McCOOK, Neb. - Sometimes it takes stepping back and seeing your community as an outsider to really appreciate all that you have. That was one of the major themes that Matt Sehnert and Ronda Graff came away with after their recent attendance at the inaugural #WeaveThePeople conference in Washington, D.C.
Sehnert and Graff, along with Andy Long and Dale Dueland of McCook, were invited to the Aspen Institute gathering where more than 250 community “weavers” from across the country congregated to share their efforts at combating social isolation, repairing fragmentation, and uniting their communities. The conference was led by New York Times columnist and author David Brooks who traveled to McCook in March to learn more about the strengths of rural communities. Nebraska Community Foundation facilitated the rural Nebraska tour.
Brooks was impressed with what he saw and commented about his Nebraska visit, “Everybody says rural America is collapsing. But I keep going to places with more moral coherence and social commitment than we have in booming urban areas. These visits prompt the same question: How can we spread the civic mind-set they have in abundance?”
That visit led to the invitation to Washington, D.C., where Sehnert and Graff were asked to speak on the main stage along with authors, journalists and researchers, including Jonathan Haidt, Martha Welch, David Bornstein and Katie Couric. Initially, they questioned what they could offer, as “there were a lot of people there with a lot of credentials.” Ultimately they came to realize that rural areas (the Nebraska and Appalachia attendees were the only non-urban representatives) could be an example for strengthening communities throughout the nation.
“We hope and believe that what we’re doing here is working. We’re actually a good example for the rest of the United States,” Graff said. “We don’t have it so bad here. We actually have what seems like a very friendly, stable community. We don’t have the problems that a lot of the communities and the people that we met in DC; they’re facing a lot of tougher problems than we are.”
“We’re actually blessed with what we have – people and organizations and resources – that we can count on and use to our advantage.”
Sehnert found that much of the good work and processes that were presented came from people who faced some serious challenges in their lives. “A lot of people that spoke were doing what they do because of some tragedy that happened in their lives. Everything from suicide to murder to racial issues, rape – it ran the gamut. I think that the people from rural Nebraska and Appalachia were not in that mode so much. Obviously we have some of those challenges, but not near at the scale that they do. We are more challenged by poverty. We live here, so we don’t even know that we’re poor. But the wages that we all earn are not comparable.”
Sehnert also said that most of the attendees were part of a non-profit organization. It is part of their job to build communities and solve social problems. Sehnert said that the Aspen staff recognized that in McCook and Nebraska, people were creating community because it was their passion, not their jobs.
“There are some big issues out there that need to be addressed,” said Graff. “For us, we’re going to change and affect what’s within arms reach. Start small and do what we can locally and hopefully there’s a ripple effect.” Graff said that small “shifts” can help set an example for others. “It’s not a dramatic change, it’s just a subtle shift, and hopefully that’s enough for what we’d like to see happen.”
Their vision is to see more people get involved in community activities and pursuing their passions. “It takes effort on everybody’s part,” said Sehnert, explaining that a small group can put in a lot of effort to organize an event, “but what the rest of the people need to do is put enough effort in to load their kids in the car and show up.” Taking the first step and starting out as a participant, may eventually lead to greater involvement and connections. “Either find something in the community that gets you excited, but if you can’t, then create it.” They said that small efforts in “putting yourself out there” can lead to huge benefits, both personally and for the community.
They explained that McCook has the tools to help people pursue their passions. Those tools include community foundation grants, partnerships with the city, college, economic development corporation and the chamber. “The metro areas have a lot of different resources at their fingertips that we don’t have, but what we do have are the contacts and the relationships,” said Graff. Personal contacts and face-to-face conversations are keys to expanding involvement and support for community and neighborhood projects.
They also spoke about the difference between acceptance and inclusion. “That is something that I would like to personally work on,” said Sehnert, “because I feel like I’m a pretty accepting person, but am I inclusive enough? Whether that means racial or gender or religion. . . Inclusion is something I’m going to work on.”
“You only know what you know, and when we saw the challenges that other people are having in our nation, we realized how many benefits we have here in Southwest Nebraska,” said Sehnert.
Graff echoed, “When we went to D.C., we wanted to highlight that McCook and Southwest Nebraska does have a lot going for it. We do have a lot here that we can celebrate.”
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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
