MCF Members Share "Why" They Do This Work

MCFF members share "why" they do this work for their community.

As 2025 comes to a close, the McCook Community Foundation Fund would like to thank the community for their support over the past year and since MCFF was formed in 2001.

Over the past two decades, dozens of community members have served as Fund Advisory Committee (FAC) members…each with their own personal reason why they serve the community, why they do this work, and why they give of their time, their talent and their treasure.

To celebrate the season and wrap-up the year, the current FAC members each shared their “why” they do this work, day after day, to make McCook an even better place to call home.

Peggy Been: We are the people who have been given the great opportunity—and the responsibility—to build the hometown we want to call home. It’s amazing what we can accomplish when we plan and work together.

Dennis Berry: Referencing a favorite Psalm 116:12 - “What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits to me?”

Dale Dueland: We live in an abundant community, truly one where our glass is always at least half full, and never less than half empty. I like to remind community friends that we have the capacity, competence, and confidence to inspire, lead and support progress in our place. We invite donor support from those who recognize the benefit of a supportive hometown.

By wisely investing the payout from our unrestricted endowment, we encourage collaboration with community partners to capture opportunities, creating positive change in our community and making a place where we can live joyfully with family, friends, and neighbors.

Amanda Engell: The generosity of those who came before me is the reason my family enjoys the community, amenities, and opportunities that make life in McCook comfortable and fulfilling. For future families, I want to do my part to give back and help continue McCook’s legacy of generosity and support for generations to come.

Jeff Gross: I do this work because I care deeply about McCook and the people who call it home. The McCook Community Foundation Fund connects generosity with real needs, helping create opportunities today while building a stronger, more resilient community for future generations.

Gavin Harsh: My “why” is through serving and by fulfilling my personal mission to leave things better than previously found.

Cindy Huff: Community involvement is driven by my desire to help provide for future generations and for the people of McCook and Southwest Nebraska. It's the whole thing about planting a tree you will never see full-grown. That's what I want to leave for my home.

Matt Sehnert: Southwest Nebraska is the home of my family and friends. I want our home to be safe and welcoming, calm and peaceful, yet still fun and exciting. A mindset of abundance and gratitude also inspires me to help our neighbors in need.

Linda Taylor: It is very rewarding and an honor to serve on the McCook Community Foundation Fund’s advisory committee. Working together, we are able to help with a lot of great and impactful projects in our community.

Sean Wolfe: My "why" is simply one word, "people."Everything I do is with the goal of making McCook a better place for the people of McCook, both now and in the future.

Pam Wolford: Connection is the energy that exists among people when they feel seen, heard, and valued. The goal of MCFF is to foster connections in our community. I enjoy making those connections—especially when it involves my past students and their families. It makes me so proud.

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Jan. 2026 Volunteer of the Month Devoted to Church and Community

By Ronda Graff • January 22, 2026

To kick off the new year, Jo Beebe has been selected as the January 2026 McCook Volunteer of the month. While many people might know Jo for her years at the Sports Shoppe, she can be found giving hours of her time to the community, especially at St. Patrick Church. Whether during the weekly Mass or for a funeral or wedding, Jo shares her beautiful voice from the choir loft, as well as leading the choir members. Jo, along with her husband Harold, also has served as the St. Pat’s GALA host couple in the past and continues to help with set-up and cleanup of the annual event. Jo is also active with the Fall Festival, the Rosary Rally and the Wild Game Feed in Curtis every year. She attends every the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults class and helps students prepare for confirmation. And since retiring from the Sports Shoppe, she is active in the Altar Society, and volunteers at the Bargain Bazaar thrift store. According to her nomination, “The way Jo gives of her time and talents to our parish and community is a reflection of her faith,” and the community and the church are better because of her generosity. The McCook Philanthropy Council selects the monthly recipient for the McCook Volunteer of the Month award as part of the McCook Community Foundation Fund’s McCook Volunteer program. If there is a volunteer in the community who should be recognized, please contact the McCook Chamber of Commerce at 308.340.3200 or visit McCook Volunteers on the MCFF 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. Please have information about the nominee along with where and how they volunteer in the community.