To say next week is important is an understatement. The 2020 elections are finally here, thank goodness. And as if that wasn’t enough, Big Give McCook is next Thursday, Nov. 5.
Add on top of that the fact we’ll have just wrapped up Halloween, still adjusting to the time change and wondering about the never ending threat of quarantine from Covid.
And by the way, it’s a full moon this weekend.
While we don’t have a say about most of those issues (O.K. we don’t have to gorge ourselves on Snickers), we can have impact by voting and by donating.
Let’s start with the election. It has been a contentious year to say the least. With so much focus on the national election, the local races have gotten lost in the shuffle, which is unfortunate because they have just as much if not more of an impact on our daily lives.
Here’s a test: While everyone knows who is running for president, can you name the three McCook school board candidates? Hint, they are all incumbents. Can you name the three people running for the two open seats on the McCook City Council? How about the two Red Willow County Commissions vying for the one spot?
These elected officials control millions of tax dollars and decide policies, which will have an impact on us for years and years to come. Local elections should have equal if not more precedence than national politics. Local civic knowledge actually has an impact on a community.
Thanks to a recommendation by Andy Long, I have been reading “Our Towns - A 100,000-Mile Journey Into the Heart of America” by James and Deborah Fallows over the past year. The couple travels across the country over the course of several years visiting several dozen towns to learn what makes them thrive - or struggle - including Atwood, Kan.
At the end, they use anecdotal evidence to derive a list of 10 things that make a community a success.
I won’t go into all of them but the first item is relevant now more than ever: “People work together on practical local possibilities, rather than allowing bitter disagreements about national politis to keep them apart.”
Yes, we need the national government, but ultimately, it is local resilience which makes a community successful.
So while most of the focus may be on the national election, we should have greater awareness about our local elections. If you haven’t voted yet, research all the candidates to learn what they want to do to make our community better.
Or better yet, we are a small community, so reach out to the candidates. And ask them their thoughts on taxes, on improvements, on collaboration, on how they intend to make an impact during their time in office. Even if the seat is uncontested, have the candidate explain why they are the best person for the job.
Making an informed, educated vote about all the candidates is one way to make an impact.
But another way to make an impact next week is by making a donation.
The fifth annual Big Give McCook takes place on Thursday, Nov. 5 from midnight to midnight. This is your opportunity to show your support for these organizations with your donation.
The organizations involved in Big Give McCook are truly necessary if you want to have local resiliency. They provide the safety net for those down on their luck. They are behind the projects which make this a great place to live. They help make our day-to-days better as well as improve our community for generations to come.
For some of these organizations, these donations are used for operational expenses. Your dollars literally help keep their doors open and the shelves stocked.
For others, your donation is what will make the difference on whether a project happens. Your dollars will help determine if our community will be better five years from now or if it’s just status quo.
As I’ve said for the past five years, every dollar matters. When the Community Chest committee was setting up this program five years ago, the original name was “Give Big McCook,’ but “giving big” was not what was the most important or what makes it a success.
Big Give McCook is successful because people are working together to make our community better. Big Give McCook is successful because people are making a difference on the local level. Big Give McCook is successful because we are stronger together rather than apart.
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
