McCook among five Nebraska communities in Revitalize and Thrive Program
HASTINGS - McCook has been selected as one of five communities in Nebraska to be part of a new program aimed at community renewal and youth retention, the Revitalize and Thrive initiative.
In addition to McCook, the other Nebraska communities are southeast Omaha, Cozad, Auburn and Seward, which will all participate in an innovative partnership focused on community revitalization and retention of their young people.
McCook’s initiative is a collaboration between the McCook Economic Development Corp., the McCook Community Foundation Fund and Community Hospital, along with other local partners.
Amanda Engell, MEDC Housing Director and the local coordinator for the initiative, is excited to see this project launch and how the community comes together because economic development no longer looks the way many people traditionally recall.
“Addressing the complex challenges our community faces today requires a multi-faceted approach and a willingness to take on many roles as we work to grow and strengthen McCook,” Engell said, adding, “We’re still focused on business attraction, retention, and support, along with housing and childcare, but more and more, those conversations are closely tied to attracting and retaining people. Many groups and organizations around the community are having the same conversations. We are excited to participate in this initiative to help us build upon the conversations we have been having locally so we can take our actions to the next level.”
As part of the Revitalize and Thrive program, the selected communities will collaborate closely with nationally recognized revitalization strategist Jeff Siegler, along with regional leaders and student interns, to develop strategies that strengthen local identity, foster economic vibrancy, and create a more compelling reason for young people to stay, return, or relocate to their hometowns.
The Revitalize and Thrive program seeks to tackle the longstanding challenge of brain drain—the outmigration of young talent from rural and urban communities across Nebraska. By blending creative placemaking, local leadership development, and grassroots engagement, the program aims to empower communities to write their own comeback stories.
“We’re thrilled to be working alongside these five communities,” said Josephine Parker, Revitalize and Thrive Partnership Co-coordinator alongside Lily Teeple. “Each community brings a unique set of strengths and challenges, and we believe that by building strong local partnerships and supporting community-led efforts, we can make lasting change.”
Through site visits, hands-on workshops, and guided implementation plans, each community will explore ways to revitalize their downtowns, enhance quality of life, and improve opportunities for the next generation. The focus will be on:
- Strengthening local identity
- Reimagining main streets
- Creating places young people want to stay, return to, or rediscover
The initiative is made possible through support from local and state partners and reflects a growing commitment across Nebraska to invest in the future of its communities.
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.
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
Sharing our resources, such as books and bikes and even benches, help our community better for everyone.
For many years, McCook did just enough to get by but now there is a flurry of activity - with much more possible - which we should be celebrating.
Family Resource Center is using a grant from MCFF to support current and new projects.
It was fall of 2012. I was a senior in high school and preparing for the next chapter of my life, college. I was determined that I was going to the University of Nebraska in Lincoln for physical therapy. I also knew to go through undergrad and graduate school I was going to need a lot of scholarships or “student debt” would be my middle name. With that mindset, I ultimately decided not to play basketball my senior year to allocate my time to scholarship applications and a part-time job. It was a tough decision since I enjoyed playing basketball and being around my friends, but it was an investment toward my future. Flash forward to early spring, where I was absolutely blessed by being recognized as a recipient of numerous scholarships that alleviated a major financial burden! Leading up to that point, I was already active in community service projects. But upon receiving those scholarships, I was motivated to give back and say “thank you” for the investment in my education by others. I wanted to do something big, something that would impact the community. Through various conversations and research, I decided to bring back an iconic memory to many McCook natives, a drive-in movie. Through strong partnerships with many local businesses and volunteers, we held a drive-in movie not only my senior year but also my first two years of college, as I returned to help coordinate the project. During the three years of shows in McCook, we rented all the equipment from Dallas, but the dream was to build a permanent, non-profit drive-in for the community to use. However, as I progressed further in my new career of farming, my resources of time and energy were capped and the event sat idle. That is until a group of young, ambitious, and talented students picked up the lost baton. During numerous discussions, Youth Change Reaction members, otherwise known as YCR, shared that they wanted to complete a big project. Many ideas were tossed around, but when the idea of bringing back the drive-in movie came about, it stuck for two reasons: these young adults had memories of attending drive-in movies plus it would meet their goal of going BIG. In the process of picking up the lost baton, their journey into uncharted waters included raising $75,000, building partnerships with community businesses and organizations, and finding the proper equipment. It was truly humbling and at that point, because life really had come full circle. I was once a YCR member and had this dream nearly 10 years ago. But now these young adults went above and beyond in building McCook’s very own “Cars Under the Stars” non-profit outdoor drive-in theater. This project was a true philanthropic endeavor that not only will last for many years, but leaves a legacy, young or old, that we all play a vital role in our community. The power of community collaboration, teamwork, and dedication pulled off a tremendous feat and now our community has a long-standing asset to enjoy. I encourage everyone to take these philanthropic efforts exemplified by our talented youth and implement them into our communities. Embodying the mission of making our rural Nebraska community a better place to live and call home. Those efforts may not result in fulfilling the entire dream you have, but it may be planting the seed and laying the foundation for someone to pick it up. We all have our blessed talents. What are we doing to help move our community forward? What has someone done before you to help set the stage for you to improve? Is there a lost baton in your community that you can pick up and make better? *** Gavin Harsh is an original member of Youth Change Reaction, the youth organization for the McCook Community Foundation Fund, and now serves as a volunteer member on the MCFF Advisory Committee.
