If you would’ve asked me back in March what I was going to be doing for the summer of 2020, coming home to McCook was not at the top of my list. It was not that I didn’t love McCook or enjoy being here but rather I was making plans and looking at opportunities elsewhere. Just like the rest of the college students in this country, COVID-19 had other plans in mind.
After the start of the pandemic, a lot of my original plans were being canceled and it left me wondering, “What am I going to do and where am I going to go to get a fulfilling summer?”
And when I say fulfilling, I mean I wanted to do something where I could work hard, learn new skills, and feel like I was making a difference!
Shortly after asking this question, I found the perfect fit with the McCook Community Foundation Fund, which was looking for a hometown summer intern to tell McCook’s stories through various media - my exact major. Now if I’m being honest, I was nervous to be moving back home. I had not lived at home for more than a year and I was worried about what everyone would think. Would people think I dropped out of school? Would they think I could not make it on my own? Or would they consider me a failure? All of these thoughts raced through my head at one point but then I asked myself, “Why is moving back home such a bad thing?”
I had a great childhood growing up in McCook. From spending Friday nights at Weiland Field and riding my bike all across town without the worry of any danger, to summer nights with my best friends at the lake. Why is it such a bad thing to say that I really enjoyed living in my small Nebraska community?
Well, I’m here to say that it’s not, and moving back home for the summer has truly been a blessing. I have been able to spend time with my family, high school best friends, and community members who are working to make a difference here. I’m creating projects to build up my portfolio while learning a lot of professional skills for the future. If anything, I think I have benefited more by spending my summer in McCook rather than somewhere else.
I think the biggest reason people don’t consider moving home is they think there is a lack of opportunity in the area, but that is not the case. As a college senior majoring in media production, many people would think I could only find a job in the city. But my time with MCFF has given me so many valuable lessons I will get to take into my senior year and future career.
And I was able to do it all right here in McCook.
Part of my job this summer was interviewing members of the community who have unique stories and have dedicated themselves to making McCook a better place to call home. I feel so fortunate that I have been able to talk to so many well-rounded people who have worked hard to achieve their dreams.
The most interesting part has been that these people didn’t wait for opportunities; they went out and made them happen. That’s the thing about our community: You can create your own opportunities and turn your dreams into a reality. And I personally have never seen more support from a community than I have from McCook.
This summer I have learned that moving back home does not make you a failure or mean you gave up. Moving back to McCook means you know what you want and that it is possible to create your opportunity here. That is something to be proud of.
As I enter my senior year of college, I’m not sure where I will end up after graduation. I would like to experience other places (and that is okay too) but I will never be closed off to the idea of moving back home. McCook is my home and I will always be proud to call it home.
Most likely, we aren't going to be good at something at the start. But that shouldn't stop us from trying.
August 2025 Volunteer of the Month Bruce McDowell can be found walking around McCook for his health, to be helpful or maybe even attend a meeting.
It takes work and effort to be social but its vital to our community.
McCook's young people are shaping their hometown through a various projects.
MCFF Summer Hometown Intern Natalie Roberts shares how her perspective on McCook changed over the past few months.
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 among five Nebraska communities in Revitalize and Thrive Program
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.
Judy McCune named July 2025 McCook volunteer of the month
Joyce Anderson named June 2025 McCook Volunteer of the Month
