projects.

MCFF committee member Cynthia Huff graciously gave credit for MCFF’s accomplishments to community members. “None of the work that we do, which is energizing and exciting work that we get to do, would happen without people like you being partners,” Huff told the gathering at Friday morning’s presentation. “Our donors are fabulous and believe in this community, and all the organizations we have that make this community a better place to call home are making this community better. We’re all here together so thank you.”

Shary Skiles/McCook Gazette

MCFF met at the McCook Junior High School meeting room so they could observe one of their latest grants to the McCook Public School system, a CNC router. MCFF committee member and McCook Public School Business Manager Jeff Gross said that MCFF has been encouraging the school system to think outside the box and dream creatively about things that would enrich MPS students’ experiences in the school system. He said instructors Tom Sughroue and Tyler Jedlicki in the Industrial Technology Department came up with the idea of purchasing the CNC (computer numerical control) router for the department. Gross said the total cost of the project was about $44,000, with MCFF donating half of that cost.

The apparatus will cut wood, plastic, and aluminum. The machine is operated by a computer program that controls the movement of the cutting tool and can be used to create intricate designs and shapes in materials that would be difficult to achieve with traditional hand tools. It is capable of cutting, drilling, engraving, and shaping with great precision and accuracy.

Students and instructors have been learning the many capabilities of the machine and have made nameplates for both MCFF board members and MPS Board of Education members. “This technology will ensure a kid has the job skills to go out in the real world,” Gross said.

Gross told the gathering that McCook Public Schools has greatly benefited from the generosity of MCFF through the years, citing grants for Bison Days and Bison Kid’s Club as examples. MCFF also sponsors Youth Change Reaction (YCR), a group of 12 high school students, three from each grade, who work together to promote and encourage positive change for youth throughout the community. YCR is currently working on “Cars Under the Stars”, an outdoor entertainment center where young and old can come together to watch a movie. Their plan is to have the project operational by this summer.

MCFF Fund Advisory Committee members include Huff, Gross, Matt Sehnert, Peggy Been, Gavin Harsh, Dennis Berry, Kyle Dellevoet, Dale Dueland, Bill Graves, Linda Taylor, Tricia Wagner, and Pam Wolford.

Better to Give Than to Receive

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Mon, 10 Apr 2023 14:16:33 GMT

Last Saturday, YMCA soccer teams filled the fields behind the McCook High School and Junior High. The early morning games of 7th and 8th graders were in full swing with those playing at an advantage over those of us on the sidelines, just trying to stay warm.

As I yelled instructions to my team, my lone substitute player standing next to me asked out of the blue, “How long have you been coaching soccer?”

“Longer than you’ve been alive,” I responded as I tried to concentrate on the game.

“When did you start coaching?” he continued.

“A long time ago,” I replied, stopping the ball as it rolled out of bounds.

“When was that?” He was not going to give up until I gave him an exact answer.

“27 years ago.”

“Wow! That was a long time ago,” he said as he trotted onto the field.

He knew it was his turn to sub into the game, while probably not knowing it was a good time to put some distance between himself and me.

I began coaching soccer in McCook nearly three decades ago. Having played soccer in high school and college, I wanted to share my enthusiasm for the sport after I moved to McCook.

In the spring of 1996, I stood on the sidelines of Weiland Field, 5 months pregnant with my first child, surrounded by a dozen 7th and 8th graders, coaching my first game of youth soccer.

I didn’t have a child in the program. I didn’t have a relative on the team. I didn’t even have a friend’s child playing. I had lived in McCook for less than nine months so I knew hardly anyone.

But I volunteered to coach because I simply loved the game and it was the best way to share my passion for the sport.

The past few weeks I have emphasized the need to be “invited.” And while we need to invite others to join us whether it is for a conversation or at an event, we also need to take the initiative to get involved. Additionally, we need to set aside our preconceived notions about who should be doing things. We need to step up and be willing to share our hobbies, our interests, our skills with others. We need to be willing to step outside our comfort zone to take on something new. We need to buck the system of who we normally think should fill a role.

For example, the job of a lifeguard at our pools has evolved to be filled by high school students. This makes sense since they have their summer off from school and that is when there is most need for a lifeguard.

But there is no reason that adults cannot fill the job of lifeguarding at our local pools. In fact, if we are going to want the new outdoor city pool and the YMCA indoor pool to be open as many hours as possible, we are going to need more lifeguards - lifeguards of all ages.

And it just so happens, that it doesn’t cost anything right now to get certified as a lifeguard as the McCook Community Foundation Fund granted funds to the YMCA to cover the cost of certification for the next two years. So that excuse is taken off the table.

Another area where we seem to have a preconceived notion of who it should be is as a volunteer coach. There is no rule that says you must have a child in the sport to coach the team. Grandparents have stepped up to coach their grandchildren. Friends of the child’s parents have volunteered when asked. But it could also be as simple as the sport is something you did when you were younger.

Recently, I had a friend begin to help coach junior high track even though she didn’t have a child in the program. Having participated in track and field in high school, she had the experience, ability and desire to share those skills with young people. The more adults who can help with a program, the better.

Another friend is taking on the role of baseball coach this summer, even though his own children are not yet old enough to play on the team. He understands the need for passionate, caring individuals to step forward if want to have these programs in our community, now and in the future.

Or maybe you have a passion for the theater but singing in public or memorizing lines terrifies you, so you say that you aren’t a theater person. But there is always a need for help with costumes, makeup, choreography, building sets. Again, it is breaking the preconceived notion what makes a theater person - not everyone is out front on the stage but they are still just as important.

It takes all of us getting involved to keep our communities growing and thriving. Consider sharing your hobbies or your interests or your skills with others because ultimately, it is like gift giving: it is better to give than receive.

Reaching Out Before It Is Too Late

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 13:12:13 GMT

McCook and Southwest Nebraska lost another colorful character this past week with the passing of Ray Walter.

Ray taught art for decades, instilling a love for all mediums of art in generations of school children. And then even after retiring, he couldn’t stay out of the classroom. He returned as a substitute teacher, frequently at St. Patrick Elementary and Hitchcock County or wherever he was needed.

He also could be found at the McCook Art Guild, again sharing his passion for art with people of all ages, leading classes in everything from throwing ceramics to building stained glass creations to photography and painting.

Ray was a very talented artist in his own right, winning numerous awards for his artwork. But his true gift was sharing that passion and creativity with others.

But his desire to get others involved didn’t just stop with the artwork.

In fact, Ray was my “sponsor” for the McCook Rotary Club a few years ago. I had visited Rotary numerous times over the past twenty years, serving as the speaker for the weekly meeting. But it was Ray who finally asked, “Do you want to join?” It was that simple. Others had assumed I had been asked to join the club and turned them down, but in reality, no one had taken the time to ask that simple question: Do you want to join?

In just last week’s column, I said that it is all about the ask. It cannot be said too often: People like to be asked. They like to be invited. They like to be included. They want to feel like they are part of something bigger than themselves.

And that was what Ray was good at: getting people involved while celebrating artwork.

My last conversation with Ray was a few months ago about a group creating a mural to celebrate Culbertson’s 150th anniversary this summer. He was so excited to share the design for the project and how it was being created. He was proud to be involved in something that was going to outlast him after it was installed for the celebration in July.

Unfortunately, Ray won’t be here for its dedication but I hope it gets completed in honor of the man who brought so much artwork to Culbertson already.

On a personal note, Ray lived just down the country road from me with his home - the former District 8 school house - serving as one of the turnarounds on my running routes. He knew this and invited me to partake of the peach tree when the branches were so heavy with peaches, the limbs bent toward the ground. If I needed a mid-run snack, I could grab a crab apple or two because no one can ever deal with all the apples before they fall off and cover the ground. Or I would take a break during the run to view Ray’s latest ceramic creation from his personal kiln if the garage doors were open in his garage/art studio on a nice day.

Last week, I knew Ray had recently returned home from Lincoln after battling medical issues. And all week, I meant to do a run down the road to stop in and see him. But like life does, I got busy and it didn’t happen before it was too late.

Lesson learned.

We need to take the time to reach out to others for a simple cup of coffee. We need to set aside a few minutes to write a letter to an older person at the retirement home. We need to make the effort to stop by and just say “hi,” even if it is just for a few minutes.

Again, it’s about the ask. It’s about the invite. It’s about taking the time to reach out to others before it is too late.

Invitations are a Joy and Essential

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 24 Mar 2023 15:38:45 GMT

Growing up, my grandfather lived with my family before moving to my aunt’s house for his final few years. There wasn’t much to occupy his day other than seeing us off to school and work in the morning and welcoming us home that evening.

As far as I know, the lone activity everyday took place at 10 a.m., when he began his slow half-mile walk from our house to the town’s post office, where all mail was delivered. The chances of him receiving a piece of mail specifically for him was slim, yet he looked forward to turning the dial on the small rectangular mailbox everyday with the hopes of finding something with his name on it. Maybe there would be a letter from the government about his pension; even better would be a card from his daughter with an update on her life and always an update about the weather; but the best was finding an invitation, whether to a friend’s birthday party or a family reunion.

Arguably, the best piece of mail we can find in our mailboxes is an invitation. A phone call from a friend inviting you to coffee is a lot better than yet another call from the school office that your child is behind on their lunch bill yet again. Or a text from your spouse asking you to lunch beats the texts about yet another bill that is due.

We like being invited. We like being included. We like being asked to do something.

Additionally, we like being asked for our thoughts. We like being asked for our ideas. We like being involved, especially to make a difference.

Not all invitations are about doing an activity. Many invitations are to begin a discussion.

It may be to catch up with a friend who just returned from overseas and you want to hear about their vacation. It may be to learn more about a topic such a book that has many impact on your community. Or it may be to start the process for things we know we need to do - but manage to keep putting off - such as long-term planning.

Ultimately, it is all about the invitation, an invitation to start the discussion.

This week, Todd Mekelburg and Jim Gustafson from the Nebraska Community Foundation visited McCook and Southwest Nebraska, sharing how we can make the invitation to talk about not-so-easy topics. From planned gifts to wills and funeral plans, we know this is something we should talk about with our spouses, with our children, with our financial advisors. If we don’t talk about it and if we don’t ultimately do something about it, the decisions will be made by others, most likely the government. And then you, your family, and your community end up on the losing end.

We need those invitations to talk about how necessary it is to plan the future, the future for ourselves, for our families and for our communities.

Invitations can be joyful, especially if it is to welcome a new baby at a baby shower or a newly married couple at a wedding. But invitations can also be essential to start the discussion about what we want to our community to look like generations from now and what we can do to make that happen.

Whether it an invitation for dinner just to share a good meal and a laugh or an invitation to a fellow community member about what we could do to make our town even better, we need to be willing to reach out to others. It is as simple as an invitation.

***

One final story about mail delivery. Kids love receiving mail, probably because they just look for anything with their name and hand over the bills to their parents.

Going to the mail box was one of my kids’ favorite activities as they grew up, despite knowing that it was unlikely there would be anything with their name inside. It was the joy of possibilities…there could be an invitation to a friend’s birthday party or a card from grandma, likely with a dollar bill or two.

My oldest son came home midway through his kindergarten year of school, giddy that he had finally memorized his address as part of a school assignment. As we walked out to the mailbox to retrieve that day’s mail, he repeated the address over and over, “rural route 3, box 80;” “rural route 3, box 80;” “rural route 3, box 80.” He was proud as a peacock that he had mastered this new skill.

We pulled the letters from the mailbox and there was a letter from the government, assigning new addresses to assist emergency personnel in finding our location. From now on, we were to use “38575 Dr. 713.”

That was a long walk back to the house that day, knowing he was starting all over.

Choosing to Look for the Positivity in a Community

Sat, 18 Mar 2023 14:16:25 GMT

When Walt Sehnert dedicated his book, Faces of McCook , he wrote: “…dedicated to the men and women of McCook, who collectively, over the years have shaped our town into a community where we can live and work and raise our families in a safe, interesting, and rewarding environment.” His 2011 book tells the stories of more than 50 men and women who shaped our early community. You are shaping this community in 2023. What will be written about the differences you have made?

One of Walt’s stories is of Albert Barnett. He was born in Illinois and sent to McCook in 1882 to manage a lumber yard in the new community. When he arrived, he “slept atop a corn bin with an old blanket or two.” In 1886, he was sent to Stuart, Nebraska, but chose to return to McCook where he lived out the remainder of his life.

Due to hard work and good investments, he eventually owned 28 lumber yards in Nebraska and Colorado. His investments in McCook included early homes, the original YMCA on Main Street, the Masonic Temple, the Fox Theater, the Keystone Hotel, the Methodist Church and the old City Auditorium to name a few.

What attracted him to McCook then and made him choose to invest in its future? What attracts people today to McCook and makes them choose to invest in its future?

Staci Blomstedt, a Utah native, followed her young husband to McCook when Dr. Jason Blomstedt spent a six-week rural rotation here. At the time, they were looking for a welcoming community where they could raise a family, so he interviewed in several rural communities. She is a physical therapist, but she said she was willing to go wherever her husband could be happy. I asked her what made them want to stay here.

“Good people” was her first response. “Plus, you can find whatever you’re looking for. If you want it to be a negative experience, it will be. If you want it to be a positive experience, it will be.” She added, “We started with Story Time at the library; my kids are involved with church, FFA, 4-H, music lessons, plays, and sports of all kinds--everything you can get in a large city but on a smaller scale.”

She shared that she and her kids take advantage of the MCC classes for people of all ages. She recalled a photography class she took from the late Tor Olson. “It opened my eyes to my love of photography; I have even turned it into a fun small business.”

Similarly, our son, Adam, returned to McCook because Community Hospital offered an excellent opportunity, benefits, and career advancement in a community in which it felt safe and affordable to raise his family.

“Everything I need, I have right here: quality dining, a variety of stores in which to find goods, access to my hobbies, and forward-thinking neighbors who bring art and beauty to the area,” he said, adding, “I do not think these things happen on their own—it takes dedicated and involved individuals to bring about progress and change.”

He cited the Kiplinger arena and fair facilities, which allow our community to host horse events, concerts, wedding receptions, and craft shows. “We have to be willing to sit on committees, planning boards, and be involved in service organizations if we want to see the progress that we talk about on social media. We have to be people of action, looking to build a future for our grandchildren,” he said.

Involvement in the community is the key to change and a future. It’s our turn to be the change we wish to see in the world, and we can start right here at home. Just a few ways you can be involved: Library Board, PEO, Masonic Bodies, YMCA Board, Hospital Board, church boards, 4-H Council, Fair Board, Parks Committee, Pickleball, frisbee golf or shooting sports. The list is endless.

What is it that holds people in a community? Family, like-minded friends, jobs, and their children’s involvement in activities. Access to free or low-cost activities. A variety of events. Places for kids to go in the summer and things to do. Opportunities for adults to intermingle in a healthy environment. Places to dine. Places to shop. Music and arts. Outdoor activities…all the while being able to afford to live here.

If you look for negativity…you will find it. If you look for positivity…you will find it. We have a duty to help our community, whether it is newcomers or those who have lived here for a lifetime, by sharing all the good things we have to offer, by sharing the positive.

***

As a member of the McCook Community Foundation Fund, Pam Wolford continues to use her experience from decades of teaching to make a difference in the lives of young people.

Eating Your "Frog" and Getting Things Done

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 02 Mar 2023 17:47:00 GMT

I am sure there are people out there who gets things done immediately, who don’t put things off until the next day, who don’t delay or postpone anything in their life. In other words, they are not procrastinators.

I am not one of those people, nor do I know many people who are not in the same camp. I am a card-carrying procrastinator if we took the time to make cards for ourselves but we never seem to get it done.

Whether it is because I am a journalist by training or it is just ingrained, I cannot work without a deadline. My to-do list is based on upon a schedule and a date that demands it be done by a day on the calendar.

I am going to make a confession right here and now: I don’t write these columns until the last minute. Yes, there are always ideas percolating around in my head but those thoughts don’t become words on a page until the last possible minute. Yet, the columns get done; just not very long before they are due.

In an attempt to become less of a procrastinator (because “never being a procrastinator” is never going to happen), I frequently refer to one of my favorite books, “Eat That Frog!” by Brian Tracy. It is not a culinary reference manual. Instead, it is an easy read that provides 21 ways to stop procrastinating and to get more done in less time.

The thought behind the title is that there is never enough time in your day to get everything done so you have to prioritize by getting the most important, the toughest, the hardest thing done first.

The old adage is that if the first you do each morning is eat a live frog, you’ll have done the worst thing you’ll likely do all day. The “frog” is the most challenging thing on the to-do list.

Now, everything we need and should get done is not necessarily a “frog” but we should take heed to get things done sooner rather than later.

For example, you keep telling yourself that you are going to clean out and organize your garage so you can actually park a vehicle inside. But the television keeps tempting you. That book on your nightstand is more appealing. Even the dishes seem like a better option.

Perhaps, April 15 or tax day seems like it is light years away. Trust me, your account or tax preparer disagrees and would appreciate their clients not walking in with boxes of paperwork the week before the deadline. (Sorry, Nikki Cappel. I’ll try to do better this year.)

Maybe you have been putting off writing a will or planning your estate because you think you will get to it “someday.” Someday will always be tomorrow until you quit procrastinating and eat the “frog” whatever it may be.

But what really got me thinking about procrastinating are some upcoming deadlines at the McCook Community Foundation Fund.

Graduation season is right around the corner which means seniors are preparing for the next phase of their lives, with many of them heading off to college. Scholarships are not just a luxury anymore for those attending college, but almost a necessity. And many scholarship deadlines will happen in the next month, including two at MCFF.

MCFF distributes two scholarships, both with a deadline of March 31. The Bernard and Nelda Haag Scholarship is open to students in five Southwest Nebraska counties with a priority on those with an ag-based focus. The Barbara Fassler-Neumann Nursing Scholarship is open to upcoming high school graduates pursuing study in the medical field or those already in the medical field with plans to return to southwest Nebraska and practice medicine. Information about both scholarships and applications are available on the MCFF website, mccook foundation.org.

In addition to the scholarship deadlines, MCFF’s 2023 spring grant deadline is April 1. A complete list of grants from the past 20 years is also on the MCFF website, along with the application.

Similar to the adage that you are supposed to make your bed as soon as you get up in the morning because you can say that you’ve accomplished at least one thing with your day, consider eating your “frog” first thing to accomplish the most important thing with your day.

Balancing Travel with Appreciating Home

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Sat, 25 Feb 2023 15:29:19 GMT

Traveling along B Street in McCook, I cannot help but glance south as I pass Norris Avenue. Regardless of the time of day, I am always curious to see if the Amtrak train is at the McCook train depot. True, the westbound train is supposed to arrive at 3:43 a.m. and the eastbound train is scheduled in McCook at 11:49 a.m. - both times I am not usually cruising the streets.

Yes, the train is frequently late (I remind people it can’t be early because then it would leave people behind) but I love seeing the train in McCook because it not only represents an option of travel but it represents possibilities.

I frequently hop on the train, whether it is west to go skiing or east to visit my kids in Omaha and Lincoln. It is a blessing to have both air service and rail service serve our community.

But that isn’t why I am focusing on the train. The train is just once option to travel for experiences in other places.

My family and I travel a lot, whether it is for sporting events, for concerts, for visiting family and friends. Because of those travels, we get to experience new ideas, we get to see things we haven’t considered, we get to do things we may not get to do at home.

Traveling expands our minds to new possibilities, possibilities that we then want to take home and share with our community. That is why there is a group working to create a building-sized mural on West First Street. That is why Youth Change Reaction is working to build the Cars Under the Stars outdoor theater at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds. And that is why we have a thriving arts and culture scene right here in Southwest Nebraska, bringing entertainment to our doorsteps.

For example, in March alone, the historic Fox Theater will be hosting not one, not two, but three unique live productions - all without traveling for hours.

Once again, the Lied is bringing Arts Across Nebraska to McCook with the presentation of Henrietta Solway. The new, live production is based upon the short stories of Willa Cather. You could travel to Lincoln this weekend to experience the show - and pay for tickets.

Or we can be thankful they are taking the performance on the road to Red Cloud, Kearney and McCook, where we can see the play for free, thanks to generous sponsors including the Kimmel Foundation.

Henrietta Solway will be at the Fox on Thursday, March 2. There is a matinee at 1 p.m. for students but is open to the public and another second performance at 7 p.m., open to everyone. This is a world-class production coming to us rather than asking us to travel.

So grab a friend or your family and let’s fill the Fox to experience a wonderful production and show appreciation for bringing live performances to Southwest Nebraska.

Then a few weeks later on March 14, the McCook Concert Association will host its third production of the year, the Hall Sisters, at the Fox Theater. Available to season pass holders or with tickets at the door, the Hall Sisters have played at the Grand Ole Opry, Carnegie Hall, and the Country Music Hall of Fame but will be performing for us right here at home.

This will be followed a few days later by the Southwest Nebraska Community Theater Association’s spring performance of Freaky Friday. Directed by Christy Stevens, this musical will showcase some of the best talent - singing, dancing and acting - from across our area. Performances will be at the Fox Theater from March 18-26 with tickets sold at the door. These local performers have put in countless hours to bring us joy, laughter and entertainment, again all without traveling for hours.

And this doesn’t even touch on everything going on at the McCook High School and surrounding communities from school concerts to community performances.

We need to travel to experience all the world has to offer. We need to travel to learn about other possibilities. We need to travel to be exposed to new ideas.

But we need to balance that with appreciating everything in our own “backyard.” These productions are coming to our doorsteps so we need to return home to enjoy what we have, to share what we have learned and to work together to make McCook and Southwest Nebraska an even better place to call home.

Bison Days Brings Community Together

Sun, 19 Feb 2023 16:52:35 GMT

Beyond the syllabus, books, tests and homework assignments, you will find hobbies, interests and skills that do not always have a place, or a time, in the classroom.

But for two days each February, students at McCook High School venture past curriculum and into a world of newfound talents and interests, learning skills like cooking and crafts and discovering a new array of pastimes and hobbies. A potential career or job opportunity may even arise out of the sessions.

Since 2018, McCook Bison Days has helped build relationships between students, community volunteers and the MHS staff, while providing skill-building activities along with plenty of laughs.

Students and community volunteers are able to view one another in a different light, as they are teaching and learning about a topic that both view as interesting. For two days, community members and teachers conduct classes such as sewing, fencing or self-defense, passing along skills and, in most cases, interest to McCook students.

Our community willingly gives of their time and talents to teach a course for half a day or in some cases, all day. And we love having them be part of such a pivotal project at MHS.

I am writing to express McCook Public Schools heartfelt gratitude for everyone’s incredible gifts of time, talent, and generosity through McCook Bison Days. These contributions have made a significant impact on our school mission of equipping all students to succeed, and we could not have achieved our goals without the community’s support.

The number of volunteer hours have been an inspiration to us all. In addition, the willingness of so many to share their expertise and experience with MHS students has been invaluable.

The donation of time and energy has helped us to build a stronger and more connected community, and we are deeply grateful for the community’s commitment to not only McCook Public Schools, but also to McCook as a whole.

To all our presenters: From your artistic creations to your technological innovations, your abilities have enriched our students lives and helped them to see the possibility of achieving great things. Your creativity and innovation have inspired the students to become involved in new and exciting endeavors.

To the McCook community: Your generosity has been a blessing to us all. Your willingness to give of your resources and support in our efforts has been a source of strength and encouragement. Additionally, teaching a Bison Days’ class is not cheap. Yet, so many of you refuse to be reimbursed for all that you give to operate your class.

Therefore, the MHS staff and students want to say thank you to our community. Your gifts of time, talent, and generosity have made a significant difference in the McCook school community, and we are so grateful for your contributions.

We hope that the community will continue to be a part of our shared mission and that we can continue to work together to create a better community for all.

***

Still to referred to as “Coach,” Jeff Gross is the business manager for McCook Public Schools. He is also as a committee member of the McCook Community Foundation Fund, a proud financial supporter of McCook Bison Days since it began in 2018.

Planning for the Future Takes Communication

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Mon, 13 Feb 2023 14:21:38 GMT

“No one avoids the pine box.”

A harsh but simple reality each and every one of us will face.

“What happens to your stuff when you are gone?”

Another reality many try to avoid, until we are forced to deal with the situation because of a traumatic event or leaving our family members to deal with it after we pass.

But none of us are making it out of this life alive and we can decide what happens to our stuff, both physical and financial, while we can. Or we don’t and someone else will make the decision of what happens to everything accumulated during a lifetime, and that someone could be a family member but most likely, the government will play a significant role.

Those statements were shared by Allan Vyhnalek, an extension educator with the Nebraska Extension during the “Will and Planned Giving Workshop” at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds earlier this week.

Hosted by the McCook Philanthropy Council, Vhynalek covered a lot of material in just two hours but touched upon business transition, especially for farm and ranch families; how and when to have those difficult conversations with family members; and to communicate, to first understand and then to be understood across several generations.

The purpose of the seminar was to motivate those in attendance to think about what will happen when - not if - we pass away. Creating a will and making an estate plan is not a simple process. There is a lot of planning that goes into making sure your wishes are met when you pass away. There needs to a lot of communication that needs to take place between yourself and your heirs. And inevitably, there will be countless meetings with lawyers, financial planners, bankers, insurance agents, CPAs and more.
The process can be overwhelming.

According to Vynhalek, the four stages of the “Circle of Inaction” are 1) I should have a plan; 2) Go to a meeting with a lawyer; 3) This is complicated. I have a headache; 4) No action is taken at this time. And the cycle just continues until you pass away.

Or there is the better alternative.

Create a plan, starting with listing all your assets and inventory, getting family input, consulting a professional to create a plan and then periodically reviewing the plan as situations change.

Another significant idea Vyhnalek shared was that many of us are afraid to do something when it comes to determining what should happen with our stuff, both the physical items and financial assets, because it will be wrong.

But doing nothing is far worse, whether it is not having a will or not having a plan. Not having a say in what happens is worse for you, for your family, for your community.

By starting the conversation early and often, you can determine what happens to your assets. You can decide how your family handles your affairs. And perhaps, you can even make an impact on your community.

One idea many in attendance likely hadn’t considered was including their community in their long-term planning. Questions all of us should ask ourselves: What is our responsibility to our community? A community which helped you grow your business. A community which was part of your children’s lives. A community which has made you and your family into the people you are.

A concept to consider is treating your community like a child, in your will or estate planning that is. If you have five children, consider making the community the recipient of a sixth of your assets. There are a lot of ways to benefit your community and this is just one way to ensure that money made in a community stays in a community. If we want rural Nebraska to grow and thrive, we need to consider supporting our communities financially after we are gone.

Most likely, everyone in attendance at the seminar left with more questions than answers but at least the conversation has started. And there were many who couldn’t attend in person but know they need to start the process. There are many great resources out there from the Nebraska Extension office and the Nebraska Community Foundation’s gift planning office to the many local financial planners, who can guide a person or family through all the steps to go from inaction to having a plan in place.

***

On a separate note, the McCook Rotary Club has resumed its Soup-R-Bowl cooking competition to benefit the McCook Food Pantry. On Friday, Feb. 10, nearly a dozen soups were available for sample at the Keystone in downtown McCook. From 11 a.m.-1 p.m., the public could visit each soup station and vote on their favorite with the free-will donations given to the McCook Pantry. Canned food donations were also accepted and taken to the Pantry as part of the Soup-R-Bowl.

Perhaps you have seen the Rotary Soup-R-Bowl signs around McCook, including MNB Bank, Pinnacle Bank, Horizon Bank, First Central Bank, Lincoln Federal, Gary’s, Dollar General, the YMCA and Anytime Fitness.

And you can make a donation to the McCook Food Pantry anytime of the year. There has been an increase in requests from the pantry so any and all donations are appreciated.

Whether it is making a donation to the less fortunate or making a plan for the future which includes a donation to the community to benefit generations to come, we are all working together to make our communities even better places to call home.

Celebrating "Last Times" and "First Times:"

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 02 Feb 2023 20:50:59 GMT

Celebrating Last Times and First Times

I was sitting in the Dundy County High School gym, watching the St. Patrick boys Junior High basketball game last week.

With the seconds ticking away on the time clock, I thought about how many games I have been to in this gym and countless other auditoriums as my seven children have moved through the school system. As my last two kids will be high school swimmers rather than basketball players, I will be spending most of my time at swimming pools rather than gymnasiums.

The basketball season is coming to a close and this could very likely be the last time I take in a game in this gym, at least watching my own children play. And my son is playing in his final game at St. Patrick’s today after 23 years of my kids as a Knight or Lady Knight.

Most of the time, you never know when something is “the last time.” The “last time” you saw someone or the “last time” you were able to do something.

Usually, it is only when you reflect back on the past do you realize the last time you played t-ball, the last time you saw your mom, the last time you walked out of your family home.

That remembrance is usually filled with nostalgia, sometimes regret and occasionally a longing for how it used to be.

But rather than looking at an ending as negative, we need to recognize it as the beginning of something new, a chance to try something different, or another phase in our life.

I have had many “lasts” recently as my kids grow up and move out of the house. The last time they come home from college over summer break. The last time all of them are not split among houses over the holidays because of significant others. The last time all my boys are not taller than me. (I’ve still got the girls beat.)

But this also means that means that we’ll be having many firsts. Like the first wedding for one of our children. Like our first grandchild. Like our first child going off our cellular bill and insurance package. We’ll see what happens first but I’m not holding out hope for a lower cell payment.

Ultimately, all of these firsts simply mean we are moving into a new phase of our lives, phases of the unknown but phases which can be exciting and bring new opportunities. I’ve truly enjoyed the countless hours running the clock at my kids’ games and standing along the back wall of the gym during Christmas programs. But I am also looking forward to what the future holds as we move from “last time” to “first time.”

We have also seen a “last time” when it comes to the fitness community.

The Republican River Fitness Series is coming to an end after seven years of getting people off the couch and onto their feet for 5Ks, triathlons and adventure races. With tremendous support from Community Hospital, people were able to get active, to explore our community by foot (and bikes) and to meet others on their health journey.

Some of the races will likely continue on their own like the Culbertson Fourth of July Freedom Run and the Heritage Days 5K, along with a race to support McCook’s cross country team.

But the series has wrapped up (past participants should be on the lookout for a special invitation soon) and this is an opportunity to celebrate what was accomplished over the past few years.

We’ve had the privilege of honoring some who have passed, including Randy Andrews and Michelle Walters, with their own race. We’ve raised funds to help build the McCook Dog Park and to support youth sports at the YMCA and Knights of Columbus.

We have had a great time exploring a variety of spaces across our area, from the scrambling across the sandbars in the Republican River by Trenton to praying that the splash pad didn’t come on in the dark during the Color Race in Cambridge.

And we have seen people transform themselves, whether it was physically by losing weight or mentally by running a distance they didn’t think was possible.

The fitness series has come to an end but people will run, bike and swim - not for the last time but for many, it will be for the first time and that is something to celebrate.

Creating a Living Legacy for Generations to Come

Thu, 26 Jan 2023 12:55:25 GMT

It hangs high on the wall in my den - or man cave. A single-shot, bolt-action, 22-caliber rifle last made in the mid-1930s. It hasn’t been fired since my college days back in the 1960s, yet still maintains a place of honor in my home.

My mother’s dad, my grandpa, gave it to me when I turned 13. It was my first gun. He spent hours with me, teaching me gun safety and how to shoot.

Growing up as a country kid, I made many trips around the section as I walked the fence rows or wandered through a pasture. I shot way more pads off a prickly pear cactus, plunking holes in beer cans or making cow chips fly than I did shooting critters.

Nearly every boy in my small high school had a rifle or shotgun in their vehicle that sat parked, unlocked, in the school parking lot back then.

When I got my school permit, I was no different. My little .22 came with me. Snakes and skunks were at their own peril on that five-mile gravel road that I drove to and from school.

And to this day, I think of grandpa every time I look up at that gun.

This past year, I tweaked my will a bit to include some personal items which I would like certain people to receive upon my passing.

My grandson, Alex, will get that rifle. It is not the antique value of a gun no longer in production, but rather whose hands have held the gun that I want him to appreciate. It is my hope that long into the future, Alex will pass that same gun along to one of his children and tell the stories behind the gun.

From person to person, from generation to generation, the gift of that .22 links the past to the present and ultimately to the future. And there are many ways to express that continuity.

This past month, a bench was placed outside the Red Willow County Courthouse and county safety center in memory of longtime county sheriff, Gene Mahon. If you are watchful, you will find many such benches with plaques honoring those who have made an impact on our community. These types of gifts add value to our community and help us remember those who have gone before us.

The McCook Community Foundation Fund operates much the same: adding value to the community while honoring members of our community.

MCFF accepts donations in memory of departed community members or in honor of those still living. The dollars generated in interest are used to support programs and projects in our community which ultimately makes the community stronger.

The original gift is not used; just the interest so the gift goes on forever. Through these gifts, both large and small, those being honored are forever remembered. They stay alive in spirit and stay impactful for generations. The donations are tangible proof that they have made a positive difference.

MCFF also works to add continuity in our community through two main avenues. The first is restricted endowments, where dollars generated from interest must go to specific designated purposes. The other is unrestricted endowments, where the fund advisory committee has been given the responsibility and trust to allocate funds for projects and programs they believe will help the community long-term.

Just this past year, the McCook Arts Council, McCook Community College, Fox Theater, Humanities Nebraska, Community Hospital Health Foundation, City of McCook, YMCA, McCook Economic Development Corp. and McCook Public Schools were all on the receiving end of more than $160,000 from unrestricted grant dollars.

With your gifts to the foundation - whether large or small, in wills or estate planning - grants to worthwhile projects in McCook will continue to grow not only next year but for years to come.

That little .22, when it was new or now as an antique, does not hold much monetary value. But that family heirloom, like a donation to MCFF, is a gift that has created a living legacy. Thanks grandpa for thinking of me. I loved you then and I love you now.

***

Dennis Berry is a member of the McCook Community Foundation Fund’s Advisory Committee, along with numerous other organizations which are working to make McCook and all our communities even better places to call home.

Taking a Moment to Be Thankful for Snow and Workers

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 20 Jan 2023 19:31:28 GMT

Take a Moment to Be Thankful - for Snow and Winter Workers

As we slid through the snow on our cross country skis this week, my friend and I tried to recall if we had any substantial snow storms last year. If we did, the snow didn’t stick around for long.

But this year, we are in the midst of a true winter. A winter where there is snow on the ground from the start to the end, although with some melting and refreezing in the middle. A winter you recall as a child, where you could build not just one snowman but an entire family plus a dog. A winter where you actually get to use that snowblower that has just been taking up room in the corner of your garage.

With my flexible job and a husband who is a teacher, my family has the luxury of staying home on snow days.

It’s a time to take a moment to slow down and appreciate the stillness and opportunities a winter storm provides.

With the holidays over, those who can stay home can finally take down their Christmas decorations. Yes, I reasoned that they were still up because I just enjoy holiday decorations. And I do, but let’s admit that they were still up because I was too lazy to take them down.

With nearly all events cancelled, it gives families a time to sit down to an actual meal at the dining room table. Perhaps playing a board game long forgotten in the hallway closet. And as the arguments begin over the rules, remembering why you don’t play board games very often.

With the cold outside keeping most people inside, it is a great time to finally read the book that has been sitting on the bedside table, make those cookies before you eat all chocolate chip cookies or start that 1,000-piece puzzle before one of the pieces goes missing.

On a side note, I plan to start up a puzzle-trading club. Once you have completed a puzzle, you’ll trade it with someone else. Everyone just be willing to be o.k. with that final piece perhaps not making it back into the box.

But back to winter, I also realize that staying at home in the safety and warmth of your house is not a luxury everyone has.

All of us should take a moment to be grateful for those who still have to show up to work, regardless of what the weather is doing.

We should be thankful to the city and state crews who are out in the darkness removing the snow, trying to make the roads passable; and the linemen venturing out in this weather to keep our electricity on so we can stay warm.

We should be thankful for the emergency personnel, from the firefighters and police to all the staff at the hospitals and clinics. Just because it’s snowing, emergencies still happen. And perhaps even more. Accidents due to slick roads and heart attacks from scooping increase the likelihood of needing medical treatment.

We should be thankful to those workers at businesses which don’t shut down because the weather. In need of cheese to finish dinner, I was truly appreciative that the grocery stores were still open in the middle of the storm, which required workers braving the elements both at the start and end of their shifts.

I am missing many of those workers who must venture out regardless of the weather but thank you for keeping the community going.

If the Farmer’s Almanac predictions hold true, there will be more winter storms coming our way before spring arrives. Let’s be thankful for the moisture the storms are bringing. Let’s be thankful for the stillness and beauty the snow provides. And let’s be thankful for those who show up for work, day-in and day-out, to make our communities even better places to call home.

Creating Opportunities to Improve Housing in McCook

Mon, 16 Jan 2023 15:05:01 GMT

Like many young adults as they venture off to college and beyond, I had no intentions of moving back to southwest Nebraska. However, now that I reflect on my time at University and living in another community, I realize I had more of a connection to southwest Nebraska than I lead myself to believe.

My connection with the people, the community, and the local architecture that inspired my pursuit toward degrees in Interior Design and Construction Management couldn’t keep me away for long and I am so pleased to be a part of the McCook community once again.

Living back in McCook, I quickly realized how tight our local real estate market was. My husband and I would need to be ready as soon as a home came on the market that checked all the boxes for our needs. I was most likely the first or second view for each new listing on Zillow and Realtor.

While I was able to look casually for our next home, not everyone has this luxury of waiting for a house to come on the market and that is a limiting factor in our community. It was time for me to “log out” of my remote job designing locally and across central Nebraska. It was time to “log into” the community where I would be raising my family.

When I learned that MEDC was adding a position solely focused on housing in the community, it felt like the perfect opportunity to be a part of the growth and change our community has been working toward.

Since joining the MEDC team in July, my days in this role have never looked quite the same. I go from discussing our local housing needs with contractors, developers, and even local businesses to speaking with other communities on their efforts and where they have seen success and lessons learned.

Conversations with other communities have been helpful in our efforts as we want to make the greatest impact in our community with the limited resources we have available. Building connections with other communities only helps strengthen McCook and Southwest Nebraska. The wonderful thing about Nebraska is that we all want to see each other succeed. Our small-town communities cannot thrive if Nebraska is not thriving as a whole.

Success isn’t visible overnight with economic development, but as we kick off 2023, we are focusing on getting all we can in place to make that visible progress for the community.

Over the past several months whether through the McCook Gazette or city council meetings, you probably have read about our efforts in expanding the North Pointe Addition. The annexation and platting processes were completed thanks to the support of the city and council and efforts from our board of directors.

Now we are working hard to get infrastructure in place to help development continue to take shape. If you follow us on social media, you may have also see projects we are getting off the ground. One is an apartment complex and the other is single-level-living duplexes.

While these projects are priorities, I am also keeping updated on the potential for other available opportunities to assist our community’s housing needs. Through a partnership with Southwest Community Betterment Corporation, funds are available to apply for down payment assistance once again thanks to an award of a grant through the Nebraska Department of Economic Development. Eligible applicants must be at or below 120% the area median income and the home will need to be the primary residence.

I have been making efforts to visit as many local businesses as possible to have discussions regarding how housing has affected our local businesses and their employees. If you are ever interested in having a conversation or sharing feedback, please do not hesitate to call, email, or stop by my office at the Keystone.

***
McCook Community Foundation Fund is proud to support the McCook Economic Development Corp., thanks to an anonymous multi-year donation for McCook’s housing program. For more information about the MEDC’s housing program, email amanda@mccookne.org or call 308.345.1200.

Resolutions Can Be Made to Improve Our Communities

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 06 Jan 2023 20:06:30 GMT

Here we are a few days into the new year and let’s be honest about how many of our new year’s resolutions we have already broken. After all, one in four resolutions have gone by the wayside in the first week. Two-thirds of resolutions are over by the end of the month. And only nine percent of resolutions make it to the end of the year.

In fact, there is even a day that exists for these failures. Next week is “Quitting Friday,” dubbed by Strava, a bike and running app which tracks people’s workouts.

Every year, people make resolutions, usually to improve themselves. The top new year resolutions involve exercising more and eating healthier, both admirable goals.

But also topping the list is to do more charity work and raise money for charities.

So what if we made the focus of our new year’s resolutions on helping others, on getting involved in the community, or on making the space around us a little bit better for everyone?

These don’t have to be grandiose ideas either. It can be as simple as volunteering with a local organization once a month or to be willing to serve on their board of directors. It can be offering to scoop the sidewalk when it snows or rake the lawn of your elderly neighbor. It can be willing to say “yes” when asked to make a donation of your time at your church or your child’s school.

Maybe your new year’s resolution is to stop by the assisted living center at least once a month to visit your neighbor who moved in last year and misses your company. Maybe it is writing an actual letter - with pen and paper - on a regular basis to renew lost connections. Maybe it is calling up the organizer of an event you read about in the paper, offering to help.

And what is great about these community-based resolutions is that these do not have everyday requirements. Instead, it is making the decision to do something for others to make their day a little bit better. Because ultimately, we know that by helping others, we make ourselves feel better and we usually benefit more than those on the receiving end.

So maybe you have already tossed your resolution to the side or maybe you haven’t had time to decide on one for this year. Consider what resolution you could implement to make your community a better place to call home.

Finally, a friend of mine reminded me that just because I slipped up on my resolution, it doesn’t have to be over. I simply need to restart the next day. This applies whether you are trying to do a dry January, you have started a new diet or exercise regime, or implement a nighttime bed routine to get more sleep. Just because you missed one day doesn’t mean it is over. The clock just resets back to zero and you begin again.

And for motivation, consider what happens if you don’t start over. You’ll be in the same place as today. Whereas if you resume the resolution, you will be further down the road. The same applies to resolutions done on behalf of your community. If you make changes to your community, it too will be better.

Consider the often-used quote, “Plant a tree, knowing you’ll never sit under it.” It’s not the end of the world if you don’t plant the tree. But think how much better off your community will be if you do it now. Plant the seed now - by making a difference in your community, by getting involved, by getting engaged - to make our communities better for generations to come.

***

On behalf of the entire McCook Community Foundation Fund Advisory Committee, we hope everyone has a wonderful 2023, full of joy and happiness, full of helping others and full of helping McCook and Southwest Nebraska become an even better place to call home.

Use Progress in 2022 to Make This McCook's Decade

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 29 Dec 2022 15:23:57 GMT

As any adult can attest, the days may go slow but the years go fast. We blink and the kids are grown and we have wrinkles that weren’t there yesterday. We may not notice the day-to-day changes, but things change over the long term.

But the same can be said about years versus decades. Not much may seem to happen in a year but look back on the past decade and you can see all the change - in yourself and in your community.

In early 2020, McCook Community Foundation Fund (thanks to Andy Long) claimed the 20s as McCook’s decade.We have the good leaders in place. We have resources available. We have great ideas we want to pursue. But several things need to happen to make this McCook’s decade.

To make this McCook’s decade, people and organizations need to come together. We can’t operate in silos. We need to collaborate to get things done.

A great example of this is the Wellness Initiative. Led by Troy Bruntz at Community Hospital and the Community Hospital Health Foundation, several entities including the City of McCook, McCook Schools, the YMCA, McCook Community College and MCFF came together to make McCook healthier and more active and just a generally better place to live.

Two major accomplishments happened in 2022. The McCook pickleball players also were part of the Wellness Initiative and used the resources and enthusiasm of the group to raise funds and renovate McCook’s outdoor pickleball courts. If you haven’t seen them on the east side of McCook, stop by and see how Russell Park was transformed.

The Wellness Initiative also helped pass the sales tax bond issue for a new outdoor swimming pool and ballpark project. These entities realized the importance of the bond issue to the future of McCook and Southwest Nebraska and worked together to make it happen. So within this decade, McCook should have a new pool and improved or new ballfields and green space for future generations.

To make this McCook’s decade, we need to come up with not only good ideas but good plans to make them happen.

A great example of this is “Cars Under the Stars,” a project by MCFF”s youth group, Youth Change Reaction. These high schoolers spent their summer fund-raising to bring a drive-in movie theater to McCook and reached their goal on the first day of school in August. They are in the midst of purchasing equipment and lining up contractors and plan to have Cars Under the Stars in place at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds in time for a spring showing.

How did this happen? These young people followed all the steps needed to be successful. Thanks to Denise Garey with Nebraska Community Foundation, they had great training on how to present their plan and how to ask for support. They had information at their fingertips to answer questions about the drive-in. And they were young, enthusiastic people wanting to make something happen that would leave a legacy. It was hard not to support them, so keep an eye out for a movie at the fairgrounds next spring.

And finally, to make this McCook’s decade, we need people to get involved. And it needs to be something you are enthusiastic about because that is what will get you through the long hours, the sometimes tediousness of the project, and the setbacks along the way.

To find an example of this just walk down Norris Avenue in McCook right now and look up. Those lights lining the skyline of downtown McCook happened because one person, Taryn Arterburn, wanted to see more Christmas lights. After a few calls, she found the right people to make it happen. These people each brought something to the table, such as expertise, funding or just a willingness to screw in lightbulbs or climb on a building to hang lights. All to make McCook shine during the holidays and special events.

And the project isn’t over yet. Over the next few years, there will be more lights, more decorations and more downtown beautification in general. Anyone who would like to be part of this project, whether volunteering time or donating money can reach out to Taryn or myself.

As 2022 comes to a close, we need to take the time to reflect on what we did accomplish over the past year. If we take just a few minutes, I am sure each of us can come up with a list of things which happened, things we are grateful for, things we are glad that happened.

But we need to take that momentum and continue to build upon it if we are going to make this McCook’s decade, if we are going to make McCook an even better place to call home in 2023 and beyond.

Partnerships and Support Made 2022 a Great Year

Thu, 15 Dec 2022 16:00:50 GMT

As I reflect on the actions the McCook Community Foundation Fund has taken this past year, I feel a little giddy. We think this will be McCook's decade and McCook residents are making it happen.

We are effective as a catalyst for change because of the generous and committed donors to MCFF and the relationships MCFF has fostered over the past two decades. Together, we can support, engage, and spark change to build a welcoming community.

This past year, we have promoted community connections and inclusion through continued support for the Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival, youth engagement opportunities, the Nebraska Chautauqua in McCook, along with numerous gatherings supporting our donors and community-wide efforts.