We are entering the holiday season. Not the typical cold, wintery time of year but the hot, sultry Fourth of July festivities. As part of this holiday, there are many upcoming celebrations to mark the United State’s birthday. Many have likely seen in the news and on social media that Kearney had to cancel its Freedom Festival, due to a lack of volunteers. This led to some confusion that McCook’s event was not happening July 3, which is understandable since they literally have the same name. But McCook’s event is taking place (may have already taken place by the time you read this) at the Red Willow County Fairgrounds. This event and others like it happen because several things need to be in place including people, businesses and organizations providing the funding needed to make it a reality. But perhaps more importantly, people, businesses and organizations step up to help by volunteering their time. If you don’t have people to plan and organize, the events can’t happen. If you don’t have friends and families willing to give of their time working, these events can’t happen. If you don’t have volunteers who see the value in spending an evening with others, these events won’t happen. And as we have seen, the reality is not that far away in Kearney. But we have proven that residents in McCook and Southwest Nebraska are willing to step up and help and make these projects happen, most recently this past weekend with the Tour de Nebraska (TDN) bike ride, the McCook Chamber’s Bash on the Bricks and Wagner’s Cruise Night. These events took dozens - if not hundreds - of volunteers giving hundreds of hours to make it happen. I was most involved with the Tour de Nebraska, the five-day bicycle ride that had more than 300 riders plus support staff in McCook for two days and nights. As the last of the bike riders headed north to the finish at Curtis on Sunday morning, what was left behind was a sense of joy by those who played a role in the event. There were numerous roles for the volunteers involved in TDN, from visiting businesses to let them know about the increased foot traffic to unloading luggage for the riders. There were the Community Hospital employees who staffed the welcome tent as the riders rolled into town. While the hill up to the staging area by McCook Community College event center is not normally that daunting, it proves to be a challenge after riding 60 miles from Cambridge in 90-degree weather. Nearly everyone pulled up the tent, exasperated over the hill, but was then overjoyed as a hospital employee draped an ice-soaked towel around their neck. There were literally sighs of relief and cries of joy due to this small gesture. Perhaps the biggest undertaking was the van shuttle system to get riders around the community. While the cyclists could have walked or ridden their bikes, it is hard to balance a load of laundry on your handlebars or to get across town from the movie theater late at night. Instead, for two days, nearly two dozen volunteer shuttle drivers drove a route around McCook, picking up and dropping off riders at local businesses. When it was all said and done, the shuttle drivers commented on how quickly their time went and how much fun they had. Some asked to take additional shifts, while others brought along a family member to be part of the joy of meeting others and to share the pride they have in their community. The drivers did receive a t-shirt for their time, but if you ask them, I’m betting that they will say they received more than they gave. Person after person who volunteered had stories from the two-day event, such as how friendly everyone was, how they enjoyed meeting people from across the U.S. and from other countries, and how they loved sharing what they love about their community. By volunteering, they came into contact with people they might not normally meet. There was a group from Denver who took the train from McCook after celebrating a bachelor party on the bike ride. There was the weatherman from Des Moines, who may have offered up his autograph. And there were the former McCook-residents who did the ride because it was in their hometown. This sense of joy and pride is not unique to this event. In fact, it is usually true of almost everyone who steps up to volunteer. Ultimately, you may give of your time and your talent and your treasure but usually you receive much more back in return. And if we all take that to heart and give back to our community by volunteering, we will all end up with so much more in return because it is better to give than to receive.
