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.

Love for McCook Grows Through Internship

By Natalie Roberts • August 15, 2025
MCFF Summer Hometown Intern Natalie Roberts shares how her perspective on McCook changed over the past few months.

Summer and McCook Tradition Coming to an End

By Ronda Graff • August 8, 2025
With the McCook Aquatic Center closing soon for the season, another tradition - Mr. Bill and his 25-cent snow-cones - will likely be coming to an end soon too.

McCook Named to Revitalize and Thrive Communities

By Ronda Graff • August 6, 2025
McCook among five Nebraska communities in Revitalize and Thrive Program

Getting Outside to National Night Out

By Ronda Graff • August 4, 2025
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

By Ronda Graff • July 29, 2025
Judy McCune named July 2025 McCook volunteer of the month

June Volunteer of the Month Key to Numerous Organizations

By Ronda Graff • July 29, 2025
Joyce Anderson named June 2025 McCook Volunteer of the Month

Sharing Books and Bikes Great Use of Resources

By Ronda Graff • July 29, 2025
Sharing our resources, such as books and bikes and even benches, help our community better for everyone.

Celebrating a Flurry of Activity in Our Community

By Ronda Graff • July 19, 2025
For many years, McCook did just enough to get by but now there is a flurry of activity - with much more possible - which we should be celebrating.

Family Resource Center Using Grant for New Ideas

By Ronda Graff • July 15, 2025
Family Resource Center is using a grant from MCFF to support current and new projects.

Picking up the Lost Baton That Lead To Cars Under the Stars

By Gavin Harsh • July 9, 2025
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.