We continue to promote prosperity in our community by helping with a digital marquee for our beloved Fox Theater. We partnered with pickleball enthusiasts in renovating and updating McCook’s outdoor pickleball courts. By helping fund our YMCA's feasibility study as they move forward with a research-based renovation, we believe they will be better able to serve our community's needs for active and more healthy opportunities. And we have supported the development of a Creative Arts District that will highlight existing arts and foster new opportunities to create art in McCook.

MCFF’s youth group, Youth Change Reaction, took on an epic project this year, fundraising to provide a drive-in movie experience called “Cars Under the Stars.” During the summer months, this group of high school students led our community in fundraising, building valuable relationships along the way. McCook should be proud of these young citizens. When the project is complete, they will be providing McCook's residents with a previously unavailable entertainment experience.

And MCFF is also working to remove barriers. The Fund’s Advisory Committee voted to cover the cost of admittance fees for all individuals using McCook’s new outdoor pool the first year it is open. To prepare for the new pool as well as helping the YMCA pool, MCFF is covering the cost of training lifeguards.

But none of the above would have been possible without the support of the community. We know we are only as strong as we are together and our community-mindedness extends to all southwest Nebraska. Without the community’s support, including financial donations to the McCook Community Foundation Fund, none of this would have been possible. When you donate to the unrestricted endowment, those funds never leave our community. Those dollars stay in our fund forever as we only spend the interest generated by your donation.

Donations can be made anytime using our website, mccookfoundation.org, or by contacting one of our members. A full list of grants made by MCFF can always be found on the website. And fund advisory committee members are always up for a cup of coffee to learn more about what each of us wants to see happen to make our community an even better place to call home.

If we want to make this McCook's decade, then we need your continued partnership. We appreciate and value our community members, past and present. After all, once you've been a part of this community, it will always be a part of your heart.

***

Cindy Huff is chairperson of the McCook Community Foundation Fund and had a passion for her community, gardening and her grandchildren.

Take the Time to Celebrate the Good in Our Communities

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 16:04:05 GMT

Last weekend, McCook was steeped in goodwill and nostalgia to unofficially kick off the holiday season.

Families lined the downtown streets for arguably the biggest and best Christmas Lights Parade, put on my KICX. Groups took turns in a horse-drawn carriage ride around the neighborhoods, thanks to the McCook Chamber. People looked up in awe at the new lights outlining McCook’s “skyline,” installed by a group of individuals who just wanted to get it done. And friends and neighbors waved to each other as they went from decorating Xmas cookies and making snowflakes at the McCook Community Kitchen to shopping at local stores to enjoying hot chocolate and treats throughout the community.

It was a reminder of all the good things that can and do happen in our communities when people and organizations come together.

As we near the end of the year, we begin to reflect on everything that has taken place over the past 365 days - the good and the not so good.

There was the bad, like the grass fires, which destroyed houses and buildings and led to the loss of life. But the disasters also brought out the good as people stepped up to help by fighting the fires, serving food to those on the frontline or donating money and goods to replace what was lost.

If we sit still for a moment to consider all the good things that happened, we would be in awe of everything we have been blessed with over the past year. If you need a prompt, just start flipping through the pictures on your phone. It is like when you are cleaning at home and you stumble across an old photo album or high school yearbook…you are just going to look for a few minutes. Next thing you know, an hour has passed.

Likewise, I digress…

Some highlights from the past year include Humanities Nebraska bringing the Nebraska Chautauqua to McCook for the first time in more than 30 years. Through reenactments and speakers, the 1950s were brought to life.

McCook should have a new outdoor swimming pool in 2024, thanks to McCook voters passing the sales tax bond issue. The new facility is long overdue but the project will move McCook forward.

Additionally, concerts were held, theatrical performances were put on, community events took place. As I frequently say, anyone who says there is nothing going on hasn’t looked hard enough. And if they truly believe there is nothing to do here, then they need to get involved to make it happen.

Personally, one of my favorite memories from this past year was the Smithsonian’s Museum on Main Street’s traveling museum, “Crossroads: Change in Rural America.” For those who don’t remember, the exhibit was set up in the lobby of the Keystone in late spring and early summer. Most of the local students visited the exhibit, learning

Mary Dueland organized the volunteer docents to lead the school groups through the exhibit, prompting the students with questions and helping them to delve deeper into the pictures and stories on display.

I had the privilege of following a few of those groups on their tours and their reactions showed why it was so important to bring an exhibit about our history to the community.

The kids repeatedly noted the word “persistence” on the exhibit and how the people before them has to be persistent to get things done and had to be persistent in their changing environment.

They also realized the importance of George Norris, both in creating the Unicameral and bringing electricity to rural America.

Another unique aspect of the Smithsonian traveling exhibit were the postcards visitors of all ages could fill out and leave in the mock mailbox. The postcards featured questions to prompt a person to think about their community, including “Name 3 things you would miss from this community if you had to leave” and “If you were mayor, what would you do?”

Several dozens of cards were filled out and compiled into a spreadsheet. with all the answers available on the McCook Community Foundation Fund website, mccookfoundation.org. The replies make for interesting insight to what people - both current residents and visitors - think about McCook and their own communities.

The responses are also useful as we look forward on what we want our community to be, what we could like to see happen, and what each and every one of us can do to make McCook and Southwest Nebraska an even better place to call home.

Always a Good Time to Be Thankful

Fri, 02 Dec 2022 08:14:31 GMT

This past Thanksgiving morning, I awoke and got going a couple hours before the rest of the house stirred. Yes, a few of those baker traits still linger even though I haven’t worked at the bakery for nearly a year. With the benefit of the quiet, my thoughts turned to Thanksgiving, focusing on the “thankful” parts.

There are plenty of big things that I’m thankful for like the fact that our democracy, although far from perfect, still seems to work for us complicated humans.

But as this is a community column, I’ll stick to my long list of everything I am thankful for around me or as I have heard said: that which I can touch.

For starters, I’m thankful for a city that provides me with the basics like clean water, trash removal, safety provided from a caring police force, and a fantastic fire department where Marc Harpham’s team has helped the Sehnert family “two” many times!

I’m thankful for compassionate, competent souls at the hospital and assisted care facilities that help our families through many of life’s challenges. This includes a hospice team of angels.

I’m thankful that I have been able to travel quite a lot this year. I love visiting other communities and cultures. I appreciate the many opportunities and experiences people different from me have to offer. I love the beauty of both the mountains and open waters.

But I’m always grateful to come home to southwest Nebraska.

I’m thankful that a local morning “traffic jam” will extend my travel time by only 90 seconds.

I’m thankful that I can walk nearly everywhere I need to go.

I’m thankful for FREE parking!

I’m thankful for many restaurants and entertainment options.

I’m thankful when we come together in community. This could be at a ball game, storytelling festival, parade, live music event, horse show, farmer’s market, community theater, at the park or an area lake.

I’m thankful for the McCook Chamber of Commerce, which often leads the way by providing these opportunities to come together.

I’m thankful for people who have an idea that turns into a passion and then they act on it. So often this is a philanthropic endeavor that takes generosity of time, talents, and treasure. We are all the beneficiaries of these forward-thinking energetic neighbors.

Some examples this holiday season are the volunteers installing beautiful lights to make downtown McCook a festive wonderland and the community chorus which will resume as a community gift in December.
I’m thankful for people who reach out to us in good times and in challenging times, something I need to reciprocate more often. What if each of us were to reach out to just one friend, family, or neighbor during this holiday season? What a warm and welcoming community we would continue to build.

If I had to sum it up in one thought, I’m thankful for a truly generous community that cares about one another.

Although Thanksgiving is now over, let’s continue to give thanks. Thank you McCook. Thank you southwest Nebraska and northwest Kansas. Thank you to everyone who is working to make McCook an even better place to call home. Let’s continue to build the home where we want to live, raise our families, welcome others, and come together in community.

***

Matt Sehnert is vice chairman of the McCook Community Foundation Fund. Although retired from the bakery, he is busier than ever with projects to make McCook an even better place to call home.

Proud to Call Greater Nebraska Home

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Sat, 26 Nov 2022 17:31:09 GMT

Last year at this time, McCook and the McCook Community Foundation Fund was still basking in the glow of Night on the Bricks. In 2021 as part of the Nebraska Community Foundation’s annual training and celebration, McCook hosted Night on the Bricks as a replacement for the traditional sit-down banquet.

Night on the Bricks was a resounding success, among both those visiting for the event from across the state as well as residents from McCook and Southwest Nebraska.

For those who didn’t attend the event, Night on the Bricks primary purpose was to highlight all the great things going on in McCook as well as southwest Nebraska. After attending many conferences and events in the places in nondescript hotels and conference centers which could be located anywhere, Night on the Bricks organizers wanted visitors to know they were in McCook and Southwest Nebraska.

And the full experience was delivered.

There were bierocs from Sehnert’s Bakery, potato bologna from Bertrand, and farm-raised shrimp from Stratton to name just a few items available along Norris Avenue. Artwork was on display in storefronts up and down the street, highlighting all the creativity we have available on a regular basis. And nearly every business decorated early for Christmas to bring that old-fashioned, small-town feeling to the event with lights twinkling in the cold fall air.

In fact, the event was such a success that it is still talked about a year later. Last week at the 2022 NCF event, held in LaVista near Omaha, people from across the state were still making comments about how much they enjoyed Night on the Bricks.

What made Night on the Bricks so appealing? For starters, food and drinks will make any event better. But the evening was also an opportunity to showcase all the good things that are happening in our own backyard, things that we may take for granted or that we may not even know exist. The event also allowed people to stroll up and down McCook’s main street at a leisurely pace, something that is missing in our busy, hurried lives.

And Night on the Bricks was a chance to show how proud we are of what we have and what we are doing.

We have many great things going on to be proud of. There are artists making creative artwork on a regular basis. There are unique, local businesses which find a way to exist - and thrive - in this worldwide market. There are signature food items which call McCook and Southwest Nebraska home. Who had someone visiting this week for Thanksgiving who “needed” onion rings from Mac’s Drive-In?

Night on the Bricks was one evening that reminded us that we have many great things going on in our communities. And yes, MCFF has been asked to do it again. But in the meantime, we need to take any chance we can to highlight and remember all that we do have to celebrate on a regular basis.

That is what MCFF plans to do

Along with more than 200 others from across Nebraska and the Midwest, several MCFF Advisory Committee members and McCook residents attended the 2022 NCF training and celebration and have returned inspired by what is going on in rural Nebraska or as it is sometimes called - Greater Nebraska.

Greater Nebraska can actually have two meanings. The first refers to all the communities which are not Omaha and Lincoln. Those two communities only cover a small portion of Nebraska, hence everything else is greater Nebraska.

But it can also mean the greater parts of Nebraska. We have many great things going on in our communities. The good old days don’t have to be behind us. There are opportunities to make things happen, to see our population grow, to make it our communities even better places to call home.

We don’t have to wait for a special event to recognize all the good things around us or to get things done. Instead, let’s be thankful for what we do have, learn how to say yes to opportunities, and celebrate every day what we have in place. Let’s be proud to say we are from Greater Nebraska.

Generations Coming Together to Make Change Happen

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 16:41:33 GMT

It started with a simple phone call a few months ago.

“I want to see Christmas lights in downtown McCook,” Taryn Arterburn asked.

We shared what had been done in the past to light up downtown McCook, including successes and obstacles. We talked about the lights which were already installed along the buildings up and down Norris. We dreamed about zig-zagging lights across Norris and every tree lit up from truck to the top of the branches.

“Let’s see what we can do,” I responded and further phone calls, emails and texts ensured.

One of those phone calls was to ACE Hardware, just to see if getting 3,000 feet of Christmas lights was possible considering the recent supply-chain issues. Not only was it possible, but they were able to be delivered in just a few days and ACE would donate them to the project. We had to purchase the plastic LED lights bulbs separately, but McCook Community Foundation Fund happens to have funds ready for a project to “Celebrate McCook” to cover those costs.

Other phone calls were to those who had tried in the past to install the lights, so they had guidance and experience on what worked and - perhaps more importantly - what didn’t work.

There were phone calls to younger people, who want to get things done in the community and have the energy and enthusiasm and the ability to climbs ladders more easily.

There were phone calls to the City of McCook, about electricity options, which was going to be lower in the past thanks to new technology.

And phone calls and visits to all the local business and building owners found nearly unanimous eager support to bring the lights back to down McCook.

With the deadline looming - the holidays - the project to Light Up McCook came together relatively quickly with several generations coming together to make it happen.

Last Sunday, nearly two dozen volunteers ranging in age from 3 years old to….let’s just say they have been on AARP’s list for a few decades…started the installation process. Those who aren’t afraid of heights installed clips on the roofs from A to D Street along Norris Avenue. The others stayed inside a warm building, screwing in 1,000 LED bulbs into 3,000 feet of lines snaking its way along the floor.

So this Sunday, those 3,000 feet of Christmas lights will be strung on the skyline of McCook.

And if our measurements were off and there are extra lights left, the downtown trees will be lit up as well.

Hopefully this is just the beginning.

The lights won’t be zig-zagging across Norris Avenue just yet like many of us want but it could be a project for the near future. And that may include new decorative light poles, flower pots along the sidewalks, a variety of ideas to improve McCook’s first impression and just overall “vibe” for our citizens.

And it isn’t just this group of multi-generational volunteers coming together to light up McCook. The McCook Chamber, led by Sarah Schneider, installed lights in the trees around the Norris Park Bandshell with help from McCook High School students.

And there are still opportunities to get involved.

Charter West Bank is also sponsoring a “Light Up McCook” contest for all McCook businesses. They are encouraged to decorate their locations with as many holiday decorations and lights as they can find, tolerate or get in place by Tuesday, Nov. 29, when the judging takes place. To participate, contact Charter West or the McCook Chamber. Winners will be announced Nov. 30.

Also on the calendar is the Chamber’s Winter Wonderland Celebration, which includes carriage rides and the Christmas Lights Parade on Saturday, Dec. 3. This is a great opportunity to test your skills at lighting things up….that need to move. Register for the parade by contacting the McCook Chamber.

But there is so much more we can do

The nostalgic Santa Clause Lane has been installed up and down Norris Avenue. While the signs light up when headlines shine on the reflective paint, we would like to see all the trees strung with lights from top to bottom. We would like to see every tree in Norris Park lit up from Thanksgiving through the New Year.

This is going to require a lot of time, a lot of money, and a whole lot of strings of lights. But by bringing together community members with a passion, with the energy and the enthusiasm, we can make change happen and we can make McCook an even better place to call home.

McCook on the Move Once Again

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 11 Nov 2022 18:47:02 GMT

On Tuesday, McCook voters made the decision to get McCook on the Move by approving the 1/2 cent sales tax to pay for a recreational bond. This means McCook should have a new outdoor city swimming pool in 2024, which is long overdue and gets us out of the “deep end.”

The passage of the bond also means there will be funds available to either put toward a new sport complex or improve existing facilities, providing a a chance to get ahead of the game rather than falling further behind.

Some may be wondering where the tagline, McCook on the Move, came from. As a member of the McCook on the Move Committee to pass the bond issue, let me explain because there are several connotations.

McCook on the Move popped into my head during the McCook City Council meeting when the council voted to take the bond issue to the voters. I said to myself, finally “McCook is on the Move.”

But taking it further, this issue was about the swimming pool, as well as ball parks and green space - all involving movement, fitness and just general well being. Because of this project, McCook residents, as well as those outside the city limits and visitors, will literally be on the move.

Hence, one of the reasons Community Hospital was the primary backer of the McCook on the Move campaign. The hospital works to not just heal sick people but to keep them well in the first place. Having activities like swimming, baseball and softball, flag football and soccer - anything to get people moving - will keep all of us healthier.

McCook on the Move also meant to convey that McCook was moving - hopefully forward - to new and bigger things. Yes, there have been things happening from the creation of Norris Alley to a variety of events in the comma city. But for the most part, we have just been maintaining what we have. But even with maintenance, you eventually fall behind. Doing nothing or only doing the minimum will catch up to you and to a community if it doesn’t invest in itself.

When improvements aren’t made, the community begins to lag behind, infrastructure worsens, amenities are no longer available. Consequently, people move away or choose to not move here.

Again, this is the reason why the hospital got behind the bond project. It, like almost every business, needs employees. We need the “quality of life” amenities. Yes, we need good roads, but no one is moving to a community because they have good roads. Yes, people expect to have utilities, as well as police and fire protection, but that is not what attracts young people to a community. And we need young people if a community is going to continue and grow.

At the end of the day, none of those basics are needed - or can be funded - if we don’t have people, people who want those other things such as a pool, ballfields, just a place to fly a kite.

McCook and Red Willow County’s population has been on the decline for the past few decades as have many communities across Nebraska and the Midwest. But it doesn’t have to be that way, In fact, Imperial is a great example of doing things and seeing a population growth in the 2020 census, proving if you build “it,” they will come.

We have been caught in a vicious cycle: we don’t make improvements, so we don’t have the funds. We don’t have the funds so we don’t make improvements. It’s takes a leap like the bond issue to break that cycle. We make improvements so we have more funds. We have more funds, so we can make improvements.

McCook took the first step toward building “it” by approving the bond issue Tuesday. The project had wide support from among the local businesses, which will be charging the new 1/2 cent sales tax. Many local organizations threw their support behind the issue, knowing it was needed for McCook’s growth, including the McCook YMCA, the McCook EDC, the McCook Chamber and the McCook Optimists to name just a few.

And the McCook Community Foundation Fund showed its support by eliminating barriers to make the project feasible. Grants from MCFF will pay for lifeguard training for at least the next two years and will cover the admittance fees the first summer the pool is open.

There is a lot of work to be done over the new few years, but McCook is on the Move thanks to the voters Tuesday. With these projects, we are all making McCook an even better place to call home.

Not the Time to Stand on the Sidelines

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 13:06:33 GMT

Not the Time to Stand on the Sidelines

Most athletes don’t like to be on the sidelines. That means they aren’t in the action. They aren’t getting to play. Yes, they are part of the team, but they aren’t making as big of an impact or making a difference if they aren’t involved.

This same analogy can be applied to our every day lives. We wonder why things don’t change, why things seem to stay the same. But if we are just standing on the sidelines, we can’t make an impact or make the difference we want to see in our community. If we aren’t involved, then things won’t change.

We have the opportunity over the next few days to get into the game and make an impact with two major events.

These are two big weeks for McCook with the Big Give McCook on Nov. 3 and the election on Nov. 8 (actually voting has started with mail-in and absentee ballots). It is more important than ever to get off the sidelines and get involved.

One way to be involved is to be educated and informed, whether it is about where to make your donation for the Big Give or whom to vote for.

Everything you would want to know about the Big Give can be found on its website, biggivemccook.org. A list of all the organizations and what they hope to accomplish this upcoming year, the giving stations and the option to give online can be found on the website. If for some reason you can’t find what you are looking for, there is contact information to get your question answered.

The same can be said about the upcoming election. Going into the election booth without fact-finding about the candidates or the issues is like buying an appliance without doing any research. You may get lucky and good a good fridge that serves you well and makes your life better.

On the other hand, you may end up with a lemon that you are stuck with for four years until you can replace it. Or even worse, you get a fridge that goes haywire and burns your house down.

The Gazette has published articles about some of the local and statewide candidates. Research online for information about the candidates and issues. The mailers that show up in your mailbox are fine but take the responsibility of being an informed voter.

For example, there are questions about the recreational bond issue on the ballot in McCook. Call the city of McCook for answers about the sales tax increase, such as it ending when the bond is paid off. Visit the website, mccookonthemove.org, for the “frequently asked questions” section. Ask those involved in the project why they support it and have an honest discussion. Both of you will be better informed at the end of the conversation.

But the next step is actually doing something. Again, it is time to get in the game.

It is making the donation whether today at Big Give McCook or any day of the year to these non-profits which keep Southwest Nebraska growing.

It is showing up next week to vote or filling out your absentee ballot today. Even if you are on the losing end, at least you stood up and took a stand and tried to make a difference.

It isn’t just these two issues where we have to make the decision to not just stand on the sidelines. It is volunteering with these local non-profits which are part of Big Give McCook. It is being a public servant and running for political office. It is getting involved with local events and projects, which are trying to make our communities better.

If you want to make a difference and you want to see change, it is time to get off the sidelines and make McCook and Southwest Nebraska and Northwest Kansas even better places to call home.

2022 Big Give McCook Ready for Donations and Fun

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Tue, 01 Nov 2022 21:27:39 GMT

7th Annual Big Give McCook is Thursday, Nov. 3

After a year of preparation, Big Give McCook 2022 is nearly here. Starting Thursday, Nov. 3 at midnight, the first online donations can be accepted at biggivemccook.org . That is also the first “power hour” of the day with a $1,000 in random donations to be matched.

Additional power hours will be held throughout the day at the in-person giving stations located throughout McCook. The first in-person station opens at 8 a.m. at First Central Bank with the final station at the YMCA closing at 8 p.m.

A full listing of giving station location, hours and power hours is available on the Big Give website. A complete list of all the non-profits included in the Big Give and their upcoming projects is also provided on the website. Donation forms are available on the website to print off and take to giving stations or they will be available at each location.

Some of non-profit organizations involved in the Big Give are planning activities to highlight what they do in the community, including the McCook Arts Council (MAC).

MAC will again be hosting a student art show this year as part of Big Give McCook. The show takes place at 416 Norris (former Curves building) next to the Fox Theater from 5- 8 p.m. The public may come and go throughout the evening. Drinks and cookies will be provided by the McCook Arts Council and Big Give McCook donation envelopes will be readily available to make donations.

In addition to the student artwork on display throughout the building, the 2022 show will include musical performances inside and outside on the sidewalk. The musical lineup is as follows:

5 p.m.: McCook High School drum line

5:30-6:45 p.m.: St. Patrick Elementary performances every 15 minutes

7-7:45 p.m.: Central Starz performances every 15 minutes

Now in its 7th year, Big Give McCook benefits 34 non-profit organizations in McCook and throughout Southwest Nebraska. Generous sponsors provide additional funds to match funds given by individual donors to the organizations.

For more information about the Big Give or to make a donation Thursday, visit biggivemccook.org .

Big Give or Planned Gifts: Both Support the Community

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Tue, 01 Nov 2022 21:09:38 GMT

McCook Philanthropy Council hosts Financial Advisor Workshop

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.

Big Give Possible Because of Sponsors and Donors

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Wed, 26 Oct 2022 18:42:23 GMT

Big Give McCook organizers are preparing for the 7th year of 24-hours of giving on Thursday, Nov. 3. But Southwest Nebraska’s one-day philanthropy event would not be possible without one vital component - the sponsors, which provide the matching funds for the non-profit organizations.

The 2022 Big Give McCook sponsors are Graff Charitable Foundation, MNB Bank, First Interstate Bank, Community Hospital, Quality Urgent Care and Valmont.

The sponsorship funds are used for both matching funds for each organization as well as power hours. The 34 non-profits are eligible for every $2 given with a $1 match up to a designated amount based on sponsorship funds.

Other sponsorship funds are used for “power hours,” where the first $1,000 randomly drawn at each designated location will be matched 1-to-1. There will be nine power hours throughout the day, including at 12 a.m. to kick off the 2022 Big Give McCook.

The “power hours” are:

Internet, 12 a.m.

First Central Bank, 8 a.m.

Horizon Bank, 10 a.m.

Hillcrest, 11 a.m.

Pinnacle, 12 p.m.

MNB, 1 p.m.

First Interstate Bank, 3 p.m.

McCook Christian Church, 5 p.m.

YMCA, 7 p.m.

Organized by McCook’s Community Chest, Big Give McCook is one day dedicated to philanthropy. Online donations will begin to be accepted at 12:00 a.m. through 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 3. In-person giving stations will be available at eight locations throughout McCook starting at 8 a.m. and wrapping up at 8 p.m.

In-person giving stations include:

First Central Bank, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
First Interstate Bank, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Hillcrest Nursing Home, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. (Drive-thru only)
Horizon Bank, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
MNB Bank, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
McCook Christian Church, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. (Drive-thru)
Pinnacle Bank, 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
YMCA, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

All non-profits involved in Big Give McCook have tax-exempt status so all donations are tax deductible. They must also be located and provide services in Southwest Nebraska. For a complete list of organizations participating in the 2022 Big Give McCook and their upcoming projects, visit biggivemccook.org.

The website will also be where online donations can be made Nov. 3 and to watch the growing total throughout the day.

McCook’s Community Chest provides financial resources to several agencies in McCook, which serve the basic needs of the community. Community Chest is a sub-account of the McCook Community Foundation Fund, which is an affiliated fund of the Nebraska Community Foundation

For more information about Big Give McCook, visit the Big Give website or call Community Chest co-coordinators Lisa Felker or Melissa Stritt at 345-4240.

MCFF Pledges to Pay Pool Entry Fees if Bond Issue Passes

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 14 Oct 2022 16:21:22 GMT

If the McCook sales tax for the recreational bond issue passes Nov. 8, the McCook Community Foundation Fund has pledged to remove several financial barriers related to the new city swimming pool.

The fund’s advisory committee has agreed to grant funds to the city which will cover the admittance fee for all users of McCook’s aquatic center when it opens, most likely in the spring/summer of 2024. MCFF will be covering the entry fee the first summer. This will apply to anyone using the pool, resident and non-residents alike, since everyone will be paying the 1/2 cent sales tax while in McCook, MCFF chairperson Cindy Huff said.

Additionally, MCFF has agreed to provide a grant to cover the cost of lifeguard certification done through the McCook YMCA for those who agree to work at the YMCA or McCook City Pool. This grant will go into effect immediately with the upcoming December certification session at the YMCA.

Lifeguard registration will continue to be done through the YMCA, free for anyone who will be working as a lifeguard at either the YMCA pool or McCook’s new city swimming pool or both.

This past summer, the McCook City Council approved a ballot measure proposing the construction or renovation of a new ballpark facility and swimming pool that would be funded by an increase of a one-half of one percent local sales tax. The costs associated with the project are temporary and will be shared by private donors, tourists and visitors. As soon as the bond is paid off, the sales tax ends.

If the bond issue passes at the upcoming election, construction on a new pool will hopefully take place in 2023, opening in 2024. The new aquatic center would be built where the current city pool is located. McCook’s current outdoor city pool was built in 1937 as part of a WPA project. It did not open in 2022 due to several safety issues both in the filtration system and around the facility.

Funds for the ballpark facility from the bond issue will either be put toward construction of a new complex northwest of McCook or used to improve the current Jaycee Complex, which was built in 1974.

MCFF chose to provide these grants as a way to encourage patrons of all income levels to visit the pool as well as address staffing issues in the community.

“If this bond issue passes, we have a great opportunity to celebrate our community's forward thinking,” Huff said. “In part, the McCook Community Foundation Fund's mission is to help remove barriers in making our community inclusive and welcoming for all of southwest Nebraska.”

She added, “We hope these grants help ease the burden to either use the facility or to become a lifeguard.”

For more information about the MCFF grants, send an email to mcffund@gmail.com. Registration for lifeguarding is available at mccookymca.org. And additional information about McCook’s recreational bond can be found at mccookonthemove.org.

Youth Group Making a Difference in the Community

Thu, 13 Oct 2022 19:52:19 GMT

My four years as a Youth Change Reaction member have been truly transformative. When I first heard about YCR, I was merely a timid little eighth grader sitting in my grade school cafeteria. The seemingly intimidating high school members came to speak to us about applying to the group, which is the youth group of the McCook Community Foundation Fund.

At the time, I had absolutely no idea what YCR would entail. Quite frankly, I just thought it was something that would look good on a college application, but it turned out to be so much more than that.

YCR is a group where kids are finally treated like adults. As a teenager, I'm used to not being taken seriously, even when my ideas are logistically sound and well thought out.

Knowingly or unknowingly, adults tend to belittle teenagers, especially in a professional setting. On some level, this is justified since most adults have more real-life experience.

But in a group like YCR, decisions are truly based on the will and ideas of the youth. We do all the “grown-up” work, so therefore, we deserve to receive the same respect as adults do.

Our adult sponsors, Mark Graff, Pam Wolford, Shelly Sehnert and Gavin Harsh, are very helpful because of their vast and varied experiences.

They try to provide a balance of guidance when we need it, but let us make decisions - and mistakes - too.

YCR is not a group that plasters “youth'' on everything, when, in reality, the adults do the brunt of the work. It is truly run by the high school members, while our incredible sponsors just point us in the right direction. We are making a big and lasting impact on our community through projects and our activities.

Most youth groups don’t have the privilege of working so closely with such experienced members of the community. With their help, we are able to accomplish feats that would be unrealistic for most youth organizations.

Additionally, we are blessed to have substantial financial support from grants as well as from generous donations from community members.

For example, our drive-in theater project received a grant from the McCook Community Foundation Fund Advisory Committee, showing their support for the project. It was also matched by a Youth Engagement Grant from the Nebraska Community Foundation. But the remainder of the cost was donated by generous businesses, individuals and organizations from the area. The drive-in project, along with our smaller ones, has truly shown me how our ideas can come to fruition because of the generosity of the community.

YCR has also given me networking opportunities that I never would have had if not for this group. Not only has it given me connections to some really amazing people, but it has also forced me to go outside my comfort zone and learn to talk to a variety of different people, especially adults.

It’s always really cool to see the passion that so many people have for their communities, and the way their eyes light up when they talk about positive change. Everyone I have met through YCR seems deeply interested in the youth-aspect of our group. Community leaders are constantly trying to think of ways to make our town more appealing to kids, so they love to pick our brain for input.

Representing our community’s youth, we can give direct input about what we would like to see happen in our town and what sort of things would make us want to return to our hometown one day to raise a family of our own.

As my four years as a YCR member comes to an end, I’ve learned so many lessons that will help me in my future job, family, and community. I would’ve never had the opportunity to learn and experience such cool things without this group. YCR has served as an incredible outlet for me to branch out to other people who care about the community and turn my dreams - and their dreams - into reality.

***

Natalie Roberts is a senior at McCook High School, co-president of Youth Change Reaction and truly wants to make her hometown an even better place to call home.

Fall Grant Deadline Approaching

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 30 Sep 2022 15:32:52 GMT

McCook outdoor pickleball courts spring MCFF grant recipient

Last spring, a local group of enthusiastic pickle ball players approached the McCook Community Foundation Fund about a possible grant for improved courts at Russell Park.
Armed with a $20,000 grant from MCFF, the group went on to raise an additional $50,000 and have completely renovated the existing pickle ball courts in less than six months. The number of available courts have expanded from two to three, the surface was completely redone for a safer playing surface, and fencing was installed to keep the ball from rolling into the street. Additionally, cement bases have been poured for lighting in the future.

Funding was handled through the Community Hospital Health Foundation with upkeep to be done by the City of McCook.

The pickle ball grant was among more than $73,000 in funding awarded this past spring by MCFF. But the fall grant cycle is approaching with a deadline of Oct. 1. Applications will be reviewed in October with grants awarded in November.

Other grants awarded this past spring include:

Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival

Hormel Youth Entrepreneurship Camp

Fox Theater Marquee Renovation

McCook Chautauqua with Nebraska Humanities

McCook Creative Arts District Research

MCFF Young and Usually Professional Leadership Group

YMCA Feasibility Study

YCR Drive-In Movie Challenge Grant

Scholarships for Good Living Camp with Rabble Mill

A complete list of previous grant winners is available on the MCFF website, mcookfoundation.org , along with an application form and more information about MCFF.

McCook Community Foundation Fund is an affiliated fund of the Nebraska Community Foundation.

Never a Chance to Make a First Impression

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 30 Sep 2022 01:08:48 GMT

Never a Second Chance to Make a First Impression

Last week due to a tragic accident, the Amtrak passenger train was in McCook for nearly eight hours, stopped at the McCook depot throughout the morning hours, finally departing at noon.

For those who don’t know the Amtrak schedule, the train passes through McCook at 3:43 a.m. if it is on time (not usually) and stays for just two or three minutes (most of the time) to quickly load any passengers boarding (many times).

If you see Amtrak in the daylight, it means it is off schedule because it passes through Nebraska in the nighttime hours. While we may love our surroundings in the high plains, passenger train riders seem to appreciate the mountain passes and tunnels more; hence, the train is scheduled to go through Colorado during the day.

So to see the Amtrak stopped in McCook not only during the day but for so long, there had to be an issue. And unfortunately, there had been a fatality east of McCook which meant many issues had to be dealt with and the train - and its passengers - were in McCook for several hours.

Now, no one can predict or plan for something like this: more than hundred out-of-towners suddenly found themselves in McCook during the day for hours with nothing to do, except wander downtown streets. They didn’t know how long they would be in McCook, so they couldn’t wander far or be left behind.

Again, we can’t predict when we will suddenly find a group on our doorsteps but we should be ready. For many - if not all - of these people, this was their first, and perhaps only, visit to McCook.

What impression did our community leave upon them? Were we welcoming? Were there flowers blooming? Were the stores open? Was their signage to even let them know where they were at? Were the streets clean? Was there printed materials available for them to use while here or take home and perhaps return at a later date?

When they reached their destination and relayed the story about their trip, what did they say about their time in McCook? There is no way to know except to be prepared at all times.

As a community, we get ready for big events such as the upcoming McCook Chamber’s Heritage Days. The flags are installed on Norris Avenue. Norris Park gets mowed and the bandshell gets swept. Everyone tries to put their best foot forward because know people will be visiting and we want to make a good impression.

But shouldn’t we be doing that every day? Isn’t this something we should be striving for on a regular basis?

We don’t have to just do this for visitors; we need to make our communities welcoming for ourselves, for all our residents, for our friends and neighbors.

It would be great to have flower pots in bloom up and down Norris Avenue throughout the summer. It would be beautiful if there were lights draping from ornate light poles during the holidays or even throughout the year. It would be soothing if there was music emanating from a coordinated sound system, playing music for the season, as you strolled the sidewalks.

If you travel, you often see these welcoming amenities that could be added to our communities. Are they easy? Not necessarily. Are they cheap? Probably not. Are they doable? Of course, because we have seen them elsewhere and often comment on the welcoming feeling they have when visiting.

Author Malcom Gladwell summed it up when he said, “Our first impressions are generated by our experiences and our environment, which means that we can change our first impressions... by changing the experiences that comprise those impressions.

Call it whatever you want: first impressions, curb appeal, outward appearance.

As we get ready for McCook’s arguably biggest celebration of the year, let’s consider what our community looks like to residents every day of the year and visitors because we never get to make a second first impression.

Strong Communities Need Investment - Time and Money

Thu, 22 Sep 2022 16:54:54 GMT

A person makes many different investments during their lifetime.

The first investment that likely comes to mind is a retirement account, in the hope of creating a healthy, sizable nest-egg when the working years come to an end. Another type of investment is starting a business, using life-savings now to see a dream become a reality. Both of these investments offer trackable, tangible results.

And then there is perhaps the most valuable investment we can do: investing our time.

This can range from joining organizations which help people grow, like TeamMates or CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates); volunteering to support community functions, including the Chamber of Commerce’s Heritage Days; or assisting at children’s activities, such as the YMCA’s youth sports.

In reality, none of these “investments” have any kind of direct return which you can cash in at the end of the day. But, imagine if we didn’t have these organizations or programs? Picture what our community would look like without these opportunities? To put it bluntly, it would be a very different - and likely not a growing nor prospering— kind of community.

As we embark on “McCook’s Decade,” there are many investment opportunities, both of finances and of time. There are capital campaigns on the horizon which are going to require generational investments. There are non-profit boards looking for new voices and young people, who will bring energy - and new ideas - to the table. Or perhaps it’s as simple as offering your neighbor assistance, mowing their lawn or fixing their fence.

Very few of these investments will give direct returns, but ultimately they build a community we can be proud to call home. A community that is strong and vibrant. A community that promotes health and wellness. A community that continues to welcome and encourage volunteering. McCook can grow and thrive thanks to everyone’s generosity.

Investing into stocks, bonds or real estate is easy and logical for many. However, as a community member, I encourage investing in our community with your time, energy and effort.

“McCook’s Decade” has numerous projects with great people in the lead. It’s not “if” you will hear about them, but “when” you will hear about them. When this happens, I encourage you to see these as opportunities to build a stronger community, opportunities to leave a legacy for your kids and grandkids to enjoy, and an opportunity to change a person’s life. And most of all, these are opportunities to build a community our youth will want to call home.

Since we are in the midst of the fall-sports season, let’s look at it from a sports’ perspective: the best sport teams are usually player-led, not just coached. If there are any parallels, the best communities are people-driven, where people invest in their youth, invest in their friends and neighbors, and invest in making their hometown an even better place to call home.

Putting on Your Happy Pants...One Leg at a Time

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 16 Sep 2022 12:52:58 GMT

Putting on your “Happy Pants”…one leg at a time

In the late 1990s, I wrote my first column for the McCook Daily Gazette. Before letting me start, I had to promise Editor Bruce Crosby that I would have a column every week, no excuses to take a week off. If I remember correctly, the first hiatus was when my fourth child was born Sept. 7, 2001. It took four kids under the age of five to make me take a break from writing.

Over the years, I have written about things happening in the community, current events, and episodes from my own family which people thought I was making up but were always based on truth. Yes, that same son born in 2001 still has a BB in his chest, shot at point blank range by his older brother. And yes, his grandmother chased the injured son around the house, trying to rub an aloe vera plant on the wound. It is true - write what you know.

At one point, the focus of the column switched to all the happenings at the YMCA. And there was always something going on, even if I had to stretch it a bit to make the connection. There will be even more happening at the YMCA over the next few years, so it will be exciting to watch what happens there.

And for the past few years, I have been writing on behalf of the McCook Community Foundation Fund, trying to highlight the good things going on in our community, noting the things which could be a valuable resource to others, or how everyone can make a difference in our community. Because in the end, we are all just trying to make McCook a better place to call home.

If there is one underlying theme, it is to stay positive. Regardless of how my day or week is going, no matter what is going on in the world, despite how other have been treated, I try to pull on my “happy pants” every week and reflect on all the good things around us.

But sometimes that is hard…

We live in a world where division is the norm, rather than the anomaly. We live in a world where there is drastic inequity, financially and socially. We live with natural disasters such as drought and fires but just as many disasters are man-made with wars raging around the world.

But in the end, hopefully everyone is working toward one goal: making a better world for themselves, for their families, for their friends and for their community.

Yes, there is division, especially when it comes to politics. But if we remember that we actually have more in common than we have different, then we should be able to have civil discussions, learn from each other and come to at least understand one another even if we don’t end up agreeing.

Yes, there is inequity but if we would all work to help one another rather than tear each other down, we would be making a better world for everyone.

And we will always live with natural and man-made disasters, but that is when we see the best in people. It is when they come together to support one another. It is when we realize our differences don’t matter.

Sure, there will be days when we question why we are working so hard, just to get by. There will be days when we wonder why people think or do the things they do, especially if we don’t agree with them. But this is an opportunity to get involved, to make those connections, to make a difference.

We live in a great community where we have tremendous resources to get things done. We live in a part of the country where we can get things done if we work together. We have friends and neighbors who are willing to help because ultimately, we all want a better world.

Yes, some days, it is hard to put a smile on your face and to stay positive. But just taking a moment to reflect on the good things we have, to think about about all that we take for granted, to appreciate the hard-working, authentic people around us, it isn’t hard to realize how good we really have it. While we will sometimes have “sweatpants” kind of days, just putting on our “happy pants” may help us realize all the good around us.

Using Internship to Bring Two Cultures Together

Thu, 08 Sep 2022 14:58:58 GMT

“Live for the future, not for the past.”

While working at an assisted living facility in McCook, a wise older resident shared those words of wisdom with me. Those words have followed me everyday, pushing me forward in all things I do, challenging me to try new things.

I have not always been so accepting of change. So when a new job opportunity presented itself this past year, it was not easy to take the leap.

This past summer, I had the opportunity to join the hometown internship program with the McCook Community Foundation Fund and Nebraska Community Foundation. While there was hesitation at taking on something new, I reminded myself of the words that were told to me by my wise friend and the change didn’t seem as frightening as it did before.

I spent those months leading up to my first day thinking about how I could make a difference, both for myself and for my community. I looked at my family, the people who have supported me through every decision I have ever made, and knew what I wanted to do: to work with different people in our community and help build the inclusivity that McCook could have.

I am a part of the hispanic community here in McCook. I speak both English and Spanish fluently. Although born in Colorado, I have called McCook home for as long as I can remember and attended McCook public schools since kindergarten. Yet I had a limited knowledge of what McCook held.

Most of us Hispanic kids grew up this way. Why?

A large problem arises when bringing the English-speaking community and Spanish-speaking community together. The language barrier is not a problem easily solved. After all, it’s not just a matter of someone taking a language course. We have to be able to not only understand each other but to be open to learning from one another. That was exactly what I decided to do, to find a way to connect the two communities within the town of McCook.

I met with the Hispanic-owned businesses to learn how they built their business, to discover what challenges they face, and to make connections. They are wonderful people and the opportunity to learn more about them was an amazing experience.

Along the way, I also had the chance to learn more about my culture and it opened my mind.

I realized that by working together, so much more could be done to make McCook a better place.

I also learned not to be afraid, to learn and to ask questions. The people you meet have an impact on you - no matter how small the interaction is.

Another project I worked on during my internship is an event for the Hispanic holiday of Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead. Usually celebrated on Nov. 1, the holiday honors the loved ones we have lost. This usually involves coming together to do arts and crafts, eating and drinking, and - most importantly - enjoying time with the people around you. This festivity also includes making an “ofrenda” or shrine for your lost loved one, which is decorated with pictures, flowers and candles.

This is an opportunity to show the English-speaking community a little more about the Spanish-speaking community, bringing us closer together. Details are being finalized but plan to join us October 29.

Although summer vacation along with internship have come to an end, I do not see it as that. The experiences this summer have just been a beginning. A beginning for two communities who speak different languages to learn more about one another, to recognize what they have in common and to welcome the differences.

I feel my work this summer has opened my eyes and allowed me to learn more about McCook. This is an experience I will hold tightly and will always appreciate. Afterall, change is not always a bad thing.

***

Along with serving as the McCook Community Foundation Fund’s summer hometown intern, Chasity Samaniego is a 2020 McCook HIgh School alumni, a 2022 McCook Community College grad and is continuing her education at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

Big Give McCook Expanding Again

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 08 Sep 2022 14:00:01 GMT

Now in its 7th year, Big Give McCook continues to grow, both in the number of organizations participating and in the communities served.

More than 30 nonprofit organizations will be part of the 2022 Big Give McCook on Thursday, Nov. 3.

Since then, the one-day giving event has expanded to 33 organizations to not just McCook, but across Southwest Nebraska from Cambridge to Curtis to Stratton. New organizations this year are the McCook Community Kitchen, located in the Keystone Business Center; the Curtis Senior Center; Medicine Valley Public Schools Foundation; and Spark Nebraska, the McCook children’s museum.

The format will be similar to years past, taking place from midnight to midnight. But also incorporating some of the changes over the years, including drive-through stations at McCook Christian Church and Hillcrest Nursing Home. Other special events on Nov. 3 are in the works and will be announced soon.

Big Give McCook began in 2016 as a collaboration between Community Chest of McCook and the McCook Community Foundation Fund, organized by a dedicated group of volunteers. Community Chest provides financial resources to a dozen agencies in McCook, all which serve the basic needs of the community.

The non-profits participating in the 2022 Big Give McCook are:

ABC Pregnancy Help Center
Curtis Area Senior Center
Community Action Partnership Of Mid-Nebraska
Community Hospital Health Foundation
Domestic Abuse/Sexual Assault Services
Ed Thomas YMCA
Family Resource Center
Fox Theatre (AEVPA)
High Plains Historical Society
Hillcrest Nursing Home Foundation
Little Village Daycare
Maywood TeamMates Chapter
McCook Art Guild
McCook Arts Council
McCook Bison Booster Club
McCook Community Chest
McCook Community Foundation Fund
McCook Community Kitchen
McCook Educational Foundation
McCook Humane Society
McCook K9 Korner
McCook Legion Baseball Boosters, Inc.
Medicine Valley Public Schools Foundation
Norris Institute
Overland Trails Council - Boy Scouts of America
Prairie Plains CASA - Child Advocacy
Salvation Army
Southwest Nebraska Freedom Festival
Southwest Nebraska Genealogy Society
Spark Nebraska - Children’s Museum
Southwest Nebraska Habitat for Humanity
St. Patrick Elementary School
TeamMates Mentoring Program of McCook
Tri Valley Medical Foundation

To be eligible for Big Give McCook, organizations must have a 501(c)3 exempt status in good standing with the IRS as well as have a physical presence and provide services for Southwest Nebraska. Private foundations and political or governmental organizations are excluded from the event. Religious organizations are also excluded except those providing community programs.

For more information about Big Give McCook and the organizations taking part, visit the Big Give website at biggivemccook.org or call Community Chest co-coordinators Lisa Felker or Melissa Stritt at 345-4240.

Housing Study: Community Working to Fill "Sweet Spot"

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Tue, 06 Sep 2022 14:54:24 GMT

McCOOK, Neb. — Nearly every conversation in McCook and Southwest Nebraska touches upon housing.

Maybe it is a current resident who would like to move into a larger home but can’t find anything suitable to move into.

Perhaps it is a young person who would like to move back but can’t find anything suitable or affordable.

Sometimes it is a business that would like to expand but knows there won’t be adequate housing for new employees.

Or perhaps it is an employer trying to attract skilled labor but the spouse won’t agree to anything currently on the market.

All of these are barriers in McCook’s current housing market, an issue the McCook Economic Development Corp. is trying overcome using the 2022 McCook Community Housing Study.

The housing study began in 2021 by conducting community surveys and studying local data and was recently released as a 142-page document by Hanna:Keelan Associates, a community planning and research firm.

The 2022 study included more than 550 participants with 430 of those from inside the city limits, determining the barriers to affordable, suitable housing.

Based on the survey, demand is greatest for units with three or more bedrooms at or above the $345,000 purchase price or two or three-bedroom rental units between $396-$890/month. To meet workforce population needs, the community also needs three-bedroom units at the $180,000 price point and three-bedroom rental units at $580/month.

Additionally, at any given time, there are only 20 houses on the market in McCook.

“And more than likely, those two dozen houses are on each end of the price spectrum,” MEDC Executive Director Charlie McPherson said. “There simply isn’t a lot of houses in the ‘sweet spot’ of affordability or they aren’t available for long.”

