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.
Linda Graff named McCook Volunteer of the Month for December 2025
By focusing on what is important, we can make an even better impact in our communities.
After a 10-year hiatus, the McCook Holiday Home Tours return focusing on downtown upstairs apartments.
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. 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. 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.
With the holiday's nearing, MCFF member and Mayor Linda Taylor reflects on the many things to be thankful in McCook.
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.
Everyone feels a need to be needed and it is shown through the Big Give and Meal Kit Giveaways
SWNE Big Give reaches new heights thanks to enthusiasm of organizations, individuals and businesses
Food pantries are seeing an increased need, which means the community must step up with donations of food and time to help those who struggle to put food on the table.
