Anyone who has ever read this column knows that I try to stay positive, focusing on the good things happening in our community and how to get involved. At the same time, my personal views and feelings make into the mix, as well as tidbits about my family much to their chagrin.
But like many people who are in a “mood” these days whether due to the pandemic, politics, heck, even the weather, I found myself tested this week to keep an upbeat outlook.
Every few months and more recently every few weeks, the McCook pool project rises to the top of the conversation in the community. People want to know how it is coming along, what is included, why hasn’t something been done yet, how they can help. All these are valid questions and concerns that I take seriously as a member of the McCook pool committee.
But as the kids return to school and summer comes to end, I had to face the cold, hard truth that McCook went an entire summer without an outdoor pool - even one that has water so cold that we would need to be located in Death Valley to make it palatable.
And to make matters even worse, we - and by we I mean the city, the city council, the pool committee - is no closer to a new pool plan than we were at the beginning of summer or even when the pool closed at the end of last season.
As to why we still don’t have a new pool, it is no one’s fault, yet everyone’s fault that we haven’t moved forward. At the end of the day, we must admit that we are long overdue to make these big investments in our community.
As with any project, it is going to take people coming together to find common ground. It is going to take people compromising on what they want so that everyone can be satisfied. It is going to take people taking a risk on something that may fail or may be difficult to achieve. It is going to be hard work to make this project happen.
While I am focused on the pool, we could just as easily be talking about any number of possible projects in the community. Maybe it is improved ballparks, expanded walking trails, a remodeled convention center. The possibilities are endless.
So how do we move forward? I’ll repeat what I wrote on a Facebook post earlier this week about the possibility of building a splash pad in McCook and it’s connection to the pool.
One step is to let city council members know you want this to move forward, whether it is the pool, a splash pad or any project.
Also, please feel free to contact me or anyone on the pool committee (list is available on the city website) with your ideas asap because it will be the pool committee which will take a concept to the city council.
I love to sit down with anyone for coffee to talk pools and get ideas, even building a water slide down Kelly Park.
I feel this entire project needs to be transparent and the community needs to be involved.
The people need to have a say in what they want in an aquatic center. Should it have a lazy river or is a couple slides enough? Should it include a splash pad nearby or at a different location in town?
They need to have a say in where it is located. Do we keep it where it has always been or should we be looking at how a new bathhouse and locker room could serve multiple purposes in the community?
They need to let it be known how long the pool should be open during the year. Should the pool be strictly summer-only or a mix of indoor-outdoor facility?
The McCook Community Foundation Fund recently updated its vision statement to simplify its purpose: Making McCook an even better place to call home.
It is already a great place to call home, but there are things we can do to make it better and that is done by investing in our community. It is time for all of us - from the City of McCook and organizations, to businesses and individuals - to invest in our community with their time and financial support. It is time to make an investment in our families, in our kids and in our future.
McCook's last hometown bakery closed this past week, leaving a void not just for donuts but for connections.
Many organizations and businesses in McCook offer the opportunity to recycle, reuse and repair items that may just end up in the trash.
Organizer for Buffalo Commons Storytelling Festival and former librarian named Oct 2025 volunteer of the month.
McCook's Third Thursdays were created to get businesses and organizations involved and designed to create life-long memories for the community.
Long-time community advocate Barb Ostrum received the Sept 2025 McCook Volunteer of the Month award.
We need to celebrate our young people while they are here and encourage them to return.
While some like myself appreciate a rainy day, others dread them for a variety of reasons. We need to be empathetic as interact with others.
MCFF Fall Grant Deadline is Oct. 1. Complete list of former recipients on MCFF website
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.
Most likely, we aren't going to be good at something at the start. But that shouldn't stop us from trying.