On a scale of 1-5, single-family housing scored the highest need but was closely followed by rental housing and housing for first-time homebuyers.

MEDC Housing Director Amanda Engell added that McCook could have a higher population-based just on the number of workers. “We have a large number of people who are working here but are having to commute, simply because they can’t find a house,” she said.

McCook last completed a housing study in 2013 and made some decisions based on those results.

Over the past decade, the MEDC constructed and now oversees the Quillan Courts low-income housing and Clary Villages low-income senior duplexes, but there is still a lack of housing.

And even with the new units, Clary Village and Quillan Courts both have a waiting list of a year and the McCook Housing Authority is at least six months out.

If the problem hasn’t improved over the past decade, why did McCook need a new study?

Developers and potential funders require up-to-date statistics if they are going to enter a market, McPherson said. “They need to know they are working with correct data before they are going to devote time and money to the community,” McPherson said. “They have to see a need in the market and this study does that.”

Engell added, “We knew there was a need, but we needed to know what the demand was for rentals and middle-income housing.”

She added, “We also discovered a need for upper-end housing and move-in ready residences.”

The process to address the housing problem may seem slow but housing is the main focus of the MEDC and one of the reasons the board created the housing director position filled by Engell. They hope to be more aggressive when obtaining properties to build upon, including two recently purchased and a third that was donated.

McPherson said the EDC will leverage local, statewide and federal resources based upon the study. The study will also be used to apply for federal funds, such as the ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funds which came out earlier this year.

He cited incentives since such as tax-increment financing (TIF), low-interest loans and possibly grants with the ultimate goal of utilizing a revolving loan program.

But McCook and Southwest Nebraska is not alone in its’ housing situation.

“We’re one of 100s of communities which are short on housing,” McPherson said, “so we need to use those resources to attract developers to come and build here.”

He added, “We need to be intentional and use this study and our resources if we want to overcome our housing shortage.”

This Community Housing Study was funded by the Nebraska Investment Finance Authority (NIFA) and McCook Economic Development Corporation (MEDC). The Housing Study was completed with the guidance and direction of MEDC and local leadership.

The complete 142-page housing study is available on the MEDC website .

Creative Arts District Provides Unique Opportunity

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 01 Sep 2022 17:22:38 GMT

McCook has many great attributes from the brick-lined streets and surrounding lakes, to hard-working people and unique, innovative businesses.

And now McCook has the opportunity to take another of its assets to the next level: arts and culture.

In 2020, the Nebraska Unicameral adopted LB943 for Creative Arts Districts across the state. The program recognizes that the arts serve many purposes, including as an economic driver of a region and telling the story of a community.

McCook already an enthusiasm for the arts, represented in so many different ways: theater productions, musical performances, art classes, museums, dance troupes…the list goes on and on. But McCook can take its passion for the arts even further with the creation of a Creative Arts District.

What exactly is an “arts district”?

According to the Nebraska Arts Council which oversees the project, “Creative Districts” are “designated geographic, cultural and economic areas where innovation flourishes and neighborhoods come together in the name of art. They provide significant economic impact by creating purposeful spaces like art galleries, theaters, and music venues thereby attracting

community members, employees, businesses and visitors.”

In other words, it is a specific area of a community - a district - which would focus on the arts. Not that only arts wouldn’t be available throughout the rest of the community, but there would be a special emphasis on that area. And art would not be the only asset in the district; rather, art would enhance and complement what is already available.

It’s like the Canteen District in North Platte, the Haymarket in Lincoln, the Old Market in Omaha - those areas have a special distinction within the community but ultimately benefit the entire area.

Why would McCook benefit from having a Creative Arts District?

For starters, there is funding as part of the legislative bill to support the arts. Other communities in Nebraska have already completed the process to become an Arts District and will be eligible for grants from $10,000 to $250,000. If McCook developed an official Arts District, some of those fund could make their way to Southwest Nebraska.

Art Districts can also be an economic driver in a community, bringing tourists and tax revenue.

Beyond the financial aspect, an organized art district may attract innovative, creative people to move and stay in our community; it could provide additional entertainment and teaching opportunities; and perhaps most importantly, it would create a sense of pride, foster collaboration and simply bring people together.

As part of the application process to become an official Arts District in Nebraska, the community must hold workshops for community members to share their visions and ideas.

The first workshop to discuss a McCook Arts District was held Tuesday but there are several more sessions being conducted over the next few weeks. Anyone with an interest in the arts or who thinks this could have impact on our community or who would like to have a say in what McCook looks like in the next 3, 5, 10, 20 years is encouraged to sign up.

The upcoming dates are Sept 6 (7:30-9:30 a.m.), Sept. 8 (5:30-7:30 p.m.); Sept. 9 (11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.); Sept. 16 (11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.) with all the sessions held at the Keystone Business Center.

If you would like to share your vision for McCook and Southwest Nebraska’s future as a cultural and creative hub, please send an email to mwsehnert@gmail.com to register.

This type of opportunity does not come around everyday. When projects like this come along, we need to jump at the chance to be involved and to be part of the change. By giving a little bit of our time now, we can all make a difference for generations to come.

"Good Enough" No Longer Good Enough

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 25 Aug 2022 19:52:54 GMT

There are phrases which can say a lot about a community:

“That’s how we’ve always done it.”

“We’re getting by.”

And the saying which can perhaps keep a community from growing and thriving: It’s “good enough.”

This phrase can come in various forms but usually refers to when the speaker was younger or when their parents were around. It was “good enough” for me when I was a kid. Why isn’t it good enough for today’s kids?

The phrase has been applied lately to several situations.

The pool was good enough for me when I was a kid. Why isn’t it good enough for today’s kids?

The schools were just fine for me when they were built in 1967. Why do we need new ones?

Why do kids need all this technology? Pen and paper was good enough for me.

Whether we like it or not, times change.

We must be willing to both change and adapt. We must look down the road and plan ahead. We must consider what is needed to meet today’s ever changing world.

This doesn’t mean everything we’ve done in the past is wrong or shouldn’t continue. But we must acknowledge where change is needed, where growth needs to happen and where we need to adapt to our evolving society.

Life is not stagnant. Communities are never the same, even day to day. Every day, we make decisions which affect not only ourselves but those around us.

We choose whether to pick up that piece of trash on the sidewalk or leave it for someone else to step over. We choose whether to run for public office or let someone else make those decisions. We choose whether to shop locally or spend those dollars out of town.

Those decisions add up and determine whether we are just “good enough” or making our community the best it can be for generations to come.

McCook and southwest Nebraska is not the same as it was five years ago, 10 years ago, 100 years ago. And thank goodness.

When it came time to pave Main Street in McCook, do you think people were saying “these dirt roads are good enough?” Perhaps there were those nay-sayers, but could you imagine if Norris Avenue was still a dirt road down the center of town?

Many people have fond memories of the YMCA at its first location on Norris Avenue, but its current site offers so many more possibilities.

And can you picture Southwest Nebraska without Heritage Hills, the Kiplinger Arena or the surrounding lakes (even if they are lacking in water)? None of those things just happened. It was people who said what was available was not “good enough.” They wanted more. They wanted it better for themselves and for others.

For too long, we have been saying what we have and what we are doing is “good enough” and it has caught up to us. McCook has a lot of projects - large projects - looming on the horizon because we have kicked the can down the road for too long. We have said we’ll get to it; we don’t need it; or what we have is “good enough.”

But eventually that mentality catches up and now we must pay the piper. We can no longer accept that way of thinking.

“Good enough” is no longer good enough. If we want our community to be here 5, 10, 100 years from now, we must change our way of thinking. We must think long term. We must think positively. And we must think about what would make our children want to raise their children here because thanks to technology, people can live just about anywhere they want.

Yes, housing is a problem and the McCook Economic Development Corp. is taking intentional steps to address the issue. “Now Hiring” signs can be found in the front window of most businesses. And while child care availability has improved, there is still plenty to be done.

But if we want people -both young and old - to move to McCook and Southwest Nebraska, we need to no longer think that “good enough” is good enough.

We can be better than that; we are better than that. We’ve proven it. It is why Big Give McCook has grown year after year. Because this is a generous community. It is why when there is a disaster like the grassfires earlier this year, people stepped up with donations and offers of help.

It is time to no longer accept “good enough” as good enough. We have the opportunity to make our community even better by tackling these hard projects. Yes, these projects are not cheap nor easy but isn’t our community worth the investment? Aren’t our family and friends worth it? Isn’t our future worth more than “good enough?”

Find Your Interests and Make An Impact

Fri, 19 Aug 2022 13:18:39 GMT

Earlier this summer, I lost a mentor and I lost a friend - my father, Walt Sehnert. In fact, I have lost a few mentors and friends over the past two years, which has led me to reflect the impact these people have had on both me and the community.

The loss of these community leaders has helped me focus on what we can learn from them to create a growing and thriving community. (The more personal life lessons will be part of my “Dad Book,” which is still in the works.)

Community leaders are successful because they show up, because they work with what is available, because they recognize the good things happening in their community. At the end of the day, they don’t lament what they don’t have; instead, they celebrate what they do have and build upon that.

There is a term for this way of doing things: the concept is Asset Based Community Development (ABCD).

The Nebraska Community Foundation is a firm believer in the ABCD concept, concentrating on a town’s assets, strengths, and potential for community development. This is smart and works very well. Looking back, I can see how my parents and friends were working within this concept, despite not knowing there was a name for what they were doing.

Reflecting on my parent’s lives and how they contributed to the community, Walt and Jean also had an “IBCI” mentality or an Interest Based Community Involvement. (Yes, it is a term I made up but feel free to steal it for your own use.)

Basically, my parents were involved wherever they had an interest or felt they could make an impact.

For my mother, this usually involved music, whether it was playing the organ at the church; playing the piano for high school, college and community programs; arranging dance performances; or being part of community music shows. If the event was connected to music, my mother was going to be there.

She took her involvement with music so seriously that it flowed into other aspects of my childhood. As a young, aspiring athlete, I would get so annoyed when my mother would ask, “What time is your basketball rehearsal?”

Exasperated, I would reply, “It’s practice. NOT Rehearsal!”

My father got involved with a variety of things where he had interest and what he thought important, including the Chamber of Commerce, YMCA, Kiwanis, Rotary, McCook Community College and the McCook Library to name just a few organizations he supported. Often this support was in the form of serving on a committee or the board of directors to help the organization.

He also expanded his horizons by supporting my mother with her music projects and sharing his love of music and performing.

After retiring from the bakery in 1990, my father tried something new, discovering a previously unknown talent as a writer, which developed into penning a weekly newspaper column and authoring four books.

Over the years, my parents had a variety of interests and got involved in the community because of them.

Another important lesson I learned from my parents was to simply join in.

My parents got involved and supported many community events just by attending them. Growing up, our family went to everything from the community concert series to the county fair and even to a variety of church soup suppers.

One parishioner asked my father why our family was at the soup supper when we were not a member of that church. My father’s reply, “We enjoy the fellowship….and you make really good food.”

Years ago, my wife, Shelly, told me, “To help others and our community, you need to use the gifts that God has given you.”

My parents did not know they were practicing ABCD or IBCI. Instead, they just quietly taught us to be supportive of community events by attending when we can and to get involved in organizations and projects that we are interested in. Pretty simple lessons and a way of life that can really make a difference over the course of a lifetime.

I invite all of us to support our community by just showing up to events and by joining in a project or two where we have an interest.

Thanks mom and dad. I will work to carry on your Interest Based Community Involvement (IBCI) and pass on the tradition for generations to come.

***

Matt Sehnert is vice chairman of the McCook Community Foundation Fund, former owner of Sehnert’s Bakery and - following in his dad’s footsteps - an avid supporter and advocate for the community.

Child Care Impacts Entire Community

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 11 Aug 2022 21:36:52 GMT

Communities regularly face many issues, from providing adequate housing to finding enough skilled labor to supporting quality of life projects.

Another issue which regularly tops the list is quality child care. For many communities, it is a never-ending problem which also affects everyone - whether they think so or not.

If an employee with young children can’t find child care, they can’t work. If they can’t work, the employer doesn’t have enough workers. If there aren’t enough workers, the products don’t get made or the store hours get cut or the quality of the service diminishes.

Just because you don’t need child care at this stage of your life doesn’t mean it doesn’t affect you. Quality child care is a community-wide issue which has a broad impact beyond just the family with young children.

Realizing the problem, McCook - led by the McCook Economic Development Corp. - has been pro-active when it comes to not only having enough child care but also providing quality child care. And those ideas and solutions have been to think outside the box.

Led by a local team of child care professionals in 2018, McCook embarked on a review of what was currently available for child care in the community and what was needed. Out of those studies, several programs were developed, including the MEDC’s Childcare Provider Jump Start program.

The program had several different facets including financial incentives to increase the number of child care slots available in the community.

Additionally, the program decided not to take the traditional route of build a new community-wide child care facility. Instead, the focus is on the existing child care facilities in McCook and the potential for additional stand-alone facilities.

Soon after the program began, one existing childcare facility was purchased and expanded, and another, home-based childcare business was expanded into a dedicated facility, both in former churches.

The MEDC also received state-wide grants to focus on child care, with those funds used to provide resources for the providers, ranging from extra cleaning wipes during the height of the pandemic to classes to meet licensing requirements.

These activities have not gone unnoticed.

In 2021, McCook’s efforts to improve child care were featured in a PBS NewsHour series, “Raising the Future: America’s Child Care Dilemma.”

PBS visited two Nebraska communities including McCook, which is addressing child care shortages which impacts local economies. According to the series, “The struggle to find affordable, quality child care has always been one of the biggest issues for American families.”

But the child care issue is never-ending so the public is again being asked for their input.

In partnership with the Nebraska Children’s and Families Foundation’s Community for Kids Initiative, the MEDC is conducting a follow-up questionnaire to evaluate the child care situation in McCook and Southwest Nebraska with a “Quality Matters Survey.”

With the last survey conducted in 2019, residents of the area have through Thursday, Aug. 18th to complete a survey about child care needs in our community. The survey will be used to better understand if there is still a gap for those children and families needing childcare in McCook.

And as an added incentive and to show how important the issue is, survey participants will be eligible to win gift certificates from local businesses.

McCook has made great strides when it comes to providing both enough and quality child care in the community. But here is your chance to have a say in how the programs move forward, what is needed for child care, and how to provide educational opportunities to our youngest residents.

The survey data and resulting programs will hopefully make a positive impact not only on our young families but also on our community for generations to come.

Moving Slowly But Steadily Forward

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 04 Aug 2022 15:32:05 GMT

Did instant gratification begin with the microwave when cooking a meal went from an hour to mere minutes?

Can our desire to see and do everything now be blamed on automobiles, giving us personal access to go wherever we want?

Are our shortened attention spans blamed on these giant advances in technology, making it possible to have almost endless entertainment and information at our fingertips?

We live in a word of instant gratification, where waiting for something to happen is seen as a negative or working for something over the long haul is seen as drudgery.

But what would happen if we shifted that thinking to celebrating or at least accepting incremental progress - or change over the long haul?

It is great to see huge strides in improvement but that isn’t usually how things happen.

Instead, progress is small and tiny or slow and steady.

For a wonderful example, look at Rosa Parks.

If you didn’t attend any of the Nebraska Chautauqua events in McCook this last weekend, you missed out. There were wonderful, fun events and enthusiastic, informational speakers, bringing the 1950s to life.

One of them was Becky Stone, who portrayed Rosa Parks. Most people know the story of Rosa not giving up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955 and the boycotts and eventual changes to the system that happened afterward.

But did you know that she also got kicked off the bus in 1943 for refusing to move to the back of the bus (or more specifically for sitting in the same row as a white man)?

12 years. 12 years between these events. But still she persisted. She didn’t give up.

Instead, she quietly and methodically fought for what she knew was right over the years and over her entire lifetime.

Yes, there is a time and a need for immediate action but as the Rosa Park story shows, even those actions require years of perseverance afterward.

Of course, we would love to see things happen over night. We would like for projects to happen instantaneously. We would life for funding to magically appear.

But that is like winning the lottery. It happens rarely and to very few people.

Instead, projects take time and research and careful consideration before moving forward.

It’s Aesop’s fable of the tortoise and the hare. While the hare bragged about how fast he was and proved it at the beginning of the race, eventually he tired and needed a rest. The tortoise was slow and methodical, eventually passing the hare and winning the race.

But for a more modern interpretation, consider the situation McCook finds itself in.

McCook is looking at moving forward on one of its biggest projects in years with the building of a new outdoor swimming pool and possibly developing an entirely new area for ballparks and green space.

This is long overdue, but any progress is better than none at all.

There has been years of research, hours and hours of meetings and endless discussions about not just these recreational projects but also walking trails, pickle ball courts, basketball courts and playgrounds.

And now that dedication to these projects may finally come to fruition. It hasn’t happened yet, but there is movement. Small movement but movement nonetheless which will hopefully turn into large achievements in the near future.

It is true that we occasionally need that instant gratification. But true, long-lasting progress happens slowly and steadily over time by dedicated individuals, dedicated communities, dedicated organizations who are working together to make McCook an even better place to call home.

Chautauqua in McCook is Unique Opportunity

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 29 Jul 2022 14:47:26 GMT

“I’ll go next year.”

“We are out of town this time, but it’ll be even bigger and better next year when you do it.”

“It happens every year. I’ll catch it next time.”

These are just a few of the statements made about the upcoming Chautauqua this weekend in McCook.

But what many people don’t realize is that this doesn’t happen every year in McCook. It doesn’t happen every decade in McCook. Heck, it hasn’t happened in this century.

McCook hasn’t hosted a Chautauqua since 1990.

To put that in perspective, many McCook and Southwest Nebraska’s current residents didn’t live here then. And some weren’t even born yet when McCook hosted the historical-based event.

And if it is another 30 years until McCook is home to a chautauqua again, many of the current residents may not live here anymore. And to be realistic, some won’t even be alive anymore when McCook hosts the historical-based event.

So this may be a once-in-a-lifetime chance for residents of Southwest Nebraska and Northwest Kansas to attend the Chautauqua.

But let’s take a step back for a moment.

What exactly is a chautauqua?

“Chautauqua” is an Iroquois word with multiple meanings, including “a bag tied in the middle” or “two moccasins tied together.” The word describes the shape of Chautauqua Lake, located in southwest New York, which was the setting for the Chautauqua Institution, the first educational assembly in what became a significant movement at the turn of the 20th Century.

At the height of the chautauqua movement in 1915, more than 12,000 communities were hosting the events.

But what exactly is a chautauqua in today’s world?

Chautauqua is a unique opportunity for communities to explore key time periods of history and culture that still affect our lives today. In McCook this weekend, the chautauqua will explore the 1950s and the impact that decade had on America history then and still does today.

Chautauquas are having a small renaissance. People are discovering that lifelong learning is one of the keys to living a happy, fulfilling life.

But again, what exactly will happen at this chautauqua in McCook this weekend?

To put it simply, the event will bring history to life with speakers portraying historical figures including Rosa Parks and Thurgood Marshall. There will be models showcasing the fashions of the 1950s. There will be lectors and scholars leading discussions about the sweeping social and political changes of the 1950s.

The Chautauqua kicks off with a ‘50s-themed afternoon tea at the High Plains Museum at 3 p.m. today (Friday) and a car show along D Street. Activities move to the Fox Theater with a ‘50s fashion show at 5 p.m. with local models and the keynote speaker at 7 p.m. about the Eisenhower years. And the night wraps up with a sock-hop in Norris Alley between the Keystone and Fox. Dig out those bobby socks and poodle skirts (or just join in whatever is comfortable) for a beautiful night on Norris Avenue.

And Saturday is packed with activities with everything from a farmer’s market in the morning to a discussion about the issues at the Keystone that evening. The day is packed with speakers at the museum and the Keystone - visitors can attend all, one or some of the sessions.

No need say there is nothing to do in town. No need to load up the car and drive hours to an event. And thanks to many generous sponsors, no need to say you can’t go because of the cost because everything is free.

Hosted and coordinated by Humanities Nebraska, the Chautauqua is a unique opportunity to learn about our history and explore how we can use that knowledge to create communities where we want to live, work and play.

Who knows when there will be another chautauqua in McCook, so take advantage of the opportunity on McCook’s “front door” this weekend.

MCFF Welcomes Summer Hometown Intern

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 22 Jul 2022 14:58:26 GMT

For the third summer in a row, the McCook Community Foundation Fund is working with a local college student as part of the Summer Hometown Internship program. Between graduating from McCook Community College in May and continuing her education at the University of Nebraska at Kearney this fall, Chasity Samaniego is in the middle of her internship with MCFF.

The Summer Hometown Internship is led by the Nebraska Community Foundation.

This summer, Chasity has taken on the large task of engaging and including the local hispanic community. This includes interviewing local hispanic business owners and hispanic community leaders.

Chasity is also bilingual, a tremendous asset for her goals this summer.

“I personally like to believe that I am bringing many different skills but I think that what sets me apart is being fluent in both English and Spanish,” she said, adding, “I can help break the language barrier that can be presented at times.”

Chasity hopes to come up with a project to help create inclusion of the hispanic community in the McCook area and surrounding areas.

“There is a language barrier and other barriers that tend to separate the community of McCook and the hispanic community gravitates to secluding themselves from the rest of the McCook community. My hope is that the project I work on can help dissipate these obstacles,” she said. “I hope to gain experience with learning how to organize projects and lead them. I also hope to be able to make some impact for McCook now and in the future.”

She also appreciates the internship because it is short term but provides a variety of learning opportunities within.

“There is never a point in life where you stop learning and this is a great opportunity for me to expand my horizons and open up a door in the future,” she said.

Chasity graduated from McCook High School in 2022 and from McCook Community College with an associates of science in May.

“It was great to get my associate degree from MCC,” Chasity said. “It was nerve racking at first, starting over with new people but as time passed, it was exciting and I got to learn about myself and study subjects I enjoyed.”

She is also looking forward to her next educational step at the University of Nebraska at Kearney this fall to earn her bachelors in social work.

“Because of UNK’s great psychology and social work program, I’m excited to take that on,” Chasity said.

She plans to continue her education with a masters and doctorates program, specializing in childhood development and trauma therapy/counseling, eventually opening her own practice some day - perhaps in her hometown.

What would it take to move back to McCook?

“If I am being honest, it wouldn’t take very much!,” Chasity admitted. “I want to be able to reach my desired degree and come home to put it to practice in the town I’ve grown up in.”

McCook Community Foundation Fund is an affiliated fund of the Nebraska Community Foundation. Hometown Intern program partners include University of Nebraska Extension; Nebraska Honors; the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Agricultural Leadership, Education & Communication program; and the Center for Civic Engagement.

Making Childhoods Memorable in Our Community

Wed, 20 Jul 2022 15:35:17 GMT

I always knew that when I was ready to start a family I wanted to raise my children in McCook.

I wanted them to have the childhood I always dreamed of. A childhood where they could grow up with a tight-knit group of friends, ride bikes to the park, play sports and spend time with family. A childhood that would be enriched with the best values of small town Nebraska.

I think all parents want that for their children - for them to live a better life than we have, for them to learn from our mistakes and for them to benefit from our hard work.

So how do we do that?

That question is one I’ve been struggling with from the moment my husband, Chandler, and I found out that I was pregnant with our first child. Now, a year after Oliver was born, I’m still trying to figure out exactly what I can do so that Oliver and his children can live the life that I dream of for them.

There’s an old Chinese proverb that says: “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.”

I think that quote speaks volumes to what we are currently doing in McCook. There are parents fighting for a new pool, community members working hard to build a new pickleball court, and high school students raising money for a drive-in movie theater to benefit not only themselves but others.

Those are just a few of the things we can support so that our children and grandchildren have fulfilling childhoods…a childhood so memorable that when they’re ready to raise a family, they too want to return to McCook.

So where to begin?

I will admit that I am also guilty of raising concerns about our community online, but those posts only go so far. Getting involved in community organizations is hands-down the best way I have found to aid in creating a better community.

If we want to see change, we have to work together to make a difference.

One way I have found to be beneficial is going to community events, forums, and other learning sessions. While we may lament yet another meeting, this is how to stay in the know, to learn what is happening in our community and to figure out where you can help.

I am also grateful and fortunate to belong to some awesome, community-minded groups such as the McCook Community Foundation Fund Advisory Committee, the McCook Chamber of Commerce Cordials, and the Crusin’ the Bricks McCook committee. These organizations work throughout the year to enrich the lives of community members through community events and projects.

There are many additional organizations in our community, which are doing good work and are always looking for additional volunteers or new members. And no, you don’t have to sit through a meeting or vow to be a life-long member…just helping with one project or event will make an impact.

I will continue to dream about how to make Oliver’s childhood memorable and I will continue to work to make that dream a reality. And I encourage anyone else wanting to make a difference to get involved in our community so that we can all work together to make McCook an even better place to call home.

***

Tricia Wagner is a busy mom to a one-year-old son, but still finds time to be an active member of the community including as a member of the McCook Community Foundation Fund.

Local Organizations Changing with the Times

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 15 Jul 2022 15:16:14 GMT

In February, the McCook Rotary Club celebrated its 100th anniversary. Over the past century, the club has evolved out of necessity and to remain relevant and perhaps most importantly, to be welcoming.

The dress code changed from suits and ties to whatever its members were wearing that day with an occasional Rotary shirt thrown into the mix. Fines for missing a meeting or having your name appear on the front page of the paper went away.

Eventually women were allowed to become members after the club acknowledged how antiquated that rule was and that the club likely wouldn’t exist any longer without their participation. In fact, a woman just took over as the Rotary International president for the first time earlier this month and McCook’s district governor, Deb McCaslin, is leading the western half of Nebraska.

And just earlier the week, the McCook Rotary Club embarked on a change to its meeting schedule, adding a night meeting.

For as long as anyone can remember, the club has met every Tuesday over the noon hour. This is fine if you have a flexible schedule and you can slip away every week at the same time. This was fine back in the day when members worked 9-5 and the lunch was set in stone at noon.

But for anyone who didn't have that flexibility in their schedule such as a cashier at the grocery store, Rotary was inaccessible. For anyone who had lunch hour later in the days such as high school teachers, Rotary was off the table. For anyone whose only free time was at night, Rotary wasn’t going to happen.

So the group decided to make a change to its meeting times. On the second Tuesday of the month, Rotary meetings will now be held in the evening, hopefully opening up access to more potential members who haven’t been able to attend a lunch meeting.

And the current members are very open about the situation. If more people don’t join, the club could go away. Just because the organization has been around for so long doesn’t mean it can’t come to an end.

They also acknowledged that they needed to change with the times and they needed to adapt to members needs. They knew status quo was not good enough. Pro-active changes needed to take place and they are taking those steps.

Will it pay off? Only time will tell but at least there is an effort to not only maintain but grow an important and involved group in the community.

On the flip side, sometimes things have just run their course and it is time to come to an end, even if it is bittersweet.

After more than four decades, the McCook Toy Box will cease to exist later this year for a several reasons. Its volunteers are getting older with no younger people stepping into fill their shoes. Or more precisely, there is no one volunteering to repair the bikes and dive into the dumpsters to get the donated toys.

That’s understandable. The Toy Box was a passion for those who started the program more than 40 years ago. And younger people are busy with their families and their personal projects which get them excited.

Additionally, the toys and presents kids are wanting are expensive. Puzzles and stuffed animals are not the prized presents any longer. Electronics and video games are the coveted gifts. And you could say that they shouldn’t be picky, that they should take what they get and not throw a fit, that they should be happy to get anything.

But should you begrudge a child who all his friends are playing a video game together or communicating over an electronic or doing homework on a tablet? It simply is the time we live in and it is hard to keep up financially with the presents which are desired.

And maybe someone reading this or who hears about the Toy Box not taking place this Christmas season will step up and establish a new program. But in the meantime, there are other programs in the community including Adopt-A-Family to help those less fortunate during the holidays to church and community programs to help throughout the year.

Whether it is an organization or for the entire community, sometimes a moment of reflection is what is needed. What is the best decision moving forward? What changes are needed? What does the community need today? What does the community need 40 years from now?

The Toy Box organizers have made the tough decision to come to an end and they will be missed. It made McCook a great place to call home in the past.

The McCook Rotary Club has made the decision to make changes and hopefully become stronger. It is working to make McCook a great place to call home in the future.

Youth Driven Project Inspires Across Generations

Thu, 07 Jul 2022 15:52:50 GMT

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to observe a teenager, who gave me an education I will never forget. In fact, this revelation encourages me to share this positive experience with others, both to learn from and to be hopeful for the future.

Before continuing, I need to go back a few weeks before the encounter I want to reflect upon.

The Youth Change Reaction (YCR) is the youth leadership group for the McCook Community Foundation Fund. Founded more than a decade ago, YCR’s members include students in all four grades at McCook High School. This forward-thinking measure encourages one to be involved through special activities at the school and in our community.

This spring, the YCR members asked to make a presentation to MCFF’s Advisory Committee. These young people had spent several months developing a plan for a drive-in-movie theater at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds.

Everyone in that room took note of the thoroughness of their study, which resulted in supporting their efforts with a challenge grant. If the youth raised $40,000 from the community, MCFF would grant $20,000 toward the drive-in movie project.

Additionally, there would be a training session on how to ask the community for support through fundraising. Understanding that these were young people taking on a daunting task, each YCR member was paired with a MCFF member to reach out to area donors.

The result of this joining of forces has left me wanting to share a very special experience that happened the day of the first “ask” by my YCR partner and myself.

My partner, Josiah Wilkinson, is 15 years old and a person who takes the time to study a situation for further possibilities. We met at Sehnert's half an hour before going to our appointment that Josiah had arranged. We reviewed some basics and confirmed our own commitment to the project with our own financial gifts.

Arriving at our destination a few minutes before 2 P.M., I parked the car. Before opening the door, I offered a short prayer for guidance as we embarked on this ambitious project to build something which could benefit McCook and Southwest Nebraska for generations to come.

We were cordially greeted by our prospective donor and ushered into the conference room.

The conversation was initiated by Josiah. I observed the miracle of confidence with each point of delivery. It was evident to me that similar thoughts were going through the person being asked. Twenty minutes later, we were back in the car and before the key was turned I heard, “Let’s pray.”

The day became a wonderful memory for me as I observed the younger generation moving forward with energy and enthusiasm in the interest of their community. Even at my older age, I leap for joy for those who will carry forward with their dreams.

My young team member, Josiah, is a representative of the other 11 YCR students. My thanks to each of them as they go forward with their MCFF partner and inspire the community to consider the drive-in movie project as their way to make McCook an even better place to call home.

***

A former member of MCFF, Don Harpst continues to attend every meeting and plays a vital role on the Advisory Committee, bringing years of wisdom and guidance.

Drive-In Theater Project Planned

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Sat, 02 Jul 2022 22:39:59 GMT

Drive-In Theater Planned at Red Willow County Fairgrounds

The fourth annual Freedom Fest on Friday was the perfect setting to announce the latest project which may soon come to McCook: a drive-in movie theater.

With the grandstands filled with spectators for a concert and fireworks show Friday night, Youth Change Reaction (YCR) announced that they are working to build a permanent drive-in theater on the fairgrounds. The full-size screen would be constructed on the backside of the grandstands. Movies would be shown using a state-of-the-art digital projector and audio sent via a FM-radio transmitter to cars in the parking lot.

YCR, which consists of 12 McCook High School students, needs to raise at least $65,000 for the project. They have already received nearly $50,000 in donations and pledges. That total includes $20,000 in matching funds from the McCook Community Foundation Fund. For every $1 given by donors, MCFF will provide $1 up to the $20,000. YCR has also received a $7,500 youth engagement grant from an anonymous donor with the Nebraska Community Foundation.

YCR group hopes to raise the final funds to make the project happen by Aug. 16, right before classes resume for the 2022-23 school year.

YCR has been around for more than a decade, doing small projects over the years including dances, movies at the YMCA, and the bike rental program at Red Willow Lake.

But this past year, the group decided it wanted to take on a bigger project: a project that would last long after they graduated; a project that would benefit the community, both young and old; a project that would make them proud when they look at it years later and say, "We did that."

So YCR has chosen to build a Drive-In Movie Theater. They are working hand-in-hand with the Red Willow County Fair Board, which will take ownership of the project once the funds are raised.

The drive-in movie equipment will be available for rent for a minimal cost, enabling groups and organizations to host their own events as fund-raisers or community events.

Anyone who would like to make a donation to the drive-in theater project can do by mailing in a donation using the pledge form and sending to MCFF, Box 525, McCook NE 69001. Or giving online at https://www.nebcommfound.org/give/mccook-community-foundation-fund/ and selecting "designation/drive-in theater account."

For more information about the drive-in theater project, email mcffund@gmail.com or call 308.340.3412.

Something is Better Than "All or Nothing"

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 01 Jul 2022 12:38:51 GMT

Mondays, New Year’s Day, the first day of the month. These are the most popular days to start a diet or to quit smoking or to begin a new habit such as getting more sleep or eating healthier.

And those are all commendable goals to strive toward.

But usually after a few days, a few weeks or perhaps even a few months, the motivation wanes. Old habits creep back in like a snack after midnight even though losing a few pounds was the goal or staying up late to watch your favorite show even though getting more sleep is needed.

Admitting defeat, you give up and call it quits. You failed, so there is no purpose in continuing. But this “all or nothing” mentality is not good in the long run…nor in the short run. Somewhere in the middle is O.K. because ultimately, something is better than nothing.

For many of us, we like to have an impending start date such as the beginning of the new year or the start of the week. If so, use July 1 as a fresh start. Whereas January 1 is usually cold and dreary, July 1 offers sunshine and heat…lots of it. With July 4 falling on a Monday, use Tuesday July 5 as a starting point.

There is no reason a vow to eat healthier can’t start on a Tuesday. In fact, use that Monday to stock up on healthier snacks at work to prepare for the transition. Day-after-day of poor eating is not good for you but one day shouldn’t derail all your well-intentioned plans. Bonus: If you vowed to eat healthy during the week and have “cheat days” on the weekends, you only have to make it through four days before taking a break.

Just because you don’t get a good night’s sleep one night doesn’t mean you should resume staying up late every night. Resolve to get to bed earlier the next night. And five good nights sleep out of seven is better than nothing.

Perhaps you know you should be saving toward something in the future, whether its a child’s college savings account or a new car or just an emergency fund. Every little penny adds up. And if there is a week that a “penny” can’t be set aside, so be it. Just resume putting those pennies in the jar the next week you are able.

Speaking of pennies adding up, the 2022 Big Give McCook isn’t until November but organizers are hard at work right now preparing for the one day of giving especially with a deadline quickly approaching. Any new non-profit organizations which have a presence in the area are eligible to join by July 5. Just go to biggivemccook.org to find the registration button.

The Big Give McCook is a great example of not succumbing to the “all or nothing” mentality. Organizations don’t expect donors to give all of their financial resources, but the non-profits cannot continue if nothing is given.

Instead, the Big Give concept works because everyone can give something. And when all those donations are added together, the organizations are successful.

The McCook Chamber of Commerce also recently overcame an “all or nothing” hurdle by opting to move its’ Crazy Days event last week, rather than cancel it.

Kudos to the McCook Chamber for its ability to quickly move the location of its Bash on the Bricks celebration. The event easily could have been cancelled simply because logistics were too much. Instead, everyone worked together to move the event and continue on because something was going to be better than nothing. And from comments heard afterward, the Bash was a success and something to be continued and built upon for next year.

And finally, the Culbertson Freedom Run is Monday, July 4th. Maybe a 5K run was on your to-do list this year but training hasn’t gone as planned - if at all - but that shouldn’t stop you from signing up for the race on Monday at 8 a.m. After all, it’s a great way to start off the holiday. Visit mccookymca.org to signup today.

Nowhere does it say anyone has to “run” the race. Walking is perfectly fine. Waddling, skipping, hopping. Those are all perfectly acceptable ways to cover 3.1 miles. Push a stroller. Bring the dog. If your cat is good on a leash, go for it.

There is no time limit. Yes, the Culbertson Fourth of July parade starts at 10 a.m. but there is a scooter to pick up those people who simply can’t finish. And there won’t be an official time if you shorten the course by turning around early, but participants can return to the start line whenever they want, shortening the distance. Those on the course are still going further than those who never got off the couch. After all, there is never a perfect time, there is only now; and something is better than nothing.

Walt's Influence to Last for Generations

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 15:05:16 GMT

McCook and Nebraska lost another of its great spokesmen with the passing of Walt Sehnert last week. And up until the end, his mind and his spirit were just as strong as ever

He also continued to possess a strong love of his community, a tremendous love of entertaining, and a profound love for his family and friends.

I had the privilege of visiting Walt occasionally up until a few weeks ago. While I have trouble remembering what I did yesterday, Walt could recall people, events, conversations from decades ago. He could easily fall into a story about the most memorable names in McCook’s history, many who have now passed, just as easily as tell a tale about last week. Quite simply, he was a master storyteller.

But it wasn’t just his ability to keep up his end of the conversation by telling a good story. It was his genuine interest in others that made him such an integral member of the community.

So as I look back fondly on my chats with Walt and conversations with others about Walt, here are just a few things I gleaned from him, even though Walt would argue that he learned more from others:

Stay Curious

Whenever you visited with Walt, he usually asked more questions than he answered. Sure, he loved telling stories, but he gleaned information for those stories from everyone he talked to, everything he read, and everything he listened to.

Be Genuinely Interested in Others

There was rarely a conversation that didn’t involve Walt asking what my kids were up to, how an event had been received, or how the high school teams were doing.

And no recent visit was complete without asking how the city’s pool project was coming along. He knew he wasn’t going to be around when it was built. He knew he would never swim in it himself. But he knew it was important to the community, to families, to young people and he was genuinely interested in how it was progressing.

Especially once he was no longer able to venture out on his own any longer, he really wanted to know what was going on in the community.

Be Willing To Try Something Different

Most people know that Walt was a baker, opening his bakery to McCook in 1957 and operating it until his son, Matt, and Shelly took it over in 1990. But did you know that Walt also dabbled as a travel agent?

There are several hours of interviews with Walt waiting to be edited for the yet-to-be-broadcast podcast, “Before They Forget: Uncommon Stories from the Buffalo Commons.”

Recorded last year with his daughter Susan at his side - both to prompt and to confirm the stories- Walt quickly glossed over his time as a travel agent. After being redirected back to the subject, he confirmed that he had sold the bakery, became a travel agent and then eventually resumed his role back at the bakery.

Be Flexible

While interviewing Walt and John Hubert for the McCook Rotary’s 100th anniversary newspaper supplement in February, both men noted that when they joined the club, only men were invited to be members. The unofficial reason women weren’t allowed was because the member’s wives didn’t want them “mingling” with the opposite gender.

But as Walt said, allowing women was a good thing; otherwise, the club would likely not exist today - although he did note that the types of jokes became a bit tamer when women joined.

Travel, Travel, Travel

While he was still physically able, Walt loved to travel. It was how you learned things about yourself and about others, how you learned about your own community and about other communities. Sure, it was important to love your own community, but he knew that you could make it better by learning from others.

Keep Learning

To get an extra use out of their caps and gowns, I took a group of 2022 McCook High School graduates to see Walt at Kinship Point the day before their graduation ceremony in May. After congratulating them on completing their high school career, Walt asked each and every one of them what they planned to do next to further their education, commenting that even though you may graduate, you should never stop learning.

Get Involved.

Simply read Walt’s obituary and you can see how involved he was in the community. You you can be president of a club or just be active in its’ activities. Maybe you serve on the city council or volunteer for civic committees. Perhaps you help organize an event or you just show up and enjoy it. They are all great ways of getting involved in your community, making it an even better place to call home.

Perhaps it is fitting that Walt passed just after the 25th annual Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival in McCook. He was part of its creation and its success over the years. While he couldn’t attend any of the events in person this year, I guarantee that he followed the storytelling activities through pictures in the paper and in-person visits from a few of the performers. He was a man of many stories, both about him and that he told.

Along with the hours recorded for the podcast, Walt’s family has tried to record many of his stories over the years. But there never is - and never will be - enough time to learn everything from a man with so many stories and so much to share.

And that is just one reason why Walt will have such a long-lasting influence on the community: Walt may have made his living because of what he did in the bakery, but he made his impact because of what he did for the community.

***

The McCook Community Foundation Fund was the recipient of the Sehnert’s generosity many times over the years. Most recently, MCFF led the Sehnert Challenge, which honored Walt and Jean Sehnert, as well as their love of arts and culture. Walt and Jean loved entertaining others and loved being entertained, which is was why the campaign was so successful,

The funds raised as part of the Sehnert Challenge will benefit the community in the form of grants for arts and culture, ensuring that Walt and Jean Sehnert’s legacy will continue generations to come,

Pickleball Project Moving Forward

Thu, 16 Jun 2022 22:52:12 GMT

Funding includes $20,000 grant from MCFF

One of McCook’s fastest growing sports is getting new courts. A Pickleball Improvement Project is moving forward at Russell Park. A local group of passionate pickleball players are leading the project. It includes expanding and resurfacing the current court to accommodate three full size pickleball courts and will include permanent netting, fencing and lighting.

Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in America. The racket/paddle sport is played by players of all ages and has several health and social benefits including improved mood and mental health, calorie burn, balance, agility, reducing health risks, and opportunity to make new friendships.

McCook’s pickleball athletes regularly play at the Ed Thomas YMCA, but they have outgrown the space and time available. In March 2021, the pickleball group joined several wellness minded community leaders looking to improve community health by increasing availability to exercise opportunities in McCook. This started the Wellness McCook Initiative. Pickleball was one of four lead projects, including the pool, ballfields and walking trails. The Ed Thomas YMCA renovation and an inclusive playground project have also been added to the Wellness McCook Initiative.

The group researched opportunities and funding sources for additional courts. Ultimately, Russell Park was identified; a plan developed and fundraising started. The group has received pledges for more than $51,000 for the project, in addition to a $20,000 grant from the McCook Community Foundation Fund. Total project cost is estimated at $80,000 with a completion date of late summer.

Brian Michaelis, Mike Roth, Christy Stevens, Cathy Kenny and several others have stepped up to lead the Pickleball Improvement Project. They are available to answer questions and take donations toward the project. Community Hospital Health Foundation is assisting with the receipt and distribution of funds for the project. Contact Community Hospital Health Foundation at 308- 344-7222 for more information.

The Wellness McCook Initiative is an action plan of McCook’s Communities of Excellence program. Community Hospital is one of the leaders in the Communities of Excellence and Wellness McCook Initiative. The Wellness McCook Initiative continues to meet regularly to facilitate progress with these projects. Representation includes: City of McCook, Community Hospital, Community Hospital Health Foundation, Elevate Wellness, McCook Community College/ Mid Plains Community College, McCook Community Foundation Fund, McCook Pickleball Group, McCook Public Schools, and Ed Thomas YMCA.

Pets are Worth It....Most of the Time

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 16 Jun 2022 15:33:00 GMT

It is innocent at first. Just a quick stop at the Humane Society to see what dogs and cats are there. Later that night, the discussion over the dinner table is a listing of all the dogs the Humane Society has available that would be suitable but one dog at home is enough.

A few days later, another stop at the Humane Society, just to see if the same dogs and cats are available. Later that night, another discussion but reason sets in that a new puppy would be a lot of work.

But the look of those puppy-dog eyes - literally puppy-dog eyes - gazing through the gate lingers in the background. And that is how just a few days later a puppy makes its way into a new home.

Why do we have pets? Who was the first person to bring an animal inside and live with them? Aren’t they more work than they are worth sometimes?

Yet, animals are an integral part of our lives. We can’t imagine our days without them.

Our love of animals is why we spend billions of dollars a year to pamper, feed and care for them. Why else would there be a market for cat-sized rain jackets and St. Bernard-sized sweaters?

Just look around at what we do for our animals, all out of love.

Last weekend, the local 4-Hers held their first dog show on the Red Willow County Fairgrounds. These young people spend weeks upon weeks working with their dogs to obey commands and follow instructions. They spend countless hours grooming their canines so they look presentable in the ring, only for some of them to encounter a skunk the night before. (Baking soda, the answer to cleaning skunk smell is baking soda.)

But it isn’t just about the animals. The young people learn discipline, they learn control, they learn that even though they may do everything right, some things are out of their control. After all, they are still working with an animal. But most importantly, they get to be around animals they love.

Our love of animals is why the McCook K9 Korner Dog Park was created. The dog park allows people to have their animals, in spite of the size of their dwelling. It allows people to enjoy the outdoors with their dog in a safe environment.

Our love of animals is why the McCook Humane Society exists. We don’t want to see animals being mistreated or abandoned. We want them to have a good home. At the end of the day, we want them to be loved.

And that is how we end up with a new dog in the home. A new dog who chews up expensive headphones left lying on the bed. A new dog who chases the cats who have called the residence home for years. A new dog who is insistent that the older dog will play with him by gnawing on his leg.

But at the end of the day when the new dog lays his head on your lap, wanting nothing more than to have his ears scratched but giving nothing but love back, you realize why animals have made their ways into our homes…and into our hearts. Hopefully, the good outweighs the bad.

What do pets bring to our lives? Simply put, they make our homes… an even better place to call home.reat local theater with great local talent and we look forward to upcoming productions wherever they happen in the community.

Big Give McCook New Organizations Due by July 5

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 16 Jun 2022 14:51:12 GMT

By RONDA GRAFF

MCFF

Plans are underway for the 7th annual Big Give McCook, which will be Thursday, Nov. 3, 2022. Along with welcoming back the previous non-profit groups, organizers have opened up registration for new non-profit organizations now through July 5th.

Applications are available online at biggivemccook.org for any new non-profit organizations which would like to be part of the 2022 Big Give McCook. Organizations, which have participated in the past, have been contacted to see about being part of Big Give McCook again this year.

Big Give McCook is coordinated by a volunteer Community Chest committee.

To join Big Give McCook, organizations are asked to fill out an application on the website under “Sign Up Now.” Participants will also be asked to attend one planning meeting as well as offer support leading up to and on the day of Big Give McCook.

To be eligible for Big Give McCook, organizations must have a 501(c)3 exempt status in good standing with the IRS as well as have a physical presence and provide services for Southwest Nebraska. Private foundations and political or governmental organizations are excluded from the event. Religious organizations are also excluded except those providing community programs. All applications are ultimately approved by the Community Chest committee.

