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.
Jeremy Shaw named April 2025 McCook Volunteer of the Month
While the Bison Alumni Newsletter will still be available digitally, a new printed service is available.
During a recent performance at the Fox Theater by the Lied's Arts Across Nebraska, there was one group who was not thanked: those who showed up for the event, which is a big deal.
Mark Friehe named March McCook Volunteer of the Month.
Although the Bodensteiners no longer live in Southwest Nebraska, they are still connected and wanted to see if prosper and thrive.
From long-term projects to weekly events, you cannot say "there is nothing to do" or "nothing is happening."
With the goal of reaching 200 subscriptions, the Bison Alumni Newsletter is launching a subscription service.
Long-time volunteer Don Harpst was recognized as the first McCook Volunteer of the Month in March 2025.
McCook's youth survey shows that young people now value safety in their community, something McCook provides.
Building Connections in McCook Matters June in McCook will be abuzz with fun events including a Youth Summit, hosted by McCook Community Foundation Fund. Our young people in Youth Change Reaction will host the first Nebraska Community Foundation gathering for youth, which will bring youth from across Nebraska to McCook. While still in the planning stages, our students identified that McCook is great because of connections . Our young people easily recognize how critical this factor is to people attraction, to people retention, and to improve their futures. What I miss most about my high school classroom is connections with students and colleagues. In education, I taught first, second, and sometimes third generations in families. My husband, Greg, and I are not McCook natives, but I eventually knew who was related to whom and usually where the parent(s) were employed. Going to the grocery store meant greetings from students and sometimes their family members. I officially retired from my high school classroom nine years ago in May. When you retire, the most-asked question becomes “What do you do with your time?” I try to maintain those connections and make new ones by belonging. For the past seven years, Sharon Bohling and I have volunteered to help plan and organize Bison Days for our high school students, which took place February 10 and 11. It would not happen without the financial support of McCook Community Foundation Fund, plus the McCook High School, local businesses, and the talented people of Southwest Nebraska who say “yes” when one of us reaches out to ask for the donation of time and talent. I would venture that they allow us to be on the Bison Days’ committee because we both have connections within our community—it’s certainly not our computer savvy. Connections can also solve a problem. Recently, I signed up to help a local family in crisis. My morning plan revolved around delivering my donation at a designated drop-off place. That didn’t work out. Fortunately, I still work with youth in various capacities, so I know that Keri Wilkinson works for Camy Bradley. Keri was an organizer for the family fundraiser, so I walked in Camy’s office hoping to find Keri. She was not there, so Camy and I visited briefly. She knew someone (who I did not know) who could possibly give me further direction. Only in a town with connections are you able to interrupt someone’s business, have her reach out for you using her connections , and offer to keep the donations for me until Keri’s return. Another great example of connecting can be found over coffee. Dee Friehe and I are longtime teacher friends. During a chance meeting at the grocery store a few weeks ago, she shared how she was there following a funeral service and was gathering supplies to deliver supper to the grieving family that night. She also updated me on her group of adults who meet for coffee on Thursdays at Ember’s, which varies from 8-28 depending on the day. She recognized the need for adults moving to McCook or folks just wanting to get out to make connections . Dee’s husband, Mark, also hosts his own group of men who are new(er) to McCook. She regaled me with stories of their Christmas party and other special gatherings. Wanting to call McCook your home is solidified by building connections . Ronda Graff has written about McCook Connects which matches a McCook person with someone new to the community of similar interests. I earned my McCook Connects’ T-shirt welcoming a young family with children. We have since spent many hot summer days sitting on bleachers together cheering on our 4-H horse kids while they show their horses. Warning: I connected them with a “free” new-to-them horse. Be careful connecting with me or you’ll probably own a horse. You do not have to be retired to connect in this community. Volunteering is a surefire way to meet people. McCook has many civic groups looking for new faces. Attend a church here; we have many welcoming congregations. Go to ball games or school concerts, attend concerts in the park, learn a new skill through the college, show up at a Third Thursday event or invite the neighbors for a BBQ. Take your youngsters to story hour or Move and Groove at the library. Go watch an event at the Kiplinger Arena. You can even take it a step further: Make a friend or call a friend and invite him/her to go with you. It is human connection that keeps us healthy and happy. If McCook Community Foundation Fund can help you connect in some meaningful way, please reach out for advice or support. *** While Pam Wolford may be retired, she is just as busy serving on the McCook Community Foundation Fund committee and started a new Learn and Return Scholarship with MCFF, while stepping up to grandparent whenever the call comes in.