Big Give McCook is one day devoted to philanthropy, where every donation - large or small - makes a difference. From midnight to midnight on Nov. 3, participating non-profits will be eligible for donations, whether they are given online or in person at “giving stations” around McCook.

For more information about Big Give McCook, visit the Big Give website or call Community Chest co-coordinators Lisa Felker or Melissa Stritt at 345-4240.

Turning a Dream Into Reality

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Mon, 13 Jun 2022 13:47:21 GMT

Norris Avenue is probably the most well-known street in McCook. Originally named Main Street when McCook was formed in 1882, Norris Avenue is arguably the “heart” of the community. Parades travel down its southern portion and trees tower over the northern section. While not equally dividing the town in half, it does distinguish the east and west sides of town.

On the other end of the notoriety spectrum is Norris Walkway, which many people have likely traversed but didn’t know its’ name. This is the sloped sidewalk connecting the city’s covered parking lot on East First and D Streets to Norris Avenue. It is lined with wrought-iron railing and majestic street lights. And hopefully soon, unique bike racks will be located on either end of the ramp, encouraging bicycling to the downtown area.

Somewhere in the middle of its renown is Norris Alley. Originally conceived 10 years ago, the former parking lot between the Keystone Business Center and the Fox Theater has been transformed into a community plaza.

Norris Alley will be in official use this weekend as part of the Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival. The KidsFest takes place from 12-3 p.m. in Norris Alley with nearly all the storytelling artists on hand to lead activities and projects with the young people. And there is no charge. Families just need to stop by.

But what exactly is Norris Alley and how did it come to be?

The idea originated after Mark and Linda Graff utilized the Keystone, the parking lot and the Fox for wedding events. While the parking lot was usable, they envisioned the space as so much more after seeing similar spaces in other communities.

So the Norris Institute took the lead, creating a design and raising funds to transform the space from a rock and dirt parking lot into a community gathering space.

And many organizations and individuals were part of the project, including the city of McCook which made a donation from the ACE funds. The McCook Community Foundation Fund was also fully in support of creating a space where people could gather and have conversations in the memory of George Norris. MCFF had recently held a successful Walt and Jean Sehnert Challenge, raising money in the interest of arts and culture, and Norris Alley was right up its “alley” for financial support.

Norris Alley has already been put to use several times since it was completed last fall. As part of the “Night on the Bricks” celebration last November, the Nebraska Community Foundation utilized the space for a video on the common wall with the Fox Theater.

McCook Community College hosted a pirate-laden theater production last month. Despite some wind testing the actors’ resolve, the play proved to be a good fit for the space.

And now the trees are in full bloom in Norris Alley, providing shade on soon-to-be hot days. The tables and chairs and benches encourage grabbing lunch and visiting with friends. At the very least, the former parking lot has been transformed into a beautiful space.

Just for clarification, there were actually two fund-raising projects as part of Norris Alley.

Funds were raised to “create” Norris Alley. In other words, Norris Alley funds were used to pour the concrete, install the trees and lighting, and purchase the chairs and tables.

A separate project - and fund-raising - was held to purchase and install the art piece, “The Blues Wall,” which adorns the west end of Norris Alley.

And to answer a few often-asked questions: Yes, it is a piece of art. Yes, it is finished. No, it hasn’t been vandalized.

Art truly is in the eye of the beholder. Everyone will interpret a piece of art differently. Everyone will see something they like or maybe don’t like about a piece of art. That is the beauty of art. There is no right or wrong answer. It is up to each individual to take what they want from what they are seeing.

Or they can keep on moving until they do find something they like.

Whether driving down Norris Avenue or strolling down the sidewalk, take a moment to appreciate Norris Alley, not just because it is beautiful, especially when the lights are lit up at night. Take a moment to appreciate it because someone turned a dream into reality; because people came together to make it happen; because citizens wanted to make their community better for themselves and for others. Norris Alley truly is an example of making McCook an even better place to call home.

Nothing to Do Here Simply Not True

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 02 Jun 2022 20:08:30 GMT

Last week, the Smithsonian traveling exhibit of Crossroads: Change in Rural America left town.

After volunteers spent eight hours packing hundreds, if not thousands, of pieces into 16 crates, a semi-trailer hauled the exhibit to Chadron, its last stop before returning to Washington D.C.

Thanks to the Smithsonian, Humanities Nebraska, the McCook Economic Development Corp., and the McCook Arts Council, the free exhibit was at the Keystone in McCook for nearly two months. Hundreds of students toured the six displays as part of field trips. Dozens of docents (ie., a volunteer guides) guided the kids not just around the exhibit but guided them to think deeper about what they were viewing and experiencing.

Additionally, hundreds of visitors from the community, around the area and across the state stopped by to check out the visit on loan from the Smithsonian and financed by the U.S. Congress.

The Smithsonian exhibit is a great example of celebrating what is here. We didn’t have to travel to Washington. It was brought to us.

The exhibit was an opportunity to learn something new and celebrate being included with a reference to the Buffalo Commons Storytelling Festival and a passing reference to George Norris on the displays.

An exhibit of this caliber doesn’t happen very often. While this may have been the first time it stopped in McCook, hopefully it is not the last. There are other traveling exhibits created by the Smithsonian, which will hopefully make their way to the area down the road.

While the Smithsonian may have moved on, the month of June is a great of example of refuting the statement “There is nothing to do here.”

This weekend in Community Hospital’s Pro Am, which will bring golfers in from across the country. Even if you don’t golf, the event is still a spectacle to behold and benefits the community.

Next weekend, the 25(1/2) Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival takes place. Again, national-caliber artists will be descending upon the community, bringing their talents and expertise to McCook’s front door. The Talbott Brothers, originally from Imperial and now residing in the Northwest U.S., will return to the area for the first time in years. Shonto Begay will bring his unique artistic style from the Southwest U.S, to McCook. And author, storyteller and playwright Kevin Kling will be sharing stories throughout the weekend.

While some of the events require paid tickets, many of the events are free to the public from the kids activities in Norris Alley (between the Fox and Keystone) on Saturday, June 11, 12-3 p.m. to the Voices from the past on Sunday, June 12, 2-4 p.m. at the High Plains Museum.

And as part of the McCook Chamber of Commerce’s Crazy Days at the end of June, the inaugural Bash on the Bricks will take place Friday, June 24. Norris Avenue will be shut down in front of the Keystone and Fox Theater with music, food and fun.

Events and programs like this don’t just magically appear. Organizations and volunteers put in hundreds of hours to make things like this happen. Why? Because they want to do fun things in their very own backyard. Because they want to bring these types of projects directly to their friends and families and neighbors.

So even if we don’t get involved in putting on these events, the least the rest of us can do is show up. Just coming and enjoying the events shows our support; it shows that we want these types of events in our community; it shows that we can be a place that others will want to visit and want to live.

And along with all these events, this doesn’t even include all the great things our community offers on a daily basis from visits to the nearby lakes to just strolling around our parks.

For anyone who says there is nothing to do here, ask yourself: What are you doing to make McCook and our communities even better places to call home? Because all of these events are doing exactly that…making our community an even better place to call home.

Youth Entrepreneur Camp Deadline June 5

Wed, 01 Jun 2022 12:08:58 GMT

McCOOK, Neb. — McCook Community College is accepting applications through June 5 for the Hormel Youth Entrepreneurship Competition with a chance for area youth to win up to $4,000 in prizes for new or existing business ideas.

This competition – which is in its second year, is open to those in the ninth through 12th grade who live in the following counties: Chase Dundy, Frontier, Furnas, Hayes, Hitchcock and Red Willow.

Those accepted will attend an Entrepreneur Camp Aug. 8, 15, 22 and 29 from 6-9 p.m. with business plans due Sept. 6 and presented Sept. 12-13.

Last year, three area youth took won at least $1,500 for their businesses which included pizza and cupcake businesses. Morgan Peterson of Imperial won $5,000 for her business, ImpERFECT Confections, Ethan Graff of McCook won second place and received $2,500 for his Nebraska Pizza Company. Kailynn Rodewald, McCook, received a third-place check for $1,500 for her presentation of Sweet & Sassy Cakes and Cupcakes.

These winners developed business plans which that outlined how and why they chose their idea, a cost analysis including assets and expenditures, projected costs and revenue, examples of marketing and plans for what any money would be used for.

Application forms are available at the MCC Business and Community Education Office, room 210, McMillen Hall, 1205 E. Third.

Finding the Balance with Visitors

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 27 May 2022 13:10:31 GMT

The camping season kicks off this weekend with area campgrounds booked to capacity, many of them filled days before the holiday weekend even arrived.

The recreation areas will be teeming with locals and out-of-towners, everyone enjoying the warmer weather and celebrating the arrival of summer.

This can be seen as a good and bad.

Because our area has quite a few camping options, it is ripe for visitors from out of the state, usually Colorado. Locals often lament all the Coloradoans taking the camping spots and bringing their “hippy” ways.

On the other hand, those same visitors have extra money to spend, bringing a boost to the local economy. And it isn’t like most of us don’t travel to other states, spending money along the way.

So where is the balance between wanting others to experience and savor our little part of the world and wanting it to stay a secret and keep it to ourselves?

During the height of the Covid shut-down, there were stories of people isolated in their city apartments for weeks and months on end. Meanwhile, country and rural dwellers had ample space to spread out and maintain safe distances. That was the perk of living in a low-density area.

As people resume traveling and vacationing, that isolation is getting a littler hard to come by.

Again, just drive through the area campgrounds on a holiday weekend and you will see a mixture of local and out-of-state license plates filling every spot.

That up-tick in tourists and visitors doesn’t sit well with some people.

In an effort to keep people away, some locals like to share all the reasons why someone shouldn’t visit our community. Tongue-in-cheek posts highlight all the negative things about Nebraska, like the bugs, the scarcity of people, the bugs, the wild temperature swings, the bugs. All in an attempt to keep out the crowds and keep our little slice of heaven to ourselves.

But consider the alternative. Many of us travel regularly, spending our dollars in other locations, gaining new experiences, seeing the wonders of the world around us.

Don’t we want the same for others? To experience what we take for granted….wide open spaces, natural beauty, the opportunity to be by ourselves or with others if we choose to do so. And if they spend a few dollars while they are here, isn’t that a good thing?

A few weeks ago, Mathew and Sarah Baker Hansen spoke in McCook, as part of a Humanities Nebraska event connected to the Smithsonian traveling exhibit at the Keystone.

They have a book called, “The Better Half: Nebraska’s Hidden Treasures,” where they traveled the state highlighting the great businesses and locations across Nebraska. Sehnert’s Bakery is mentioned in the section about bierocs and Runzas. They simply wanted Nebraskans to appreciate what is literally in their own backyards.

During their recent visit, the Hansens quoted a survey about tourism. In 2015, people were asked where they are most likely to visit on vacation. To no one’s surprise, Nebraska ranked 50th.

This means one of two things. Either there is nothing to do in the state, but we all know that isn’t true. Or there are things to do, but we aren’t very good at promoting what we do have.

On the plus side, in the most recent survey, Nebraska did make an improvement, moving up to 47th place. So something has changed, albeit small, but still a step in the right direction.

At the end of the day, we are never going to have mountains. We are never going to have oceans. We are never going to have continuous, sunny 80-degree days. So we are never going to be overrun with tourists or visitors.

That being said, we also don’t have traffic jams. We don’t have crowds. We don’t have just one season. And that just be what tourists and visitors are looking for and what we in southwest Nebraska and northwest Kansas already have. Plus, we get to call it home all the time.

Child Care: A Tale of Two Employees

Mon, 23 May 2022 17:14:57 GMT

Over the past several years, the McCook Economic Development Corporation has focused on childcare, with innovative programs to boost early childhood care and access. Once a month, Community Connection will share the view of someone intimately involved or affected by our community’s child care situation. This month, Jerry Calvin shares how child care affects his business, Taco John’s.

As the owner along with my wife, Robin, of the Taco John’s franchise in McCook, the single most difficult part of the business is recruiting, training, and retaining quality employees. Just by the nature of the business in which we operate, it takes a specific and resilient type of person to meet the public's demands.

And to complicate matters even more, as everyone in America is aware of currently, the labor pool is almost non-existent.

In the recent past, we had two different employees who were struggling with the same issue: the lack of childcare for their child.

The first employee was a high school student who was the parent of a young child. He was determined to remain in school and spend the necessary time to take an active role in the child's life. To do so, he juggled a part-time job to help pay for the child's needs.

Initially, his family members were able to help care for the child while the employee was working. However, circumstances in the family’s lives made it increasingly difficult to help provide the childcare he needed.

Due to the hours in which he was attending school, the employee was restricted to evening, night, and some weekend hours at Taco John’s. It was a difficult struggle, and it culminated in the employee's decision to quit his job as he could not continue to stretch himself so thin and still maintain a quality relationship with his child. It basically boiled down to working or helping care for his child.

That, in my opinion, is an easy decision because the child always comes first in these types of situations. So, Robin and I lost a trained, well-performing employee simply because there were no evening and/or night daycare providers available for the hours needed.

The second employee faced a similar struggle but at the other end of the day.

She was a single parent with limited family members to help with childcare. She had the child enrolled in a daycare center, but the hours of operation limited the hours in which she would be available to work for us. She was a very good worker, always on time, excellent customer skills, and a great team member. She had it all.

This employee was asking for as many hours as they could possibly have and we offered an "opening," full-time position. Opening for us is 5:30 a.m. That did not work into the employee's childcare open/available hours.

And on the back end of the employee's schedule, the employee had to pick up their child in the middle of the afternoon shift which, again, restricted the employee's ability to fulfill the obligations necessary to maintain full-time status. The employee wanted to make it work; however, the lack of early morning childcare made it impossible.

I am involved with the McCook Economic Development Corporation and have been for several years. The work that Andy Long and Milva McGhee have accomplished in fostering and supporting our daycare providers is nothing short of a miracle.

Also, hats off to the amazing childcare providers in McCook. Without these wonderfully talented, patient, and caring people, our work force in McCook would be brought to a standstill.

Be that as it may, we still need more options for people who work various shifts in our workforce. I truly understand the rules and regulations in which our childcare providers must operate. It is unbelievable what they must do to meet the standards required to maintain their licenses.

And, just like Robin and I, they too are struggling to find just the right people who can work in the childcare environment. I continue to be optimistic and hopeful that we can work together to help fill those various needs like the ones in which our two employees were forced to face.

Can Change Be Tough But It Is Necessary

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 12 May 2022 17:18:22 GMT

Our young people will be leading the change needed for our communities.

We are in the midst of graduations, likely the biggest change for most of our young people so far in their lives. They are likely feeling many emotions: excitement, relief, trepidation, anxiousness, all of the above because change can bring on all those feelings.

For many people, change is a four-letter word. But it’s not. Literally, it’s not. It’s six letters.

Change is inevitable and change is necessary. Will mistakes be made? Most likely. Will there be failures along the way? Most definitely. But will there be improvements? Most likely. Will there be successes? Most definitely.

In order for things to get better, there must be change. And while some people are hesitant to embrace change, others are willing to try something new.

For example, McCook Public Schools is trying something different with graduation this year. For years, graduation has been on a Sunday. There were pros and cons to having it on that day, usually Mother’s Day. But it was switched to a Friday evening this year and next. Will it be perfect for everyone with this change? Probably night, but at least they are trying something different. And if it doesn’t work, the event can be switched back to Sunday or even a different day.

For those who think that graduation has always been on a Sunday, the date has floated throughout the week, even landing on a Tuesday night only a few decades back.

Trying something different is not bad and it may just lead to other changes.

Because of the change in the graduation date, this forced changes in other areas including the traditional McCook Senior Celebration.

First held in 1985 as a way to thwart under-age drinking, the celebration has changed and evolved over the years. But for many involved, it had grown too big and too expensive. Every year, the fund-raising and the event looked like the class was trying to one-up the previous year, draining resources from the community.

So this year, there were several changes.

For starters, the money raised for the senior celebration will no longer be raised during the students’ senior year. Instead, it has been shifted to being raised during the junior year, freeing up senior parents to simply enjoy their child’s senior year.

The celebration is also being scaled back, with senior parents agreeing that you didn’t need thousands and thousands of dollars to provide a party for the graduates. After all, the purpose of the party had become to host one final event for the kids, give them one last time to be together as a class, most likely for the last time in their lives.

There was another change to the senior celebration. The kids will still be entertained with a hypnotist and a photo-booth, games and food, but most of the money raised during the football games last fall will be recirculated back into the local economy.

The money raised was used to purchase gift cards from local businesses which will be given as gifts to the graduates at their senior celebration. This serves two purposes.

First, it recycles the money back into the local economy, benefitting the local businesses who have supported these kids throughout their entire school career, usually as sponsors for various events. These were the businesses who donated every time a kid walked into their business, asking for a donation, so this is a great opportunity to give back to the businesses.

Secondly, the kids will realize what businesses are available in their community. They will learn who has supported them throughout the years. They will learn how these businesses keep the community going and make the community a place we want to call home. And if the graduate happens to receive a gift-card they don’t like or won’t use - not everyone wants a manicure or needs a new headlight from the auto store - the cards will make great belated Mother’s Day or early Father’s Day gifts.

Are all these changes perfect? No, but they are a start to discussing what is good and what is bad in what we are doing.

Are all these changes permanent? Probably not, but at least these groups were willing to take a chance and make a change to how things “had always been done.”

As we celebrate our graduates from high school, college and beyond, consider all the changes they are going to go through in just a few short years. They have to decide if they are going to pursue further education. They have to decide what career they are going to enter. They have to decide where they are going to live. And none of that even touches upon marriage, kids, and family.

But these young people are going make a difference. They are going to make choices. And they are going to make changes - good and bad - because that is how we move from status quo to making our communities even better places to call home.

2022 MCFF Scholarships Awarded

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Wed, 11 May 2022 17:15:54 GMT

2022 MCFF Scholarship Recipients

McCook Community Foundation Fund awarded six scholarships this spring for the 2022-23 academic year, including the Bernard and Nelda Haag Scholarship and the Barbara Fassler-Neumann Nursing Scholarship.

The Haag Scholarship, worth $1,000, was given to Naomi Farnsworth, who graduated from Wallace High School in May 2021 and attends Casper College in Casper, Wyoming. Farnsworth is studying animal science to become a bovine embryologist with the intention of being part of the cattle industry in Nebraska.

The Barbara Fassler-Neumann Nursing Scholarship provided five scholarships for a total of $6,000. The scholarship may be awarded to recent high school graduates as well as those currently practicing medical professionals who have resided in the area for at least four years.

One scholarship worth $2,000 each was awarded to Tucker Gillespie, who will graduate from McCook High School and plans to attend Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas, where he will study neuroscience and medicine.

Four additional $1,000 scholarships were awarded to Katherine Kjendal, a 2017 MHS graduate who is attending Creighton University and studying pharmacy; Holly Thomas, a 2018 MHS graduate who is attending the University of Nebraska Medical Center and studying to be a pharmacist; Shelby Skolout, a 2018 MHS graduate studying at Clarkson College to become a nurse; and Haiden Loop, a 2018 MHS graduate and 2022 UNL graduate, who will study at UNMC to become a pharmacist.

The Haag Scholarship has been given since 2006, while the Hassler-Neumann Scholarship is now in its seventh year. Both scholarships are distributed through the McCook Community Foundation Fund, an affiliate of the Nebraska Community Foundation.

Time for Transition

Wed, 27 Apr 2022 18:01:34 GMT

Retirement is finally here.

I recently entered this new phase of life where I moved from the highly-scheduled routine of a professional working day to the less-scheduled day of home projects, traveling and a variety of community efforts.

This will require a transition period. And I am finding that I need to add some routine to my days or I can simply while my time away. Without adding some intentionality to my schedule, weeks and months could slip away with little to show for my time.

Thinking about my personal transition, I realized there is a commonality with transitions in our workplaces, government entities, social groups and civic clubs. So many of these organizations have reached their own “retirement” age and now need to address succession planning or a handing over of the reins to new members.

I want to commend one local group for illustrating a powerful way to do this. If you attended the recent performance of Little Women , put on by the Southwest Nebraska Community Theatre Association (SWNCTA), you would have been treated to an excellent musical production by local artists.

More importantly, you may have noticed that there was a host of younger people debuting their passion and skills for performing. Even the director was from the younger generation.

Could these young performers have put together a successful show on their own? Not yet, but they didn’t have to do so. Instead, many of the older and experienced members we have watched for many years did not step away but merely stepped aside.

Just a few examples of “regulars” I noticed: Kathy was in the ticket sales booth, Jim was greeting people at the front door, Don and Alice were taking tickets, Mark and Tim were helping with the stage crew, Chuck was on set construction, Russ, Sue and Darrin were manning the sound, several remained on set design, Sheryl handled costumes and the list goes on.

Was the acting of the new performers as polished? Not yet. Was the singing as lyrical and beautiful? Not yet. Was the dancing and on-stage movement as fluid? Not yet.

The key word here is “yet.” With these young performers’ natural talents, combined with their passion for sharing their gifts and having the guidance of experienced people walking beside them and teaching them, they will surely become our next group of local stars. I imagine there were moments of frustration on everyone’s part through this transition and learning process. New life only comes through change, and change can be hard. What was displayed on stage for the audience, however, was a professional and entertaining show with a host of new members.

We can all learn from SWNCTA on the importance of sustaining our organizations into the future. Whether it is a business, public office, community nonprofit, church group, or your own clubs, we are at a crucial time in our community to pass on the knowledge and talents to new members -- or watch many of these groups slowly slip away.

Don’t step away – step aside – then stay involved to help with the transition. Regardless of your stage in life, find an area in which you have a desire to make an impact in our community and get involved. Consider serving as a mentor or asking someone to be your mentor.

If we work together to step aside and not step away, we will continue making McCook an even better place to call home.

Peggy Been recently retired from MNB Bank after 25 years, but remains secretary for MCFF and will undoubtedly stay actively involved in the community.

Youth group provides leadership and learning

Wed, 30 Mar 2022 22:24:59 GMT

Throughout my life, I have always been active in the community. I have participated in a wide variety of activities ranging from sports’ camps to 4-H activities, including a commitment from my 4-H club to a community service learning project.

Participating in these activities has given me the opportunity to learn not only what it means to be active in the community, but to also assist in bettering it for others. Without these experiences, I would not have had such a strong interest in joining Youth Change Reaction (YCR), the youth organization for the McCook Community Foundation Fund.

Through YCR, I knew that I would be able to help further the betterment of our community in ways I would never have dreamt of previously. Joining YCR has been one of the best experiences I have had and has taught me what it takes to have and build a great community.

Growing up in McCook, I always experienced camps and activities that were put on by others in the community. The memories I have gained from these events are some of the most important memories of my childhood due to how much I enjoyed them.

As I grew up, I wanted to be a part of the people who put events on in the community so I could give others the same joy that I had experienced. As I aged through 4-H, I had the opportunity to help others with their projects and activities.

When I was in 8th grade and eligible to join YCR, I knew I wanted to be a part of the organization because its main focus is to benefit the community.

Prior to joining, I was familiar with YCR because my older sister is a former member. I watched the events that she helped create and put on during her four years as a member, including a dive-in movie at the YMCA and hosting dances at the junior high. This involvement solidified my decision to apply as a member when the time came.

Not only has YCR allowed me to help make our community a better place for everyone but it has given me the opportunity and resources to grow and become a better leader. Being a member of a group that aids young people in becoming future leaders is an invaluable asset for the future generation.

My involvement in YCR has also shown me what it really takes to make a community great: hard work and dedication. Most people don’t see all time and effort it takes to take a project from an idea to completion. But that is what is required if we want to make our communities a great place to live for generations to come.

For starters, citizens must buy in and be willing to put in the time necessary to reach their goals. It takes teamwork from not only a multitude of people but multiple groups, a variety of organization, and people of all ages. One singular group cannot make a community accomplish great things. It takes collaboration, including the young and old. The saying, “Many hands make light work,” is especially true when it comes to a community coming together to accomplish a goal.

As I prepare to graduate from high school in just a few months, I have reflected on everything I have learned, which I will use the rest of my life. The skills I have gained and the people I have met these past four years on YCR will help me become a strong and beneficial leader in my future community - wherever that is.

Using the enthusiasm from my fellow YCR members and the knowledge from the adults surrounding me, I will take the amazing ideas and vision that McCook’s community has and spread them to wherever I end up. As I prepare for the next state of my life, joining YCR will always be one of the greatest opportunities I have ever had to learn, grow, and see how important being part of the community can be.

James Neel is a senior at McCook High School, a four-year member of YCR and the reigning Red Willow 4-H Senior Showmanship Champion at the 4-H dog show.

2022's "We Can Club"

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 04 Mar 2022 13:43:22 GMT

While we don’t know what the rest of 2022 will hold, we can only hope that McCook is as successful as it was in 1922. Or even the 1920s in general. What was so great about the 1920s and 1922 specifically?

In 1922, the Keystone Hotel was completed. Now known as the Keystone Business Center, the six-story building came to be because of the can-do spirit of the time. In fact, there was a group called the “We Can Club” which worked together to raise the needed finances, to pull together resources and to overcome obstacles in their way.

On one evening at a booster’s banquet, the “We Can Club” raised nearly $100,000 to build the Keystone Hotel.

In 1919.

By 120 people.

Another $100,000 was soon pledged. In the end, the “We Can Club" raised more than $300,000 to complete a project they thought was vital to a growing, thriving community.

Now, I can’t pass up the opportunity to include this other interesting fact about how the Keystone Hotel came to be.

According to a February 2011 Gazette article celebrating the Keystone’s renovation, there was an obstacle standing in the way of constructing the new Keystone Hotel: the Commercial Hotel, which was still in operation and standing on Main Street in McCook. Coincidentally, that hotel burned down in 1920, allowing fundraising efforts and resources to be directed toward the Keystone Hotel at a greatly accelerated rate.

I do not want to imply that the Commercial Hotel burned down on purpose, but it sure was helpful to making progress.

But I digress…

In June 1922, the Keystone Hotel opened with much fanfare, just in time for an Elks horse-racing event. The community made sacrifices to make it happen, making sure delinquent notes were paid at McCook National Bank and Ford Garage and supplies were provided at cost. The “We Can Club” had set a deadline and achieved their goal, an achievement which stands to this day in downtown McCook.

Of course, things were different in the 1920s. Small towns were popping up along the railroad lines and rural America was growing. Families were much larger than they are today so the population was booming. And people strolled the streets and visited with their neighbors for entertainment rather than staying at home, just staring at a screen.

But they also understood that if they wanted to make something happen, they had to do it themselves. No one was coming in on a white horse to save them or rushing in to do it for them.

Perhaps more importantly, community leaders were not afraid to tackle a difficult project, led by Pat Walsh, founder of McCook National Bank and president of the Keystone Hotel Company; and A. Barnett, of Barnett Lumber who was involved in almost every prominent McCook building from the Fox Theater to the original YMCA.

The “We Can Club” came up with a plan, they gathered their resources, and pulled the community together to get things done.

And 100 years later, the community has proven it can rise to the occasion.

A few weeks ago, Hillcrest Nursing Home raised more than $250,000 in one evening during Night on the Hill. For the past five years, the community has raised $200,000 in 24-hours during Big Give McCook. Community Hospital regularly reaches its’ capital campaign goals because of the generosity in our community. And the McCook Community Foundation Fund is known for its homegrown challenges, where local donors offer up matching funds for other donations. Again and again, the community shows it can step up when it is asked, when there is a plan, when there is a need.

The Keystone continues to be a testament of getting things done, even if it looks impossible. In 2009, the Keystone again looked like an impossible project after sitting unused for a decade. Community leaders came together, overcame what seemed like impossible odds and renovated the Keystone into the beautiful business center it is today.

It is hard to imagine downtown McCook today without the Keystone, yet many don’t realize how close the building was to being demolished.

Former McCook Economic Development Corp. director Rex Nelson was in McCook last week for the EDC’s annual meeting as well as for a ceremonial mortgage burning. During a conversation with him about saving the building, Nelson said engineers told him the building was within months of being condemned because of structural issues. The Keystone was saved at the last minute thanks to a can-do spirit.

McCook is again on the cusp of many large projects, which are vital to a vibrant, thriving community. But it is going to require a community willing to take risks, willing to come together to make things happen, willing to invest in itself to make things happen.

it is going to take each and every one of us to become members of this century’s “We Can Club” if we are going to make McCook into an even better place to call home.

Ask the Question: What Will it Take?

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 25 Feb 2022 21:32:50 GMT

In the book “Influence in Your Superpower” by Zoe Chance, the Yale professor says it takes one simple yet still complex question to get things done: “What will it take?”

What will it take to make something happen? What will it take to make change in your community? What will it take to make your community the best it can be?

Prof. Chance uses the example of a small African country which had the serious problem of women dying because of trafficking. Gloria Steinem visited the community and asked the women: What will it take to stop this problem? Their answer? An electric fence.

You may ask what does an electric fence have to do with women being trafficked? These villagers raised crops as their source of food and income. But every year, the elephants would come and trample their livelihood, erasing all their hard work, their food and how they supported themselves. Hence, the women were forced into trafficking because they had no alternative. But the villagers determined that a fence could ease if not solve their problem by keeping the elephants out.

So they were given money for a fence.

Five years later when Steinem returned, not one woman had been lost in the village to trafficking. The solution worked first because the villagers knew the answer, not an outsider coming in and telling them what they should do.

Secondly, the question “What will it take?” worked because the person or group providing the answer has a stake in the solution. They understood the problem better than anyone. They came up with the answer so they have a vested interest in making it happen. Solving the problem became their responsibility because they came up with the resolution.

How does this apply to us? How can this make an impact on our everyday lives?

Too often, we sit on the sidelines and lament that a problem is too big or too complex. We throw our hands up in the air and give up before we have even begun. We think someone else is going to solve the problem or come up with the solution.

But what would happen if you asked yourself, what will it take to make my community into a place where I want to live and raise my family? What will it take to make my community into a place where neighbors help neighbors? What will it take to make my community into a place where others want to move to, where others want to get involved, where others want to make a difference?

There is not one right answer.

Does that mean getting involved in a local organization? Does it mean running for political office? Does it mean bringing your friends together to build something? Does that mean working to change something you don’t like?

Instead of sitting in a morning coffee group just bemoaning the state of affairs, what would happen if they asked What will it take…? and then did something about it.

Instead of posting on social media about what others to come up with a solution, what would happen if everyone asked What will it take to solve the problem?

Instead of thinking you are alone in your desire to make a difference, what would happen if a group got together - with food and drinks because they makes everything better - and asked “What will it take to make my community even better for my kids and my kids’ kids?”

Just like there is not one right answer, there isn’t one easy answer either. Every community has big issues that they are facing, from childcare to housing to poverty to education. The problems can seem daunting, with no good way to start.

But if everyone picked just one issue, one idea or one project that they were passionate about and asked themselves, “What will it take to make that happen?”…consider what a community could accomplish. That person knows about the issue or takes the time to educate themselves. That person determines what will it take to have that idea come to fruition. That person is part of the process to make that project a reality.

That is how change will happen and that is how we will get things done in our community. By being part of the solution, not the problem. By being willing to think about the complex answers and not just the easy out to the situation. By each and every one of us asking “What will it take to make McCook and our communities into even better places to call home?”

A Few Final Thoughts to Make McCook Even Better

Mon, 21 Feb 2022 01:49:42 GMT

Close to eight and a half years ago, my family of four moved to McCook for my job at McCook Community College. Now, as our family of six prepares to move to a new opportunity in Arizona, it has given me a chance to reflect on my time here.

There are a lot of great things about McCook. The people are amazing; we have many thriving local independent businesses; there is a strong foundation of pioneers from the community; and there are local institutions leading the community forward.

Plans are underway to transform parts of the community. Discussions around a new aquatics facility, athletic fields, walking trails, and Y upgrades show promise of significant improvements. At the same time, plans to add new residential neighborhoods are moving forward. And local childcare centers continue to grow to meet a large local demand. These are all critical pieces in providing what families in the workforce need to move here.

At the same time, there are improvements that can and need to be made, both logistically and physically.

Too often we look at certain items as expenses when they can be classified as investments. Additionally, the return on investment may not be financial but may provide the amenities that attract and keep families here.

We already have a tight labor market - just look at the help wanted signs. And with our aging population, it will become more difficult in the future. We need to invest in the features that will both attract and retain young families, starting with what is already in place.

The library staff does a fantastic job, but they have limited resources in which they are able to provide services. We have plenty of park space and a good foundation of playgrounds, but upgrades to playground equipment and our existing facilities are few.

Our Chamber of Commerce has had two outstanding directors while I have led the McCook Economic Development Corp. But lack of resources makes it difficult to keep someone long-term, allowing them time to make impactful changes in the community.

And after a lot of work, there are great plans for a Children’s Discovery Center, but additional funding will probably be needed.

These organizations, projects and ideas need our support. They need us to use these resources on a regular basis, they need us to promote the resources to others, and when we are able, they need us to contribute financially. And perhaps most importantly, we need to share our time and talents with these institutions.

While it may be difficult for some to see a positive financial return on investment on any of these, the investment helps improve the quality of life for people who live here and who may consider living here in the future.

This is challenging because it does cause a sacrifice. We may have to pay higher taxes. We may have to take on a few more roles in the community. We may have to give up a bit of leisure time. But all of this is what creates community, a community people want to be part of.

The main factor driving my family’s move was more opportunities for not only myself, but my wife and children. The warm weather in the winter and a chance to get back into higher education were also draws.

But it has been exciting to be a part of this community and we have developed a lot of meaningful relationships. I will be watching from a distance to see the progress the community makes. And I get excited when I imagine the future victories McCook could - and should - accomplish.

This will only happen, if we are willing to sacrifice some of our individual resources to help create community. When this happens, your bank account may not increase, but your quality of life will and McCook will be an even better place to call home.

Andy Long is (was) treasurer of the McCook Community Foundation Fund. Andy is the epitome of what it is to be involved in the community, to have passion for where he is planted and to have a desire to make those around him better. He and his family will be missed…but we are hoping they’ll be back soon.

Final Thoughts to Make McCook Even Better

Wed, 16 Feb 2022 19:22:37 GMT

At the same time, there are improvements that can and need to be made, both logistically and physically.

And after a lot of work, there are great plans for a Children’s Discovery Center, but additional funding will probably be needed.

Taking the Time to Learn About Your Community

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 10 Feb 2022 19:51:53 GMT

Taking Time to Learn About Your Own Community

Bison Days returns next week, which offers all McCook High School students two days to experience new hobbies, professions and skills.

From the freshmen to the seniors, the students will be venturing out to local businesses to learn everything from baking donuts and cooking pasta to earning a boating license and mastering pickle ball - if pickle ball can ever really be mastered.

Bison Days was developed several years ago after seeing the program in Cozad. And the Bison Days has turned into a wonderful annual event, which brings students out of the classroom and into the community. McCook Community Foundation Fund has chosen to grant toward the Bison Days every year since its inception because it is truly a unique program and brings young people and adults together in a fun, enriching setting.

Students get to see businesses up close and personal. They get to experience the area’s natural assets by fishing. They learn hobbies that they never knew or existed or that they could even do here.

On the flip side, business owners and other adult volunteers get to interact with students, which might not normally happen.

After the first year of Bison Days, every one called it a success. Such a success in fact that many adults clamored to have a similar program, where they got to learn more about their community, to learn more about local businesses, to learn more about local opportunities.

While there isn’t an Adult Bison Days just yet, there are plenty of other opportunities to learn about what is available in your community or about the history of your hometown.

Maybe it visiting a local museum. The High Plains Historical Museum is now open regular hours every day of the week. There have been many changes inside over the past year with many more planned in the near future. They are doing great things to share McCook’s history, so we can learn where we’ve been as we figure out where we are going.

Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival traditionally includes a bus-tour with an interesting topic every year. This year the “bus tour” will be a walking tour around downtown McCook to learn about the different artistic endeavors which have developed recently.

McCook’s 7th graders get to do a Heritage Walking Tour in the spring when it doesn’t snow, rain or get cancelled from Covid, which has happened the past three years. But when it does happen, these kids get to learn what made McCook grow, what made McCook what it is, who made McCook what it is today. They visit the Norris House, Nelson’s boyhood home, the 100-year-old Keystone, MNB Bank, the museum and probably their favorite stop, Sehnert’s Bakery. The other locations may be historically enriching but they can’t compete with a fresh doughnut.

There is McCook’s Heritage Square Walking Tour, which highlights all of the downtown historical locations. Brochures are available at the museum and the Keystone so you have a description to pursue along the walk.

With new technology, plans are also underway to add video and audio recordings for each location, adding to the information available such interior tours when a site is closed or background on historical figures.

And if nothing else, go out for a walk. But not just a stroll around the block but rather with an intentionality to really observe your surroundings. Studies have shown that people walk their neighborhoods with the purpose of learning are better connected to their community. These people know where the cracks are in the sidewalks. They know where businesses are located along the route. They know if their parks and playgrounds are being used.

They want to know more about their community and use walking as a chance to observe and learn what already exists in their hometown, what needs fixed or what is already in place.

So if you really want to get to know your community, grab your spouse or grab a friend and go for a walk.

And with all these nice days we have been experiencing lately, you don’t have weather as an excuse to not venture outside.

***

On a side note, you can thank me or curse me for this unseasonably nice weather we have experienced this winter. I personally like cross-country skiing, so I have been wishing for snow, which obviously we have not received lately.

But there was guilt when I went cross-country skiing earlier this season during our lone significant snow but can’t take my husband with me for lack of size 14 ski boots and skis.

So for his 50th birthday last month, I invested in a set of cross-country skis and boots for him. They are still gathering dust in our garage with nary a flake of snow to be found. So “your welcome” to all those warm-weather lovers.

Local politics deserve our attention and involvement

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 03 Feb 2022 13:51:29 GMT

Nearly everyone can likely name the president of the United States. Hopefully, they can cite at least the last name of our vice president. And most likely, people know the name of at least one of their U.S. Senators or Representatives.

But beyond that, the recollection of our elected officials begins to fall apart.

Do you know who your state senator is? Are they up for re-election or does term limits keep them from running again? Do you know what bills they have sponsored in the past? Or this legislative session?

Many McCook and Red Willow County residents would be surprised to know that the person representing them in the Unicameral changed in the past few months - not due to an election but redistricting. State Senator Dan Hughes’ 44th District shifted to the west and now Red Willow County was added to State Sen. Dave Murman’s District #38.

On an even more local level, do you know who your city council members are? Do you know who is representing you on your school board? How about your county commissioners? If asked, could you name all - or any - any elected officials on the county or city level?

So much attention is given to politicians on the national level with little regard to state or locally-elected positions.

Yet, these local officials are the people who have the most impact on our lives on a day-to-day basis. These officials are the ones who decide how our local dollars are spent. These officials are the ones who decide how federal dollars are allocated locally. These officials are the ones who determine projects that happen or don’t happen. These officials are the ones who determine the rules, laws and statutes make onto the books, making it harder or easier for things to happen in a community.

So it is important to learn who is representing you. It is important to stay vigilant about what they are doing by attending meetings, by reading the paper, by listening to news stories. And it is important to reach out to these officials to have your voice heard.

But it doesn’t just stop there. Like I have said in the past, the conversation cannot start and end with “They need to do this” or “They need to that.” “Me” and “I” need to be used more often, especially when it comes to running for political office.

Yes, running for political office can seem daunting, time consuming and down-right scary. It is a huge commitment of time and energy, plus opening yourself up to criticism and critiquing.

On the other hand, consider the difference you can make on your very own community by getting involved as an elected official. Public servants are deciding what our community will look like tomorrow, next year, and 5, 10, 20 years from now.

At the end of the day, someone must do it. Someone must make the decisions which are shaping our communities. Someone must take on the responsibility of how our tax dollars are spent. Someone must be willing to take that step to saying “yes” to getting things done, rather than saying “no” because that is the easy answer.

So if you have been weighing the decision to move from “they” to “me” and making a difference by running for political office, there is not much more time to decide if you live in Nebraska.

With the primary election set for May 10, the filing deadline for incumbents (those currently in office) is Feb. 15, while non-incumbents (otherwise known as new filers) is March 1.

Kansans have until June 1 to file as a candidate for the primary election, which isn’t until Aug. 2.

The general election is set for Tuesday, Nov. 8 for everyone.

If running for political office still isn’t in the cards, then at the very least, you can get involved and learn more about your state-wide government by joining the bi-weekly legislative call with State Senator Murman.

Through a collaboration of the McCook Chamber and the McCook Community Foundation Fund, anyone can join a conference call with Sen. Murman via Zoom. The call takes place every other Thursday at 8:20-9 a.m. while the Unicameral is in session through April 21.

It is a chance to get an update on the bills sponsored by our state senator, as well as bring up questions and concerns you may have about legislation you would like to see or bills which are already pending.

Maybe it is how federal dollars will be allocated across the state and will any of those dollars make their way west. Maybe it is how schools receive state aid and is that aid equally distributed across school districts. Maybe it the discussion on whether to keep - or get rid of of - Nebraska’s Unicameral…the idea of McCook’s very own George Norris.

Whether it is throwing your hat into the ring as a public servant or simply putting your toe in the water by attending government meetings, each and every one of us can make a difference at some level.

Those things which are personal get our attention. Those things which get our attention get done. So make politics personal, give it your attention and get things done to make our community an even better place to call home.

Creating Opportunities to Return or Stay

Thu, 27 Jan 2022 22:30:03 GMT

While many people may think Greg and I are McCook natives, our hometown is actually Cozad. We then both graduated from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and we were married for two of those years while we finished our education.

When Greg was hired by McCook’s Lloyd Benjamin and Associates in 1982, I finished my student teaching and began my teaching career with McCook Public Schools. We did not even consider moving back to Cozad because there were no engineering firms to hire Greg.

So, why did we choose to move to - and stay in - McCook? It offered us two good career opportunities. McCook offered the careers that promised a future; it had a great school system for me and our future children. It was close enough to Cozad for a visit if needed, but not so close that we were home every weekend. It felt a lot like our original hometown, and there were many young couples who were getting their start here as well at the time.

Because we were able to achieve our goals in McCook, I believed my students could too and shared that belief on a regular basis.

If you were ever one of my students, you heard me say, “Each of you needs to get some kind of training after high school.”

I also said repeatedly, “Live somewhere else for a while and experience life. Then come back here to have a career and raise your family.”

We need young adults to choose McCook. We are grateful for every MHS graduate who has chosen to stay and work in or own a business here. We are humbled by the number of our graduates who have chosen to get an education and come back home to invest in a future and raise their families.

Both the McCook Economic Development Corporation and the McCook Community Foundation Fund are working toward ways to attract more young people to transition into the existing downtown businesses.

How do we encourage young people to consider becoming a jeweler, a clothing store owner, a boutique owner, or an architect? How do we encourage young people to own their own auto-body shop, electrical, plumbing or construction company in Southwest Nebraska?

One project MCFF is developing is the “Learn and Return” scholarship. The concept is that MCFF would partner with an existing McCook business with a specific job opening.

For example, if a local business owner needed an auto technician, this business would help the future technician pay for college with the agreement that the technician would return and work for this company. Community Hospital and Hillcrest Nursing Home have similar programs already in place caressing healthcare needs.

Do you know a young person who dreams of a career, but isn’t sure how to pay for the education? Do you own a business and want to investigate supporting a future employee as he/she gets his education and returns to your company?

Not all my students were interested in a four-year college degree, nor should all follow that same path. That is why we need to create and promote different options for our students.

In my final “job” with ESU 15, I worked closely with MPCC, Mid Plains at North Platte, the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture, and the McCook Beauty Academy to help students achieve education beyond high school. All these institutions are treasures.

Skilled jobs and trades are in high demand. The financial rewards are outstanding and we need to make sure financial help is readily available to get started.

While the “Learn and Return” program is being developed, there are already scholarships in place to help further young people’s education.

MCFF has two scholarships that are available right now. Both the Barbara Fassler-Neuman scholarship and the Nelda Haag scholarship are open for application and have a March 31 deadline.

McCook’s Masonic Lodge #135 offers $10,000 in scholarships annually. The Townsend scholarship pays for most of your college education, books, and a computer; just contact MNB Bank.

Both the McCook Education Association and the Alpha Delta Kappa teachers’ organization offer scholarships for future educators. McCook’s PEO groups support scholarships and loans for women of all ages who want to further their education. Memorial United Methodist Church offers annual scholarships. These are just a few of the scholarships with which I am personally knowledgeable.

For parents and students, let me offer my scholarship advice:

1. Scholarships are worth your time, no matter the amount.

2. You do not have to be the top of the class or have the highest ACT score to be chosen; apply anyway.

3. Adults need to be involved! Please help your student keep track of deadlines and to ensure that all parts of the scholarship are included in the final submission.

4. Word process or type all applications. NEVER submit handwritten information.

5. If a letter of recommendation is required, choose persons who write well and who know you. (This cannot be a family member.)

6. If you need help proofreading, find someone you know who can help with this; proofread your submission.

7. Start keeping track of activities and awards in junior high.

8. Start thinking about what makes YOU different from everyone else; do you have an unusual hobby or special interest?

9. Think about groups with whom you associate. Do they offer scholarships?

10. Drive the guidance office of your school crazy by checking on new scholarships that are available.

11. Many of the institutions offer scholarships of their own; check with the schools you want to attend.

McCook has so much to offer. We all know that once you live in McCook, you recognize it is a great community and you want to stay. If we want our young people to stay or return, we need to continue to make McCook an even better place to call home.

Young People Can Bring Discomfort But Also Passion

Thu, 20 Jan 2022 16:35:19 GMT

Young People Can Bring Discomfort But Also Passion

Over the past four years, I have become increasingly involved within our community thanks to Youth Change Reaction (YCR). Members of the McCook Community Foundation Fund have welcomed me with open arms as a youth trying to become more involved in the community.

But why is the opinion of youth so sought after? Why do communities constantly feel the need to approach youth for input? The extremely nuanced answer to this question is often ignored.

If you would have asked me this question before I was involved in YCR, my response would have been simple: “I don’t know why they ask the youth because our ideas don’t ever align with theirs.”

Now as I write this, I chuckle about my own ignorance. The reason communities need to listen to youth can be found within my own blissfully ignorant response. The values of our youth and our adults rarely – nor should they – completely align. This “misalignment” is exactly why the input of youth can be so important in a community.

We see things differently. We sometimes make others uncomfortable with our ideas. At the same time, we bring passion to the table. By looking at the world through a different lens, youth almost always offer up outlandish suggestions that are so crazy they just might work.

But my four years on YCR has also taught me something else: things are rarely as simple as they seem, projects always take longer than planned and it is usually going to cost more than we bargained for.

Most of our youth, including myself on many occasions, are oblivious to these issues and will subsequently reveal their lofty aspirations for the future of our community with no thought to the difficulty, cost or time.

Now here is where the problems set in. Not only are complex projects scary undertakings, most young people do not know enough to accomplish the project on their own. Plus, they don’t know everything that goes on behind the scenes. Young people usually just don’t have enough experience and haven’t built up their tool chest of skills and knowledge.

Alternatively, most adults hesitate to take on such projects because they know too much about what goes on behind the scenes. Adults have the experience and skills but can bring along too much baggage.

When this happens, projects fall through the cracks. This leaves the youth of the community feeling like their suggestions were not taken seriously, while the adults breathe a sigh of relief because the logistical nightmare has been avoided.

Here is the unfortunate truth: input from community youth is important AND uncomfortable.

As most community members know, the youth are the future of every community. Listening to the youth is one of the best ways to bring them back in the future.

That does not mean that the projects will be easy nor simple. In fact, I can guarantee you that the ideas from the youth in our community will be incredibly creative, imaginative, difficult, and large. The discomfort that will be caused by pursuing these dreams is exactly the reason communities should listen to the ideas of the youth.

The easy answer is to say no to projects because they will take too long or be too expensive or might not catch on right away.

But what happens if we say yes? Yes, we will find a way to raise the money. Yes, it will take time, but it will be worth it. Or yes, we will have to convince others, but they will see the value as well.

As Theodore Roosevelt said, “Nothing worth having was ever achieved without effort.”

The adults in our community need to not only listen to its young people but also act on those ideas. By forcing everyone to get a little uncomfortable with new and maybe difficult ideas, our community can move from an attitude of complacency into an attitude of passion for our community by all its current - and future - community members.

Tucker Gillespie is co-president of YCR, a senior at McCook High School and was articulate before he likely knew how to spell it. We can’t wait to see what he does after college, which hopefully includes returning to McCook.

Changing From "They" to "We"

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 13 Jan 2022 16:37:56 GMT

While tastes may differ, everyone likes to go do things.

For some people, it is casually strolling through the livestock stalls at the county fair. For others, it is listening to live music, appreciating the skill it takes to play a musical instrument. And yet for others, it is as simple as resting on a park bench, just watching people walk by.

Those activities may seem like things that can just happen, but each and everyone of them required effort from someone else.

In order for the county fair to go off seamlessly, countless hours must be put in by county staff, the fair board, 4-H members, volunteers to name just a few who are involved.

Every time you attend a concert, the musicians have put in thousands of hours of practice plus travel time to perform in front of you. Plus consider the people who organized the event and went to all the work to make the performance happen.

And even that park bench isn’t without effort. The city had to determine that the bench was needed, order it and get it installed. And someone may have been getting paid for that effort, but we need people to fill those jobs. Plus they may be overseen by a volunteer board or public officials who stepped up to run for office.

But those things won’t continue if we continue to use the word “they.” By thinking that every one else needs to make things happen, things won’t happen. We need to start using the word “we” and “me” more often in our conversations and in our thoughts and in our actions.

With the advent of social media, it has become easy for everyone to share their opinions, share their thoughts, and share their ideas. And one of the most common words I have seen in these posts is the use of the word “they.”

For example, they need to a better job of making that community event bigger and better. They need to make the streets full with businesses and visitors again. They need to build this or they need to build that. They need to do this or they need to do that.

What happens if we simply change one word in all those statements?

We need to do a better job of making our community event bigger and better.

We need to make the streets full with businesses and visitors again.

We need to build this. We need to built that.

We need to do this. We need to do that.

One small word shifts the thought from thinking someone else is going to do it to everyone taking on the responsibility and making the effort to get things done.

Rather than relying on someone else to do everything, we need to step up and get involved. We need to not only share our ideas, but then take the steps to make them happen.

Of course, that is easier said than done. There are always obstacles to making things happen. But that is where the transition from “they” to “we” is even more important.

All those people who we refer to as “they” want help, “they” want to share their expertise, “they” want others to get involved and learn how to make things happen. “They” want to share the workload. Shockingly, “they” would like to attend an event without having had to go to all the work to make it happen.

There is an added bonus of getting involved and making things happen. Those who are doing things get to have their voice heard. They get to have a vested interest in what is happening. They have a say in what their community looks like.

By taking on the responsibilities, we can make things happen. We can make our community better for both ourselves and for our friends and neighbors. We can create a community other people will want to visit and perhaps move to.

Yes, posting on social media is fine to vent, to share ideas, to learn what others are thinking. But it doesn’t get things done.

If you have an idea on how to make a current event better such as Heritage Days, call the McCook Chamber to be on the committee. If you want to see laws and rules changed to make it easier to have events or incentives for businesses to move to our community, run for elected positions. If you want to see an activity happen, reach out to others who are doing it to be part of the process and learn along the way.

Because ultimately, the more people who switch from “they” to “we,” the more people who will be working to make McCook and Southwest Nebraska an even better place to call home.

Major Financial Boost for Discovery Center

Mon, 10 Jan 2022 16:17:00 GMT

McCOOK, Nebraska – A businessman who has had extensive ties to McCook since the 1990s is expressing his gratitude to the community through a generous donation to the McCook Community Foundation Fund for the benefit of the Discovery Center of Southwest Nebraska project.

Jerome Knoll, along with his wife, Linda, has made a $400,000 gift which can be used for the construction or renovation of a facility to house the Discovery Center. The account is considered expendable, which means that gifts and investment earnings into the account can be expended in their entirety for its designated purpose.

Knoll was in the hog business for over 30 years in both North Platte and McCook. His North Platte operation finished hogs from 40 pounds to market. In 1990, he and Don Roberts of McCook purchased Centennial Pork and began raising pigs four miles north of town. He continued in that business for the next 22 years.

In 1996, Knoll purchased the northern portion of the Westview Plaza in McCook, from The Buckle location north to Carver Cinema. In 2000, he partnered with Chris and Annette Wagner to purchase the Ford dealership, adding the Toyota franchise four years later. In 2005, the Knolls and Wagners partnered again to purchase the GM dealership in McCook.

In 2012, Knoll decided to exit the hog business and then sold his interest in the car dealerships to the Wagners in 2013.

He began thinking about selling his Westview Plaza property about three years ago. Knoll, who is 79, recognized that he had no one to take over management of his properties if something happened to him. He also wanted to be able to do something for McCook.

The pandemic put plans for the sale of Westview Plaza on hold for some time, but in 2021 Cody Dame, who owns two businesses located in the property, purchased it from Knoll.

Knoll told the Gazette that selling the Westview Plaza property was bittersweet. It meant that he no longer owned property in a community that he appreciated. “It was kind of a sad day for me a couple of weeks ago, as I drove out of McCook without owning a business there. First time in 31 years,” Knoll chuckled.

But the sale of Westview Plaza also allowed Knoll to fulfill another dream. He had discussed ideas for giving back to the community with Mark Graff of McCook and Jim Gustafson of the Nebraska Community Foundation. A little over two years ago, Denise Garey, Affiliated Fund Development Coordinator for Southwest Nebraska, told Knoll about the efforts being done for the Discovery Center.

“When I learned about them, that was exactly what I was wanting to do,” Knoll said. He went on to explain that he wanted to do something positive for the youth in McCook and he was impressed with the leadership provided by the Discovery Center committee members.

Knoll emphasizes that he greatly values the dedicated and loyal McCook employees that helped his businesses thrive. He told the Gazette that doing business in McCook was a “great positive experience” and he treasures the many business relationships he developed in the community. He said that employees in McCook “are like none other”. He went on to say, “During all this time, many great employees worked at these different companies. I have told many people over the years, ‘if you want to start a new business, go to McCook’ because of the many great employees in that town.”

About the Discovery Center of Southwest Nebraska

The gift will be placed in an account within the McCook Community Foundation Fund designated for the Discovery Center of Southwest Nebraska. The effort to build a children’s museum in McCook commenced in 2017 with leaders hoping to develop a facility that stimulates imagination, sparks creativity and inspires a passion for discovery.

The Discovery Center board of directors includes Patty Tidyman, Cathy Jones, Sondra Jonson, Julie Rippen, Tasha Blomstedt, Becky Wolfe, Caitlin Whitehead, and Judy Anderson.

In the upcoming weeks and months, they will begin soliciting feedback from the community on elements of interest, such as exhibits, an indoor play structure, toddler area, maker’s space and more. They hope to include rotational programming and exhibits as the concept becomes more developed. “We want to make sure the community has a chance to weigh in,” Tidyman said. The feedback process will include online surveys and public meetings.

Once a high-level design is in place, a capital campaign will begin. The organization will pursue grants as well as community donations.

Tidyman commented, “So many people work hard to ensure that our community is family-friendly, safe and welcoming.

“The Discovery Center will be an added amenity to our area that will continue to deepen the roots of those well-established values.”

“We are so thankful for the Knoll family who believed in us early in the project while we worked to establish a strong foundation. And our gratitude continues, not only in response to their generous financial gift, but also because of the wisdom and support we’ve received as the project has gained traction.”

“The Discovery Center will be a place where young people will be able to go learn and have fun,” Jerome Knoll said. “I strongly encourage the residents of McCook to support this project and help make it become a reality.”

New Year's Resolutions to Benefit the Community

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 06 Jan 2022 23:22:31 GMT

Every January, people make their own personal New Year’s resolutions. And then a month later, perhaps weeks or even just days later, people break those same New Year’s resolutions.

Diets are abandoned when the call of the cookie jar is just too strong. Exercise routines are let go as appointments and activities fill the calendar. Vows to go to bed early are cast aside in favor of a binge-watching on Netflix.

The problem with these types of resolutions is that it feels like once you have gone of the rails so to speak, there is no going back. All is lost. All hope is abandoned.

O.K. Maybe it isn’t that drastic. But all of these resolutions are centered solely on the individual.

But what if instead of just focusing on ourselves as we develop resolutions for the new year, our resolutions were centered around our community? What if our resolutions for the upcoming year benefitted our friends, family and neighbors rather than just ourselves?

What does that even look like? What affect would that have on others? What changes would happen in our community?

Essentially, it is thinking beyond ourselves and how our actions can impact - for good - our friends and neighbors. And it doesn’t have to be drastic. Start simple and go from there.

Perhaps it is volunteering for an organization which you have considered for years but have never reached out to. This is the year that you email, message, or call them and ask how you can help. Offer to help just once a month but I am betting that it grows from there.

Maybe you vow to donate blood for the first time or to return if it has been a while. Some people have had a bad experience in the past but that shouldn’t mean you never return. After all, you most likely won’t have the same Red Cross worker the next time around. If so, you should consider buying a lottery ticket because you are that lucky.

Maybe it is just attending an event held in the community to show your support for the organizers who have gone to a lot of work to make it happen. After all, community events are what make our community fun, make people want to visit, make people want to stay.

Maybe it is resolving to run for an elected position in our local government, truly becoming a public servant. These are the people who make an impact on our daily lives, more so than the officials in Washington D.C. or even Lincoln. Yes, it is time consuming. Yes, it puts you in the spotlight. But these people are the one who can make things happen or keep things from happening.

But if running for office seems too daunting, maybe it is just attending a city council or school board or county commissioner meeting a couple times this upcoming year. Just having your voice heard will make an impact on the community.

Maybe this is the year that you create a planned gift, leaving a donation to your community when you pass. After all, the community has played in a role in raising your family and been part of your life too. Think about the impact a planned gift could have on making your community even better.

And while many don’t like to think about it, maybe this is the year you finally create a will. How does this benefit your community? If you don’t have a will in place, the government gets to take its portion and decide what happens to your assets, with some - maybe a lot - leaving the community forever.

Consider the changes that would happen in our community if every person vowed to get involved, to make a change, to step up and make things happen which benefit not just themselves, but to benefit others. These are resolutions worth keeping all year long.

So let’s resolve in 2022 to make changes that benefit not just ourselves but also our communities and make them even better places to call home.

Time for New Blood

Wed, 22 Dec 2021 18:25:01 GMT

Mark Graff's tenure ends after 20 years on MCFF Advisory Committee

I recently attended a dinner banquet with Warren Buffet as one of the keynote speakers. In the Q & A session, someone asked him if he was optimistic about our country given all of the problems we seem to be dealing with on a daily basis.

Warren’s response is one that will stick with me for a long time. He said the luckiest person in this world is the person who was born this morning in America because we have and will always have, the greatest country on the face of this earth.

As I leave as a member of the McCook Community Foundation Fund’s Advisory Committee after 20-plus years, I would add that maybe the luckiest person in the world is the individual born in Southwest Nebraska. That is how bullish I am on the future of our community and area.

It seems like only yesterday that Floyd Hershberger stopped in my office to ask me to be involved in forming a community foundation for McCook. Floyd had researched the benefits he was seeing from community foundations across the country and specifically nearby Phelps County. He felt a community foundation would really help Southwest Nebraska prosper.

Of course, I said “yes" to being a part of this initial group. Who could say no to Floyd?

Now 20 years later, it is time for new blood in the McCook Community Foundation Fund (MCFF).

Since MCFF’s inception, the transformation of the organization has been amazing. We have seen the Fund grow from $2,000 to almost $7 million. We have seen MCFF make a positive difference in the lives of so many of our friends and neighbors here in Southwest Nebraska. We have seen our youth become engaged in our community through the formation of the Youth Change Reaction (YCR) group.

We have experienced MCFF step to the forefront when the pandemic hit our country, working with other community groups to help support our restaurants, retail establishments, schools, medical facilities, healthcare providers and elderly care units.

And we are now at the point where MCFF will be providing more than $150,000 a year in financial support to area charitable organizations and projects. This is truly the definition of amazing.

As I end my 20 years on the FAC, there are a plethora of people I should thank, but since the Gazette has a limited supply of ink, let me just touch on a few.

First, thank you to my Administrative Assistant Sherri Stang at MNB Bank. Over these last 10 years, Sherri has done the bulk of my MCFF Treasurer work which I have been given credit for. Without her diligence and the continuing support she will provide the new treasurer Andy Long, none of these positive impacts would have been or would be possible.

A very special thank you to my wife Linda who not only supports and challenges me on a daily basis in my community work, but she inspires me with her community service. I am known for having nicknames for my friends – like Hot Dog, Donut, Bear – but my nickname for my best friend is “Honey.”

Finally, thank you to the people of McCook and Southwest Nebraska. In my 20 years of service with MCFF, I can’t remember having one individual whom I have asked for support – financially or with their time and talents – who turned me down.

We truly live in a community where we look after and care for each other. When someone is in need, we don’t care who they voted for, where they go to church or their nationality. They are our brothers and sisters in Southwest Nebraska and we are here for them.

In summary, let me offer a line from a 1970s hit “Hotel California,” which came from one of my favorite bands, the Eagles: “You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.”

Although I am checking out of the MCFF FAC after 20 years, I will never leave because as my friend Tyler McCarty says: I frickin’ love my community.

Mark Graff isn’t stepping away from MCFF and the Nebraska Community Foundation….he’s just stepping aside for new ideas, new thoughts, new blood.

Finding Contentment Through Generosity

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 16:48:53 GMT

As the year comes to an end, everyone begins to reflect on how the past year went, what they could do in these final few days of 2021 and how to make next year even better.

One idea to consider is by simply being generous.

Why is being generous so important? Because generosity sets the tone for a family, for a friendship, for a community.

People who are generous report a greater sense of satisfaction and happiness. People who are generous have more fulfilling relationships. People who are generous get their value not from what they own but rather from helping others.

When we are generous, we realize how much we really have. Maybe it is giving our time walking dogs at the Humane Society. Maybe it is giving of our talent teaching others how to make stained glass windows. May it is giving of our extra coats as the cold weather moves in.

Instead of believing in a scarcity mindset, those who are generous realize we have more than we need and can find contentment by giving of their time, talent and treasure to others.

So I would like to just take a moment on behalf of the McCook Community Foundation Fund Advisory Committee to say our appreciation for all the generosity we have seen this past year and the past 20 years since MCFF formed.

One of the blessings of MCFF is that the organization exists as a tool for others to use their financial resources for a greater good than themselves or just material possessions.

Just one example is the Big Give McCook last month. Over its six years, Big Give McCook has grown year after year because of the generosity of the community. There are more organizations involved. There are more individual donors. And there are more donations.

Then McCook and Southwest Nebraska followed up a few weeks later by hosting Nebraska Community Foundation’s annual training and celebration. Dozens of local volunteers gave hundreds of hours to welcome people from across the state and the midwest, showcasing what makes our communities special and unique.

And on Dec. 31, MCFF will wrap-up the four-year Sehnert Challenge campaign, which raised more than $600,000 for the community. The total would not have been reached were it not for the many generous people who saw the value in giving of their financial resources to benefit generations to come.

There certainly have been trials and tribulations over the past year, including the passing of many great people. But when reflecting back on their legacies, it was their generosity which made our communities better.

We lost one of McCook’s biggest cheerleaders in Cloyd Clark. To this day anytime the McCook Rotary Club does a good rendition of “Home on the Range,” there is the comment that Cloyd would be proud. He was not shy in sharing his deep baritone voice to kick the Rotary sing-along up a notch. He was also not shy in sharing his time and ideas, whether on the Norris Institute or Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival.

The legacy of Tor Olson can still be felt throughout the community. His beautiful photographs can be found in many people’s homes and even the wall of the Bieroc Cafe. Some of the signs for the trails he worked on at Red Willow State Recreation Area are in, soon to be installed. And as a biker who shared his passion for cycling, he would be so proud of the shed with loaner bikes available, which was created jointly by Nebraska Games and Park staff and MCFF’s Youth Change Reaction group.

And finally, take a look at MCFF’s “In Memory Of” list in the Gazette earlier this week to see some of those who have passed but left an indelible mark on our area. These are just a few of the people who gave of themselves, their time and their resources to make the community better.

As we celebrate the season of giving, let’s remember that by being generous, we can benefit more than the receiver. By being generous, we can possibly find that contentment and happiness. And by being generous, we can make our communities an even better place to call home.

Give Five to Thrive for Generations to Come

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 09 Dec 2021 20:09:44 GMT

This past year, Nebraska Community Foundation updated its Transfer of Wealth study. This is the third time NCF has conducted the study, doing it for the first time in 2002, following up in 2011. The studies continue to show that Nebraska has wealth and has wealth to give.

But that retaining that wealth is not a guarantee.

What is Transfer of Wealth? It’s a nice euphemism to say that someone has died and their money and assets has passed onto someone else, usually the next generation.

But it also involves the impact that transfer has on a community. Once wealth leaves a community, it is gone forever. But if it is retained and endowed in a community, it stays and benefits a community forever.

So why is it important to acknowledge the Transfer of Wealth? Because it is vital to leave some if not all of the wealth where it was made and accumulated to ensure the future of a community.

One of the most poignant stories I have heard to explain the impact Transfer of Wealth has on a community is about a person who dies with has no local relatives.

The condolences are said. The funeral is held. And the next day, the out-of-town heirs stop by the bank to close out the accounts, taking those assets with them. These are assets which will likely leave the community forever, never to return, never to benefit the people who helped build that wealth.

While those assets may have belonged to that one person, that wealth was accumulated with the help of the entire community, whether it was the employees in the company or the customers of the business.

And the community where the business was located helped make the business successful. The community helped raise that person’s family. The community contributed toward a good quality of life over the years.

Leaving assets in a community when a person passes is a way of thanking the community for what they have been given during their lifetime. It is a way of ensuring that those employees and those customers continue to have a good quality of life for generations to come.

NCF has launched a new campaign called “Five to Thrive.” It is simply asking people to consider leaving just five percent of their assets to their community when they pass. The rightful heirs still receive the majority of the assets, but a small percentage is retained in the community to benefit future generations.

While five percent doesn’t seem like much, it does add up. In just Southwest Nebraska, the study predicts that $4.7 billion will transfer over the next 10 years. Just five percent of that amount means millions for our communities.

But it doesn’t have to be five percent. Any donation back to the community, large and small, will ensure that our towns will continue to grow and thrive.

And the donation doesn’t have to be to NCF or the McCook Community Foundation Fund, which is an affiliated fund of NCF.

A donation to any of the local entities, whether it is Hillcrest, Community Hospital, the YMCA - whatever a person feels is important - will ultimately benefit the entire community for generations to come.

That is what we are ultimately talking about here, making sure our community both exists and thrives for our kids, for our grandkids, for their grandkids.

MCFF, along with many foundations, use a tree in their logo. Why? Because they follow the Greek proverb: A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they shall never sit.

Using the information from the Transfer of Wealth to leave just a portion of our assets to our community is like planting a tree. We are planning ahead, knowing that we will not benefit from our donation but realizing that others will bear fruit from our generosity.

***

For more information about Five to Thrive or the Transfer of Wealth study, visit www.fivetothrive.org and learn about Red Willow County as well as all of Nebraska.

Donation Helps Covid Patients at Community Hospital

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Wed, 08 Dec 2021 15:28:53 GMT

McCOOK, Neb.—A recent donation to Community Hospital from the McCook Community Foundation Fund will help COVID-19 patients breathe easier. The donation of nearly $14,000, given in memory of those who have died from COVID, helped purchase six new BiPAP machines valued at $19,200.

A BiPAP machine pushes pressurized air into the lungs of patients, according to staff at Community Hospital’s respiratory department.

The pressurized air splints airways open, helping with gas exchange and oxygenation in the lungs. Shortness of breath and low oxygen levels are a couple of the biggest problems for patients with COVID, they said.

“BiPAP is one of our major tools to treat these issues. Because of the shortage of ICU beds and staffing shortages, we have had a hard time getting patients transferred to larger facilities. Community Hospital desperately needed more of these units to be able to care for the influx of COVID patients in our area.”

MCFF’s COVID account was established in 2020 with funds from a MCFF grant, donations from MNB Financial Services and Graff Charitable Foundation, as well as several individual donations.

Taking a Moment to Be Thankful

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 26 Nov 2021 15:44:44 GMT

As November comes to a close, I can’t help but reflect on everything that has transpired in our community in just a few short weeks. Looking back, we have so much to be thankful for. Looking forward, we have so much to be grateful for.

For starters, we kicked the month off with the 6th annual Big Give McCook, reaching record numbers yet again. Big Give came together because dozens of volunteers worked all year long to make it happen. Big Give came together because the Big Give nonprofit organizations are the backbone of our communities and we need them to thrive and grow. Big Give came together because the community made donations in both large and small amounts, proving that together we are stronger.

Just a week later, more than 70 community members spent four hours learning how to make their boards run smoother, to work better, to be more efficient as part of a Board Master training. Giving up half their day, these board members realized the importance of having strong - and educated - organizations if we want to have a thriving community.

A couple take-aways from the training. At least a half dozen area towns were represented at the Board Master training, meaning that many Southwest Nebraska towns are working to make their communities even better. Their participation also shows that rising tides lift all ships. If one of us is better, then all of us are better. If area towns are doing better, then McCook does better.

And as everyone in the training room introduced themselves, they also shared just a few of the organizations they belonged to. I lost count on the number of organizations which were represented, but as we all know in small towns, people wear multiple hats. I am looking forward to seeing progress on the boards of all the organizations mentioned in the training. Great things are going to happen because these people took the time to improve themselves, so they could improve the organizations they are trying to help.

And finally, hundreds of community members from across the state and Midwest descended upon McCook for Nebraska Community Foundation’s annual training and celebration last week.

This was truly a group effort to pull off this type of event, which showcased not only McCook but all of Southwest Nebraska. And this was not by chance.

The NCF training rotates locations around Nebraska, last taking place in York in 2019. While York has a great facility at the Holtus conference center, we didn’t know we were in York.

We didn’t want the same thing to happen when it was in McCook. Because for some people, this may be their only visit to McCook in years…or ever…and we wanted them to know they were in McCook. We wanted them to remember their time here. We wanted them to get to know the great people of McCook and Southwest Nebraska.

And the community stepped up in so many ways.

We asked to bring Christmas a little early by “Lighting Up McCook.” The businesses went above and beyond in decorating store-front windows and stringing lights around their windows. We didn’t skip Thanksgiving; we just brought a little more light to the holiday.

We asked several downtown locations to host training sessions, which entailed moving tables and chairs, closing to the public for a few hours and setting up sound systems. They all easily agreed and then bent over backwards to be helpful and accommodating.

The celebration wrapped up with Night on the Bricks, showcasing downtown McCook as well as all of Southwest Nebraska.

Not only was it a fun event, but Night on the Bricks also showed that we can take a chance on a new event and try something different. More than eight different locations were utilized which was logistically difficult but everyone did their part to make it happen.

Night on the Bricks showed that we can pull many different businesses, entities and communities together to make something happen which benefits us all. In addition to many McCook businesses and organizations, we had businesses from Imperial, Stratton, Bertrand and Eustis involved in the event. Again, rising tides lift all ships.

Night on the Bricks showed that we have a great community, which wants to come together to make great things happen. And for that, I am truly grateful.

On behalf of the entire McCook Community Foundation Fund Advisory Committee, we hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving. We appreciate all the people who make McCook - and Southwest Nebraska - an even better place to call home.

And I Took the Intentional Road

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 19:01:43 GMT

Forty-five years ago, I drove to McCook and I never left. I planned to live in the area for only one year, but here we still are. It is a decision that my family and I have never regretted.

I have come to think of the road to McCook as an intentional road. However, many persons may decide to pass through. Choosing to pass through McCook from other whereabouts in our state is usually because this drive is motivated by a mission or deliberate act. Nowadays, I would hate to think about the loss of the fulfilled and engaged life that we built in southwest Nebraska prompted by that fateful, albeit intentional, drive to McCook.

During this time, we have witnessed the resiliency of McCook and the surrounding communities. I marvel at community members' tenacity, strength, and actions that will not let their communities die.

I have seen community schools reorganize, rename, and come close to shutting their doors. And this would have happened if it were not for each town's committed community members. It stirs proud feelings when thinking about how we cannot exist without each other.

The whole of southwest Nebraska is only as strong as its people. And the people of southwest Nebraska are amazing!

Hometown rivals aside, but maybe only temporarily, there are signs that we can and will work together. In southwest Nebraska, we have a rich history of pirating treasures from neighboring communities. But over time, all is forgiven because what connects us makes us human. And it is human to desire connection.

Because of these connections, we all can have a vibrant future. The communities, and more importantly, the people that make up southwest Nebraska, are the secret to our future success. Several area communities have started Foundations with growing unrestricted endowment funds through the guidance and support of the Nebraska Community Foundation.

These communities have taken it upon themselves to direct their future rather than let negative economic trends, population shifts, uncontrollable circumstances, or inadequate planning devastate them. The exceptional work these organized Community Foundations can produce through coming together and building strength, resiliency, and neighborhood bonds in creating a future with boundless possibilities.

If we can hold each of our communities up as models of resilience and we all honor their rich history and uniqueness, then we are all winners. We are all neighbors.

In McCook, we realize we are only as strong as we are together. We will continue to exist and thrive through supporting each other, holding up the uniqueness of our neighbors, no matter which community you call home. This is our area's combined history, it was messy and may have been mean or exclusive at times, but we moved forward because forward is the only positive move.

If you are interested in starting a Community Foundation in your hometown, ask. Our vision at the McCook Community Foundation Fund is to "Make McCook an Even Better Place to Call Home.” We want to help our neighbors unleash abundant possibilities. But the chances of making this reality happen will only occur if we all come together in working to make all Southwest Nebraska the best place to call home.

Taking Nothing for Granted

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 12 Nov 2021 22:25:24 GMT

Last week, Big Give McCook reached record highs again, both in the number of donations as well as the overall totals. While the numbers are still being finalized for each nonprofit organization, it is still easy to call the event a success.

That is due to all the people who gave of their time staffing the in-person giving stations, who helped spread the word about this important event and who made a donation during the 24 hours of giving. It was due to the businesses which provided the sponsorship money for the power hours and matching funds for the 31 nonprofits.

And it was due to the volunteers on the Community Chest committee, which oversees the Big Give. While Big Give is technically just one day, it actually involves 364 days of additional planning, especially on the part of Lisa Felker and Melissa Stritt at MNB Bank.

The Community Chest volunteers know how important Big Give is to the community and to the 31 nonprofits which benefit directly from the 24-hour event. That is why they give of their time to make it a success every year. They do not take it for granted that Big Give will happen without a lot of hard work on their part.

It is a great example of getting involved to make sure it continues year after year.

The same holds true for many of the organizations in our community. A lot of hard work takes place in order for these organizations to exist. We cannot take them for granted. We can all play a role to make sure these organizations continue, to grow and to thrive.

It would be easy to just make the donation on the Big Give and say we’ve done our part. But that cannot be the end. We cannot just assume they will be here tomorrow without our support. We cannot just think of them once a year and ignore them the other 364 days. We cannot take these organizations for granted because there is always the possibility they will go away.

For example, I had a friend say how much they appreciate the YMCA in our community because of the pool and the youth sports and just the facility in general. I asked if she was a member or had made a donation recently. She sheepishly admitted that she wasn’t a member and hadn’t donated but should be and should have.

We all admit to a lot of “should haves” but “should haves” don’t pay the bills, nor keep the doors open. While the YMCA has been part of our community for nearly 100 years, there is no guarantee that it will be here 100 years from now, 10 years from now, heck even a year from now, if we don’t show our support with our time and money. YMCA’s go out of business every year across the country and it could happen here unless we give of not only our dollars but our time.

And this applies to all organizations involved in Big Give McCook, as well as those not involved but equally important to the success of our communities. They need our support on Big Give, but they also need our support year round.

So while Big Give McCook is over for 2021, the website remains accessible year-round. Use it as a tool to research organizations in our community which are doing good things, which are making things happen, which are helping those in most need of our help.

On the website, there is contact information for each organization. Reach out to them to see how you can help. Maybe it is helping with their newsletter. Maybe it is designing their website. Maybe it is helping with repairs on their facility. The possibilities are endless.

Maybe you attend an event that you enjoy. Ask the organizers how you can get involved. Maybe you reach an article in the Gazette about a group in need. Call to see how you can help.

By working together, by giving of our time, talent and treasure, by not taking people nor organizations for granted, we will all make our communities a better place to call home.

***

Speaking of the Y, congratulations to Dr. Wayne Watkins and his daughter, Jessica Johnson for completing the 100-mile swim challenge at the Y. This was no small feat. The challenge started in January and there were many opportunities to quit, to fall behind in the milage, to say “that’s enough of this water,” but they showed up all year long and put in at least 3,600 laps back and forth across the pool.

And what was equally impressive was seeing the father-daughter encouraging each other, holding each other accountable and Jessica keeping track of the miles for herself as well as her dad. They were both in the pool together every day except one morning when Jessica couldn’t make it, although one of them finished their 36 daily laps for a mile before the other. I will let them share who was the fastest.

Never a perfect time; only now

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 04 Nov 2021 13:58:29 GMT

Earlier this year, my husband and I had the privilege of buying a building on Norris Avenue. If I had a dollar for every time someone asked, “What are you going to do with the building?” I would have enough money to renovate the site or at least put on a new coat of paint.

While we are still determining what is the best fit for the community, we didn’t want the building to sit empty or unused.

So while the building at 416 Norris is not perfect - heck, we’re not even done demolishing - the site will be used tonight for a student art show led by the McCook Arts Council (MAC). The show is part of McCook’s “An Evening of Arts” for Big Give McCook, which will showcase just a few of the nonprofits involved in the one day of giving with a focus on arts and culture.

Along with family and friends of the student artists, the public is invited to stop by and see for themselves how creative and artistic our young people are. The student art show will be open from 5-9 p.m. today (and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Friday).

As an added bonus, MAC will be providing appetizers and drinks as the public views the art pieces. And the site will be an in-person giving station and power hour from 6-7 p.m. for Big Give McCook.

Am I worried about inviting people into an unfinished building? Not at all. All of the nicks and dings in the walls add character.

In fact, not all of the plaster has been removed as we exposed more of the brick walls - and we’ll likely leave it like that because it shows the history of the building. The kitchen sink in the back of the building has a constant drip that will be fixed, but at least we’re assured that we have water in the facility. And the light in the restroom? Sometimes it works; sometimes it doesn’t. Regardless, it will be an adventure until the site is finished.

Like most things in life, if we waited until everything was perfect, we’d never do anything. Instead, we need to take the leap and do things now.

And today - Big Give McCook 2021 - is a great example of just doing things now, rather than waiting for the perfect time.

Now in its sixth year, most people have at least heard of the one-day giving event. More than 30 nonprofit organizations benefit from donations given from midnight to midnight as part of Big Give McCook.

But you may be saying to yourself, “This isn’t a great time for me to make a donation,” “Times are tough.” “We barely have enough money to support ourselves, much less others.”

Very rarely is there a perfect time for anything and it doesn’t take much to make a difference.

When Big Give began in 2015, organizers considered calling it Give Big McCook. But that was not what the day was about. Yes, large donations are accepted, appreciated and needed.

Instead, the Community Chest volunteers wanted to create an opportunity where everyone could get involved, where everyone could feel like a philanthropist for the day, where everyone could make an impact. Because every donation matters. Every dollar helps these organizations. Every donor makes a difference.

And it’s not just money that you can give big. This is also an opportunity to give of your time and talent.

The Big Give McCook website, www.biggivemccook.org, lists information about each organization, including what they do, the projects they are working on, and how to contact them. Consider visiting the website just to find out more about the organizations to see what fits your passion. There isn’t an organization out there which wouldn’t take more volunteers, which doesn’t need more advocates, which couldn’t use more support.

Before anyone says that this isn’t the perfect time to give of their treasure, to give of their time or to give of their talent, consider this final thought.

Exercising on a regular basis can be tedious and arduous. We know working out is good for us, but there are some days that you just don’t want to go to the gym. But we drag ourselves out to the track for a run or to the pool for a swim. And when it is over, rarely - if ever - does someone regret doing that workout. In fact, we almost always feel better afterward.

The same holds true for giving a donation. While it may seem arduous to give a donation sometimes, we rarely regret giving to something that matters. In fact, we almost always feel better afterward - sometimes even better than the recipient.

So consider giving a donation today as part of Big Give McCook, where each of us can do our part to make McCook an even better place to call home.

Big Give McCook Giving Stations Ready

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 29 Oct 2021 16:04:40 GMT

Big Give McCook is Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021.

The power hours are set with matching funds available starting with the Internet power hour at midnight.

The website, biggivemccook.org, is ready to accept on-line donations from midnight to midnight.

And the in-person giving stations are getting ready to be open various hours throughout the day, including drive-thru locations. People will be able to donate in person with a check or cash at “giving stations” set up around McCook. Donors can choose to give to one, two or all of the organizations included in the Big Give McCook event.

Drive-thru giving stations were added last year as a way to keep Big Give going during the pandemic. Because of their success, the drive-thru stations were kept this year at both Hillcrest Nursing Home from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. and McCook Christian Church from 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

Giving stations will also be available during regular business hours at the following banks, McCook National Bank, Great Western Bank, Horizon Bank, First Central Bank and Pinnacle Bank, as well as the YMCA and Community Hospital.

And additional pop-up giving station is planned on Norris Avenue on Thursday evening as several of the nonprofit organizations involved in Big Give McCook will be busy Nov. 4 with activities.

An “Evening of the Arts” is planned by the McCook Arts Council to highlight art activities that evening. The McCook Arts Council will feature artwork from kindergarten through high school at 416 Norris, next to the Fox Theater. Friends and family are encouraged to stop by to see how the art progresses through the grades at both McCook Public Schools and St. Patrick Elementary.

The McCook Concert Association has a concert at the Fox Theater at 7 p.m., as part of its regular programming. And the McCook Art Guild will be featuring the artwork of Marilyn Frisbe of McDonald, Kansas, plus drinks and finger foods from 4-8 p.m.

Another important aspect of the Big Give McCook event includes the support from several local businesses through sponsorships and matching grants.

Sponsors for Big Give McCook are MNB Bank, the Graff Charitable Foundation, Great Western Bank, Community Hospital and Valmont.

For more information about the organizations involved in Big Give McCook or a complete list of giving station hours, visit the Big Give website, www.biggivemccook.org, find Big Give McCook on Facebook or contact Lisa Felker and Melissa Stritt at MNB, 308-345-4240.

Community Chest is a sub-account of the McCook Community Foundation Fund, which is an affiliated fund of the Nebraska Community Foundation.

Board Master Training Program Planned

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 29 Oct 2021 16:00:53 GMT

A training program for board members and executive directors is coming to McCook.

The Board Masters Training program will be offered Thursday, Nov. 11 at the Weeth Theater on McCook Community College campus.

The free, four-hour training session will be led by staff from the Nonprofit Association of the Midlands and is a tool for all local boards and executive directors to reach their maximum potential. Board Masters offers essential training for new and experienced executive directors and board members, providing them with practical information, resources, and tools that they can put to use right away to further their organizations’ missions.

To accommodate as many schedules as possible, two sessions are planned:

8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. or 1:30-5:30 p.m. Both sessions will take place at the Weeth Theater on the MCC campus.

Thanks to donations from the Graff Charitable Foundation, the McCook Community Foundation Fund and McCook Community College, there is no charge for the event. But for planning purposes, participants are asked to register at MCC’s Business and Community Education website, bceregister.mpcc.edu.

Ideally, at least one staff member and one board member from an organization attends the training, but an entire board may attend if space allows.

This series is for you if:

You serve on a nonprofit board or are interested in board service

You wonder whether your board is serving your organization to the best of its ability

You want to help make your board better and you’re not sure what steps to take

Despite your passion for the organization, you are feeling disengaged and/or untapped as a board member

All participants will have access to tools & templates to use in their organizations, as well as ongoing technical assistance from NAM staff as participants put all that they have learned to use.

Registration is encouraged as soon as possible as the sessions are predicted to fill up.

For more information about the program or registration, contact Sharon Kicher, MPCC Director of BCE at 308-345-8123.

Voice of a Youth, From a Youth

Fri, 29 Oct 2021 14:02:15 GMT

Over the last four years, I have heard McCook Community Foundation Fund member Andy Long ask many times, “What can we do to bring our youth back to McCook?” Every time, he caught me off guard and I was never prepared to answer this question.

But four years of involvement in MCFF’s youth organization, Youth Change Reaction (YCR), has helped me consider how I can have an impact, the role of youth in our community and what the word “community” really means.

If you asked me at age 14 when I first joined YCR what the word “community” stood for, I would have said a community simply consisted of people and buildings. Why? Because as a youth in McCook, I never felt we were listened to or respected.

If you ask me now what a community looks like, I am going to smile and tell you, “McCook. McCook is the epitome of a community.” Why? Because as a youth in McCook, I feel like there are opportunities to be heard and respected.

Over the past four years, I have learned so much as part of YCR and still strive to learn more. My biggest takeaway from this experience is this: youth matters in our community.

Granted, youth don’t always make the best choices, but there are students who have a desire to make a change. The voices of youth matter. The ideas of youth matter. The feelings of youth matter. Without youth, our community would not be able to change and thrive.

So Andy, I am finally prepared to answer your question: What can we do to bring our youth back to McCook?

Listen

To bring youth back to our community, the community must have a passion for listening to the voices of the youth. From a youth’s perspective, we struggle to have our voices heard, to have our ideas accepted and to find the support it takes to come forward and speak out.

Guide

To bring about change, the community must work with the youth who have a passion for change and help guide them to make progress in our community. These youth are the ones who will shape McCook.

Our community will not always be the same. Businesses will open and businesses will close. Families will move in and families will move out. Friends will come and friends will go. But to leave McCook in good hands, community members must help train the youth of today to be the leaders of our community tomorrow.

Accept and Embrace

So often I hear, “I don’t want to come back, because there is nothing to do here.” There is never going to be a perfect solution for this, but accepting and embracing the different youth of our community might start a change.

McCook meets the lifestyles of families with parks, grocery stores, banks and civic organizations. But could you imagine how our community would grow and thrive if we had art centers for youth and adults? Perhaps an outdoor aquatic center that allows both older and younger youth to safely enjoy their summer days? How about a fun zone that allows small children to have after school resources and older youth to have an exciting place to meet with friends to play laser tag or jump in the trampoline park?

These projects are huge and would take years to accomplish but are possible if everyone worked together. It would also require the community embracing the different ideas and thoughts of the youth in our community. But that is what it will require to make future generations move back to their hometown.

I could continue on and on with the needs of our youth, but none of this is new. Honesty, even with these suggestions, our youth might never see why McCook is so important or have a desire to come back. However, having a passion to listen to our youth and a desire to seek change will be the best first step anyone can take.

I hope, desperately, the youth in our community can see how truly special and important our community is, but for now, I do - and so do my fellow YCR members. And that is a message we hope to spread. I may not be a big voice, but I am a voice on behalf of our youth.

We are ready to speak, to be heard and to help make McCook an even better place to call home.

Tesa Nelson is a senior at McCook High School and is co-president of Youth Change Reaction. She knows change takes time but hopes that she makes an impact now and in the future.

Giving of Time, Talent, Treasure is for Everyone

Thu, 21 Oct 2021 18:23:37 GMT

Next month is the Big Give McCook, the one day community drive in McCook to raise funds for 31 nonprofit organizations.

The McCook Community Foundation Fund is among those organizations for which you can donate. But this column isn’t about MCFF. It’s about service.

Christian followers are all called upon to be servants - vigilant servants. We are well versed that we all can serve others with donating our time, talent or treasure.

Every year since Big Give started, the goal for the treasure portion of service has increased and been met. People from McCook and surrounding areas have been very generous. What has been evident is that those who give have given more and that the numbers who contribute remain about the same with little increase.

The Biblical story of the widow’s mite comes to mind when reviewing the above-mentioned data. The amount given is not the major factor. It is the giving regardless of how much or how little that is important. This year, it would be great if all those who have given in the past would continue to give - and give just a little more.

But a big blessing would be that if we see an increase in the number of givers. Even the poor widow gave out fo desire to serve and help others.

But service need not be financial. Our community needs volunteers.

Volunteers to be a mentor for TeamMates are needed. CASA needs more people to help. The YMCA needs volunteer coaches, officials, timekeepers and scorers. St. Patrick’s Elementary and McCook Public Schools function better when volunteers are part of the equation.

The Humane Society could use dog walkers, Meals on Wheels could use drivers and clubs and organizations like Rotary, Norris Institute and the Optimists need members.

Most of our churches would welcome parishioners who don’t just attend, but also volunteer. And it is difficult to find folks willing to serve on boards or run for political office.

Service can be calling on a sick neighbor, raking their leaves, mowing their lawn or simply stopping by to say hello.

We all have our own agendas, but sometimes those agendas need to be set aside to help others.

This year with Big Give McCook, we hope not only for an increase in the fiscal giving, but that more individuals will be community minded and be willing to serve others with their time, talent and treasure.

“Blessed are those servants whom the Master finds vigilant upon his arrival.” Luke 12:37

Dennis Berry serves as a member of the McCook Community Foundation Fund, as well as countless other important organizations which make McCook an even better place to call home.

Be the Change You Want to See

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Mon, 11 Oct 2021 17:07:52 GMT

We are all guilty of doing it. Sitting around and bemoaning the state of the world. Complaining about what did or didn’t get done in our community. Wishing that things would be better, would change or would simply be different,

But if that is where the process stops, then nothing will get better. Nothing will change. Nothing will be different. Because we must be the change we want to see in the world. Yes, it is an overused cliche but it became overused and became a cliche because it is true.

My late mother-in-law used to hold onto things because someone, somewhere, someday may need the item. In the end, we never found that someone.

Similarly, sitting around and waiting for “someone” to solve our problems or make our community better isn’t going to happen without our input.

Alongside the phrase “That’s how we’ve always done it,” the next eight worse words in the English language are: “I wish someone would do something about it.”

Wishing and dreaming are great. That is where many of our best ideas begin. But taking that next step and making things come to fruition is where change happens.

Maybe it is like Emily Young, who is working to create a Harvest Festival on Saturday morning in the parking lot of her business at West 9th and C in McCook. A lot of man - and woman - hours are making this event a reality in its first year.

St. Patrick Church’s Fall Festival is Sunday afternoon on East Fourth and G Streets. Now in its 47th year, this community event happens because dozens - if not hundreds - of volunteers put countless hours and financial resources toward it.

And there are other things happening in the community because people have determined that it is worth their time and effort to make it a reality.

Kellie Soden and her volunteer committee persevered for two years to create a dog park in McCook. With the support of many financial donors and the city of McCook, the K9 Korner Dog Park at Barnett Park will soon become a reality.

The walking trails may soon be expanded, new ballparks are in discussion and the pool...that’s another column unto itself.

Maybe you see something that needs to be improved. Maybe you have thought of something the community needs. Maybe you have seen something that is wrong that needs to be fixed.

We cannot sit back and wait for “someone” to ride in on a white horse and save the day. We need to make the change happen that we want to see.

For starters, contact someone who can actually do something about it or who knows how to fix the situation.

Sure, continue to call into Openline to voice your concerns with Rich Barnett. That is one way people learn about what is going on. Write your letters-to-the-editor at the Gazette. It is a good way to articulate how you feel about the situation.

But that isn’t going to solve the problem. Nor is lamenting to your coffee club, even if they claim to solve all the problems of the world by the end of three cups of coffee.

Instead, it is calling the city offices if you want to have your road fixed. It is reaching out to the restaurant with a complaint rather than posting on Facebook. It is joining local service organizations who are just one of the groups getting things done in the community.

And finally it is stepping up to run for political office because ultimately they are making many of the decisions that affect day-in, day-out. While we may not always agree with those in political office, we must acknowledge that they are giving of their time and energy. If we aren’t doing the same, then we don’t have a lot of room to complain.

If all this seems like just too much, there is one further step we can all take. Show up.

If someone goes to the effort to create an event, we can show our support by attending. If we want to know what is going on in our community and how our tax dollars are being spent, we need to show up at government meetings. If someone starts a new business, we need to show up and shop local.

We don’t have to make grand, sweeping gestures to make change in our community. Rather, our everyday decisions will make an impact. Showing up, volunteering, getting involved, reaching out to others. Those are the actions we need to take if we are going to be the change we want to see in our community. Those are the decisions we need to make if we are going to make McCook an even better place to call home.

YCR Bike Program Up and Running

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Mon, 11 Oct 2021 17:05:22 GMT

New bike shed installed at Red Willow State Recreation Area

By RONDA GRAFF

MCFF

While the camping season may be coming to a close, visitors at Red Willow State Recreation Area north of McCook have benefitted from a new addition the past few months.

Thanks to a collaboration of McCook’s Youth Change Reaction (YCR) and Nebraska Games and Parks, bicycles are now on loan while at Red Willow SRA.

The bike loan project was developed by a YCR member who was inspired by a similar program at Fort Kearney Historical Park. Through community donations, help from McCook’s Toy Box and a grant from McCook Community Foundation Fund, YCR was able to restore and donate bikes to the Red Willow State Recreation Area.

The bicycles were donated by several community members, along with funds for fixing and upkeep of the bikes. Tom Poore of Tinker Toms has gone through every bike to make sure the components are in good condition. He will work with YCR and Games and Parks to also help with upkeep.

But they realized that getting the bikes wasn’t enough. They needed a shelter for the bikes throughout the year. So they helped fund - and build - a shelter for the bike loan program.

The bikes and the newly-built shed housing the bicycles are located at the Willow Campground, located before reaching the dam. The shed was built this summer with the manpower of several YCR members and Games and Parks staff members.

YCR is the youth organization of the McCook Community Foundation Fund. Funds are also being used to create signs for older and newly created walking/biking trails at Red Willow SRA.

YCR sponsor Shelly Sehnert said the bike loan project will give youth at Red Willow Lake another fun activity, making the lake an even more enjoyable place for everyone and drawing people to the area. “It will also be a resource for campers at the lake to use on the bike trails or as transportation to and from the campgrounds or cabins,” she said.

Southwest Region Supervisor for Nebraska Games and Parks Aric Riggins is proud to see this project come to fruition.

"Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is extremely thankful for the vision of the McCook Youth Change Reaction realizing a need to develop a bicycle loaner program at Red Willow State Recreation Area,” he said. “Without the group's vision, fundraising effort to acquire bikes, and physical labor to help construct the new bike shed, this program would not have happened.”

Riggins also thanked MCFF for the grant assistance to help fund the lumber for the bike shed and the grant to help fund new trail signage aiding with wayfinding and safety on the developed 6.3 miles of multi-use trails in the State Recreation Area.

"Community support such as this helps to create a better state park area for all to enjoy and we are very thankful for the support," Riggins said.

In addition to the bikes and new bike shed at Red Willow, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission and local organizations are working to expand the hike-bike trails to give visitors a chance to enjoy the most scenic areas of the park, while also giving bike enthusiasts a more challenging ride. Throughout the entire state recreation area, 3 miles of trails have been added in recent months, bringing the total to 6.3 miles.

Riggins concluded, “We do hope that the park users and the community take advantage of this great new opportunity to recreate out at the lake."

Honoring Those Who Make McCook an Even Better Place to Call Home

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 24 Sep 2021 15:45:33 GMT

So far in 2021, at least two or three of these columns have been tributes to those who have passed, including Cloyd Clark and Tor Olson. Hopefully, their families and friends found those words comforting, uplifting or at least brought back a few fond memories.

While I will continue to occasionally reflect on those who have had a tremendous impact but are no longer with us, I want to offer up an alternative: highlighting those who have had a tremendous impact but continue to influence our community in positive ways because they are still here.

Last night to kick of McCook’s Heritage Days Celebration, several well-deserving people were recognized for their roles in McCook including Bill Elliot as parade marshal; Jody and Richie Crocker as honor family; and king and queen Matthew Pochop and Karragan Shaw, as well as all of the Heritage Days royalty.

And finally, there was Mark Graff, who received the Grand Marshall award for his years of service nationally, statewide and locally.

While many people know Mark because of his role leading MNB Bank, his influence can be found in countless other areas. Had Trevor Taylor listed everything Mark has been or is currently involved in during Wednesday’s celebration at the MNB Mixer, we would have been there for a long time…way past Mark’s bedtime.

While Mark is involved in many organizations including serving as a founder and current treasurer for the McCook Community Foundation Fund, the public may not notice it. As a certified public accountant, he steadfastly does what is needed, what is expected, what is right. He isn’t out there show-boating or grand-standing unless he is showing off his two new grandchildren.

And Mark is quick to shift the attention from himself to those around him or give credit to those who came before him. There is one person who he cites for helping him become the man he is today: his dad, Pete Graff.

Pete and Mark have many similarities - from their height to their hairline - but there is yet another attribute they have in common. When they speak, people listen. Pete was not one for many words. He didn’t have to orate long to get his point across. There are countless stories of people sitting in Pete’s office in McCook National Bank, now MNB Bank, as the customer or friend told a story or asked for advice with Pete sitting back in his chair with his arms crossed across his chest, just listening most of the time.

The same holds true for Mark as people reach out for advice, assistance, or just a friendly ear to talk to. Because Mark acknowledges that the other thing he learned from his dad is that we can never give back to our community too much and that we will never be able repay all the people who also work so hard day after day but we’ll try.

And for full transparency, I must clarify my relationship with Mark. I am married to Mark’s brother, Jon, the youngest of Pete and Dolores Graff’s 11 children. When meeting someone new who knows the Graff name, I am often asked if I am Mark’s wife, but that title belongs to Mark’s wonderful wife, Linda.

Occasionally, I am asked if I am one of Mark’s five sisters, but McCook is home to four Graff-Thomas boys: Mark, Mike, Chad and Jon. But my favorite question is when people ask if I’m Mark’s daughter. Not sure how Mark feels about that, but it makes my day.

Congratulations to all the Heritage Days Royalty, who continue to make McCook an even better place to call home.

***

As if he wasn’t involved enough, Mark is spearheading the Timberline Concert next Thursday, Sept 30 at the Alice Building on the Red Willow County Fairgrounds, which is being held in memory of Tor Olson. Thanks to many generous sponsors, all ticket proceeds will go toward a project in Tor’s name, something that showcases one of Tor’s many interests.

While you can get tickets at the door, it’s going to be $5 more. So stop by MNB Bank or Sehnert’s Bakery before next Thursday to get a ticket. Tickets are also available at the Imperial City Offices. Or visit www.jimsalestrom.com to order online.

The concert is going to be a fun evening with great music by Timberline, honoring a great man in Tor Olson and organized by a tremendous local leader in Mark Graff.

First Hormel Youth Entrepreneur Contest Ends on a Sweet Note

Wed, 22 Sep 2021 02:00:23 GMT

MCFF/NCF Youth Engagement Grant Used for Entrepreneur Program

Morgan Peterson of Imperial was named winner of the 2021 Hormel Youth Entrepreneurship competition through McCook Community College.

Peterson was one of four finalists for the competition who made business plan presentations Saturday. She received $5,000 for her business, ImpERFECT Confections.

Ethan Graff of McCook won second place and received $2,500 for his Nebraska Pizza Company business idea. Kailynn Rodewald, also of McCook, received a third place check for $1,500 for her presentation of Sweet & Sassy Cakes and Cupcakes.

These three young entrepreneurs, along with Quincy Long of McCook (Strawberry Frog Stickers), spent each Monday evening in August learning the basics of running a business. They also spent an entire Saturday in August visiting local McCook businesses, learning from each business owner. Businesses visited included Sehnert’s Bakery, the Keystone Co-Work Space, Impact Closet traveling boutique, Cita Deli, Mac’s Drive-In and Saltwater Shrimp Company.

The competition wrapped up Saturday as each participant presented their business ideas to a panel of judges in MCC’s McMillen Hall.

Their business plans included information on how and why this business was chosen, a cost analysis including assets and expenditures, projected costs and revenue, examples of marketing and plans for what any money won would be used for.

As part of the competition, winners are invited to participate in the Nebraska Community Foundation’s annual training and banquet in McCook on November 17-18.

The McCook Community Foundation Fund provided $7,500 for a matching grant from the Nebraska Community Foundation as part of the Youth Engagement Grant. Those funds have been used to educate local entrepreneurs over the past few years, as well as provide the prize money for this first Hormel Youth Entrepreneurship Competition.

The youth competition was led by Cultivate Rural Leaders’ McCook Leadership 2.0 group, along with local UNL 4-H Extension staff.

While the 2021 Hormel Youth Entrepreneur Camp has wrapped up, plans are already underway to repeat the contest again in the future.

Developing a Strong Community for 2050

Fri, 17 Sep 2021 16:41:10 GMT

Leadership is a simple word. A 10-letter word containing three syllables. A word we commonly use for those who go above and beyond to bring goodness to people.

Our world has had many great leaders, but even great leaders didn’t get to the pinnacle by themselves. Take Michel Jordan, Tom Osborne, or Warren Buffet. They all had mentors in their life to help them grow into a person who brought extraordinary outcomes in their professional lives.

The word leadership and Nebraska communities seemingly go hand and hand. Nebraskans are known for our strong drive, cohesiveness, and philanthropic mindset to help others. As we discuss leadership of the next generation, we commonly hear, “Our youth are the future.” The obvious response is, “Yes.”

But dive deeper into the phrase, “Our youth are the future,” and what are we actively doing to prepare them? Are they in a unique position of being mentored as well as mentoring others? Are we teaching them proper life skills, intrapersonal skills, money management, professional development and morals? Are there leaders in their life facilitating development for our local community to lead us into 2030, 2040, 2050 and beyond?

If we are honest with ourselves, we are failing our youth to reach their full potential in many ways. Oftentimes we fail them not because the youth aren’t talented or capable of learning. Rather, it is due to us not having the trust that our young people are capable. We scrutinize so closely; we don’t let them make mistakes; or we, as adults, claim to always know what is best. Based solely on the year we were born, we are quick to utilize an age barrier and say, “There is no way they could know more or know better than me.”

But to build a healthy community, we have to start at the foundation. When we say, “Our youth is the future,” we must acknowledge that our young people are the foundation of the future. So, how can we help foster a strong foundation of the future?

I challenge each of us to consider ways to lift up our youth. It truly is up to each and every one of us. Not coincidentally, this is the slogan of McCook Community Foundation Fund’s youth group, Youth Change Reaction (YCR). YCR believes that it is up to each and every one of us to make our community a better place to call McCook home.

It is up to us as leaders to build our youth through:

Connecting youth to adult leaders

Whether at the city council, on a board such as the YMCA or various leadership groups, we must allow them to have a seat at the table. We can learn from them just as much as they learn from us.

Grant opportunities for professional development

We need to create internship experiences that offer education and build skills, not just extract grunt labor.

Teach life lessons

We all need to learn that failing is OK sometimes. Failure promotes a development of understanding and we can learn more from our mistakes than our achievements.

Networking in a small community

We need to share the opportunities in our community with our youth, we need to utilize and showcase their talents and we need to get them involved at every level. How? Take them to lunch to share information, but more importantly - to listen.

Build relationships

It all comes down to relationships. We need to mentor our youth and we need to let our youth mentor us.

Leadership is a simple word, but nurturing and creating strong leaders is much more complex. If we want a growing and thriving community in 2050 and beyond, we must develop our young people into our leaders of the future. We need to bring them to the table to learn - now. We need them to provide their insight - now. We need them to be part of making McCook an even better place to call home - now.

Gavin Harsh is the vice president of the McCook Community Foundation Fund. With his birthday Wednesday, he is both among the “young people” he refers to but also a tremendous leader in the community.

Small Actions Do Add Up

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Mon, 13 Sep 2021 14:46:57 GMT

It seems like everything we talk about these days are big and audacious, whether it is building a new aquatic facility for our community or the lack of affordable housing.

And while these larger issues do need to be addressed, we sometimes forget that the little things matter. Small decisions we make everyday add up to create how our community feels to both us and to others. Daily actions determine the future of our community and ultimately, the quality of life for ourselves, our families, our friends, and our neighbors.

In “This Is Where You Belong,” Melody Warnick offers up advice about finding and creating the place you want to call home. And these are not grand, sweeping gestures but rather small, daily actions which really can make a difference:

Walk more
Buy local
Get to know your neighbors
Do fun stuff
Explore nature
Volunteer
Eat local
Become more political
Create something new
Stay loyal through hard times

None of these concepts are earth-shattering but are rather common sense. Nor are they hard to do but are rather doable if you make a conscious decision to do them.

Attend a government meeting and find out where your taxes are going. Explore nature by strolling along the walking trail or visiting one of the many nearby lakes. Reach out to volunteer in something that interests you or could benefit from your expertise and enthusiasm.

Your actions don’t even have to be that big. Do you pick up trash if you see it laying on the sidewalk even though you didn’t drop it? Do you smile and say “Hi” to people as you are walking down the street? Do you plant flowers in your yard?

All of these actions add up to create a welcoming and inviting community that people want to call home.

But the first item - walk more - may be the easiest yet the most important item on the list. Why? Because by simply getting out of your vehicle and walking helps you to get to know your community. You see things you won’t see whizzing by at 30 mph. You meet people you wouldn’t meet if you are behind a windshield. You see up close and personal what needs fixing in your community but more likely, you see what is already great in your community.

While the weather is soon going to be taking a turn toward colder temperatures, don’t let that deter you from taking a nightly stroll or getting up early to walk to work.

I came across a quote about time travel the other day. While not word for word, the gist was that people are afraid to travel back in time because they are afraid some small change they might do may alter the course of history. And that may be true.

But it’s also just as true moving forward. Some small change you may do may alter the course of the future.

Each of us has the opportunity to take the small actions which add up to make our community what we want it to be. Can you imagine what would happen if each and every one of us did one small thing every day to make our community better than it was the day before? I am betting we would make McCook an even better place to call home.

Rather than "Have To," consider "Get To"

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 03 Sep 2021 11:00:02 GMT

With nine people in my household at one point, laundry was one of my biggest jobs on a regular basis. Just to keep on top of things, at least two days a week were devoted to sorting, washing, folding and when I could put off no longer, ironing. As you can imagine, laundry was a never-ending chore.

On more than one occasion as I stood over a lump of clothes piled high on my dining room table, I may have lamented on the number of hours of my life I was “wasting” on laundry. Hours which could have been spent on...oh, I don’t know...learning to cha-cha or writing the next great American novel or mastering my French accent.

But then my husband noted wisely - which he does every so often - I should see laundry as a blessing. I get to do laundry because I have been blessed with seven healthy children who are active and get their clothes dirty. I get to do laundry because we have enough money for clothes for all of them to get dirty. I get to do laundry using a washing machine rather than schlopping down to the creek to rub the clothes between two rocks. Instead of focusing on what was wrong, I could instead be grateful for what was good.

Of course, I don’t remember if he shared this bit of wisdom as he was in the kitchen doing dishes or if he shouted it from the living room where he was watching TV. Regardless, it was a good reminder that a positive perspective on your situation can drastically alter your mood, can change how you feel about what you are doing, and can determine how you move forward in your life.

By simply switching from the attitude of “have to” do something versus “get to” do something can cause you to view the situation in an entirely new light.

For example, McCook’s Heritage Days celebration is quickly approaching at the end of the month, which of course means the Heritage Days Parade.

The thought of “having to” design and build a float may fill some with dread. Instead, you could think of it as an opportunity to “get to” show your creativity and flair. If creativity isn’t your forte, think of it as an opportunity to reach out to someone who is good with crepe paper and balloons and get them involved. Or view it as a chance to sample a variety of different candy to toss to the parade-goers. You don’t “have to” try every flavor of dum-dums lollipops; instead, you “get to” sample them all, just for quality control.

Side note: Several years ago, I crossed an item off my bucket list with a visit to the Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena, California, so I am a bit biased toward parades and floats, but everyone should still consider entering a float in the McCook Chamber’s Heritage Days Parade at the end of the month.

What brought the concept to mind recently of switching from “have to” to “get to” was my involvement (for the fifth time) with the McCook Senior Parents, who have traditionally served food at the varsity football games as a fund-raiser.

When I took on the task at the last minute a few weeks ago, many wondered why I added to my work load. At a minimum, both my husband and I felt the food was a service to the community which needed to be continued. But it was also a simple opportunity that I “get to” do, not that I “have to” do.

As an added bonus, I am working with a great group of Class of 2022 parents who stepped up quickly to make the dinner happen on extremely short notice. None of these people “had to” do it. Instead, they chose to do it and eagerly joined in once everything got rolling. Not only was it a fun opportunity, I was grateful to be surrounded by both experienced and newbie parents, who chose to work hard both for their senior high students and for the community.

I realize not everything we do in our daily lives can be put in a positive light, but there are many opportunities to shift our thinking about the situation to an attitude of gratefulness, to celebrate what we do have rather than focusing on what we don’t, and to consider that we don’t “have to” do something - we “get to” do something.

Connecting and Collaborating to Get Things Done

Thu, 26 Aug 2021 21:00:46 GMT

While the Nebraska Arts Council’s annual conference remained virtual this year, I was invited to speak on partnerships and collaborations...a topic which is not only important but vital to a thriving community.

As I prepared for the speaking engagement last week, I reflected on the collaborations and connections I have been part of over the three decades since I returned to my hometown of McCook.

Over the years, I have shifted from working primarily with private individuals and businesses - a natural link as the owner of the bakery - to interactions with foundations and non-profit organizations in McCook, within Nebraska and across the country.

I used those recent experiences to prepare for the conference, focusing on four points:

Get involved
Stay curious
Dream and dream big
Find ways to say, “yes!”

1. Get Involved

The first step to make things happen is to get involved. The involvement can range from joining committees and boards, volunteering at events, or coaching little league baseball. But it can also be as simple as just “showing up” at events to support others in our community and to have some fun.

For those who just don’t know where to start or how to get involved, find something you are interested in. Then contact someone in that organization or connect with the event to learn more about the organization and how you can be helpful. A conversation over a cup of coffee is a great way to begin.

Being involved in our community has helped me gain experience, knowledge, and wisdom. Perhaps, most importantly, I have built trust and relationships with people and organizations. Through the McCook Community Foundation Fund and Nebraska Community Foundation, I have learned that “Change occurs along the lines of relationship and at the speed of trust.”

2. Be Curious

I’ve chosen a life where my curiosity opens a lot of doors to experiences. Experiences help me with perspective and to see what is possible. Experiences help me understand opportunities and risks. Experiences help me find others who will collaborate with me on projects.

My curiosity has led to experiences that have fostered friendships, collaborations and dreams and a better way to live in rural Nebraska

3. Dream and Dream Big

What I’ve found is that there are not enough dreamers. Why? When did we lose our ability to dream? What should our community look like? I want to dream about our future and the future of our grandchildren. It’s our home so let’s make it the way we dream it to be.

Yes, there are many challenges in our world, but it is also full of abundance.

In McCook, we have some huge possibilities. To realize them, we need to dream big, we need to jump at the opportunities which are available, and we need to work together to make them happen!

4. Find ways to say, “Yes!”

“NO” is the easy button and to put it bluntly....easy is generally lame.

At first, the solutions are not always obvious and may be illusive. But by working to find a way to say “yes” - perhaps through unlikely or unusual partnerships - some of the biggest and best dreams for our community will come to fruition.

When I am faced with roadblocks and negative possibilities to a situation, I turn my focus to “how can we make this work?” While this takes effort, it pays off tremendously.

Finally, I try to surround myself with “yes” people. Not people who agree with me all the time, but rather people who work hard to find solutions to make stackable wins in our community. A great example is Kyle Dellevoet, pastor at McCook Christian Church, who has taken the initiative on projects from covid-response programs to the Freedom Festival. These people work hard to find ways to say, “yes” and to work with others on events both church and non-church related. There is so much value in partnering and collaborating. As the old African proverb says: “Go alone, go fast. Go with others, go far.”

Let’s be curious and let’s dream big. Let’s get involved and let’s work together. Let’s say ”yes” to making our home the place our kids and grandkids want to call home.

As a member of the McCook Community Foundation Fund, Matt Sehnert looks forward to working with more individuals and organizations to make McCook an even better place to call home.

Getting things done by eating the frog

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Mon, 23 Aug 2021 13:30:54 GMT

By now, the majority of area high schools have resumed and college students are making their way back to campus. For the most part, everyone is starting with a clean slate. No one is behind on homework. Everyone is passing their classes. Some have the highest grades they will have all year.

With my youngest daughter starting high school this week, we talked about staying on top of her homework, not putting the work off until the last minute, and asking her teachers for help so she can get it done and get it done right.

Of course, this came after a summer of nagging and cajoling to get her summer homework done. As my kids work their way through the school system, my husband and I have tried to instill the idea that it is better to get something done sooner rather than later.

Yet, every year the same thing happens. They have required summer reading for their English classes, which entails an essay or report about the books in question. And without fail, the week before school starts, the day before school resumes, heck, even the morning of the first day....they are sitting at their desks, frantically trying to finish their reports.

It is especially worse their junior year of high school - when they have their own dad as a teacher and the debate about the books and the essays happens over the dinner table.

But procrastination isn’t just limited to those returning to school. I have found it to be a life-long habit, a habit that is hard to break. Yet, I am holding out hope that if we can learn the habit of procrastination, we can also learn the habit of getting things done on time - and reduce stress - with just a few changes.

Be first.

Maybe it is volunteering first to host a group where everyone will host at some point. Maybe it is giving a speech first in class. Maybe it is writing an article first for an organization you belong to. When there is an option, there are many reasons to go first.

For starters, expectations are low. You don’t have the worry of going after someone who has knocked it out of the park. You get to set the bar as high - or low - as you want.

But more importantly, it is one less thing weighing on your mind. When you get something done first, it can be a relief, especially knowing others still have to complete the task.

Make your bed.

If you get nothing else done the rest of your day, you have accomplished one thing if you make your bed first thing in the morning. And it sets the tone for the rest of the day, knowing that you have done at least one thing already.

It only took me 20 years, but my husband makes the bed every morning after we are both up. And it is simply soothing to walk into our bedroom to a well-made - mostly - bed.

I’m still in a battle with my kids, who use the argument that I remember saying growing up: Why make your bed when you are just going to mess it up that night? One battle at a time.

Eat the frog.

Finally, one of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever heard is “eat the frog” (and it is a great visual).

To put it bluntly, you should eat the frog before anything else, because it can only get better from there. In other words, if you have something unpleasant or burdensome or something you have simply been putting it off, you should do it first thing in the day because then everything after that is going to be easy or at least relatively better in comparison.

There is even a work-out facility called “Eat the Frog” Gyms, which I thought was brilliant because who really likes to work out. As someone who works out first thing in the morning, I do it because it is one thing I can cross off my to-do list. And while I don’t hate exercise, I do find myself counting down the laps until I can get to my coffee club.

So good luck to all the returning students, teachers and school staff. I hope it is a year filled with success, achievements and getting things done...in a timely manner with - or without- eating a frog.

Have Your Voice Heard on the Pool

Fri, 13 Aug 2021 11:30:02 GMT

If there was ever a time for collaboration as well as coming together, McCook’s pool project has to be toward the top of the list. The city of McCook held another community planning meeting Wednesday night regarding the pool project, but there might finally be hope on the horizon after years of inaction.

With a pool engineer in place to lead the project, there seems to be traction and a process in place to have people’s voices be heard. It is also finally time for all the entities in town which would benefit from a new aquatic center to get on the same page and work together to make the best project we can for our community, for our kids, for our future.

I know people are tired of me talking - and not doing something - about the pool. I’m only half joking when I say I should have the word “pool” tattooed across my forehead because it comes up in conversations so often. While a pool may seem frivolous, we are actually talking about the quality of life for our community.

I may be missing a few people, but current pool committee members Tracy Flaska, Charles Coleman and I were also on the pool committee in 1999 when we put a $1 million band-aid on McCook’s 1937 pool. At that point, I was a bright-eyed and bushy-tailed 20-something with only two kids, who just followed, did as I was told and ultimately didn’t dream big.

Now as my second stint on the pool committee continues, those two kids have completed college, two more kids are high school graduates, the final three kids will be moving on too quickly. and I’m only bright-eyed and bushy-tailed every other day.

But I have learned to dream and to dream big. I have learned to do my research and to speak up. I have learned that there are financial resources available if the right project comes along and it is done correctly. And I have learned that collaboration is not optional but a necessity.

To say the pool project is long overdue is an understatement. I would like to say a new pool is going to be built next month, but everyone knows that isn’t realistic. But to say a new pool is going to be built next year may not even be a possibility either because it is such a complicated issue. And the community doesn’t want to hear that because we have been at this process for so long.

Fortunately, we are beginning what should have been done years ago: researching all options, meeting with all stakeholders, leaving no stone unturned as we determine what will improve the quality of life in McCook in regards to a new aquatic center.

Afterall, the easy button would be to just slap in a new pool and call it a day. But it isn’t that simple. There are so many questions that need to be asked and answered. So many issues which need to be researched and reviewed. So many people who need to have their voices heard and so many entities which need to be involved.

These include McCook Community College, which would benefit both from having a new pool near its campus for its students to utilize as well as moving the pool, so the college could use the land for other purposes such as a new dorm. This includes Community Hospital, which could benefit from a therapy pool or exercise classes for the well-being of its patients. This includes McCook Public Schools, which already utilizes the YMCA pool for its high school swim team but could add swim lessons and lifeguarding classes to its curriculum.

And the conversation has to include the YMCA, which knows how expensive and difficult it is to maintain a pool, knows what it takes to operate a pool year-round, and knows how difficult it can be to find lifeguards.

And perhaps one of the most important questions the community needs to answer: Does McCook need two pools? Can McCook support two pools? And just to get everyone up to speed, we are talking about a city pool which is over 80 years old and a YMCA pool which is nearing its 40th anniversary. Just like me, neither are spring chickens anymore.

I have been on this committee since October 2015 when 15 of us were approved by the city council to form the McCook Pool Committee. And while we have tried to do our best to make things happen, we have struggled to gain forward momentum.

I take this responsibility very personally because this pool isn’t for me or my family, but for the entire community. It is for our kids, for our families, for our elderly. It is for those who use the pool on a daily basis. It is for those who never use the pool but understand that it is important to attract people to our community. It is important just for a good quality of life.

So how do we move this project forward? How can you make a difference?

Take the survey, which was created by the city’s pool engineer. It will be available for the next 45 days, so look for it online (hopefully, the city gets the link on its website soon), pickup up a paper copy around the community and it will be shared on Facebook. The survey uses multiple-choice questions for the most part, but there are spaces available to input your own ideas. Please use those boxes to give your personal input, whether it is a splash pad for the interim or a location the city hasn’t considered.

To prevent the results from getting skewed, the survey can only be taken once on each device. So before rushing to complete the survey, think about what you want in an aquatic center, think about how you use a pool, and think about what the community needs.

And then contact the city council members to let them know this is a priority. Reach out to city staff to say that this needs to move forward in a timely way. Visit with pool committee members to share what you would like to be included. After all, it is up to each and everyone one of to make this happen and to make McCook an even better place to call home.

To take the survey, please click on this link .

Perseverance and Persistence Pays Off

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 23 Jul 2021 13:18:04 GMT

One of my favorite comic strips is Calvin and Hobbes, featuring a little boy and his stuffed cat.

Calvin always had a vivid imagination, which led to some interesting and very insightful comments about everyday life.

In just a single, simple frame, the comic strip makes a lasting comment about our expectation for instant gratification these days.

In the image, Calvin laments how long it will take to cook his food.

“Six minutes to microwave this?? Who’s got time for that?”

His dad just rolls his eyes.

We are all guilty of wanting things right now.

We want to lose weight the first day of our diet, even though we gained weight slowly.

We want to play an instrument today, even though we haven’t put in the months and years of practice.

We want to have a retirement account, even though we aren’t willing to save each month.

With everything available at our fingertips from movies to food, we have become a society which expects something to happen immediately. We can access information instantaneously so we expect the same of everything in our lives.

But in reality, the best things in life take time, take perseverance, and take patience.

And a perfect example of this happened this week in McCook.

Nine years ago, Linda Graff had just wrapped up her daughter’s wedding in McCook. She had utilized the parking lot between the Keystone and the Fox Theater, as well as the Fox for movies for the kids and the Keystone for the dance.

It was a great example of using all those spaces together for a beautiful wedding and reception, but she realized it could be so much more. She conceived of transforming the parking lot into a gathering space, where people could do everything from just hanging out over coffee to a formal reception.

The idea rolled around in her head for the next few years but finally gained traction five years ago when the Norris Institute decided to take on the project. Since then, the concept of Norris Alley has gone through many design changes, but the idea never went away.

And this week - on Linda’s birthday appropriately - the Norris Institute officially broke ground on the Norris Alley project between the two iconic buildings. If construction goes as planned, the space should be usable on McCook’s Heritage Days at the end of September.

No, the project isn’t complete yet, but the first hurdle is out of the way - getting started.

With a lot of hiccups along the way, the organizers could have given up at any point and just thrown in the towel. That would have been the easy button.

Instead, they continued to modify the design, continued to raise money and continued to push forward to make Norris Alley a reality. And because of that perseverance, McCook will be a better place when it is done.

The McCook Dog Park is another example of an idea which has brewed for years and should finally see fruition this year. One of the first mentions of a dog park in McCook was in 2011 when a site and funding was briefly considered. Since then, a new site has been selected and enough funds to purchase and install all the fencing has been raised.

Hopefully this year, the McCook Dog Park will finally be in place as the last few steps are completed to make the facility a reality.

Again, the project has been a long time coming but McCook will be a better place when it is done.

There are many examples of projects which were conceived but never happened. There are others which seemingly happened over night. But it is those ideas which require determination and persistence that will endure for years and which will make McCook an even better place to call home.

To Give or Not to Give

Fri, 16 Jul 2021 15:35:43 GMT

“The value of a man resides in what he gives and not in what he is capable of receiving.” - Albert Einstein

I’m a retired dentist who moved to McCook with my family in June 1969 to become the junior associate of the famous Blank brothers - Lavern and Don. I went on to practice dentistry for 45 years.

Three days after I retired at the age of 72, my mentor and friend, Don Harpst, recruited me to join the McCook Community Foundation Fund’s Advisory Committee. Despite being a founding member and a four-hour orientation, I still was not sure exactly how this foundation-concept worked nor how I would be an asset.

Fortunately, I found myself on a road trip with Don Harpst, Peggy Been and Ronda Graff to my first annual Nebraska Community Foundation (NCF) training and banquet to Columbus, Neb.

Like the Nebraska Dental Association conferences, the NCF annual conference has a common theme and brings together hundreds of volunteers from across the state. I was part of an NCF network with 1,500 community volunteers from 270 communities in 82 of Nebraska’s 93 counties.

(And mark your calendars because the NCF training and banquet will be in McCook this November.)

But back in 2015 in Columbus while attending break-out meetings on various subjects, I suddenly found my “why.”

The main reason why this work is important to me now is that I love McCook and I love making a difference. The values that MCFF represents are important to me. They are honesty, integrity and inclusivity. Our networking with NCF has accomplished so much and we are incredibly proud and grateful.

But there is more to do.

“The meaning of life is to find our gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” - Pablo Picasso

Over the next 50 years, Nebraskans will transfer billions of dollars to the next generation. This transfer of wealth offers an unprecedented opportunity if we count our communities among our heirs.

Imagine what an investment of just five percent of this transfer of wealth could do for long-term economic development and qualify of life in McCook. Over the next 50 years, $2.3 billion will transfer from one generation to the next in Southwest Nebraska.

The opportunity is massive. The time is now.

“No one has ever become poor by giving.” - Anne Frank

Regardless of your age, I recommend everyone consider the following:

Give to the endowment of your community fund or favorite charity.

Talk to your professional advisor about including your community in your estate plan.

Create a donor-advised fund to support charitable giving.

Learning how you can create your own personal legacy.

On a personal note, when I retired in July 2014, my wife, Sandy, and I made a planned gift to the community of McCook through MCFF and NCF with the help of NCF’s Jim Gustafson, Edward Jones’ Garett Rippen, attorney Bryant Brooks, CPA Kristen Stagemeyer and Pinnacle Bank’s Mark Kisker. The gift we made will create a legacy that will live on in perpetuity.

Everyone has the choice about whether to give or not give, but I will say this: Sandy and I both love McCook and this gift was probably one of the most rewarding and grateful feelings that we could have ever imagined.

“We make a living by what we get. But we make a life by what we give.” - Winston Churchill

Bill Graves is a member of the McCook Community Foundation Fund’s Advisory Committee and has a passion for anything that will make McCook thrive, grow and prosper.

Communities Can't Grow or Thrive Without Young People

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 08 Jul 2021 22:51:03 GMT

As a community, we make decisions every day, which affect our future.

Some of those decisions are big, such as building a new pool, having a new employer start up a business or renovating a downtown building.

Others are smaller, such as whether to have Christmas lights lining the rooftops of downtown businesses or welcoming signs at the edge of town, just so people know where they are.

And there are those decisions which affect the feel of the community. Do people say “Hi” as you walk down the street? Are the attitudes of the decision-makers in the community encouraging? Is the environment one where it is easy to get things done or are there barriers in place?

Do people feel welcomed and involved? Do young people feel like they are needed and wanted? Do people want to make things happen?

All of those decisions - both intentional and unintentional - add up to one thing…what kind of community we want and ultimately will have.

For some, they simply want a retirement community, where it’s quiet, where there's not much to do because you go to bed at 7 p.m. and where there is no reason to make investments in new playgrounds or wedding venues or preschools because older people don’t need those things.

And even if the goal is to create a retirement community, that can’t be done without one vital ingredient: young people.

Without young people, who is going to provide medical services? Without young people, who is going to own and operate our local businesses, providing a wider tax base? Without young people, who is going to teach in our school systems (and populate them with kids)?

And without young people, who is going to provide that youthful energy to get things done?

While a retirement community may sound ideal, a community can’t last without young people.

So ultimately we need to be making decisions which attract and keep our young people.

The consequences of past decisions are evident if you are out and about in the community.

As the race director for the local fitness series, I see how many people are signing up in the 10-year age divisions at each race. And the 20-29 men is always the lowest number of participants - if not completely non-existent - at each race. It could mean they don’t have the desire to run a 5K, or they don’t have the money to register, or they aren’t fit enough after four years of a college lifestyle. Yes this is purely anecdotal, but we simply don’t have many in that age group living here yet, if ever.

We make decisions to do - or not do - things which influence where our young people will decide to live. How do I know? Because my kids, along with their friends, are those young people making these life choices.

One of my sons moved back last year after graduating from college, making the conscious decision to move from Omaha to McCook. I also recently talked to another 20-something who moved back to the area to teach. Both have found employment and both have found housing which is adequate for the time being. But both noted that there is little for their age-group to get excited about and your 20s should be one of the most exciting times of your life.

Think back to when you were in your 20s and for some, this may be a stretch. What did you do with your free time? Go dancing? Go to the soda foundation? Simply hangout with your friends? Are those options available here?

Successful communities make investments in their young people. They create parks with trees they likely never sat under. They create programs which encourage young people to start a business. They created an environment where young people want to get involved, where they feel welcomed, where they feel needed.

If we want our community to not just survive but also thrive, our young people need us and we need our young people.

Grant Brings Family and Elderly Together at Hillcrest

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 01 Jul 2021 23:23:37 GMT

While visitor restrictions have eased at Hillcrest Nursing Home, valuable lessons have been learned over the past year because of the pandemic which will carry on into the future.

One hurdle staff at the McCook nursing home faced early on was how to connect the elderly residents to outside events and to maintain contact with visitors. That is where technology has come into play.

With many events being live-streamed or families visiting over Zoom, Hillcrest staff saw an opportunity to connect nursing home residents to the outside world using updated televisions - or smart TVs.

Using $40,000 in grants from the Nebraska Community Foundation’s Connecting Elders with Family program, Hillcrest was able to install smart TVs in the residents’ rooms. While the new unites may look like a standard TV, a smart TV uses the internet to provide streaming video and services through the TV.

The funding for the new TVs came through a collaboration of sources. McCook Community Foundation Fund and the Hillcrest Nursing Home Foundation each provided $10,000 for a total of $20,000, which was then matched by the Connecting Elder with Family grant through the Nebraska Community Foundation. This meant $40,000 was available to purchase and install the smart TVs throughout the facility, bringing the residents closer to their family and friends via technology.

“The world is going more and more digital,” Foster said. “With the new smart TVs, the residents can even access newspapers that are now online from the comfort of their room.”

The smart TVs are also made possible because Hillcrest offers high-speed internet, which is needed for the technology. “Hillcrest is one of the few - if only - nursing homes to be a 1-gig facility,” Foster said.

Another bonus was standardizing the brand of TVs throughout the facility, which allows staff to better able to pinpoint and fix problems. Previously, residents brought their own individual TVs to the facility, meaning staff had to learn how to program or fix a variety of TVs.

“The new TVs will make it much easier on the staff,” Foster said, “dealing with just one type of remote, one model of TV.”

The project may not have happened had the three entities not come to together to pool their resources.

McCook Community Foundation Fund chairperson Cindy Huff said this project and the grants used to fund it demonstrate how working together can provide greater benefits for everyone.

“Through a collaboration between the Hillcrest Foundation, the McCook Community Foundation Fund, and the Nebraska Community Foundation and its affiliates, we were able to increase opportunities and positively impact each resident's life,” Huff said. “Hillcrest residents will be better connected with friends and family for years to come while also easily accessing personal entertainment.”

Foster added that this project benefits not just McCook but the entire region because Hillcrest serves so many across Southwest Nebraska and Northwest Kansas.

“This collaboration is just a great example of multiple entities working together,” he said.

The Connecting Elders with Family program began just as the pandemic was forcing facilities such as nursing homes to close its doors to outside visitors and prohibit residents from venturing out.

So in the spring of 2020, the Nebraska Community Foundation announced the Connecting Elders with Family funding opportunity, a collaboration between the Alice DeVoe Donor-Advised Fund—an affiliated fund of NCF—and another anonymous donor. The opportunity provides matching grants to NCF affiliated funds to connect and engage elders with family and friends, including electronic devices and complementary equipment.

Even though the facilities such as nursing homes are now welcoming visitors, the new technology will continue to benefit the residents. The new TVs will allow residents who may not be capable of attending activities outside the nursing home to watch from the comfort of their rooms or visit with family members who don’t live near by, face to face via the TV screen.

And the new TVs add to the quality of life at Hillcrest, opening up other opportunities for residents, who are thrilled by the new additions.

Cathy Lubben said, “I think it is great! I have more channels, movies and still have my music!”

The MCFF portion of the grant was made possible thanks to the generosity of the Andy and Geri Anderson’s Endowment Account. MCFF and the Hillcrest Foundation are both affiliated funds of the Nebraska Community Foundation.

Take Steps to Make McCook an Even Better Place to Call Home

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 01 Jul 2021 23:01:15 GMT

Last year, the McCook Community Foundation Fund Advisory Committee reviewed and revised its vision statement. It’s pretty simple and straightforward: Making McCook an even better place to call home.

In other words, McCook has a lot of great things going for it, a lot of tremendous assets already in place, a lot of great people working to make our community thrive and grow.

But we can’t rest on our laurels, we can’t continue to do the status quo because that is actually going down hill, we can’t continue to just do things “because that’s how we’ve always done it.”

Instead, we need to step it up a notch. We need to make what we already have even more appealing. We need to invest in our community and make what we already have even better. We need to appreciate what those who came before us have done and build upon their accomplishments.

For example, this past weekend I helped coordinate the fourth annual Michelle’s Memorial Triathlon. (Chris Schaben did the majority of the work and deserves huge kudos for all the hours he puts into the event.)

Triathlons, which involves swimming, biking and running, is a fairly niche activity, drawing people who don’t mind some mild chafing since you hop out of the swimming pool onto a bicycle, soaking wet. In other words, the event draws people not only from McCook and Southwest Nebraska, but from across Nebraska as well as Kansas and Colorado.

There is nothing like an out-of-towner to remind you of the good things in your community, things which we take for granted, things which we overlook, things we may notice until someone else brings it to our attention.

The triathlon is held at Kelley Park in McCook, utilizing the McCook City Swimming Pool, the road next to the hospital (just coincidental) and McCook’s walking trail. After the race, several of the participants came up to me to thank us for hosting and commend all the assets we had used.

Although the McCook city pool can be downright cold and climbing out without a ladder takes hurriclean strength especially after a 500-meter swim, we are able to accommodate a lot of swimmers and water walkers all at once. And we have a great city pool staff including the lifeguards who got up so bright and early, especially TJ Renner, Emily Tjindal and Kora Keslin.

While we appreciate the pool we have and are looking forward to hosting hundreds of swimmers in a few weeks, that should not stop us from building an even better pool to serve our community’s needs. A new aquatic facility would make McCook an even better place to call home.

As for the bike portion, there is nothing we can do to assuage their minor gripes: the wind and hills, except embrace the fact that McCook actually isn’t flat.

The runners and walkers then took off on the walking trail, which winds through Kelley Park and down to East 11th Street. The trails we have are great. Trees provide shade on portions. There are benches along the way to rest. Exercise equipment alongside the trail adds to the allure.

But it is a relatively short trail system. Just as you are getting your heart rate up, you’ve reached the end. And the trail does not get you safely across town on foot or bike.

An expanded walking trail would make McCook an even better place to call home.

Do these improvements bring more jobs to our community? Does it improve the housing situation in our community? Not directly, but they do improve the quality of life and may be the deciding factor of whether a young family decides to make McCook their home.

As Abraham Maslow (better known for Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs) said, “You will either step forward into progress or you will step backward into safety.”

If we want people to choose to stay, live or return to our community, then we need to make these improvements; we need to make these investments; we all need to take the steps to make our community an even better place to call home.

Making a Community Calendar a Habit

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 25 Jun 2021 12:00:07 GMT

Whether we like it or not, we live by the calendar. Our schedules are dictated by the day of the week. We plan around what is already on our schedule. We look to see when we have days open to plan a trip or schedule a meeting.

When asked if we can attend something, the automatic response is “Let me check my calendar.”

The same holds true for a community. There are so many things going on that a calendar is a necessity. And good or bad, we have a lot of them.

The Gazette has a great calendar which lists everything from governmental meetings to area festivals. I think it is so important that it should be one of the first things listed on their website.

McCook Public Schools maintains its own calendar which is a necessity with the plethora of sporting and social activities the school oversees. The McCook Arts Council has a list of all the arts and culture events on its new website.

And the McCook Chamber of Commerce has maintained an online calendar for years, but just last week made it easier than ever to add an event by removing the login step to submit information.

Why is an online community calendar so important? Just look at what happened Monday during the McCook City Council meeting.

City staff and the council were working with the pool engineer to set a community meeting to discuss a new city pool. They settled upon Thursday, Aug. 5 at 7 p.m.

Unbeknownst to them, MNB Bank had already set their popular Hot Summer Nights Concert for that same evening at the same time. The band Soca Jukebox was booked. The venue at Norris Park was reserved. The promotional materials had been printed.

The city is now aware of the conflict and will likely - and hopefully - move the date of the pool meeting so that people can both enjoy a wonderful, free event in the park one night and have their own voice heard about the pool on another night.

The scheduling conflict just highlighted the need for organizations and individuals to use the community calendars already in place for several reasons.

The first is so things like Monday don’t happen where multiple events get scheduled at the same time or even on the same weekend.

I suffer from a severe case of FOMO - Fear of Missing Out. I hate when multiple events, especially within a community, conflict with each other and I must choose. I would rather support all the events and programs and projects that people have put time and effort into.

I realize everyone doesn’t want to attend the same events, but people shouldn’t have to choose to give up something because no one checked to see what else was going on.

Another reason for a strong community calendar is to show everything that is going on. Yes, I’ve already said that, but I mean we need to show everything that is going on to outsiders who may be considering moving to our community.

People want things to do. If they are considering moving to McCook or Southwest Nebraska or Northwest Kansas, they want to know what is going on.

If organizations list what they are doing, people - both local and visitors - can access everything going on, both to plan other events and to get excited about all the cool things happening.

Scheduling doesn’t just affect McCook. The Fourth of July and the last week of September are both examples of dealing with scheduling conflicts.

Culbertson is the king of celebrating the Fourth of July. And I am not just saying that because I help with the Freedom Run 5K and 10K road race on Sunday, July 4…but do sign up.

Culbertson residents put on a great event for all ages with a parade and games and swimming and a car show. No one wants to compete with that.

So Indianola has set their Fourth of July celebration for….July 3.

And McCook Christian Church has set their Freedom Fest celebration at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds for….July 2.

We can literally make a full weekend of celebrating the Fourth of July holiday thanks to all these communities’ hard work.

When the end of September rolls around, there are hard decisions to be made.

That is the standing date for McCook’s Heritage Days celebration. It is just traditionally the last full weekend in September and plans are already underway for the event.

Stratton Days are planned for that same weekend, as is Smokin’ on the Beaver in Atwood. All great, fun events to bring people together and celebrate their communities.

For our little part of the world to thrive, we know we must support our neighbors, so we travel to area festivals too which makes it difficult to then choose between staying in McCook or hitting the road. It’s a great problem to have and I hope all of them are a success.

Many of these events are now settled into their dates year after year. But as new events are added or meetings pop up, all of our communities would benefit from using, adding to, looking at, referencing regularly, emailing often and listing continuously on these calendars. We simply need to make it a habit to check our community calendars, as regularly as we do our own.

By creating all these events - and almost as important, just showing up - we are working toward making our communities even better places to call home.

Leaving a Legacy of Love

Mon, 21 Jun 2021 15:02:48 GMT

I’m not a huge fan of comedian Steven Wright, but I do appreciate his humor. Several years ago my wife, Linda, and I had the pleasure of attending a Steven Wright show, who is most famous for his one-liners. The line which most resonated with me was: “I want to live forever – so far, so good.”

Now we all know that we don’t physically live forever – even Steven Wright. However, I think maybe Steven is on to something here as I contemplate the lives of three friends of mine and my Mom who passed away within the last year – Andy Anderson, Cloyd Clark, Tor Olson and Dolores Graff. What they accomplished during their time on earth and the positive impact they had on our community will live well beyond their physical existence.

We are all gifted with certain talents or assets. What made Andy, Cloyd, Tor and Dolores so special was they used their talents and resources to benefit others more than themselves.

As William Shakespeare so eloquently said, “The meaning of life is finding your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.”

My dad, Peter Graff, lived his life knowing that what he did for himself would die with him, but that what he did for others would live on long after he was gone.

Now seven years after his passing, the lives of our friends and neighbors in Southwest Nebraska are better because Peter Graff called McCook home. And years from now, the lives of Andy, Cloyd, Tor and Dolores will have the same profound effect on our community.

So, how can we best show our appreciation for those who came before us? For those who invested so heavily in our community, whether that be with their time, talent or treasures?

To start with, we can show our gratitude by how we invest our own time, our own talent and our own treasures into Southwest Nebraska. Consider giving back to your community, whether that be through volunteer efforts, financial donations or just showing up.

For example, each of us involved with the McCook Community Foundation Fund has made a pledge – the investments made by those who came before us will continue to prosper on our watch, whether those investments are an idea, an asset or just their spirit of giving.

Remember that giving not only helps others, but is good for our soul. H. Jackson Brown Jr. (the author, not the musician) wrote, “Remember that the happiest people are not those getting more, but those giving more.”

Thank you Andy, Cloyd, Tor and Mom for the gifts of your lives - your spirits are still alive and well in Southwest Nebraska. You leave legacies of love and community that continue to live deeply in those of us touched in some manner by your lives. We will do our best to honor each of you in everything we do for our community.

As Mae West once said, “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” And you all did it so right.

Local Events Add Up to Big Impact

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 11 Jun 2021 14:52:07 GMT

This Saturday, the McCook swim team will host teams from four area towns during a swim meet at the YMCA, which means hundreds of visitors to our community for the day.

Over the weekend, several hundred additional visitors will descend upon McCook for the 24 ½ annual Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival.

Last weekend, golfers were everywhere during Community Hospital’s annual John Mullen Pro Am golf tournament. And more than three dozen two-person high school fishing teams competed at Red Willow Lake, bringing with them supporters and the actual owners of their boats, their parents.

From baseball games to camping and boating, equine events to arts happenings, there are many opportunities around the area for people to visit - or even consider moving - to our communities.

Because of our smaller sized towns, these events tend to have a bigger impact, both financially and psychologically. There is a certain sense of pride when you see all these out-of-town plates on Main Street, getting to experience what we get to experience every day.

Next month, McCook will host two major swim meets as part of the Plains Tsunami Swim League, which includes more than three dozen teams from three states.

On July 10, McCook will be hoping with shoppers during Crazy Days, while the swimming pool will be filled with hundreds of swimmers as part of a qualifying swim meet.

And then on July 17, anywhere from 1,200 to 1,500 swimmers and their families and fans will descend upon the McCook City Pool for a day of competitive swimming.

For years, this final meet was hosted in Lexington, where they have a tremendous aquatic center with an 8-lane competition pool as well as a separate pool with water-slides and a zero-entry area. (But I’m not here to compare pools today; trust me, that will be a later column.)

Fortunately, McCook does have an 8-lane pool, the minimum needed to host such a large swim meet. We also have the hotels, the restaurants and the retail to support an event like this.

Organizers from the league were in McCook recently to prepare for the July 17 meet and their comments struck home. Organizers said the league felt welcomed in McCook, that it felt wanted, that it felt appreciated for being here. Whereas other communities might see the meet as a burden, we have an opportunity to embrace these types of events and make a significant impression on the community.

We can’t let these types of opportunities pass us by, from the dollars they bring to town to just exposing people to everything our community has to offer.

And while I am focusing on events and activities around our area, the same holds true for businesses.

If Mac’s Drive-In opened in Omaha, would anyone really notice? It would be among the dozens of restaurants in a one-mile radius. Yet, we all lamented when they had to cut back their hours, forcing us to have our home-made onion rings for lunch rather than dinner. Could you imagine the uproar if Mac’s shut its doors?

That being said, if we want these businesses to exist in McCook for the times when visitors are here, we need to frequent them with our dollars when visitors aren’t here. If we want these events to happen, community members need to step up, get involved and volunteer to make it happen. And perhaps most importantly, if we want these activities to take place in McCook, we need to have the infrastructure to host larger events to draw people to our area, whether it is a large ball complex, a new welcoming aquatic center or an updated convention center.

We have many opportunities to make things happen which can have a tremendous impact on our communities. All these events and activities, as well as thriving businesses, add up to make sure that our communities will be around for generations to come.

If we all work together to make these events and businesses successful, we can truly make an impact and we can make our communities an even better place to call home.

Always Time to Make a Difference in Your Community

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 04 Jun 2021 12:16:45 GMT

Earlier this week, I was quickly flipping through my family’s mail. I came to a halt upon a letter from our health insurance company.

The first line of the letter said, “We understand that you have a child turning 18 in the next month - a major milestone for both of you.”

I honestly thought to myself, “Who are they talking about?” Sure, we have kids who either are in or have graduated from college, but the remaining three are still little kids living at home. But then I stopped myself, did the math and remembered, yes, I do have another child who will soon be an adult - perhaps not mentally but yes, legally an 18-year-old adult.

When did this happen? What happened to the past 18 years? Where did the last 20 or 30 or 40 years go?

Before I know it, the last three kids will be out of the house (and back again but that’s another story) and I will be moving into another phase of life.

Regardless of what phase of life we are in, it is always good to take a step back and reflect on what you have - and have not - accomplished in your life. But even more importantly, what have you done to make not just your life better, but to make other people’s lives better?

Yes, the days may drag on but the years fly by. And when it comes to an end - and yes, it will all come to an end - can you say that you made a difference in the world?

Maybe you are just figuring out your high school class schedule for next year. Maybe you are enrolling your child in kindergarten. Maybe you are that mom who forgot that you have an 18 year old graduating next year. Or maybe you just hope your joints don’t creak too much when you stand up in the morning.

There is never a perfect time to do something, just time. So it is never too late to help others and make the world an even better place to call home.

One of my favorite podcasts is “How I Built This” with Guy Raz. On a recent episode, he was interviewing David Neeleman, who has created half a dozen airlines, most notably JetBlue Airways.

Part of the interview focused on what made his airlines different, such as the first to issue E-tickets or making top-notch customer service a priority.

But the part of the interview that really caught my attention had nothing to do with airlines, but rather was Neelman’s reason behind why he does what he does. And it was a good lesson for all of us as the days and the years fly by: Ultimately, he wants to make other people’s lives better.

It’s a simple question to ask yourself: What are you doing to make other people’s lives better? What are you doing to make your own family’s life better? What are you doing to make your community better?

Or to put it even more succinctly: Do you matter? In other words, how will you be remembered at your funeral? Who would show up? What would they say?

At the end of your life, how many lives will you have touched? What impact will you have made? Will you be remembered? How will you be remembered?

These aren’t easy questions which can be answered with a simple response. Rather, these are life-long quests to be the best person you can be and to leave the world a better place than you found it.

And to make an impact, it doesn’t have to be a grandiose gesture. You don’t have to end climate change or revamp the U.S. tax code. Although if that is your cup of tea, have fun. Maybe it is walking dogs at the Humane Society or volunteering to coach even though you don’t have a child in the sport. Perhaps it is donating blood or volunteering at the bloodmobile.

Maybe at some point, it is time to take a step up to bigger projects such as building a housing complex or running for city council.

Regardless, when you start focusing on others rather than yourself, you will truly be making an impact.

As podcast wrapped up, there wasn’t a summary about Neeleman’s accomplishments in the airline industry. Rather he shared a theory he lived by: The more people you touch, the more good that you do, the more lives you have changed for the better, the happier you will be. Because in the end, it is isn’t about yourself. It is about what you are doing for others.

What are you doing to make the world - even just the little things you can touch - a better place to call home?

Investment in Our Children is Investment in Our Future

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 28 May 2021 14:15:02 GMT

Our children are our future. Yes, it is an old cliche but it is also true.

If we want to make our communities better in the future, we need to make investments. More specifically, we need to make investments in our children.

There are a variety of ways to make investments in our children. It is investing time, perhaps by coaching your child’s soccer team and building their confidence and social skills. It is investing talent, maybe by sharing your joy of playing the guitar by teaching a young person.

And it is investing treasure, by putting financial resources toward our young people and their ideas. This is where the McCook Community Foundation Fund (MCFF) is making an investment, by putting funds toward two programs this summer which support youth entrepreneurship.

Fund from a Youth Engagement Grant from MCFF and the Nebraska Community Foundation are supporting the Hormel Youth Entrepreneurship Camp and Lemonade Days.

Designed for fourth graders through seniors in high school, these two programs are designed to teach young people what it is like to own and operate a business. They will learn that it is possible to take their idea and make it a reality. And most importantly, they will learn that their community wants to invest in them, wants them to succeed and wants them to be here.

The Hormel Youth Entrepreneurship Camp is a simplified version of the Hormel Business Competition held every two years in Southwest Nebraska. The youth competition - yes, it is a camp where they will learn a lot, but it’s also a competition where the winners will win cold, hard cash - is open to anyone entering 8th through 12th grade this fall. They must also live in the seven counties served by Mid-Plains Community College (Red Willow, Hayes, Furnas, Frontier, Chase, Hitchcock and Dundy counties), a sponsor along with MCFF and Red Willow 4-H Extension.

Otherwise, there are no restrictions and even better, no costs to the student. They don’t even need to have a plan…just an idea, a dream, a concept for a business they would like to see in Southwest Nebraska.

It includes a week-long camp June 21-25 where they will get to visit local businesses, learn what how to start a business and take their ideas from concept to concrete plan. In July, they will have access to an online marketing class and in August, they’ll develop an actual business plan.

The competition culminates in September with a formal presentation to judges, with the top three winning cash prizes including $5,000 to the top business plan. Open to just 20 students, every will benefit by learning how to own and operate a business. And maybe more importantly, whether they truly want to be a business owner.

The entrepreneur camp actually wraps up in November when the winners will present their business idea during the Nebraska Community Foundation’s annual training and banquet, held in McCook this year.

But not to leave out our younger entrepreneurs, Lemonade Days is open to those in fourth through sixth grades. Sponsored by the McCook Economic Development Corp., the McCook Chamber of Commerce and MCC, Lemonade Days will have our young people operating their own lemonade stands along Norris Avenue on Saturday, July 10 during McCook’s Crazy Days.

The concept behind Lemonade Days is to introduce these young people to the steps of running a business. It includes everything from “renting” a location to obtaining a “loan” to purchase supplies. There will be marketing and promotion and of course, repaying that loan at the end of their lone sales day.

For more information about Lemonade Days, call the McCook EDC at 308-345-1200 or visit www.lemonadeday.org/mccook. Registration is due by June 10.

Registration for the Youth Entrepreneurship Camp is due by June 14, with brochures around McCook or online at www.bceregister.mpcc.edu.

Both of these programs are great opportunities to show our young people that they can make their business happen here and that they can make a difference.

But more importantly, these investments show that their ideas matter and that they are valued. The investment shows that we are willing to listen to them and that we are willing to put our time and resources into their ideas. The investment shows that we are willing to take a chance on their hopes and dreams to make McCook an even better place to call home.

A Life Filled with Passion; An Example to Follow

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 21 May 2021 14:29:56 GMT

This past week, McCook lost yet another member of the community who was passionate about his hometown, who was a tremendous supporter of the arts and music, who was constantly coming with ideas which stemmed from his interests and hobbies.

After putting up a good fight for the past nine months, Tor Olson passed away earlier this week at his home in McCook. With him went a lot of plans, tremendous passion, and expertise in everything from photography to computers, from biking to beer, just to name a few.

But what he left behind is even more important. Tor left behind a model of how to make his community a better place to call home - both for himself and for others.

Tor was always coming up with ideas, of doing things you are passionate about, of making things happen even if it’s not going to be easy.

For example, Tor was instrumental in getting the walking trail system going in McCook, which is used by thousands every year. He garnered support from a variety of different areas and helped make it happen. Now the entire community is a beneficiary of that work. And with the backing of Community Hospital and the city of McCook, hopefully those walking trails will be expanded even more over the next year or two.

When Tor got excited about project, he went full in.

Early last spring, Tor had the idea to expand the walking/hiking/biking trails at Red Willow State Recreation Area, north of McCook. Working with our area’s Nebraska Games and Parks superintendent Aric Riggins, Tor mapped, designed and plotted new trails to make the system in place even better.

Yes, he was doing it because he wanted more bike trails close by, but he also wanted others to enjoy the area as much as he did. He wanted visitors and residents alike to understand what the area had to offer.

Then Covid hit and the world shut down, but not for Tor. He saw it as an opportunity to get things done while we could, with regular texts asking to meet him at the lake to work on the trails. So with weekends and weeknights suddenly open, Tor and his wife, Holly, and a core group of volunteers took to the trails, digging and chopping and mowing additional trails.

While it is unfortunate that Tor wasn’t able to see the trails reach completion, his passion will live on as the trails are connected on both sides of the dam, new signs marking the trails will be installed this upcoming year, and a bike loan program will be put in place at the campground.

All because Tor had an idea.

We will remember Tor for his beautiful photographs, his love of music, his unmatched enthusiasm for craft beers, which he was always willing to share. But the one thing I will take from Tor’s passing is that we need to get out there and do the things which are important to us, to do the things that will bring joy to our friends and family, to do the things which will make our community even better. Because we are not promised tomorrow and you never know when it will be the “last time” you can do something.

On my phone is a video of Tor almost taken exactly one year ago at Potter’s Pasture near Brady, Nebraska. As he maneuverers a deep ravine on his mountain bike, he approaches a rickety bridge with broken boards. At the last second, he says “no big deal,” swerves around the boards onto another path and casually coasts to the bottom of the hill.

The video is bittersweet to watch.

It shows him doing what he loves, both riding his bikes to just being with friends and family. But it was also the last time we went to Potter’s…we just didn’t know it at the time.

Most of the time, we don’t know when it will be the last time: the last time you will see someone you love, the last time you will talk to a friend, the last time you will be able to something to make the world a better place than you found it.

As Tor’s wife Holly has rummaged through paperwork in recent weeks, she has come across many of his projects from over the years, many of them accomplished. Others were not implemented, yet they are still viable such as downtown Christmas lights on all the buildings to additional bicycle racks throughout the community.

We have the opportunity to accomplish some of those unfinished projects which Tor had conceived. And we also have the opportunity to get out there and do things which bring us joy, which will benefit not just ourselves but also our fellow community members, which will make our community an even better place to call home. Because there is no perfect time; there is only now.

Time to Appreciate our Arts and Culture

Fri, 14 May 2021 13:09:33 GMT

My husband, Kent, and I are for all practical purposes homebodies.

Yes, I venture out for work, and we belong to various community and church groups that add fun and enriching activities to our lives.

But for the most part, we are pretty happy and comfortable at our small rural home. Heaven knows, there is always something to do whether it is tending to our animals, mowing our yard, working in our garden or doing one of the many fix-it projects. So we really don’t think of ourselves as being socially out and about town much.

Then COVID-19 hit.

I don’t want to diminish in any way the seriousness of the coronavirus for those who became ill, those who were isolated from their families and friends, and especially those who lost loved ones.

However, when things started to shut down and events were cancelled, we quickly realized we actually had a rather active social life, which was generated by the rich variety of cultural arts both across Nebraska and in our community.

Suddenly, the mother-daughter-granddaughter excursion to Omaha to see The Lion King - cancelled. The five Broadway musicals planned at the Lied Center in Lincoln - gone. And all the local events on our calendar - postponed.

With this new-found time on my hands, I started thinking about all of the cultural events we attend each year in McCook and was surprised by the sheer number of the opportunities along with the diversity we have nearby to enjoy.

A quick list of what we missed last year included McCook Community Concerts, Sehnert’s Live at the Bieroc series, the Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival, Southwest Nebraska Community Theater Association’s productions, MNB’s Hot Summer Nights concerts, Prairie Roots Festival, Arts Across Nebraska, McCook Heritage Days’ productions in the park, activities at the Red Willow County Fair, Simply String’s fall concert at the Fox Theater, and the Christmas dance recital of The Nutcracker. I know I am missing some, but this demonstrates how much is actually happening on a regular basis in our community.

As empty nesters, our list no longer includes the many school performances that may be on your list from band concerts to spring musical programs. And we haven’t even touched on the arts presented through McCook Community College.

The list makes me wonder how we fit it all in our schedule and still got the chores done! I cannot imagine that many towns our size can boast of having such a wealth of arts to enjoy, highlighting all the amazing talent in our community.

As we move out of the COVID-imposed hibernation and into a new and fresh springtime, this is the perfect time to consider everything our community has to offer.

The arts help us know who we are and give us an opportunity to share that with others. So, I ask you to consider making our local arts scene a part of the fabric of your life.

Bring your children and your parents and your grandparents to these events as they resume. Invite your friends and neighbors to join you in the front row of a local performance. Come share laughter with (and at!) your neighbors up on stage. Share some tears of joy and pride as you marvel at the talents of those who live here and the performers who visit us.

After all, if we want these performances to resume and to continue, we need to do our part and simply show up. It is time to once again enjoy the experience of live entertainment. The cost is minimal when compared to the sense of community created and the memories shared. And most importantly, it all happens right here in your hometown.

Like me, I hope you are tired of being a homebody. And I will look for you at one or more of these wonderful community arts performances, all which help make McCook an even better place to call home.

Peggy Been is the secretary for the McCook Community Foundation Fund and has a passion for all things McCook and Southwest Nebraska.

Chance for Your Voice to Be Heard

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 15:42:48 GMT

The McCook City Pool is again on the front page as there is progress on the project.

Earlier this week, the McCook City Council unanimously approved the hiring of an outside engineer to oversee the development of the city pool project.

It is great to see forward movement on this project which has been in the works for years...literally. It has been more than five years since a pool committee was formally created by the council. It has been more than 20 years since the last major improvement at the city pool took place, when a million dollars was put into the current facility. And even more impressively, it has been more than eight decades - 1937 to be exact - since the pool was built.

I try to imagine what those men (most likely only men) working during the Great Depression would think of the pool now. Would they be amazed that it is still functioning? Would they marvel that we haven’t replaced it since? Would they slap each other on the back and commend themselves that they built such a sturdy facility that has served its community for so long?

I also try to imagine the conversation in the mid-1930s when the country was deep in the throws of a depression, which had been raging for years and would continue until World War II began, yet the community came together to build something to improve the quality of life for its residents. A major world crisis didn’t make the community come to a grinding halt. Instead, they rolled up their sleeves, broke out their tools and got to work.

But along with the need for meaningful, paying jobs, what convinced the government that this was the right Work Progress Administration (WPA) project for McCook? What was the mindset of the community that this was important enough to warrant their time, their land and their effort? What convinced these leaders and workers that McCook needed a pool despite all the economic uncertainties at the time?

There had to be other priorities at the time, like food, education and housing, yet the leaders at that moment realized that this project was also important for its community.

I try to imagine the involvement of the community members in a town which was just 55 years old when the pool at the time. Did they have a say in the design of the pool? Why did they want multiple swimming lanes of two different lengths? What was the thought process behind its particular location? What was the role of McCook Junior College which had just opened its own building - McMillen Hall - in 1935 and was building True Hall in 1937? And most importantly, did anyone consider putting a natural slide from the pool down the hill at Kelley Park? (That would have been my most obvious addition.)

Obviously, these questions were considered along with others which were dismissed, but it would be interesting to know who and how those decisions were made. There is likely someone out there who has those answers or has the newspaper clippings with that information and at some point, I would like to find out the complete history of the project.

But we are here to determine McCook’s needs today. Community members should provide their input on what they want in their community on a regular basis. But it is even more important now and this isn’t just about the pool. Do you want an 8-field baseball complex? Do you want designated crosswalks at the obvious locations? Do you want to see local entities and organizations work together to make things happen? Have you seen something in another community that you think would benefit your hometown? Do you want a new green space with a playground for both kids and adults, because why should young people be the only ones who make themselves sick on the merry-go-round?

Then you need to speak up and be heard. And I’m not just talking about morning coffee groups where all the world’s problems are solved. It is contacting your local officials and asking to be a “stakeholder” in the decision making process as promised in the pool engineer’s contract. It is getting involved with local service organizations who are out there day-in, day-out making the community better. It is coming up with an idea and reaching out to those who can help make it happen or who know about funding opportunities.

Of course, we elect our local officials to make decisions for us, but they don’t make those decisions in a silo. They need our input (whether they like it or not) in order to make informed decisions. Are we always going to agree with their decisions? Probably not because it is impossible to know everything that goes into their decisions and because it is even harder to make every single person happy every single time.

But it is better to voice your opinion, holding your head high that you spoke up and tried to do your best for your community then lament never saying nor doing anything, wishing you had said something when it could have made a difference.

After all, we aren’t going to make our community even better by being silent. Instead, we can make McCook an even better place to call home by making our voices heard.

Looking out for Others....Literally

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Tue, 20 Apr 2021 16:53:27 GMT

In my house, we have a bookshelf in every bedroom and on those bookshelves is every genre of book. But I repeatedly return to one book on our shelves, which I stumbled upon years ago at the McCook LIbrary and then had to purchase because little hands like to color in inappropriate places but am glad I own.

It’s simply titled “Traffic.” It is all about how traffic works, why traffic is the way it is and how we could improve our experience on our roads and make it safer to be on our roads. I also listen to podcasts and read articles about traffic, picking up many interesting facts.

Such as why narrower lanes are actually safer because people have to pay attention more, why drivers should use zipper merging to use every last inch of available road and how speed limits are sometimes determined by the speed drivers have decided to go rather than the other way around.

So after a couple local incidents this week, it is time once again for the annual public service announcement to be a little more aware while out and about, whether driving, biking or even just walking the dog. As the weather gets nicer and more people are outside enjoying themselves, It is time to look out for others - literally.

As someone who is on the roads and streets biking and walking and who puts people on the streets and trails for the fitness series, I have a vested interest in keeping people (including myself and my family) safe.

And it isn’t just those on the outside of the vehicles I am concerned about, but also those inside.

One of my side gigs is driving the St. Patrick Elementary school bus to activities.

On Wednesday as I was taking the St. Pat track team back and forth to a meet in Trenton, the bus was passed not once, twice but three times by an impatient driver. I say impatient because it isn’t unusual for the bus to be passed because it is a large vehicle struggling to reach the speed limits sometimes.

What was different this time was that I had to slam on the bus brakes not once, not twice but three times as these vehicles passed the bus just as an oncoming car was traveling toward us. I didn’t want to see that vehicle get into an accident, nor did I want the kids on my bus to witness the accident.

I have no idea if these were local drivers or out-of-staters, but no appointment, no meeting, no destination is worth getting into an accident over just to save a few minutes. And most likely, that is all the time they were saving...a few minutes.

In college, I opted to take a Safety Training Option Program or STOP class to avoid a ticket and higher insurance. After four hours sitting in a classroom with a former police officer, I learned two things.

First, it is O.K. to drive a few miles over the speed limit if you are traveling long distances, perhaps from Omaha to Chicago. Yes, we were told it was OK to speed. Those extra five miles an hour will add up and could ultimately save you an hour of drive time and it is safe to do so.

But the second thing I learned was that speeding over short distances was pointless, wasteful and dangerous. The point the officer made was that speeding across town doesn’t save much time, maybe a few seconds. But are those few seconds worth the possible accident you could cause if you aren’t able to stop in time?

When it comes to traffic, it isn’t just the speed which we need to consider. We need to be looking at accessible sidewalks so people don’t have to walk in the road; it is bike lanes so people are encouraged to ride their bicycle in a safe environment; it is cross-walks so both drivers and pedestrians know each other will be interacting.

I have to admit that I was driving down B Street the other day, envisioning a bike lane. How could that happen? Kurt Vosburg at the Department of Roads would say I’m nuts, but I would take away a foot from each of the four lanes to create a three-foot wide bike lane on one side of B Street. It is hard to imagine, but turn signals, crosswalk signs and even yellow lights didn't exist at some point but are now hard to imagine living without.

Perhaps you would like to see a walking trail in one of our parks. Maybe you would like to see a walking bridge over the highway to safely cross to a business. Or what about a stoplight which is just in use during McCook’s “rush hour”...dropping kids off at school. Just because something doesn’t exist right now doesn’t mean it can’t happen.

There is movement on adding to McCook’s walking trail, which is great to see. But if you would like to see more miles of trails or if you have ideas about bike lanes or crosswalks, get involved. Contact the city. Contact the county. Contact the Games and Parks. It is up to each and every one of us to make McCook an even better - and safer - place to call home by looking out for one another.

Take Your Turn to Make a Difference

Fri, 09 Apr 2021 20:05:15 GMT

“Wait for your turn,” my mom would say when one of the family of five would be knocking on the door of the only bathroom we had.

“Your turn is next,” my sixth-grade teacher said as we stood inline at the water fountain.

The Army recruiter said, “your turn” at the draft board as the Vietnam war raged on.

Some 20-25 years ago, the concept of “your turn” surfaced as I was serving as president of the Hillcrest Nursing Home Foundation and we were attempting to do a building remodeling project.

My task was to speak with several local organizations in the community and gather support for the project. Essentially, I was asking folks to follow in the footsteps of the past citizens who built Hillcrest and take their turn at making improvements.

A few years prior to that, I had written a short story about my daughter and thought it may help make my point about the circle of life and how we must be ready to take our turn to help when needed.

I share that story with you now as our area has multiple needs and the McCook Community Foundation Fund is here to help meet those needs:

“The White Teddy Bear”

The shadows of the tree outside the window blended into the hundreds of little rainbows on the wallpaper of her room. She had a lingering cold and it wasn’t often that she cried and wanted dad to hold her until she fell asleep.

Only four years old and she already changed his life forever. Her little arm clutched the next of her white teddy bear who fur was slightly smudged and was showing signs of thousands of hubs and much love.

In that quiet darkness, his thoughts returned to the times that had passed.

He remembered how he helped teach her to eat. How he lovingly secured her in her little highchair. How he cut her food into bite-sized pieces. He recalled the little spills and the drooling. He could still feel his steadying hand as he helped her learn how to walk. He recalled her call from the bathroom, “come wipe me.”

He kissed her forehead as a tear rolled off his cheek and was absorbed by the pillowcase as he watched her drift off to sleep.

The sun shone brightly through the venetian blinds.

He blinked his eyes.

She was now grown, standing beside his bed. She lowered the guardrail, cranked down his legs, placed one arm around his back and helped him sit up.

“The nurse brought your lunch dad,” she said. “I have already cut it up for you.”

She held the clear plastic water glass and placed the straw to his lips. Little pieces of Kleenex stuck to the gray stubble as she wiped the dribbles from his chin.

His eyes gazed across the room to the bathroom door. She moved the walker to the bed and held his elbow as he shuffled across the room. Moments later came the soft garbled call, “come wipe me.”

After she helped him back to bed, she said, “Dad, I brought you a surprise.”

From a brown grocery sack, she gently pulled a white teddy bear whose fur was slightly smudged and showed signs of thousands of hugs and much love.

She placed it in his thin frail arms and kissed his forehead. A tear rolled off her cheek and was absorbed by the pillowcase as she watched him drift off to sleep.

Life is a circle. Seasons come and go. Years roll by. The McCook Community Foundation Fund is here to help our community grow and prosper. To make that happen, we need your help in time, treasure and talent. Now is the time - it’s your turn.

Dennis Berry is a member of the McCook Community Foundation Fund Advisory Committee, and serves his community in a variety of ways…even standing in the cold welcoming people to an event.

The Need to Feel Included...and Needed

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 02 Apr 2021 12:54:36 GMT

It goes both ways.

On one side of the coin, citizens need to take the responsibility to get involved. They need to attend public meetings, even if it is three hours of budgets and spreadsheets. They need to belong to service organizations, which bring together a diverse group of people to better their community. They need to appreciate what is already in place, while working together to make it even better.

On the flip side, our leaders, both in the government and in community organizations, need to include others when making decisions or considering projects or determining what will happen 5, 10, 20 years from now.

That feeling of inclusion is important if a community is going to grow and thrive.

If we want our young people to feel like they are really part of the community, they need to be heard and their opinions respected. If we want new-comers to get involved, they need to be asked and feel valued. If we want our community to work together, we need to make sure everyone feels included and feels needed.

Ultimately, people want to have a say in what their community should look like and what their community needs. And that involves work.

The easy button for any government agency or community organization is to go it alone, to do it themselves, without asking for input or help or outside opinions. To some, an ideal world is where everyone pays their taxes and doesn’t ask for anything or who pays their dues but doesn’t get involved or even show up.

But that doesn’t lead to long-term growth or a deep attachment to a community or organization. People who have been asked to contribute and had a role in a decision being made are the ones who are going to work to make their community better.

In my ideal world, our parks are so full of giggling children and laughing parents that we have to replace the equipment every few years or even consider the development of more green space. Our downtown streets are so full of people out and about - walking, shopping and visiting - that the road is occasionally shut down to traffic. Our service organizations have so many active members that they have to take turns volunteering for community projects.

And we have city council meetings with people standing along the back wall waiting to be heard about the budget. We have school board meetings packed with residents there to celebrate the students’ accomplishments and ask questions about the curriculum.

According to a recent study from the Knight Foundation, people will fit in better if a city has incorporated community feedback. People want to feel included, like their voice has been heard and that their opinion matters.

Governments are used to a top-down approach without an emphasis on engagement. But the best project will involve a variety of people and a host of organizations with wide-ranging opinions and ideas who have come together to meet the needs or the community.

This has a ripple effect on the rest of the community from workforce development and youth engagement to development and resilience. If citizens feel like they have value within a community, they are more likely to be involved. They are more likely to donate their time and money. And they are more likely to give their support to a project or idea.

Research has shown that community-driven programs, along with welcoming spaces, foster higher levels of attachment and trust. It is not solely up to the government to create everything we want and need in a community, but those projects which are coordinated by the government agencies need to listen to their residents, they need to ask their opinions, they need to include them in the discussions as well as the decision.

Communities which take the step to include as many residents as possible will be stronger, will be more vibrant, and will continue to create a better quality of life for everyone. By making people feel included and needed, we will make McCook an even better place to call home.

Spring Grant Deadline April 1

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Wed, 31 Mar 2021 17:15:21 GMT

When people think of the YMCA, it traditionally involves fitness classes, the swimming pool or youth sports.

But to make those things - along with many other activities - happen, the YMCA is like many other organizations and institutions in needing computers just to function. The McCook YMCA was one of the Fall 2020 grant recipients from the McCook Community Foundation Fund with the $2,000 grant used to upgrade computers.

The next MCFF grant deadline is quickly approaching with applications for the spring 2021 grant cycle due by Thursday, April 1. Applications will be considered in mid-April with the final announcement in early May.

The YMCA was among the half dozen grants approved last fall when more than $40,000 distributed. At the YMCA, the laptops hadn’t been replaced in many years yet are used on a daily basis to form soccer teams, to create adult volleyball schedules or to plan swimming lessons for all ages. The laptops are just one tool used by YMCA staff to serve the needs of the community, YMCA Executive Director Mitch Gross said.

“In order to be productive and efficient in their roles,these new computers will aid our staff in producing new content for programs and activities, membership recruitment, and marketing/promotions,” Gross said. “It is through these processes that our organization will be able to impact our community through increased involvement in leading healthy and active lifestyles.”

Other grants awarded last fall included Norris Institute for the development of Norris Alley, $25,000; Cultivate Rural Leaders to form the second class of the McCook Leadership group, $3,000; McCook Toy Box for gifts during the holiday season, $1,000; Community Hospital Health Foundation for the Heart-to-Heart Campaign, $2,500; and McCook Public Schools for the third annual Bison Days to take place in May 2021, $4,000.

MCFF distributes grants twice a year, each spring and fall, with more than $100,000 available annually to organizations and individuals who are working to make McCook an even better place to call home.

A complete list of previous grant winners is available on the MCFF website, mcookfoundation.org, along with an application form and more information about MCFF.

McCook Community Foundation Fund is an affiliated fund of the Nebraska Community Foundation.

Changing How We Think

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 25 Mar 2021 22:00:02 GMT

What a difference 20 years makes.

For years, Floyd Hershberger had watched other communities grow and thrive because of a local charitable foundation and knew McCook would benefit from having something similar in place. So in 2001, the McCook Community Foundation was created - with a zero balance.

Now two decades later, the McCook Community Foundation Fund has passed a milestone of more than $6 million in assets.

How did this happen?

As MCFF was being formed, the community had a progressive group of leaders who thought differently. They saw a need and searched for an idea to fill it. They knew collaboration was key and came together to make it work. They believed in the generosity of others and believed in abundance rather than scarcity.

Ultimately, they felt a responsibility to make their community better - not only for themselves, but for others.

And obviously others have felt the same way. This growth has happened because people believe in McCook and see the value in investing in McCook and that happens in a variety of different ways.

It is the Big Give McCook, where hundreds of donations are made in one day to organizations which are invaluable to day-to-day living in McCook. It is a planned gift, where McCook is thought of as an additional child in an estate when a person passes away. It is an unexpected donation from an alumni, who may not live in McCook but values the childhood they received and want to make sure today’s children have it just as good. It is someone who may not even be alive to benefit from their generosity but realizes the impact they can have for generations to come.

Although MCFF has reached a milestone, this doesn’t mean MCFF has millions of dollars to give away. It means that millions have been invested and for the most part, the dollars will remain invested forever.

But the returns on those investments are what will make McCook an even better place to call home for generations and those investments are returned in a variety of ways.

Every year, MCFF oversees two scholarships - the Haag Scholarship and Fassler-Nuemann Scholarship - because supporting our young people is a priority for MCFF. The scholarships just happened to have March 31 deadlines.

Several organizations in our community receive annual dividend checks because donors have selected them as needed and necessary for a better community.

But the biggest impact likely comes in the form of grants which are distributed twice a year and have grown tremendously over the past 20 years.

In 2003, MCFF made its first grant - $750 to McCook Public Schools toward playground equipment at the then-new elementary school. Whereas this year, MCFF has the potential to distribute more than $100,000 toward programs, ideas and projects which benefit everyone, from those growing up to those growing old. And the spring grant application deadline just happens to be next week, April 1.

Now this is where we really need people to think different.

Think long-term

Yes, the day to day issues need to be dealt with, but we need to be thinking how our decisions today will affect our children and their children. How can we make an impact for years to come? How do we secure the future of our community without thinking ahead and coming up with a plan?

Think big

Small projects are necessary but we need to dream and think big sometimes. If someone hadn’t dreamed big, would Heritage Hills exist? Would the Kiplinger complex have happened? Would MCFF have been created?

Think working together.

We need to break down our silos and figure out how to work together. How does one project affect another? Would one idea benefit more than one organization? Would a collaboration mean more funding and more resources?

Thinking how I can give back

We live in a pretty great part of the world, in a great part of the country, in a great part of the state. We are blessed with a wide-open sky and wide-open land. We have beautiful scenery and abundant resources.

There are many reasons to be grateful and just as many ways to give back. Maybe it is getting involved in a service organization. Maybe it is running for a political office. Maybe it is making a financial donation to benefit others.

Each and every one of us can make a difference. Each and every one of us has a voice that needs to be heard. Each and every one of us can make McCook an even better place to call home.

Twenty years later, Floyd would be proud to know we are thinking just a little bit differently.

Cowork Space is Valuable McCook Asset

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Mon, 22 Mar 2021 13:43:19 GMT

When my family and I travel, we tend to notice the things we like in other communities as well as all the things we don’t appreciate as much - mostly the traffic. But we take special note of those things we think would be possible in McCook, which would help McCook thrive and grow, which would make McCook an even better place to call home.

It can be as minimal as a dog park, which is a great asset for both residents and visitors alike. Fortunately, the McCook K9 Korner Dog Park is planned for Barnett Park and will be in place soon.

It could be restaurants which we think would add to the great eateries we already have. Or it could simply be the atmosphere created by outdoor dining and spaces where people gather to share food, friendship and ideas.

But one concept which we had seen over and over and which came of even greater importance during the pandemic when people were forced to work from home was the need for an alternate work space or which is more commonly known as a cowork space.

Thanks to the effort of Andy Long of the McCook Economic Development Corp. and several generous sponsors, McCook has its own cowork space on the fourth floor of the Keystone Business Center in the heart of McCook. It is known as the McCook Cowork Space just to avoid any confusion.

So what exactly is a cowork space?

Generally speaking, the definition of coworking is when people assemble in a neutral space to work independently on different projects, or in groups on the same projects. It’s different from a typical office workspace because the people in a coworking environment generally aren’t working for the same company.

Coworking spaces offer the same amenities you would find in a traditional office, along with a lot more. A major differentiator is flexibility, since you don’t need to sign a long-term lease in a coworking space.

But there are so many more reasons why McCook needed a cowork space from camaraderie to a place to escape to.

Those who are currently working on the fourth floor have already created a cohort among themselves. While they don’t work for the same company nor are they working on the same project, yet they find themselves leaning on each other for support, for insight, for simply social interaction.

As a McCook Chamber employee, my oldest son is housed on the fourth floor but is learning how to sew from Paula Sandberg, who works at a desk nearby. (While I taught him how to sew a button or whipstitch a hem, we never broke out a sewing machine.)

The cowork space is also perfect for those who can work from anywhere so they make the choice to move from a larger community - and all the headaches - to a smaller community - where life is hopefully a little more laid back.

But a cowork space is not just limited to someone who needs an office for their business. Anyone who has tried to work from home understands how distracting it can be.

I have a home office but my attention can easily be diverted. There is a load of laundry waiting to be folded in the drier. There is a stack of bills pushed to the side of the desk that needs to be dealt with. Or maybe it’s that stack of VHS tapes which have been waiting to switch into a digital format for years but today seems like the best day to do it.

And for anyone who says McCook is not big enough to warrant this type of space, there is no such thing as too small.

As part of a cross-country bike ride for low-income housing in 2019, my oldest daughter helped build a cowork space in St. John, Kansas, a town of just 1,179 people. They understood the need to create space where people could gather and get work done.

If you haven’t seen the McCook Cowork Space, please call the McCook EDC office at 308-345-1200. Andy, along with McCook Chamber Director Dawson Brunswick, put together a great, usable, efficient space and they love to give tours of the space.

Several McCook organizations are working to create additional welcoming spaces throughout McCook, but the McCook Work Space is already one of those spaces which is making McCook an even better place to call home.

Working for the Next Generation

Thu, 11 Mar 2021 23:09:11 GMT

This May will mark four years since my return to McCook after graduating from college and I am glad every day that I did.

Since returning, I have been able to immerse myself in community initiatives by joining local groups, such as the McCook Communities of Excellence 2026 initiative and the McCook Community Foundation Fund Advisory Committee. These groups are filled with community members, residents, and leaders who believe in the future of McCook and who are working tirelessly to make McCook better.

It is through these groups that I have been able to share my dreams for McCook and watch as they begin to morph into reality. With my background in public health and wellness, as well as eight summers spent working at the McCook City Pool, projects such as a new and improved city pool, the expansion of the walking trails, and the addition of a children’s museum have always been important to me. Not only would the completion of these projects lead to a better quality of life for McCook residents, they would also help to increase physical activity in our community, they would offer entertainment and educational opportunities for our youth and they would be an added incentive for young families interested in moving to or remaining in McCook.

I have always been passionate about McCook and any project to improve the quality of life in our community, but that passion took on added importance this past year. My husband Chandler and I are expecting our first child this summer, which has immensely increased my desire for more family and youth-oriented community projects.

Chandler and I always knew we wanted to be back in McCook before starting a family. We also agree that we want to live in a progressive McCook that will provide ample opportunities for our family to spend quality time together, a desire held by many young families.

When I think of the family Chandler and I are starting, I envision evenings spent together taking our goldendoodle Frankie to the dog park, going for a stroll on the walking trail or spending our summers at the local waterpark. I can picture us splashing around during swim lessons on a sun-soaked day and playing at the children’s museum on a gloomy afternoon.

What I don’t envision is piling our family into a vehicle on our way to yet another town to find those amenities. And, unfortunately, that out-migration is already happening in our community.

But, it doesn’t have to be that way.

I know these projects are large dreams, but dreams become reality every day. If projects like these are important to you, make your voice heard. Reach out to the city council which controls our tax dollars and stay informed on their progress. Reach out to the community groups which are working to get projects like these completed and ask to be involved.

These large community projects will not be cheap nor will they be resolved quickly. But if we - the parents of the next generation - want our children to lead happy, healthy lives, then every ounce of effort is worth it.

Remembering Judge Clark by Getting Involved

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 05 Mar 2021 00:00:02 GMT

With the passing of Judge Cloyd Clark this past weekend, McCook and Southwest Nebraska has lost one its most vocal, most passionate, most boisterous supporters.

While Cloyd had been ill for a short time, his death still comes as a shock and now the tributes and accolades have begun to pour in. And not just because he was so active in the community, but because Cloyd was larger than life. His booming voice, his bushy mustache, his deep-throated laugh.

There are so many words to describe Cloyd, who will have an impact on our community for generations to come, and these are just a few from those who knew him, worked alongside him, and loved him.

An amazing delegator. An idea guy.

Cloyd didn’t just talk the talk….O.K. he sometimes did just talk the talk but that usually led to the project still happening. One of the things Cloyd was so good at was coming up with ideas and then somehow getting others to do them. He was so persuasive in his ability to get others to follow up on the unique ideas which popped into his head.

Welcoming and gracious. Passionate leader.

Over and over, people are remembering Cloyd as the person who boosted them up, who gave them confidence in themselves, who made them think their idea was possible. He had an open mind for what the future might hold and encouraged others to make those ideas happen.

Amazing storyteller. Colorful.

Cloyd loved to tell stories and could enrapture an audience with his enthusiasm, which led to the the concept of a storytelling festival, especially after outsiders visited and said everyone here should just pack up their bags and leave. With the help of many others, the Buffalo Commons Storytelling Festival was born and continues to thrive and grow more than 20 years later.

Hard worker…at fun.

From the start of the Live at the Bieroc concert series, Cloyd and Linda Clark could be found front and center for the shows at Sehnert’s Bakery. At nearly every show, Cloyd would be at “his” table with a bottle of wine nearby, a hearty laugh at the ready and prepared to interact and possibly sing along with the performer.

Ornery and humorous.

Cloyd always a joke or a story ready for his audience, whether it was his regular lunch bunch which included his wife, Linda, and Sharon Bohling, Dale and Mary Dueland and Cathy and Bruce McDowell, or someone who just happened to be passing by.

Elder Statesman. Passionate Leader.

To say Cloyd was influential and involved is an understatement. At his passing, Cloyd was still heavily active, serving as president of the Norris Institute which is working to create Norris Alley; and a member of the High Plains Museum board, which is undergoing many tremendous updates. And in addition to having the distinction of Rotary District Governor, Cloyd rarely missed a McCook Rotary meeting, where he could be counted on to use his deep baritone voice to belt out the weekly sing-along.

Man with a Plan. Early Supporter.

Cloyd always seemed to have a twinkle in his eye, especially when he thought about the future and the possibilities for our community. He was a genuine listener, who was always interested in ideas about what was possible.

Woo and welcoming.

“Woo” stands for winning others over, enjoying the challenge of meeting new people and getting them to like you. According to his son, Paul, Cloyd was most proud that one of his strengths was “woo” because ultimately he was going to make friends with everyone in the room…whether they knew it or not.

Kind and deep. Incredibly huge heart.

At the end of the day, Cloyd loved people. It showed when he was on the bench as a judge, pulling parents to the side to determine the best course of action for their child before donning his robe to make the decision official. It showed in the creation of the Prairie Plains Court Appointed Special Advocates program to advocate for the safety and well-being of children.

Legendary.

I don’t include that word lightly but McCook won’t be the same with Cloyd’s passing. He truly wanted what was best for McCook and for its citizens and he made a difference in so many people’s lives over the years.

There is no way to fill Cloyd’s shoes and there is a great void - literally a void on many committees and organizations in our community. So what is the best way to remember and honor Cloyd’s legacy?

It is to step up and get involved. It is to continue to telling stories and sharing a glass of wine. It is to remember that every day is a gift and embrace it with a belly-filled laugh.

If we truly want to remember and honor Judge Cloyd Clark, we must remember his spirit and work together to make McCook an even better place to call home.

Preparing for the Next Generation

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Tue, 02 Mar 2021 17:11:41 GMT

For the three days, I hung out in Lincoln for the Nebraska State Swim and Dive Championships. Three days of a middle-aged woman among teenagers in skin-tight speedos, jammers and speed suits. My ego will be in check.

But I digress.

Swimming is unique in Nebraska sports in that there are no class divisions. There are no A, B, C or D distinctions to divide the teams. McCook is competing against every school in Omaha, Lincoln and across the state with a swim team. McCook is among the smallest schools - if not the smallest - with a swim team and remains competitive.

And to qualify for the state meet, swimmers must post not just qualifying times as set by the NSAA, but also post qualifying times which are among the fastest in the state compared to all the other swimmers. So to qualify is an accomplishment, although everyone who heads to the pool at the Deveny Center is not there just to compete but to be competitive.

In addition to celebrating these swimmers and divers, there are two reasons I bring this up.

The first is very personal since my husband, Jon Graff, is the head coach for the swim team. His assistant coach is Dan Burns. Both of these men are McCook natives and graduates of McCook High School, who chose to return to their hometown and raise their families.

Dan and Jon didn’t just go to school together. They also competed on the swim and dive teams growing up. As they have for many years, they are sharing their passion and expertise for the sport with younger people. In fact, this year they are both taking one of their own high school child to the state meet to compete.

So we are seeing one generation pass along their love of a sport and their high school and their hometown directly to the next generation. This is something that should be celebrated. As we look at the pictures of these state swimmers, are we seeing the next generation of coaches, teachers, workers, leaders, volunteers, city council members who will choose to return to McCook?

That leads to the second reason I bring up the swim team and yes, it’s personal again.

(I should have “pool” tattoo’d across my forehead because not a day goes by that I don’t talk about it.)

If we want to remain competitive in swimming on the state level, we must have kids who have a love of swimming to start with. They must enjoy being the pool just for fun, otherwise they won’t want to dedicate the countless hours needs to be competitive.

This means creating an environment - yes, creating a pool - where kids want to be, where they want to be for generations to come.

And building a pool isn’t just about having a competitive swim team.

We live among three lakes with a river which sometimes has water so kids need to know how to swim. Kids who know how to swim have the additional advantage of a job as a lifeguard. And it’s a lifelong sport…just visit the YMCA during lap time and you will see swimmers of all ages crisscrossing the pool.

The pool is just part of the big picture for our community which needs to be researched and considered as we try to build a place that our kids will want to return to. So ask yourself these questions:

Are we doing enough to encourage our young people right now to return to their hometown? Are we creating a welcoming environment that they want to be part of? Are we building a community that gets them (and us) excited to belong to?

Our young people, as well as other newcomers, should not be here because they don’t have any other choice but because they choose to, because they want to, because they know we are dong everything we can to make that happen.

***

I would personally like to thank everyone who attended McCook’s town hall meeting in February. It was great to see every chair filled, even if they were six feet apart. It was also great to hear such passionate, articulate, thoughtful ideas from so many people.

It was obvious that people care about this community and what to make it even better.

There was a lot going on last week, from basketball games to winter break, so if you haven’t had a chance to share your ideas, there is still time.

In fact, there is always time to share your ideas. You don’t need a town hall or a meeting to contact your representatives and let them know what your think and how you feel.

Look up your city council person’s email. Google your state representatives phone number. Find your school board member’s address.

They can’t make informed decisions if they don’t hear from their constituents to know what you want or think, so take a few minutes to reach out to them. It will take all of us reaching out and working tother to make our community an even better place to call home.

McCook Can Dream and Do

Fri, 19 Feb 2021 18:29:43 GMT

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.”

― Mark Twain (Samuel Clements), The Innocents Abroad (1869)/ Roughing It (1914)

Although this quote is more than a century old, these words are even more relevant today. While everyone should be encouraged to travel, people should also be encouraged to expand how they think about their place - where you live, work, and raise a family. I am talking about your hometown.

Aside from a physical location, I think Twain’s quote addresses how a community lives together, builds personal relationships, and works together to keep a hometown vibrant.

Twain writing in the late 1860s could not have imagined all the advancements in health care, transportation and technology we take for granted today. He was likely influenced by the deadly and divisive Civil War and the mass European immigrants settling in the Midwest and Great Plains. These were people with big dreams, high expectations and determination to make a better place for themselves. Yes, some of those people were my ancestors.

More than 130 years ago, my great-grandfather took out a homestead claim just north of McCook. For four generations, my family has farmed and ranched in this area and McCook has served us well. To continue to do that, McCook must remain an economically active, culturally vibrant, and attractive place where people want to live.

McCook has the good fortune to be the geographic hub of cultural and economic activity for our region. Along with that comes much responsibility, for the area’s success falls more proportionately on our shoulders. McCook has carried this responsibility well when you think of all the innovative “Dream and Do” projects that McCook has accomplished over the years.

Forty years ago, we opened the current YMCA facility and established Heritage Hills Golf Course. In the last 20 years, partnerships involving public, private, and charitable people and institutions came together to create the Keystone Business Center, Kiplinger Fairground buildings, Anderson Cancer Center at Community Hospital, and McCook Community College’s Graff Events Center.

These projects, along with many others, were “Dream and Do” projects requiring the dedication of McCook leaders visioning, planning, and working together to take a calculated risk.

Initially fueled by the railroad and farming, McCook businesses and services grew to serve the needs of a fast-growing community. Early inhabitants had a vision and a commitment to build schools, a hospital, places of worship, theaters, a college, a YMCA, and many other community assets.

With minimal ties to the area and limited resources with them, they relied on their vision of the future and tried to anticipate the needs of 50, 75, 100 years later. Gazing down the bricks of Norris Avenue, their vision continues to serve us well 130 years later.

I continue to see a very bright future for McCook if we work to meet future demands. Internet technology, robotics, and artificial intelligence advances are changing how people live and why people choose to reside in a community. Career choices, recreation and lifestyle options will be increasingly important.

While the projects of the past century have served us well, community infrastructure must meet our needs of the next 50 to 100 years.

There is no denying our community is on a journey…friends and family traveling through time together, sharing space on the high plains with McCook as our provider of essential services.

McCook’s economic development director Andy Long has proclaimed that “This is McCook’s Decade!” to capture our community’s potential. As we share this enthusiasm, there are other McCook leaders discovering that our future is not what we settle for but rather what we make it.

Can we take McCook on an incredible journey this decade? Can you imagine 20 to 50 years from now? It will require us to travel mentally, physically, and virtually - over some rugged terrain at times - to understand what we presently do not know. The path may not always be easy, as my ancestors and I have discovered, but where it leads will be worth pursuing.

Dale Dueland is a member of the McCook Community Foundation Fund and board chairman of the Nebraska Community Foundation, as well as a life-long resident of McCook where he shares his passion, knowledge and vision.

Time to Speak Up For Future Generations

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 12 Feb 2021 16:24:22 GMT

When I mention that my husband and I are chaperoning a high school dance, people usually have one of three reactions: pity, sympathy or bewilderment.

I, on the other hand, really enjoy sponsoring dances. It gives us a chance to hear music of which we have no idea what they are saying...and probably don’t want to know. It gives us a chance to bust out our best 1980s dance moves, much to the chagrin of our own children at the dance. And it gives us a chance to just hang out with many of our great younger people, while they are doing something fun.

(And congratulations to Liv Wier and Bryce Dutton on being crowned MHS Color Day Queen and King this past weekend.)

Every year but especially this year, we need to be intentional about creating possibilities where our young people can have fun, can make memories, and can form those bonds with our community.

It is having a dance, even though everyone has to wear a mask - and did a great job wearing them all night. It is creating a inviting space, where kids feel safe and welcome. It is creating opportunities where they can be involved and make an impact and even have ownership of their own projects.

The McCook skate park is a great example of empowering and supporting young people and seeing their idea come to fruition. The idea started with young people who simply wanted a skate park, which so many towns already had. They were involved every step of the way and now McCook can say it has a skatepark. And even if you will never use a skate park, it is still an asset for the community. It could be the one thing that makes a family with young kids choose to move to McCook - or not.

It is investing in our young people, both with our dollars and our time.

Perhaps it is coaching a youth sports team at the YMCA. Maybe you have a passion for a sport that you could share with a young person. Maybe this is your chance to spend more time with your grandchild doing something healthy.

Just because you don’t have a child enrolled does not mean you cannot help. I have a picture of me standing in the middle of Weiland Field (yes, that’s where we played when the program began), six months pregnant with my first child, surrounded by a gaggle of 10 year olds during half-time of a soccer game. She’s now 24 and I’ve coached soccer every year since.

While we may not realize it now, investing our time and money in young people will pay off down the road when those kids become the employees we need to fill the many jobs open in our community; when those kids return from college with a spouse in a tow (the “better half” as I like to call myself) and start their family; or when those kids are our next leaders and volunteers for the many great organizations and programs which already exist or which they will create on their own.

Every day, each and everyone of us makes decisions which will have an impact on what our community will look like for future generations.

But we have a special opportunity next week to share what we would like our community to look like next year, 10 years from now, 20, 30 or even 50 years from now. Decisions made today will affect us, our children and our grandchildren for years to come.

The city of McCook is hosting a town hall meeting next Thursday, Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. in the City Auditorium on West 5th Street. Everyone will have a chance to provide input on what we would like our community to be, what projects we would like to see completed, what is important for our community to not just maintain the status quo but to actually thrive and grow.

Even if you can’t attend in person, there are still ways to participate. There are plans to Zoom the town hall, so check the city website for further instructions. Or you can always email or call the city offices to share your ideas and suggestions.

While posting on Facebook or calling the radio station lets a person vent, it is not the most productive way to get something accomplished. City officials would rather hear helpful suggestions before the fact, rather than negative comments when it’s too late.

While the meeting will focus on issues the city can address such as the pool project, street maintenance and annexation, there is no reason other ideas cannot be shared. Maybe those ideas will be picked up by other groups and organizations in our community or even individuals who share your passion.

And who knows? Maybe it is your idea which makes a 2021 graduate decide to stay in McCook after graduation. Maybe it is your passion which convinces an alumni to invest in their hometown. Maybe it is your creativity which pushes a former resident to return and raise their family here.

So plan on attending, speaking or even just listening at the Feb. 18 town hall meeting, so we can all make McCook an even better place to call home.

Even with the weather, don't wait for perfection

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 05 Feb 2021 13:38:15 GMT

With school cancelled and the snow piling up last week, my kids threw a half-dozen sleds into the back of our pickup truck. The sleds clattered as they landed on top of the ice skates, cross-country skis and snow-shoes already resting in the truck bed.

Yes, I travel with that many toys during the winter because you just never know when an opportunity may present itself such as a frozen pond, XC tracks already carved into the snow or fresh powder which must be traversed.

After grabbing their friends, we headed to McCook’s traditional sledding hill at Kelly Park. There were already a dozen kids on the hill - slipping, sliding and literally just falling down the hill. There were debates about who would sit in front on the sled or which type of sled was best suited for the conditions. But more than anything, there was laughter and squeals of glee filling the air.

Aside from a dad snapping a picture on his phone, there wasn’t an electronic or a digital screen to be found. Instead, the kids were enjoying what was naturally provided to them. They were enjoying where they were planted. They were enjoying the opportunity. In their eyes, this was perfection: no school, outside playing with friends, perfect snowy conditions which seem to be hit-and-miss in our area.

Yet, many of us find it easy to lament our cold, snowy weather, staying inside while we await ideal spring conditions. It is popular to count down the days until summer arrives and the summer sun warms the air.

There are those who wistfully wish to sit on a beach for days on end. But let’s not forget about those little annoyances like the sand which gets in each and every crevice and the scorching temperatures during the summer. Meanwhile, we have access to beaches and lakes, just on a smaller scale but yet just minutes away which can be enjoyed year-round.

There are those who dream of weeks in the mountains - myself included. But let’s not forget about those little annoyances like traffic jams, higher costs of living and let’s not forget about avalanches. Instead, we create our own fun but taking up cross-country skiing, going for a walk in the snow and appreciating - rather than cursing - the seasons we are blessed with.

Just because we may not think it’s perfect outside, it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t get outside and enjoy the outdoors. Actually, it seems that less than ideal locations spend more time outside. You will see people huddling around heat-lamps and enjoying each other’s company or bundled up from head to toe and savoring a mug of coffee.

We need to learn to embrace what some may consider less-than-perfect conditions, but what makes others of us so giddy that we jokingly worry about our safety.

And let’s remember, there is nothing we can really do about the weather. And if we did, what would all the farmers and coffee clubs talk about, much less alleviating those awkward silences with a stranger in the elevator? So like everything in life, we can’t wait for perfect; we must embrace what we already have.

***

On a personal note, I would like to thank all of those living along the Kelly Creek walking trail who ignore my cross country friends, Candy and Travi, and myself as we slowly slog along on our skis, as well as those come out on their back porch and cheer us on, especially Don Harpst.

And speaking of the walking trail, this is a perfect example of people taking advantage of our assets and which has the potential to be even greater. The city of McCook did a great job of getting the trail plowed within a day of our recent snowstorm, making it accessible for all. If and when we expand the trail system in McCook, we will be on our way to making McCook an even better place to call home.

Dreaming Big Enough to Make You Nervous

Fri, 29 Jan 2021 17:49:54 GMT

If Your Dreams Don’t Make You Nervous, Are They Big Enough?

For many, we are welcoming 2021 with open arms. As the calendar turns, the new year is an opportunity to complete old projects and lay out new goals. How we define our goals for the new year often comes in three different approaches, all which must be utilized to reach those dreams.

First, there are the easy goals which take limited work to complete. Although there is little impact or growth gained, we design a goal like this so we can feel good about accomplishing steps along the way.

Next are setting challenging goals which are not designed to last very long but can mark progress and provide incentives to keep moving forward. Unless this step is part of a bigger dream, we could be in the same shoes this year as last year.

Finally, there must be goals which excite you, but knowingly understand it will take dedication to achieve. These are the goals which scare people because they are so big. The fear of failure often overtakes our ambitions and we end up not even trying. But in the end, doing nothing often costs us more.

As many would attest, setting a goal is the easy part. Putting the goal into action and then putting in the work to complete it is the hard part. Think of some of the most successful people in our world today such as Apple creator Steve Jobs, Tesla and Space Ex CEO Elon Musk, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

Beyond a doubt, if we could have asked them in the planning phases whether they were scared of launching something so big, their responses would be: “Yes!” Even these famous cultural icons were venturing into unknown territory and were likely scared of what could happen.

Being on edge is good. Let the edge motivate you to give it all you have. After all, the first person holding you back is YOU.

I reflect back on conversations with Mark Graff, Dale Dueland, Doug Skiles, Don Harpst, and other McCook Community Foundation Fund board members. One notable challenge that stuck with me is the Sherwood Challenge in 2012 where MCFF had to raise $500,000 for a matching $250,000. At the time, it seemed like a campaign that would be way over their head.

But, through their determination and the community’s generosity, MCFF grew the endowment by $750,000 or a 100% increase in our unrestricted endowment - and a benefit to the entire community for generations to come.

And over the years, there have been many other examples in our community of people willing to take a change, willing to take a risk, willing to push the envelope. From the founders of McCook in the 1880s to our youth stepping up to spearhead a skate park. From founding the YMCA in 1918 and then having the tenacity to move and build another entirely new building 1981. Consider all the countless businesses and organizations which have started or been formed in our community over the years. People used to dream big and then worked to make those dreams happen.

Looking forward, MCFF is working to “Make McCook a Better Place To Call Home,” which is a bold vision. To do this, we have laid out goals to build relationships and community partnerships to better enhance our community leaders and organizations. We also have identified areas we feel as vital for our community development and growth. Combining these is what we believe is the recipe for success to make our community one of the very best in the Midwest.

As we enter 2021, ask yourself or your organization: Is this goal something that can be too easily achieved? Is there more in the tank that we can and need to do for this community to thrive? What does one set bigger look like? What does two steps bigger look like? How does something bigger impact my community and others?

Welcoming a new year is great as it comes with a fresh start. I pray that you can utilize that fresh start and find a goal big enough that makes you nervous to stimulate true change for the future.

Gavin enjoyed his time on MCFF’s Youth Change Reaction group at McCook High School so much he was gone only a few years before returning and is now vice chairman of MCFF.

Creating a Place We All Want to Call Home

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 17:04:40 GMT

At the south end of Norris Avenue in McCook sits what I consider one of our most under-utilized, not-fully appreciated and oft-maligned assets: the Amtrak train service.

Last week, I, along with my two youngest children, hopped the train for our yearly ski trip. We boarded with another half dozen people, a few from McCook whereas others had driven to McCook, specifically to catch the train. (And yes, it was late by an hour, but it can’t be early because we would get left behind.)

While Amtrak has decreased its routes during the pandemic, McCook benefits from having this public transportation with a direct stop (plus a beautiful station with floor to ceiling windows). I realize the train is not for everyone, but it is an asset for those considering our area...one of many of our assets.

Once we reached the ski area, the topic of the train service regularly came up in conversation.

Since I was adequately spaced, along with being covered head to toe because of the pandemic and the snowy weather, I visited on the ski lifts with people from across the county.

Every single one was in awe that I had traveled there by public transportation and by train in particular, avoiding the congestion of Denver and I-70. One of them even commented - unprompted - that the ability to do these types of activities must be easier for me because of the lower cost of living. The former Chicago resident had recently moved to Boulder and admitted that housing and commuting took up large chunks of his time and money.

While the mountains are a natural draw, there are many other reasons people choose a place to move to, settle in and remain living there.

In a report from the Knight Foundation, there are three things needed to develop attachment to a place: social offerings such as spaces and businesses which encourage social gatherings; aesthetics such as physical beauty; and openness where a community is welcoming to all different types of people, ideas and opinions.

For social offerings, McCook and Southwest Nebraska has a good start with locations and businesses which encourage people to sit and share their views, from the tables at Sehnert’s Bakery to the benches in Norris Park. And with Norris Alley and the K9 Korner Dog Park in the works, hopefully we’ll soon have even more spaces to be social.

As for aesthetics, we don’t have mountain vistas or ocean views. But we have beautiful lakes surrounding us, ample space for walking, hiking and hunting and a river which has water for kayaking and floating...part of the year.

And we aren’t lacking in man-made features either. Throughout McCook, we have beautiful architecture, from the columns of the old post office on Norris Avenue to Nebraska’s only Frank Lloyd Wright-designed home. And again, there is potential to create even more aesthetically-pleasing areas from building-sized murals to new hiking trails at Red Willow State Recreation Area.

But it is the third area where we need to make sure each and every one of us are intentional. People choose to move to a place, stay in a place or leave a place because they feel included and valued. A place must be tolerant and provide plenty of space for socializing where people feel comfortable having friendly and not-so-friendly conversations.

As social scientist and Knight Public Spaces Fellow Eric Klinenberg argues, investment in social infrastructure (including libraries and parks) is critical in revitalizing civic life and ultimately a resilient community, especially during a crisis. As our community moves forward, we have an opportunity to improve engagement, improve inclusivity, improve involvement.

This could come in many different forms. It may mean belonging to a local service organization such as Rotary or the Optimists, where people of all different views come together to make the community better. It may mean hosting a gathering to share opposing viewpoints to reach a common good. Or it may mean investing with private and public funding in those physical spaces which bring people face-to-face to share ideas rather than hiding behind a screen with their thoughts.

It is up to each and everyone of us to create a place where people want to come to...and stay. We’ve got a good start, but we also have a lot of potential to make this an even better place to call home.

Make an Impact on the Local Level

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 15 Jan 2021 15:46:08 GMT

Last Thursday, my children were late to school. Not because they overslept or were not feeling well. In fact, they were up and dressed and sitting at the dining room table when we should have been rushing out the door to school.

Instead, they stayed home a few extra minutes because we were writing letters to our U.S. Senators and congressional representative.They were not told what to write, but rather to just share their feelings about what was going on in the world and how they felt their representative was doing. The letters were mailed the same day and they left with a civics lesson for the day.

While it is important to stay informed and stay in contact with our national leaders, I am going to start a new practice with my youngest children beginning next month: attending local governmental meetings.

There is no reason that more of us shouldn’t be attending these meetings, whether city council, school board or county commissioners.

I realize this can be time consuming and perhaps not terribly exciting, but these people are making decisions which affect each and every one of us, each and every day.

While national politics may grip the headlines, we actually need to put more focus on our local leaders. Because at the end of the day, local issues and local leaders have more of an impact on our lives than any national figure ever will.

And it’s not that hard, when you know the schedule..

The McCook City Council meets on the first and third Mondays at 5:30 p.m. at the City Council Chambers in city building. The McCook School Board meets on the second Monday at 6:30 p.m., usually in the junior high conference room but the high school conference room has been used lately for additional space.

And the Red Willow County commissioners meet every Monday at 9 a.m. in the courthouse. All of these meetings are open to the public and have agendas published before the meeting. But even if there isn’t something on the agenda which peaks your interest, it never hurts just to show up and see how a meeting runs, learn what is going on and see your local leader face-to-face.

And on the state level, the McCook Chamber of Commerce hosts weekly conference calls with State Senator Dan Hughes, every Thursday morning during the legislative session. This is a wonderful opportunity to have a “face-to-face” conversation with our local representative. And the visit is not just an aide or a representative of the representative but Senator Hughes calling from his office at the state capital.

Here’s a simple test, can you name one, two or all six of the McCook school board members? Can you name three of the five city council members? Do you know which of the three county commissioners serves your district? Take the time to find out who is making decisions on your behalf and what those decisions are.

And mark your calendars for Thursday, Feb. 18, when the city of McCook will host a town hall meeting at the McCook Auditorium. This will be a perfect opportunity to share your views about what you would like the city to accomplish over the next few years, decade or even the next generation.

While we can and should try to do many things through the private sector, these local officials control millions of tax dollars. They make the decisions which will affect our community for generations to come.

Your voice matters. Your ideas matter. You can make an impact simply by showing up or reaching out and being heard, especially on the local level.

Person to Person: Start the Conversation

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 08 Jan 2021 15:42:46 GMT

Earlier this week, I shared a post on social media which I think is even more relevant today after the events of Jan. 6 in both Washington D.C. and across the country..

“Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person. Today.” - Mother Teresa

Now, normally, we don’t advocate to do things alone. After all, the saying is “if you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.”

But following Mother Teresa’s teachings, “alone” in this case means not waiting on the “powers that be” to make things better. Instead, alone means that change happens on a personal level.

Mother Teressa believed that one of the most important things in a person’s life was respect and to be heard. The reason she was so influential was because she listened intently to whoever she was talking to, whether it was a world leader or a beggar on the street. Both were equally important in the world.

In reality, it’s a very simple concept: respecting and listening to one another, each and every one of us. It is making every person’s voice heard, every person’s opinion considered, every person’s thoughts valued.

How does that happen?

It’s having a cup of coffee with someone and having that tough conversation. It’s having a civil discussion over dinner with someone you may not agree with. It is taking the time to say things face-to-face, where there can be a civil discourse, rather than one-sided diatribes.

We begin to have civil conversations with one another, even those we don’t agree with. I believe Civic Saturdays are important, where we gather to have civil conversations to nurture a shared purpose. So far, my Civic Saturday experience has only spread as far as my dining room table with my own children, but I hope to bring it to the entire community as a way to engage friends and strangers in a common goal - civic engagement.

We also need to show respect for one another. While social media may keep us connected, it is also terribly dividing. People say things online that they would never - or at least I hope they would never - say in person. Maybe we should reinstitute another old saying, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.”

Moving forward, we do not have to be what we saw in D.C. We can be - and we are - better than that if we are willing to work together.

While we need government for certain aspects of our lives, we cannot wait on them to solve all our problems. As individuals, we need to work together to make the change we want to see happen. Do you want to see a new project happen? Then start the conversation. Do you want to see improvements at your school? Then start the conversation. Do you want to see changes in your community? Then start the conversation.

We need to simply remember that everyone wants what is best for them, for their families and for their communities. We just have different ideas about how to get there. It is that middle ground between the ideas that we need to come together to find.

And that is why the conversations are so important. Start with one-on-one conversations. Soon you’ll discover that you have more in common than you have differences. Because by working together, we can make McCook- and our entire country - an even better place to call home.

Gratefulness Goes a Long Way

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 31 Dec 2020 21:30:59 GMT

There are a lot of words to describe 2020: exhausted and frustrated, chaotic to challenging. While every year, there are many lists dedicated to describing the past 365 days, 2020’s list ranges from a long list of profanities to simply being tired.

But the word I am selecting to describe 2020 and which I hope to hold up for 2021 is grateful.

While there were many things that went wrong in 2020, there were still many things to be grateful for this past year and it doesn’t take much thought to create a long list.

For starters, I am grateful that we live in a community which looks out for one another on both the small and large scale.

The top of the gratefulness list goes to our front-line workers, especially those at Community Hospital and the McCook Clinic. It cannot be overstated how important it is that we have such a capable and professional medical facility and staff right here in our community, which is trying to keep us safe and healthy.

If there is only thing that we take from 2020 is renewed appreciation for our health care workers.

We should be grateful for our McCook Fire Department, police and EMTs who have worked tirelessly over the past year despite all the hurdles. And kudos to the staff at the Southwest Nebraska Health Department who were thrust into high-gear this year.

We should be grateful for the organizations, which have stepped up during this crisis to make sure our most vulnerable citizens’ needs are being met form the Family Resource Center to Mid-Nebraska Community Action Partners, to the Red Willow Ministerial Association, all working together to make sure resources are available for those in need.

We should be grateful for our childcare workers, who did everything that was asked to stay open so that employees could go to work and businesses could open their doors. And the list goes on and on to the grocery store clerks to the sanitation workers and to all the essential workers who never quit working despite the crisis.

And the list doesn’t stop there for those who keep this community going day-in and day-out, regardless of the pandemic, but who make this community a better place to call home.

I am grateful to McCook and Southwest Nebraska for stepping up and making the 2020 Big Give McCook reach record numbers in its five year history and to Melissa Stritt and Lisa Felker and the Community Chest committee, who worked for months to make it happen.

I am grateful to Kyle Dellevoet, Jamie Mockry and Dan Miller and McCook Christian Church volunteers for stepping up to administer the “Cold-Hard Covid Cash” program, which pumped thousands of dollars into our local economy.

I am grateful for the McCook Community Foundation Fund, MNB Bank and Graff Charitable Foundation and several other donors, who funded the Covid-19 Response Account to make those programs happen.

And then there are the personal things which made 2020 memorable and which make me grateful to live in this community.

Like the work of Jeff Gross and the entire staff at McCook Public Schools which made an in-person graduation ceremony happen for my Class of 2020 senior and the 100 other graduates. Like Mary and Dale Dueland leaving dinner on my front porch when my family entered its second “quarantine camp” this fall. Like Staci and Jason Blomstedt posting free coffee and donut gift cards during the Reindeer Run at Barnett Park because they missed their fellow runners.

There are countless other stories out there of people doing little things to make life just a little bit better for their neighbors, friends and family. There are so many more people and organizations which I cannot even begin to name all of them of which we should be grateful.

As we turn the page on the calendar to 2021, things will not automatically be different, things will not automatically get better, things will not automatically change. But we can make things different and we can make things better if we are simply a little more grateful for one other, for our family and friends and for our community, .

On behalf of the entire McCook Community Foundation Fund Advisory Committee, we are grateful to be part of McCook and Southwest Nebraska and we wish everyone a Happy New Year.

Best Gift You Can Give: Compassion Toward Others

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 24 Dec 2020 21:34:14 GMT

If there are still a few people on your list who need a gift, it is time to resort to my personal favorite gift: create a handwritten note for an event or product to be redeemed next year. It is kind of like a gift certificate without the hassle of buying one.

But actually, the best gift we can give can’t be bought in a store. One of the best gifts we can give is showing compassion for others. It is taking the time to listen to one another; it is trying to understand each other; it is simply caring about someone other than ourself.

Before I was writing this, I was lamenting that my oldest daughter will not be spending Christmas this year. She is only four hours away and could make the trip home. But it wasn’t until she explained why that I realized we need to think about others and think about the big picture.

On a regular basis, she volunteers with low-income residents facing eviction…the very people who cannot afford to get sick and miss work. She doesn’t want to risk getting herself sick, nor infecting them. It was a tough choice to be away from her family over the holidays, but it is what she feels is best.

If there is one thing we have learned over this past year, it is that there is no perfect answer. Instead, we need to take the time to listen and be willing to open ourselves up to the idea that we don’t know everything, that we may be wrong, that we may need to change our minds.

And be willing to acknowledge that it is impossible to know everything that is going on in someone else’s life.

More than once this year, I have found myself frustrated with someone, only to find out later that I didn’t have the whole picture.

A friend hadn’t returned the text because they were short-staffed at work as yet another employee was on quarantine. Another friend was terse on a phone call, only to find out later they had gotten into a heated disagreement with their brother-in-law earlier in the day.

And until my daughter explained who she was volunteering with, I didn’t understand why she would choose being home alone in her apartment rather than spending the holidays with her family.

And while will miss her over the holidays, it’s actually not the first time she has been absent Christmas morning. She missed Christmas as well as her grandfathers’ funerals because she was in Germany her junior year of high school. So if we can be apart for 11 months and miss some major milestones, we can do it again if it benefits others.

After all, this is what is great about the holidays. People just seem to be more generous this time of year but it is something we could parlay throughout the year.

Maybe it is delivering a meal to your neighbor who doesn’t like venturing out. Maybe it is creating a gift bags to hand out to those who are down on their luck. Or maybe it is a simple as just listening…listening to someone you don’t agree with, listening to someone who tells the same story over and over, or listening to to your friend who has had everything go wrong this year and is hoping 2021 will be just a little bit better.

At the end of the day, if just tried to understand each other better, walk a mile in someone else’s shoes and showed a bit more compassion toward each other, we could make a our world just a little bit better. We can make our community an even better place to call home.

On behalf of the entire McCook Community Foundation Fund’s Advisory Committee, we wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a safe and happy holiday season.

Ronda Graff is considering giving her kids the same handmade certificates as last year: pedicure and massage…with her tagging along.

Transforming Our Community, One Person at a Time

Thu, 17 Dec 2020 21:07:57 GMT

With Christmas right around the corner, my friend Scrooge has been asked to share his thoughts about how the community has been transformed over the years, similar to Scrooge’s transformation in “A Christmas Carol.”

For starters, I can’t say “Bah Humbug” about our community, who have truly stepped up to support one another.

While there have been many hurdles, this has been an astounding year and you donors have helped McCook Community Foundation Fund (MCFF) grow to more than $4 million in donations and gifts.

Over the years, MCFF has evolved as much - if not more - as Scrooge. After all, Scrooge transforms from an elderly miser to a kinder, gentler man. And MCFF has transformed from zero dollars in 2000; by 2005, MCFF was at $78,614; and in 2010, it crossed the million dollar mark.

Whether in a “Christmas Carol” or in your own community, individuals are ultimately the ones who can make the difference. We each make decisions which can have an impact for generations to come.

Just look at the impact Floyd Hershberger has had on our community. In 1999, Floyd started with an idea that McCook would benefit from affiliation with the Nebraska Community Foundation (NCF). Coincidentally, NCF was the result of an idea by our very own Gov. Ben Nelson in the early 1990s.

Today, there are 235 affiliated funds serving 258 Nebraska communities. In the year 2000, the assets of the affiliated funds totaled $8 million compared to $188 million this year.

Just as in “A Christmas Carol” story, the memories of generations past, present and future influence our generosity. Personally, my memories were influenced by my parents who believed one needed to be involved with community projects. It was a revelation to me that giving back makes life so very special for our community.

For MCFF, it was a slow process in fund raising during the first few years. But fund advisory committee (FAC) members grew in strength and knowledge and the community responded generously as more and more found many possibilities to give back to our community. Scrooge at the end of “A Christmas Carol” would be proud of the generosity the community has shown.

While MCFF has steadily grown over the past two decades, the volunteer FAC continues to seek challenges to make this McCook’s decade. Our “dream switch” has been turned up and ideas are welcome that benefit and will help grow our community.

And the numbers are growing. A million dollars from two donors just this year will definitely make a difference. To-date, MCFF has granted more than $500,000 throughout the community. And that number will be growing as MCFF will be able to grant more than $100,000 a year to organizations with those ideas and programs to benefit the community.

If we want to make this McCook’s decade, what dreams would you like to see in place by 2030? Because of local leadership and generous donors, we will continue with our support to make dreams happen.

One way those dreams have happened over the past 20 years is through a growth in gifts in people’s wills. This will continue as the community sees results from the gifts that give back forever. Giving back is a private and personal decision and it comes from respecting what the community accomplishes and encourages. The gift is a thank you that appreciates what has inspired the donor.

Just like Scrooge, each and every person needs to make the decision about what they want their future and their community to look like.

Donors have the opportunity to give to the unrestricted endowment funds or to funds established for various charitable organizations such as your church, Community Hospital, YMCA, McCook Community College and various scholarship funds, just to name a few.

A number of us have had the assistance from the Nebraska Community Foundation to help with our charitable estate planning. I especially appreciate their help as they worked with my attorney. Denise Garey is the area NCF representative and shares her office with MCFF at the Keystone Business Center. NCF’s Director of Advancement and Gift Planning Jim Gustafson brings an additional level of expertise when a person needs help with their planning. Currently, MCFF has 17 gifts in their wills dedicated to McCook, assuring that more dreams will become reality.

As the year comes to a close, Scrooge would like to recognize several local leaders. Thank you to Ronda Graff for being an outstanding foundation coordinator. Thank you to Cindy Huff for her leadership as chairperson of the MCFF advisory committee and serving on the NCF board of directors. Thank you to Dale Dueland for serving in his new leadership position as chairman of the NCF board. And thank you to all the other FAC members for their blessings of energy and inspiration, Peggy Been, Bill Graves, Mark Graff, Andy Long, Dennis Berry, Gavin Hash, Linda Frank, Matt Sehnert, Pam Wolford and Tricia Wagner.

And a big thank you to the news media for helping us share the message.

In conclusion, I don’t believe I am Scrooge, but his transformation during “A Christmas Carol” has certainly been a reminder of things that should be practiced: that charity comes from the heart and it’s never too late - or too early - to do the right thing.

Merry Christmas!

Food or News: It Can't All Be Junk

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Fri, 11 Dec 2020 15:01:58 GMT

For years, my husband and I have toyed with the idea of opening a retail store in McCook with the business divided into two distinct sides.

One half would feature all our favorite junk foods, using machines we have accumulated over the years. Reminiscent of the county fair or childhood summers, the store would feature cotton candy in every flavor and color imaginable, funnel cakes piled high with fruit toppings, and popcorn covered in so many different seasonings, your head would spin. And of course, there would be chocolate because how can you have a store of favorites without chocolates in every form and style possible.

If you notice, there is little redeeming nutritional value in any of these items, with the exception of the fruit toppings but even that would be mostly sugar.

Hence, the reason for the other half of the store. To balance out the lack of nutrition on one side and to assuage our guilt over such indulgent offerings, the other side would essentially be a health food store featuring foods we all know we should eat, but struggle to get enough of in our diets.

Whole grain foods, fruits and vegetables, vitamins, smoothies, even kombucha which people may claim to like but no one does really. But let’s be honest....we know which side is going to be busier and more profitable: the junk food side.

While junk food is okay in moderation, it cannot be the sole basis of a diet. As we told our kids when they were little, there are “sometimes” food and “often” food. We learned early on that anytime you labeled something a “never” food, it became irresistible with wrappers hidden under the mattress.

There needs to be a variety of foods from both sides of the aisle, or in this case, both sides of the store.

The same concept holds true for our news and entertainment consumption. We cannot subsist on just junk news or junk entertainment. We need to make the conscious step of adding a variety of healthy, informative news to our “information diet.”

Yes, there are times when I want to watch a mindless TV show or binge watch an entire series with no redeeming quality, just so I can have a giant bowl of popcorn.

But on the flip side, I regularly listen to news programs, subscribe to several newspapers, download innumerable podcasts and am mid-way through multiple books on my nightstand.

Think of learning and reading and researching as healthy food. You need it to keep your mind functioning, to have intelligent conversations, to open yourself up to the possibility that not only do you not know something, but also that you might be wrong.

And perhaps even more importantly, it is not just one news program or news outlet; it is not just one podcast, one author or one journalist. Just like our diets, our minds need variety.

If we want to have intelligent and meaningful conversations, we need to have a variety of healthy information. If we are going to move our community forward and to be able to work together, we need to have a variety of sources to make fact-based decisions.

While it may be easier to rely on junk food or junk information, we need to make the effort to make ourselves healthier - both physically and mentally - if we want our community to come together and make it an even better place to call home.

Admitting We Don't Know Everything

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 03 Dec 2020 18:08:05 GMT

Every year, it happens like clockwork at my house. At some point in the late fall or early winter, someone in my house gets up in the morning and stumbles to the bathroom, reaches into the shower to turn the handle....and nothing. There’s no water.

Once again, the pipe in our well-house has frozen because of the dropping temperatures. For the next few hours, we will be waterless until someone wanders into the frigid cold to turn on the heat lamp in the well house and the pipes thaw. This jury-rigged solution makes it work and yes, a professional is who came up with the system.

To have water in our house, we had to take that difficult first step: acknowledging that we didn’t know what we were doing. We had to ask for help. We had to admit we didn’t know everything.

In fact if I admit it, I don’t know how - and this is just a rough estimate - 99 percent of the world works.

I don’t know how electricity works, so that’s why I hire an electrician because it’s done right. I don’t know how to play the G chord on the guitar, so that’s why I attend concerts because it’s done beautifully. I don’t know why I’m gaining weight, so that’s why I see my physician because she can tell me that I do know why I’m gaining weight but I won’t give up my fries.

I also thought I was the only one who drove down the road wondering why wood is used for electrical poles, how birds are able to sit on electrical lines without getting electrocuted, or how long the stripes on a highway are. (Because wood is cheap but good, electricity takes the path of least resistance and that’s not a bird leg, and 10 feet which is longer than most people guess.)

Every day, I must admit that I don’t know something. Every day, I will wonder about something I don’t know. And every day, I will ask questions or research something. At the end of the day, there are a lot of useless facts in my head but I wouldn’t give up my curiosity for anything.

(I’m trying not to buy as many books as I have in the past but I couldn’t pass up “A Walk Around the Block” by Spike Carlson, where he explores everything from how squirrels use their tails to when manhole covers came into existence.)

Admitting you don’t know something is hard but that gives you the opportunity to learn something new, to need someone else’s expertise and knowledge, to reframe how you think. .

And it is not just the physical world around us where we need to acknowledge we don’t know everything.

It’s also our ideas and opinions and thoughts which affect our decisions.

Especially these days, we need to admit that we don't know everything about a particular subject..

Your neighbor doesn’t know everything. The person calling into a radio show doesn’t know everything. People posting and sharing on social media certainly don’t know everything. Even the experts may not know everything.

Yet sometimes, we give them all the same influence. We need to admit that the person who has devoted their life to a certain subject has more authority. We need to admit that the person who is dealing with the situation day-in, day-out knows more than we do. We need to admit that a person who has boots on the ground and deals with the problem on a regular basis is who we should listen to.

It’s not wrong to admit that we don’t know everything. In fact, it takes a leader with an open mind to acknowledge that they are willing to listen to others, that they are willing to change their mind, that they are willing to make an informed decision based on those who do know.

And at the end of the day, we need leaders - and a community - which are willing to acknowledge that they don’t know everything, but are willing to learn.

Gratitude and Gratefulness, especially for Grandparents

Thu, 26 Nov 2020 16:20:42 GMT

In the early 2000s, my parents moved from McCook to a lakeside retirement community in Arkansas. Even at the time, it didn’t make sense because they had moved from Omaha to McCook just a few years earlier. Not because I lived in McCook but because of something much more persuasive: the grandkids.

As the U-Haul pulled out of the driveway headed south, my parent’s move made me realize that we had taken the situation for granted. My kids had been very fortunate to have all four grandparents alive and living in the same town.

Not surprisingly, my mother missed her grandkids and they returned to McCook after just a year away. For another few years, my kids again enjoyed having all four grandparents at every school program, every sporting event, every birthday party or just hanging out together.

But that ideal situation ended in 2006 when my mother, Linda, died.

For several more years, the remaining three grandparents were in the front row at every event or sitting around the dining table during the holidays. But within four months of each other, both grandfathers, Pete and then Ron, passed away.

This left our kids with one lone grandmother, Dolores Graff, as their final link to that generation. In those final years, she shared stories about her childhood as one of 10 kids, attended Mass at St. Pat’s as often as she could for as long as she could, and refused to let go of your hand as you left her room. But time and her health took its toll and she died earlier this week.

While it is never a perfect time, it was her time to go and it is the end of an era.

There is a part of me which is sad because they have lost that unconditional love from grandparents which cannot be replicated. But I am glad my kids got to know their grandparents and will continue to be influenced by them through their legacies..

Dolores' impact will be felt by both our family and the community for years to come. During her 88 years. she was a force to be reckoned with. After all, if Dolores wanted to see something happen, she made it happen.

Unsatisfied that McCook didn’t offer recycling in the mid-1990s, she started her own recycling center, which was eventually taken over by the city of McCook. She liked to joke that she knew people made fun of the banker’s wife playing in garbage, but she didn’t care. She knew what she wanted and she made it happen.

Dolores was also thorough, much to the chagrin of others. She served two terms on the McCook School Board, even after all her 11 children had graduated from high school. She valued education and simply wanted the best school system for her community.

And she devoted herself to that role. While others “crack” open their packet for the first time at the school board meeting, Dolores would arrive having read and reread every page. She had things underlined, paragraphs highlighted and questions ready to be asked. If she didn’t know the answer, she was going to keep asking and learning until she understood and could make an informed decision.

And Dolores had a penchant for names and faces, not only remembering someone she met years before but also their kids names, where they were going to school and how many dogs they had. Meanwhile, I struggle to remember the name of someone I met five minutes ago. Dolores also loved introducing people to others. Even in her final residence at Hillcrest Nursing Home, she took great pleasure in asking if her nurse or aide knew my husband or me. Never mind that we had met them dozens of times by then, Dolores wanted to make sure everyone knew each other and felt comfortable.

I must admit that there is a twinge of jealousy when I see people able to hug their parents or invite them over for dinner. Or when grandparents fill the stands to watch their grandchildren or simply sit around with a grandchild on their lap.

Instead, I will continue to be grateful for the years we had together, for the meals which always started late and for the many, many stories, from using aloe plants to heal BB guns injuries, to being lost in a blizzard with just one priest to bless us.

Whether it is your parent, your grandparents or just an elderly family friend, don’t take them for granted. Reach out to them as often as you can, whether it’s a phone call or just a text. Heck, maybe even go as far as write them a letter to tell them how much you appreciate them.

And while we’re at it, don’t forget your friends...the family you get to choose. Let them know how grateful you are to have them in your life. My days wouldn’t be as rich without my morning coffee club, my pseudo volleyball team or my Taco Tuesday cohorts.

While this Thanksgiving will look like no other, it is still the perfect time to show gratitude for all of the important people in your life. If your family is near (and it is safe to do so), give them a hug and tell them you love them. If your family is being kept apart, make that phone call and tell them how grateful you are for them.

And if you still have a grandparent around, don’t take it for granted. Instead, be grateful because it will come to an end all too soon.

Leaders: Don't move out, move over

mcffund@gmail.com (Ronda Graff) — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 16:38:15 GMT

Supporting and empowering our youth is a topic that should never far from the surface for our community.

From grants for youth programs to scholarships to youth organizations, young people are a priority for the McCook Community Foundation Fund. But for many years, there was something missing...making young people feel like they should return to our community and make an impact.

Beginning in 2014, McCook High School graduates received a full-sized mailbox to remind them of home. After three years, the gift switched to reusable mugs and glasses since they were a little easier to take to college than a legal-sized postal box. In an attempt to stay hip and relevant, MCFF gave out portable chargers to the Class of 2020, encouraging them to “Take the Power of McCook with You.”

While the gift may have changed, what remained the same over the years was the message given to the high school graduates: We want you to return to McCook.

When they receive their gift during graduation practice, the high school seniors are encouraged to stay in McCook or eventually return to their hometown. Former MHS grads who have made the conscious decision to return to their hometown share why they chose McCook as their home. Over and over, the speakers literally say: “We want you to return to McCook.”

And that is an important first step. People, especially young people, need to feel like they are wanted. It may seem obvious, but I’d like every parent, employer, community member to ask themselves, “Have I ever asked a young person to move back to McCook? Have I ever told a young person that I want you to move back home?”

That is an important start, but it’s the next step where we need to make improvements. While we may “say” we want young people to move back to McCook, what are we “doing” to encourage young people to move home and make them feel like they are making an impact?

Are we giving them the tools to start a business or become an entrepreneur? Are we encouraging them to get involved in local organizations? Are we giving them responsibilities in the community by letting them serve on boards and committees? Are we giving them authority to make decisions regarding funding sources?

I actually began this column the day after the election, when we had selected new local officials. But I needed a couple weeks to let the “idea breathe.”

I want to give a personal shout-out to Dawson Brunswick, who is the same age as my oldest son. It takes a lot of courage to run for political office in the first place. It takes even more courage to run when one of the “knocks” against you is something you can’t even control - your age.

While no candidate is perfect, one thing that was said over and over was that he lacked experience or that he was too young. But ask yourself, how are our young people supposed to get experience if we don’t give them the opportunity to be involved? If we don’t give them the chance to make decisions? If we don’t invite them to serve on boards and committees?

An oft-repeated mantra of the Nebraska Community Foundation when it comes to welcoming new leaders (young or old) is “Don’t move out, move over.” This means that older people should continue to contribute to the organization with their wisdom and guidance, but they should be willing to give up their seat at the table for a younger - or different - voice.

Don Harpst is a great example of someone who is actively involved in the community. He quietly offers insight and guidance, but then sits back and lets the younger people make the decisions. Of course, there aren’t many people older than Don who are still as active, so everyone is “young” to him.

If we want people to choose to move back to McCook, we must be willing to pay more than lip-service to the idea. We must be willing to entrust them with responsibilities. We must be willing to trust them to make the right decisions. We must be willing to move over and let them make an impact on our future.

Youth Programs Vital to Community

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 17:49:00 GMT

Andy and Geri Andersen had a passion for young people. So they turned that passion into a reality by creating an endowment with a focus on young people, with payouts to be distributed annually by a group of young people.

Their financial gift to the McCook Community Foundation Fund is intended to support causes and dreams that will benefit youth, which gives youth the opportunity to disperse annual grant funds and which encourages young people to come home to raise their own families. The Anderson’s financial support is how MCFF’s youth organization, Youth Change Reaction (YCR), came to be and which has led to the support of other youth programs in the community.

While I joined the MCFF Advisory Committee in 2018, I actually became involved in 2009 through my co-sponsorship of YCR, just one program for youth I am proud to be involved in and support.

As an educator for 35 years, my passion has always been the preparation of students for life after high school. My McCook High School students completed projects and job shadowing to expose them to the variety of careers and opportunities in Southwest Nebraska.

The latest effort to expose students to the potential in our community is a project called “Bison Days.” I am proud to serve on the Bison Days committee as well.

MCFF has financially supported “Bison Days” for the past two years and has set aside funds for this coming spring if the current pandemic allows us to proceed. This two-day program is for the entire McCook High School student body, teachers, and community members.

Through this program, students have the opportunity to take part in up to four courses that are not typically offered at McCook High School. This project is similar to college interim programs except in length and scope. The two days of classes allow students to find potential hobbies, explore career interests, and develop skills which don’t always have a place or a time in the regular classroom.

The goal of the project is to help students explore opportunities in the community and also to nurture relationships between students, community volunteers, and the McCook High School staff who are teaching the classes.

The program consists of partnering with 20-30 community members and businesses to help provide the instruction for the 90+ classes that are offered. The committee feels it is important to utilize local businesses and resources to provide students with more opportunities for real world connections within the community of McCook as well as showing students the future employment opportunities available here.

Some examples of classes run by community members and teachers are sewing, cooking, self-defense, home repair, donut making, archery, jelly making, quilting, Fantasy Sports, architectural drafting, and auto detailing. Last year’s popular classes included cooking classes, boater’s safety, ice fishing, prom hair styles, facial care and make up, jousting, and floral arranging.

The idea for Bison Days came from a similar project held at Cozad High School called “Maker Days.” The committee from Cozad joined us last year and toured our sites and offerings. As their tour guide, I enjoyed their positive comments about our community and the overall event. Videos documenting the past two years of Bison Days can be viewed on the McCook High School website.

Developing a sense of community has been a strong goal of McCook High School over the last few years and MCFF is proud to continue the legacy of Andy and Geri Anderson through financial support for these tremendous youth programs.

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